The Express. — London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FHIDST. JULY 29. The Loan Cstaxcm.l.cin took his seat at 6 o'clock PUBLIC BUSINESS. COUNTY COURTS AND BANKRUPTCY COM MISSIONS. Lard ST. LEONARDS understood that the government were to issue a e omission to inquire into County Courts. Their lordships would recollect that he had brought in a bid to amend the bankrupt law, which was sent to a select committee ; but in consequence of his noble and learned friend ou the woolsack stating that it was his intention to a C /Ininission to inquire into the operation of County Courts and into the law of bankruptcy, he did not proceed any further with his bell. He wished now to know what the intention of the government was as to the issuing of the commissiLin in question ? The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had been waiting for the exact terms in which he ought to issue the come miadon on the bankruptcy law until the evidence was prisvad. Ito had been tatremely anxious to unite the two into the county tout ts and bankruptcy, and had boos in eimmunication with several persons on the subiect, last he found great didculty in accomplishinpt his object, lad h• famed he could nut unite Bic two commissions sari - feetweily. The object of the commission as to bankruptcy wield be to considor the working of the las: act—the ear. blesta—and what prohibility there was of the present rotas being em..rined ; whether it might be desirable to reduce the es.ablielustnt to prevent the court becoming bankrupt it.•:if. He heind to issue the commission in a work or ten dm. TUB EDUCATION BILL. Lord BROUGHAM was anxious to knew whether the Governisiint wended to proceed with the Education Bill ? Th. Earl of ABERDEEN said that it was with great regret that it had been fund impossible to proceed with die measure during the present session. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This Lill went through committee. SCOTCH SCHOOLMAST ERS. The Duke of BUCULEUCH wished to know what was the intentom of the government with nference to Scotch schoolm, , , r. ? The EA of ABERDEEN hoped his noble friend would believe that tos felt as great an intetcst as the noble duke did in t o a. (fare of the most meritorious body to whims he had referred. He had undertak, it that a change should be mule in the pcsition of schoolmasters either by means of the education measure which hid been introduced in the present session, but which the govern ment hail been of,liged to postpone till nest sessionor by means ni a separate ►ill. The subject of the position of the schoolmasters would moire the best attention of the government; hut they did not think it desirable to intro- duce a bill for the purpose of securing the salaries for the neat year, when it appeared that no doubt canted a, to the right to reeirive them. The Re►ident Magistrates (Ireland) Bill, the Turnpike Trusts Arrangement Bill, and the Sheep and Contagious Diseases Protrusion Bill, were severally read a second tim.•. PUBLIC LIBRARIES (IRELAND AND SCOTLAND) BILL. The hill was then read a sewed time. The Registrar of Meetings' Bill went through com mittee. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. This bill was read a third time. DUBLIN PARLIAMENTARY REGISTRATION RILL This bill was read a thirdtre;. STAMP DUTIES BILL. This bill went through committal. This llurgh Harbour (Scotland) Bill was read a second time. ELECTIONS BILL. Lord BROUGHAM in moving the second reading of this bill, urged upon the government the necessity of introduc ing, in the neat session of parliament, a large measure of reform, calculated to improve the character of the consti tuent bodies, and by that means, to elevate that of the re presentatives of the people. The bill was then read a second time. SHERIFF COURTS (SCOTLAND) BILL. The hill mu then read • wand time. The house adjourned at 35 minutes past 6 o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMO NS .- FRIDAT, JULY 29. The Ser.tant took the chair at 12 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lord.' amendments to the o owingbills were con sidered and agreed to:—Birmingham and Oxford Junction, and Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley end Great Western Railways ; Londonikrry, Enniskillin, and Sligo Railway (No. 2); Milford Haven Docks; Newcastle•up-ii- Tyne Improvement. Earl of Egremont's Estate Bill was read a third time and passed. Richmond (Yorkshire) Burgage Pastures Bill, and the Tweed Park Estate Bill were ordered to be read a third time. Pembertoa's Estate Bill and Piddecles Estate Bill were end s secant tine. PUBLIC BUSINESS. distinct and separate subjects bad been introduced to the notice of the committee, which it was renesaary that be should touch upon. Two of these subjects would hereafter demand a fuller consideration than he could now give to them ; but the third, which related more immediately to the resolutions under discussion. lay in a much *sneerer scope. The two other subjects, however, which had re ference to the merits or demerit., as the ease might be. of an act of parliament paned at an early period of the pre sent session, extended no doubt to matters of far ;greater eonsrquence, but with only • partial and limited khow ledge of the circumstances attending them they could nut give it that full discussion which its importance demanded, much iris form an opinion upon it. Still it was necessary that he should inci dentally touch upon these two ether subjects; but fiat , with regard to the prevent resolution. ' it appeared from the speech of the right hon. gentleman, the member for Buck inghamshire. as well as that of the hon. gentleman, the member for Stockport, that the main objection to them was this. It was said that they ought not to resuscitate a plan which had become defunct by ME ring new terms for the commutation of stock to parties who having already hell the offer made to them laid not thought fit to avail themselves of it, but there was no attempt ma& by these resolutions to resuscitate the former proposal. There was no intention nor proposition upon the table of the b• tas. for offering to the holden of stock a power of cAninutation which an act of parliament passed this session invested them with, hut which they had declined to Avail them selves of. (Hear, hear.) He was desirous that this point should be dis'inctly undentood, both by the committee and by parties out of doors, not that the enurement hid done anything to create an errone sus impression on the subject; but the speeches of some hon. nembers were calculetea to do s', and for that reams he was most anxious the• the misapprehension to which he was referring should be en tirely ;oat an end to. It should be distinctly understood, then, th at it was not the individuals who had the option offered to them by the act of the present session, to whom the offer was now prepared to be made. Some of the statements which bad been made upon these resolutions had greatly surprised him,becanse a slight inspection of the letter of these resolutions would show that there was no foundation for them. It was stated, for instance, that hea proposed to take power to make arrangements with these parties for an unlimited time, but it would be seen from the !mintage of the resolutions that the power was only to be 'aten for • limited period. The course taken by these resolutions was precisely the same as that which former pre cedents suggested. and nu doubt this misapprehension had arisen from their being over-crowded with formal state ments which rcuilered them much less yeadahle and int I. ligible th in they would have been if they had been left ant. In point of fact, the meauirg of the second resole. I then was simply this, vis e that certain parties being holders of South Sea Stuck, but being diequalthed by law from taking advantage of the late act of parliament, j had now an O'er made to them, analogous as far as