The Express. — London, England, 1853-08-16 00:00:00

1M I'EILIAL PARLIAMENT. itors F op WM/B.—MONDAY, AI:Gt'ST 15. The heirie met at 4 o'clock. ROYAL ASSENT. The It .yal swat was given by eommiesion to the ((Mew ing hills . —Pubbelting. a (*.deed) ; Parish Vetries, No. 2; Highway hates; Elec.iiitis