it could be, considering the change of circumstances in the time, to the ofFr that was made to the other stockhol•li es. That was the true meaning of the second resolution ; but the hon. and learned gentleman, the member for lk, com plaine that the power of commutation was given to the South Sea Company as a body, and not to the particular individuals whom the resolution declared to be the exclusive objects of the proposal. The honourable and learned gentleman's professional experience, however, ought to have suggested to him what the law officers of the crown had declared to him, that in the case of an incorporated compaey it would he difficult for the house to establish direct relations with individuals who were mem bers of the company. The terms of the resolution in this respect, th• n, hero meet the legal technicalities of the case ; but if it were thought to be necessary—which be confessed he did not think it was—a change might be made in the resin 'alien to meet this objection. On the wholerhowever, he thought the resolutions were sufficiently clear and intelli gible as they stood. The South Sca Company would not have power to move in the matter without the Consent of the parties themselves, and although ho could insert words to that effect in the resolution without inconve niently adding to its length, he thought the committee' might for the moment rest satisfied with the assurance which he gave them, and leave the objections to he finally disposed of in the bill which was to be hereafter brought in. (Hear, hear.) Well, then swim it was said yesterday that the power which was asked by this resolution on behalf of the Treasury was un precedented, because it was unlimited. He confessed he listened to that statement with a good deal of surprise, be eline it must be perfectly obvious to any one that a certain amount of discretion must be reposed in the Treasury, or the Finance Minister, in matters of this kind. With regard to the disposition of the public money, parliament was in the habit of reposing such confidence in the minister for the time being, and, in his opinion, parliament did not do • rong by doing so; for whereas, while the minister exercised the discretion with strict pro priety, it greatly benefited the public, on the other hand, if he abused it, he was yet answerable to parliament for such abuse. (Hear, bear.) But he had neither the in- I tention nor the desire to go be and the limit which the law I prescribed in this respect; and what he asked in the present I instance was that certain portions ol South Sea Stock should be converted into a Three-and-u Quarter per cent. stock ; the amount which it was contemplated would be thus ex- • I changed not being more than two millions sterling. The committee might perhaps wish to limit the power of con I i - version to this amount ; well, if the committee strongly de- I sired it, he should offer no decided objection to such a pro ceeding ; but, at the same time, ho did not think it would be an advantage to the public interest that such ; a limitation should be made. Let the committee remember that the discretion he was now ask ing I I for war insignificant in comparison with the t ' power which he already ecjoy ed as finance minister, for at j I the present moment, by a vote of the committee of the ' whole house he had the power of disbursing 30, 0 00,0001. of public obligations under the name of Exchequer Bonds. That was a power which the Treasury enjoyed under an act of parliament, while, under a recent statute, it was likewise in the power of the Treasury to saddle the public with the payment of additional inters st upon these /Lithe quer Bonds, and this power the legislature did not hesitate to renew from year to year with regard to Exchequer Bills. I What power bad parliament given the Treasury this year I in the ease of Exchequer Bills ? Why, it had authorised tits T ry to raise 17,000,0001. of Exchequer Bills, to ' wry interest at the rate of one and a half per cent.; but it had placed no limit or control upon the Treasury with reference to the repayment of these I bills, on the contrary parliament had given the Treasury power to raise the interest to three per cent. At this mo ment the interest paid upon 14,000,0001., some odd Exche quer Balls amounted to 210,0001, but it was in the power of the Treasury so to raise the rate of interest as to make the total amount 630,0001. instead of 210,0001., and he thought these facts, with others which he could mention if there was time, pretty eonclusive ground that parliament was accustomed to proceed in iti financial legislation upon the assumption that a large and permanent discretion was to be left in the hands of the executive. Still, if the committee felt that it would be impossible to pass these resolutions without fixing the limit to which the discretion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer should extend, he would not say positively that he would resist it, but In should urge upon the committee that, considering the insignificance of the amount at stake, it would be much better to leave the power of the finance minister unfettered in any way, as it had hitherto been the habitual custom of parliament in all similar cases. (Hear, hear.) It was stated yesterday that this was no party question and an intimation was given by an bon. gentle man behind him that on that account he should exercise his own option and vote against the resolutions which had been proposed. The hon. gentleman seined at that conclusion from an erroneous impression of the object of then resolu tions. The bon. gentleman seemed to think that the object of the resolution was to resuscitate the former offe • ; but now that that erroneous impression had been removed, he born the hon. gentleman would experience no difficulty In eseoasidering the determination which he had come to. (Hear, bear.) The right hon. gentleman the member for Buckinghamshire had, however. given en entirely different diaareter to this discussion. That right hon. gentleman Won his objection to the resolutions, not on the same ground as that of the hon. member to whom he had just referred, but upon the incompetency of the government to deal with financial questions. That was a challenge which the right hon. gentleman had frankly given. That was the issue which the right hen. gentleman had raised, and upon that issue he was perfectly content to be tried. If that was the point which the 7 had arrived at, no man was less disposed to flinch from trying it than himself. If that should be the opinion of the House of Commons, no man would be more de sirous than himself that they should peened to make a better arrangement, by calling in the aid of a more efficient administration- (near, hear.) Hiving noticed—briefly he admitted—these objections to the resolutions, he next proceeded to urge the reasons why it appeared to him the committee should adopt these resolutions more as a matter of compulsory justice, than of expediency. He could not, con sistently with his duty, and would not—he said it with re spect—enter into any defence of the government, or of the results of the scheme, whatever amount of attack he might be subject. d to from the nigh hon. gentlemen opposite ; be cause he was convinced that to du so at the present moment, when those results could not possibly be judged of, would be prejudicial to the public interest He would say, how ever, that he anticipated no difficulty : and, so far as he might presume at the present time, and from present pro spects—supposiog no estraordinery circumstances to happen in the interval—he was confident he should have no diffi culty in meeting the demands which would be made in January and April under this op, ration. But he had never pretended to the character of a prophet—he was not the master of the ele.nenta, nor was he gifted with second sight—he could not control the course of events, nor would he presume to strike out • course eon- I trary to that which had ben pursued by former ministers I in former times—he was content to work in the way of , tradition and precedent, and alien he could net do great things for the public he was content to do small things. It might reem a humiliating confession, but he e oald not say what might be the results of the coming harvest, or what quantity of corn might have to be imported from abroad. This he knew, that they had four millions of bullion less now i n th e Bank of England than they had twelve months ago, and he could not say how much of that might have to go to pay for that corn. The right honourable gentle mail concluded a long speech by summing uo his argu ment as follows:—He had shown the different ele ments to be taken into consideration in forming an op': Ilion as to the success of the geverninent plan—he had shown that the convenience of the South Sea Stock, the e w e of the tisane.., and the state of the unfunded debt, also sto•••1 in intimate relation with each other, and that judgment oar the success of they could n d form a correct this limited operation until it was Heathy completed next year; but, with regard to the attack made by the right hon. gentleman in reference to the unfunded debt, he said ALLEGED CRUELTY IN-A-I%'oRKHOUSE.. Mr. iiiSicoiiiii.;iseediowiti;TWid:.t4 the Poor Law Board, whether his attention has been called to • petition recently presented to this house, complaining of the cruel treatment of paupers in Lewisham workhouse! Mr. BAINES said the petition in question came from a person named William Richard Cook, who stated that in the summer of 1850 and 1851, ho was an inmate of Lewis ham Workhouse, and while there he saw "seers' assaults committed by the master upon some of the inmates. In July, l&il, Cook tent a letter to the Poor Law Board, stating that he had witnessed an asmult upon a person ',mod Day, and that was one of the eases complained of in the present petition. This letter was referred to the guardians, who were an extremely careful and respectable body of gentlemen, and within a week afterwards they re turned an answer stating that the accusations made b Cook were totally false. Nothing more was heard of Cook from that time until September, 18.52, when the late govern meat being in office he sent a letter to his (Mr. Baines) right hon. predecessor complaining of the same facts, and some others which he had not stated in his former com munication, but the right ham. gentleman, considering the character of the man, and the lapse of time which bad taken plate since the alleged assaults were said to have been committed, declined to institute any formal investi gation into the 'complaint. When he came into office at the beginning of the present year, Cook renewed his complaints, but for the same reasons which actuated his right hem. pre decessor, be also declined to move in the matter. THE CAB STRIKE. Sit D. NORREYS seeing the hon. gentleman, the Under Seattary of State for the Home Department, in his plea, wis►ed to ask him a question on the subject of the cab strike. Would it not be better in the existing stets of things for the hon. gentleman to ask:the house this even ing to suspend the handing orders, for the purpose of passing • temporary set to enable the Commissionen of Police to license, temporarily, any di:ecliptics of vehicle, no matter whether cart or caravan, to ply fur hire in the streets while the strike lasted. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, al though the question of the cab-omen* under the department of the House Oliice, yet, as the licenses, forming a part of the revenue, came within his own immediate depart ment, he might, perhaps, he allowed to answer the question. (Hear, hear.) Certaiely, then, as far as be was concerned, he thought it was quite unneeessa7 to Introduce any such bill as that which the boo. biro set Imo suggested, while he felt that it would ;be rather going beyond the occasion if they were to suspend the standing orders on a subjc et like this. (A laugh.) The question of licenses or of allowing cabs, or carriages, or vehicles of any sort to ply for him is the streets was pecu liarly a matter which concerned the revenue ; and the die ',mhos or duty of enforcing or administering the law along with all other revenue laws rested entirely with the execu tive government. That power was vested in them by im memorial custom ; nay, he might go further, and say that it belonged to them by prerogative, subject of course to the responsibility of answering to the house for the manner in which they exercised it. (Rear, hear.) The whole ques tion, therefore, of granting licenses was in the discretion of the government, and he thought it would be better :f tt.: house, even on this occasion, would consent to leave it th ere . As far then as the ministerial means were concerned, he did not think there would be any practical impedimett. in the way of granting new licenses, and he hoped that ad mission would be a satisfactory answer to the honourable baronet. (Hear, hear.) SOUTH SSA ANNUITANTS DISSENTIENTS. . . . . . Sir i. KELLY wished to ask ..he right hon. gentleman, the Chancellor of he Exchequer, whether it wee the in tention of the government to purchase stock, or to create a new Thres-and-a-Quartrr per Cent. Stock for the purpose of carrying out these resolutions, and, if the latter, to what extent would it be projoard to inerease the capital debt. While upon this subject ho wished ►lso to know in what relation the holders whose stock was invested in the names of the Accountants-General of the Court of Chancery and the Court of Bankruptcy, stood toward the South Sea Compare The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER atil with respect to the tint question, it was proposed that the com mutation should be effected by the creation of new stock ; but the increase oh.ch this new creation would cause to the national debt would be so small that it was hardly worth while speaking about it. With regard to tie second question, he apprehended it was a question of law, which be was not well able to answer at the present moment; but I,e thought the Accountants-General, as trustee., stood in the relation of partners to the South Sea Company; and therefore the parties to whom the stock Rally b.:longed could have no legal right, as partners of -he South Sea Cot open y. The committee on the nso!utions was then resumed, when The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed that in introclueieg these rtsolutions yesterday to the notice of the house, fur two reasons be confined himself in the comments th . at he made strictlyt; the teat of the resolu tions themselves. (hie of those reasons wel, that at the present period o: the seuine and in the pretest state of the public business, be was r•.; willing, without necessity, to occupy the time of the al/emitter, and Cart by contribute tot • prnbegation of a session which hld alreatly been winos/11y long and laborisus; awl the other reason was, th.t tit Ins juilgtut.nt the time bu , a full di-cuisine of the ritesion bad not yet wrist d ; I•ut the spetet • which Wen sule.equentty mad, gave a mach ihrg..r 'sotto to the sub ject, rail had impaled epos bins the necessity of trcubling the e 'annum, with matters which he did not feel called upon to introduce into his opening addroie. le point of fact, ti.reo THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 30, 1853 that the results, so far as they had gone, had been favour able, and were attended with permanent benefit. The question new before them was, as to the adoption of the second resolution ; and a very limited question it was—it was simply whether they should arer to persons who were now by law disqualified from accepting the commutation of stook and the act of perliemeut, and empower the govern ment. to a limited extent of the capital involved, to make an offer to these parties to commute. (Hear, bear.) Sir F. KELLY urged that unless the resolution was framed in some other way it would be a dead letter. The proposed commutation was an act of great injustice to those persons who were bolder' of stock, and had not accepted the option given them by the act of the present session. Mr. J. B. SMITH objected to the second resolution. Sir 11. WILLOUGHBY could not understand what clan of persons had not had an opportunity of availing them selves of the option given by the act of this session. Mr. GLYN—if he could agree with the hon. member for Stockport that this was a new offer to the parties concerned —would have taken the some line as the hon. gentleman. But the words of the resolution—if they meant anything— meant that the parties to be benefited were those wh^, by some oversight when the act of this session passed, bad not been given the power to accept the option offered. Mr. SPOONER directed atteatioa t) a curious bill now passing through the house, with reward to which the com mittee ought to have some information. Although in fact a public bill, it bad been introduced as a Ninth) bill, and the standing orders had been suspended, in order to pass it most rapidly, and without its attracting any notice, until it now stood for the third reading, and yet it gave to the South Sea Company . the some powers of commutation a. those which were gisenln the bill now proposed. He hoped he should hear by whom, red under whose patronoße, the bill had b.en brought in. There could be no doubt that the provisions of this bill were like the provisions asked for by the Chancellor of the Exchequer under other hills. lie saw that the Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. J. Wilson) was apparently greatly amused (Mr. Wilson was laughing); but he (Mr. Spooner) wanted information, not sneers. Mr. WILSON explained in order to relieve the hon. gen tlernan's uneasiness. It was a private bill unconnected altogether with the government, and brought in merely for the convenience of the stockholders. Mr. W. A. WILKINSON wished to know distinctly, was this a new offer now being made ? Ile quite agreed with the hon. gentleman (Mr. Spooner) that if them!, were new proposals the house ought to be put in a position to consider them. . _ _ ' Mr. BPOONER-I[4d not the South Sea Company, in their corporate capacity, refused the term. offered, and would not this bill enable individual votes to be given in order to over-ride the corporate &Cluj , r. ' The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—No: the fact was not so, that this clause would have the effect sug gested by the hon. gentleman. Mr. DISRAELI pretested against the new view of the government, that the state of the weather and of Europe would account for the financial failure of the government. Ile repeated—the Chancellor of the Exchequer hod been warned fully that what hod happened would hove hap pened ; and the right hon. gentlem in had had full notice. Atter some further rem irks fr,,in Mr. DI4RAELI, in which he iutintatrd that ho would vote against the res4ln tion, The committee divided For the resolution ll7 Against On the7neat resolution, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that this resolution was merely for the purpose of effecting &con venience.. The hon. member for Warwickshire (Mr. Spooner) seemed to suppose that between this resolution sad a private bill coming before parliament there was some occult relation, but he could assure the hon. gentleman that there wee no intention whatever to ask the house, by agreeing to this resolution, to prejudge the bill in question. That bill, constituting the South Sea Company a trustee, was to be considered on its merits, and the whole Effect of this reso lution was, that in case the house should see fit to confirm that bill, enabling the South Sea Company, if it chose, to arrange it among its proprietors, to continue public credi tors, without going through the form of liquidation and then re-investment, that the government should have power under this resolution to deal with the company in that way. But the house was not now called upon to decide whether or not such would be a good policy, or whether or not it was desirable that the company should have a gua rantee fund ; that was no.. a question at all affected by this resolution, which was merely an empowering resolution, founded on the possibility that the house would adopt the bill. . _ NEWDEGATE thought that if they passed this resolution they - eould in effect prejudge the bill referred to • and thus enable the Chancellor of the Exchequer to deal on his own terms with the holders of trust property. I. effect they would be changing the constitution of the South Sea Company. Sir F. KELLY considered that this resolution was open to all the objections urged to the others ; but be would reserve his observations till the bill in question came before them. In answer to • question, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the bill would be in the hands of members on Tuesday. The resolution was then agreed to. The house resumed; and the CHAIRYLN reported the resolutions. ASSESSED TAXES BILL. On the order of the day for committee on this bill, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated what amendments ( on the paper) he would accept. Refer riot to those amen dments, notice of which had been gives. the right hon. gentleman said that the bill must be =ha Mined in its integrity, but he would agree to ono paint which had been strongly urged on him. He would from duty those farmer's carriages which were bon= need for conveyance of goods and material, and not foe pleasure. This would apply to market gardeners' carts. Some gentlemen said farmer, had to use carriages to go to ebureb ; but he could not give an exemption to omegas time used on that ground. Under the circumstances, la asked the house to go into committee for the insertion the admitted amendments. Ho would then reprint the bfl s sad take a discussion on a recommittal or on the report. TM bill was then committed: the alterations agreed to were made : thp Chancellor of the Exchequer incidentally stating that the whole question as to the best mode of col lecting the direct taxes was under the consideration of the government. The house resumed. STAMP DUTIES (No. 2) BILL. This bill wu read a third thusand Passed. Ths house than &disarmed (at 4) to 6 o'clock. The house resumed at six o'clock. FREE TRADE IN CABS. Mr. BOWYER, in rising to put a question to the govern ment, of which he had given notice, observed that it wu a received principle in political economy, and experience had shown it to be right, that ell interference by legislative enactments with the price of labour, aa of any other com modity, was injurious. That principle had been applied not only to all things which were sold or manufactured, but also to some public conveyances, such, for instance, as steam-boats and omnibuses. Of course, he was speaking only of the question of price—a question that was entirely apart from that of regulation. Bearing this in mind, ha begged to ask whether the government would agree to the appointment of a select committee to inquire whether the principle of unrestricted competition should be applied to cab fares ? _______ _ _ _ _ Lord J. RUSSELL—At the present stage of the session, I should not consider it advisable that a select committee should ►e appointed on that subject. ARRANGEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS. Lotd J. RUSSELL—Before I move the adjournment of the house till Monday, I beg to give notice that on Tues day and Thursday next I shall propose to go into committee of supply. I will also state on Monday, in compliance with the wish of the right hon. gentleman the member for Droitwitch, the intentions of the government with regard to the island of Jamaica. I now beg to move that the house, at its rising, adjourn till Monday next. THE CASE OF MR. MARE AND THE PLYMOUTH ELECTION Sir J. SHELLEY said it would be for the convenienco of members that he should state in reference to the notice of motion be had given for Monday next, that, after the decision of the house taking that day from private members he should not proceed with his proposition for the prosecution of Mr. Charles Mare. THE CASE OF PHILLIPS THE CABMAN. Lord D. STUART brought this subject "gain before the house, mid repeated the narrative of the case, with which the public is familiar. Viscount PALMERSTON—Sir, if my noble friend had given me notice that he would ask this question, I would have come down to the house with the same documents that I brought the other day. (A laugh.) The facts of the case, as stated to me by the magistrate, are simply these : A person who had hired a cab complained that the cabman hail charged a greater fare than the distance gone over justified. The complainant stated the point from which he started, the route taken, and the point at which the journey ended. The magistrate states that, from his own knowledge of the distance, be was satisfied that the charge was excessive, and that the distance was not such as the cabman allegcd it to have been. Ile was therefore going to fine the cabman for overcharge, but he states that ho offered to allow him the option of having the ground measured. Now I understand that when a measurement takes place the rule is that each party depo sits 51. to abide the result of the decision. The magistrate soites that the cabman &Wined the measurement. He did not understand him to have done so on tho ground that he bad nut got the 62. to lay down; but he declined g Ily, because he did not wish to have the measurement made—whereupon the magistrate Ms- pus d the fine. That is all the case; -and upon that statement, it does not appear to me that the magistrate was wrong. I also looked at the map and measured the route of the cab with a pair of compasses as far as I could— (laughter and cheers)—and it did appear to me that the dis tance was not greater than the complainant had been ready to pa_y fur. Ile offered 4s. Gd., which implies fire miles, and I don't think that, startinv from Bromptnn and ending at Waterloo-bridge, be could go even by a circuitous route more than five miles. (Hear, hear.) THE HIGHT OF YACII:I23 TO CARRY THE WHITE FLAd. Mr. MACARTNEY made some inquiries in reference to the permis‘ion given to the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland by the Admiralty, to carry the whi.e ensign, although tne taelu•iee privilige to • that ensign Lad been accorded, to 1b29, to the squadsuu of vie Royal Yacht Club. Sir J. ORATIAM deprecated the practice of taking up the time of the house with such trivial math re, but denicd that any exclusive right had 1.1,cn given the Royal Yacht Club. When be wss formerly at the Admiralty permission bad been given to the Royal Western Yacht Club, with the sanction of King William IV., to carry the white bargee, nod that permiasion had been revoked. The motion that the house at its rising adjourn to Moo day was then put and agreed to. THE CLITHEROE ELECTION INQUIRY.—COM MITTAL OF A WITNESS TO NEWOATE. Mr. G. A. HAMILTON brought up a report ot the Clitheroe Election Committee in reference to the witness R. Towlir, w i lso was committed some days ago to the cue , tody of the Serleant-at-Arms stating that the committee having reconsidered the whole of Towler's evidence, and compared it with that of the other witnesses, were unable to arrive at any other conclusion than that he had been guilty of wilful p ication with the desire to mislead the committee. The hon. member moved that the witness Hobert Fowler be committed to Newgate, and that Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant for that purpose. Mr. FRENCH wished to know why they were to depert from the ordinary course of directing the prosecution ot the party for perjury ? Mr. HAMILTON said the crime of which the man had been guilty was not perjury but prevarication, and until the house saw the evidence it would be premature to order a prosecution. The motion was put and agreed to. GOVEINIIENTIOF INDIA BILL. On the motion for the thud reading of this bill, Mr. BRIGHT remarked that the clause as to the quali fication of the directors, which had been omitted at his instance, tad been introduced on the previous day when he was cot present. He thought whin such a change was to be made in a bill under such circumstances some notice should l)e . . . Sir C. WOOD explained that as the clause now stood the same amouut of stock qualification was fixed for all the directors, which he believed met the objection to the clause as it originally stood. Alter a few words from Mr. Bright, Mr. Hume, and Lord J. Russell, Mr. HEY WORTH rose to move the following resolution in the shape of a clause —" That whereas the East India Company are the territorial landlords of India, it be an in struction given by this act, to the government now esta blished in India, that it shall forthwith institute a survey of all the jungle, uninclosed end unoccupied land*, and shall cease the same to be mapped out, for the purpose of selling the said lands as freeholds, at prices Rot exceeding Is. per acre, and thereby without interfering with the present tenure of the lands already occupied and brought into culti , tuition, a system of freeholds in land may be introduced, which is a main stimulus to productive agricultural in dustry." The clause was then negatived without a division. Mr. J. 0. PHILLIMOItE moved the following clause : Whereas it is essential for the good government of British India, and highly conducive to the contentment of the people, that no case of real misgovernment or of well grounded grievance, should be without all real means of redress, be it enacted, th,t persons suffering under alleged wrong may lay their cue before the Lords Justices, and that if they shall allow the farther prosecution of the case, it shall be referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and the decision of the Judi cial Committee upon such case shall be final." Mr. LOWE soid the question raised by this motion bed been already decided by the house in committee; and the cases that had been citcd about the Rajah of Coorg and others were quite irrelevant to the motion. No ground whatever had been laid for the proposition. There was no peculiar fitness in the Lords Justices, equity lawyers, for deciding questions relating to India. If there was any appeal at Al, why should it not be to the Privy Council at once ? But the matter bad been already once decided, and therefore he would not waste the time of the house in dis- cussing it. Mr. MALINS said the Lords Justices had enough to do without having this additional duty imposed upon them. Mr. BLACKETT complained of the offhand tone and manner in which the hon. member for Kidderminster had met this proposal, but particularly with the way in which he had dealt with the cases of the Rajahs of Coorg and Setters. Mr. MURROUGH said that the time was not far distant when all these cases of complicated and long-endured wronas would recoil upon the heads of the Court of Di rectors who had inflicted them. If, therefore, parliament wished to preserve our Indian empire, it would at once see that justice was done to the natives ; and, as he thought this proposal was a step in the right direction, it should have his most cordial support. (Hear, hear.) Sir R. H. INGLIS wu very much inclined to agree with the view taken of this question by the hon. and learned gen tleman the member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne. But it was quite obvious that if they wished to make these tribunals operative, they must make come provision by which their decrees could be carried out; and although he did not dis pute the cases of wrong which had been cited in favour of this case, he yet thought, for the reason he had just stated, that the tribunal which it suggested would prove ineffec tive, even if it were established. (Hear. hear.) Mr. HUME said this bill would certainly be incomplete ' if they did not make an effort to fill up that omission, and he therefore hoped the government would suggest a remedy themselves. (Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL contended that the remedy then which this clause proposed was a remedy which ran through the whole bill, at least if it did not the bill was good for nothing, and they ought at once to set about seeking for another and a better government for India. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BRIGHT said he took a different view of this sub ject from that of the noble lord, who seemed to think that no evil could now be done in India, and that what had occurred under Warren Hastings could net occur under Lord Dalhousie. New he (Mr. Bright) was of opinion that in the last fifteen years, as in the cases of the .ajah of Sat tara and the Ameers of Scinde, there had been committed crimes of as great magnitude as there ever were in the ear liest and worst times in India. He; hoped the noble lord would not let this bill pass without • clause establishing such a tribunal. He hoped, even if this clause was not ad mitted, that some similar clause would be introduced in the other house. After some further discussion, the house divided : For the clause Against . Mr. WISE brought up a clause affecting the patronage of the college at Addiscombe. 11e proposed that that patron. age should be distributed between the Board of Control, the Governor-General of India, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and the directors. in equal proportions. (Laughter.) Mr. 111.31 E could not tee what connexion the Lord Lieu tenant of Ireland had with Addiscombe ? (Hear.) Sir C. WOOD said that this question had been fully de cided in committee. A general expression of opinion had been obtained t►at Addiscombe was as perfect an institution as could be obtained. The clause was then negatived. Mr. BRIGHT proposed • clause which he was con vinced the house ought to pass, and which would greatly improve the bill, the effect of which was to brin g together into one building the " India house," and the . Board of Control." He appealed to the house, as men of business, whether such an arrangement was not desirable ? The noble lord (Russell) had said that evening that the government of India was compli cated and dilatory; and this was • plan to diminish those evils. The right honourable gentleman (Sir C. _Wood) did very quickly what he had to do; but he did not always do it very well, and he wou'd hays more time, and probably do things better, if his com munication with the India House was more direct. He (Mr. Bright) proposed that the building ter the combined departments should be in Downing-street, and, therefore, as that was a favourite locality, the right hon. gentleman would probably offer, on this occasion, less strin gent objections than he had urged when this suggestion was last before the house. He (Mr. Bright) did aot object to the increased salary voted to the President of the Board of Control, if that official would take up a proper position. Mr. Marchmont had defined the office to be the "penal station of every cabinet ;" but he (Mr. Bright) did not wish that to be the,case. A . penal station" at 6,0001. • year was worth having ; and the nght hon. gentleman was no doubt prepared for the future to discharge first class duties ; and us the President of the Board of Coutrol was now on a level with other Secretaries of State, and as directors were now to have higher salaries, they were bound to work is a more concentrated way, and the lax system of notes and letter writing ought to be done away with. The improvement would be obvious and immediate. As to the expense that had been repudiated as an element in the consideration of this bill, and it was a question which ought not now to be started, more particularly es he believed the arrangesneut he proposed would save 150,000/. a year in salaries and pensions. (The hon. gentleman went into de tail, to justify this calculation.) The government here should be merely a government of revision and not of detail, and the enormous number of clerks now employed ought to be quite unnecessary. The India House would bring as much, on a sale, as would pay for a new build ing and leave • handsome surplus. The library and the museum of the India House could be placed somewhere where they would be accessible and advantageous to the public. What, then, was the objection to the plan ? There could be none ; and he called upon the government to accede to it. It was true the directors were city men; but they could come to the west-end by boat for 2d. Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion. --- Sir C. AVOOD replied, with regard to the increase m►de in his salary, that he would undoubtedly endeavour to deserve it by increased l►bour and asaiduity ; and, in the next place, that if the two offices in question were to be consolidated, they must un doubtedly be consolidated at the west-end; but that be did not see how the consolidation was to be effected while the government of India remained a double govern ment. It would certainly be mirehievous if they took away front the directors even the appearance of independence, and such might be a result of confounding their offices with those of the Board of Control. Ile doubted if any expense would be saved by the conjunction ; and he founded that doubt upon the cost of the only available ground in the neighbourhood of the ordinary government offices. He thought it right to say thus much in answer to the arguments of his hon. friend (Mr. Bright) ; but he would not go further into the matter, as it had so lately been dis eased• The house divided ; the numbers wets — For the clause Against it 'Sir C. WOOD then moved the following clause:—" In steed of the yearly sums allowed under the bye-laws of the said compsuy to tht chairman, deputy chairman, and other directors, for their attendance upon the business of the said company, there shall be allowed to the chairman, deputy chairman, and directors, under this act, the yearly sums following (that is to say): To the chairman IMO/. a rar, to the deputy chairman 1,A4)0/. a year, and to every other director 1,000/. a year." When this question first came before the house be bad not felt himself justi&•d in pro posing so large an amount of salary, but the government were now of opinion that in bringing firward this propo sition they were only yielding to the opinion of those hon. members who had spoken upon the subject. Of course neither he nor his colleagues had any direct interest in the matter; at the same time, he did not hesitate to say that it was his opinion that the inereand amount of salary ought to be paid. The only question of course was—how to obtain the services of those who were best qualified to serve as directors ? This could only be done by remunerating them for the time and attention they would be compelled to spend in the exercise of the dude. of the otliix. After this explanation, he did not think that her Majesty's ministers would be trunted with having introduced this clause for the benefit of their nominees. _ The clause haying been brought up and read, the house went into committee upon it. On the motioa to till up the blank for the chairman's salary with 1,5001. a re:, Mr. HADFIELD objected to the statement of the right I lion gentleman (Sir C. Wood) which cast the responsibility of this increase of salary upon the house. Certainly nothing which he (Mr. Hadfield) bad said could have led the President of the Board of Co:Awl to entertain an idea that the salary was too small. Ile thought that the amount originally named was ample. There bad never been any difficulty in obtaining di rectors when the salary was only 3001. a-year. A thousand pounds in his judgment was altogether unne cessary, wasteful, and improper. There was another reason to be urged, that this state el things could not last lung, the house having reserved to itself annually the power of dis cussing this question, and it would very soon therefore make an alteration. And it seemed that so for from stiffen log by the alteration in the patronage they had benstited by it. The increase to 5001. was a moderate thing, but an increase to 1,0001. seeme.l Inconsistent. Ile moved, there fore, that the salary of the chairman be as at tint proposed I,OOOL instead of 1,5001. Mr. HUME seconded. The committee divided: For the amendment 99 Against it The proposal of the goy( remit was, therefore, lost. On returning to the galiery we found Sir C. WOOD proposing that the deputy chairman should have 1,0001. a year, and the other directors 5001. This having been agreed to the house resumed, and the chairman reported progress. Mr. WISE moved the omission of clause 29. His object was not to press his proposal to a division, but to elicit from the right hon. gentleman an explanation. Sir C. WOOD sold the only reason why he had not entered into any explanation before was that no one had objected to it. rhe company's forces wore precisely the same in amount that they were 70 years ago, while the royal troops had been increased to 30,000. It must be re eoPreted, too, that within the last few years there had been a considerable addition to the Company's territories, and the government considered this a ground for making some augmentation of the Company's troops. It was not pro vided by the 29th clause that there should positively be 24,000 men, but that number was made the limit He had further to state that the change was recommended by Lord Dalhousie and approved by Lord Ilardinge, who could not be supposed to be inditferrnt to the welfare of the British army. (Hear, hear) The actual addition which was about to be made was only 3,000 men. After a few words from Mr. LOCKHART and Sir Da LACY EVANS, The amendment was negatived without a divisioa. The ball then passed amidst loud cheers. UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLANI I I BILL. ll) b._ The house moat tato committee on this bill, On clause 1, Mr. W. LOCKHART suggested an amendm4ut, to the effect that the chair of Moral Philosophy, which was inti mately connected with Divinity, should be a member of the established church. The LORD ADVOCATE said he could not accede to the suggestion. The chair of Moral Philosophy in Edin burgh was filled for 25 years by a professor who was not a member of the church. On clause 2, Mr. SCOTT moved the following amendments :—Page 2, line 2, after the word "declare," insert "upon the true faith of a Christian;" page 2, line 2, after the word declare," insert " believing in the Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments as translated in the authorised version of the Scriptures in general use." He contended that one of the first and most positive qualifications for the instruction of youth was a belief in the Christian religion ; and how was this to be tested but by such a declaration as he proposed ? Ile should certainly divide the house on his proposition. (Cries of " Divide.") The committee divided— For the amendment Against it BI-44 Mr. SCOTT—As the house had resolved upon sanction log (open infidelity, he would leave the people. of Scotland to judge of the conduct of their representatives who bad supported that decision, and decline to propose any further amendments to the bill. (" Oh, oh," and laughter.) Lord W. GRAHAM wanted to know if the Right Hoa. the Chancellor of the Exchequer was prepared to adopt the same test for the uniteni!ies of Oxford und Cam• bridge ? Ins CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would be prepared when the subject of the university tests of Ox ford and Cambridae was before the house, to state his opinion upon it. (Cheers.) Mr. CRAUFURD would, at a future stage of the bill, take the opinion of the house whether them should be any test at all. After tome observations from Mr. Inclines; Col. Stull., and Mr. NEWDEOATE, _ _ The clause was agreed to, as were clauses up to 10. The remaining clauses were agreed to. The house named. POOR RELIEF CONTINUANCE BILL. This bill passed through committee. TRANSPORTATION BILL. This bill was read a second time. EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN FACTORIES This bill passed through committee.. DRAINAGE OF LANDS (IRELAND) ACT AMEND MENT BILL. This bill passed through committee. BETTING ROUSES BILL. —4" Committee postponed till Monday. ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) ACT CON TINUANCE BILL. • This bill was read a third time. TURNPIKE ACTS CONTINUANCE (IRELAND) BILL. This bill passed through committee. PILOTAGE BILL. In reply to Mr. Mr. CARDWELL said that this bill would come on upon Monday neat. CANTERBURY WRIT. -- _ - - Mr. K. SEYMER said that when he gave notice of his intention to move that thia writ should issue he fully ex pected that the report of the commission would be in the hands of members. Ho had from time to time proposed the adjournment of the issue of the writ, but he did not like upon his own responsibility to postpone the matter any longer. He, therefore, moved that a new writ should issue for the election of two members for the city of Canterbury. Lord J. RUSSELL would move as an amendment that a new writ should not issue for Canterbury until the next session of parliament. Sir W. JOLLIFFE, although he concurred with much that had fallen from the noble lord, did not think it would be expedient to close the matter in the way proposed by the amendment then before the house. Lord J. RUSSELL had no objection to move the ad journment of the debate if that course would be preferred by hon. members. (Hear, hear.) The d.b.ae was adjourned accordingly. INSURANCE OFFICES—INCOME TAX.. Mr. WILSON moved for leave to *leg in a bill to define the insurance offices whose policies of insurance on lives will entitle the party insured to a reduction of income tea. Le►ve was given to bring in the bill. The house then adjourned at 20 minutes p►ot 2 o'clock. Mr. Foley his paired with Lord Lewisham from Ist Au gust, for the remainder of the session. 150 c Court. OSBORNE, Jet' 29. The Princess Helena and Princess Louisa, attended by Lieut.-Colonel F. Seymour, arrived at Southampton in a special train from Windsor Castle at a quarter before 1 o'clock yesterday, and crossed over to Osborne in the royal steam yacht Fairy. Prince Arthur and Prince Leopold still remain at the Castle.__ _ . - Her Majesty drove out yesterday afternoon, acccmpanied by the Princess Royal and Princess Alice, and attended by the Morchimess of Ely, the Hon. Mary Seymour, and Colonel Bouverie. Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, attended by the Hon. Col. Phipps, Lieut.-Colonel F. H. Seymour, and Mr. Gibbs, embarked on board the Fairy at 5 o'clock, and visited the fleet at Spitbead. The royal party went on board the screw 'ream ship Duke of Wellington, 131 guns, and returned to Osborne at 7 o'clock. A deputation on the subject of the Truck Act Amend ment Dill had an interview with Viscount Palm, rston yes terday at the Dome-office. The deputation consisted of Mr. Moffatt, M.P., Mr. Abraham Darby, Mr. Macgregor, Mr. Tuthill, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Kirk, M.P., and Mr. Cranford, Ml'. Despatches were received at the Colonial-office yesterday from the Governor of Van Diemen's Land. The Chief Justice of Canada, Sir James Stuart, died at Quebec ou the 14th inst. DEATIT or GENERAL WARRE.—We regret to an nounce the death of Lieutenant-General Sir William Warre, C. 13., colonel of the 94th Regiment. Sir William served on the staff of Viscount Beresford in the P. ninon'', from MS to 1813, during which time he shared in the con tests at Rolcia, Vimeira, Co.uuna, the passage of the Douro, tu r:eKesif M.lajor, tha storming of Ciudad 10- drigo, the aster of Torr... Vedras, and other engage ments. The co:um-icy et the 94tli is uuw at liar dingo's disrin. al. A PPOINTMENT.—Mr. It. llirnie, barrister, eldest son of the late Sir Richard Birnie, hum been appointed by the Duke of J, wcastle Advocate-General for 'l‘ Went Aus tralia, et Slier. !liver, in the room of Mr. Moore, resigned. ;the erprogi. Tit COHRESPOIIIII • 'cannel Edition .f" The ' COMA.' • ! A IWO e•epfries Garatte," publfahed every Tue.day ay *am u z e for pap. •mci tware.tA Intemiet:PA; -ear, lOU RI% gift p. m OW, the at the °aloe, 10, bouverle.orree'. -; of on um i , lay of publication. EIGH WATER AT LON IR • BRIDGE. TAU rAT —Worois 91k. 133. wefts. Pt. 41w T.uroaacw—ldc.rnuig. 10h. 13m. • :toce.lok. Hs. LONDON, SATURD.II, JULY 30. Tim labours of the Session are said to have told this year with unusual force, not only on the eeel „ fort but on the health, also, or litany members of I'arliament ; and it stems quite natural that our legislators should sigh fur the happy day which shall shut up St. Stephen's, and !care them free to wander off in search of amusement or of health to I country houses, to the moms, to the continent --to their yachting engagements, or their shooting quarters. But, though this release cannot arrive till 'certain needful work has been concluded—suck as the passing of the Charitable lrusts Bill—the hoar for " breaking up" may very well be hastened by the casting overboard of some mischievous lumber that now clogs the more useful operations of the legislature. Let us select a striking case in point. There is now before Parliament a measure, called the " Colonial Church Regulation which it is very desirable the at te r.t ton of the Liberal party in the House of Commons should be directed to, with a view of arresting its progress; for it is not only a very bad measure, unsuuod in principle, and offensive in object ; but it is also a very untimely one. Under the specious pretence ut giving to the I Episcopal Communion, which uses the formularies and adopts the Articles of the Church of England in the Colonies,—and is therein popularly called the Churchof England,—the same liberty to makeregula lions for its affairs that Dissenters possess and enjoy, it really and truly aims at giving that Church a practical dominance and a legal superiority, by making it the object of imperial legislation, and by clothing its assemblies and their proceedings with a force of legality which no other religious body in the colonies either seeks or would receive from the State. In addi tion, this Bill will, if passed, withdraw from colonial legislation, fur the purpose of elevating it, the Church of the least importance, numerically consi dered, in our colonies, and so create a new topic of jealousy and ill will between the mother country and it s dependencies. Nor is even this :,11. By rendering Colonial Synods and their C mons lawful, the Bill will promote those claims and pretensions of domes tic Synods, which have of lute been repressed with so much difficulty and no little seaudal. After this general description of the measure and its conse quences, we need hardly add that it is a Bishop's bill, and has been passed through the Lords with the whole weight of Episcopal, High Church, and T r a ct a r an influence. The measure, we have said, is an untimely one. Here we are at the close of a session of unexampled duration, clearing off and working up a mass of legis lation for which Ministers ot the Crown arc respon sible ; and this mass so presses on Parliament that, with a view to getting through the most important parts of it, the Ministerial cargo will soon have to be lightened. And it is at such a late period, when Government business is the be-all and tho end-all of discussion and attention, that tho Bishops have thought it proper to introduce and press forward a measure involving some of the nicest and most irritating ecclesiastical ques tions, and setting at nought the soundest principles of colonial government. Many members of the Lower House most competent to deliberate on such a bill, having no notice that it would be introduced, have left town ; and there is neither time nor taste left this session in the House of Commons to give it that full and ample consideration which, when given, would, we are persuaded, lead to its rejection. When last year Mr. GLADSTONE, at an earlier period of the session, introduced a very similar measure, it met with the most decided hostility and the most inveterate opposition,—Mr. HORSMAN and Sir JOHN PAKINUTON tor once agreeing on a church subject,—aud any attempt now to force or smuggle the Bishops Bill through that House must be resisted by those Liberals still in town. They should upset this clerical attempt to do with empty benches what there would be little chance of accomplishing in a full house. 11 e venture, therefure,to arouse the attention ot th a friends of Reli gious Equality and the Nonconforming Members to this most offensive piece of legislation, that they may at least insist on its postponement—if they cannot secure its defeat. The Bill, we repeat, is foundid on a pretence; and, under the guise of this pretence, it will give the Protestant Episcopal Body in the Colonies, or rather its Bishops and Clergy and their party amongst the laity, all the impress of a State Church, with all tho advantages of a voluntary Church. The pretence is, that the Episcopal Communion in the Colonies is now restrained by our early legifdation from holding assemblies to administer its own affairs. This is a mere delusion, and the expressed doubts are an affectation to cove: a sinister purpose. The Act of Submission affects the Church of England, and its clergy where they have a legal status only—that is, in the Realm. In the colonies that Church is not a State Church, or its clergy under any Parliamentary restrictions. It is there a voluntary communion of Christians, and they are voluntaries, and as such the Act of Submis sion has no force over it or them. But, let us assume that the legislation of the Re formation does inhibit the clergy of Australia from holding assemblies, and regulating their affairs in such assemblies. In that case, all that is neces sary is a simple repeal of the inhibition, whereby the church and the clergy in the Colonies will be left in the same state as the ministers of other denomi nations. And if there were sincerity in the doubts which the bill professes to explain, this would be the sum total of its enactment. But the measure goes much further; it not only enacts that no law of the United Kingdom shall prevent meetings of the clergy and laity in colonial dioceses; —a provision wholly unnecessary, inasmuch as no English law does anything of the sort—bnt, having removed this stumbling-block of its own creation to synodal action in the Colonies, it then-- and this is its chief purpose—goes on to elaborately provide how the assemblies shall be elected, what powers they shall possess, how the clergy and the laity shall heseparated,who shall provide—in short, it elaborates and perfects a complete scheme of colonial Synods ; and, in doing so, it necessarily assumes for the Church of England in the Colonies a superiority over all other religious communities ; thereby offend. ing one . vital principle of colonial society—viz., reli gious equality. The utmost imperial legislatioa ought to do is to remove doubts arising out of English law, When, in addition, it lays clown a scheme for car rying out Synodal action in the Colonies, it tres passes into the field of colonial legislation, and in its zeal for the welfare of the Church of England in the Colones, does it serious injury by associating it with its State position and relations at home. The Independents, the Baptists, the Wesleyans, all bold assemblies of their communions in the Colonies; but they do not ask for or seek to have Imperial laws re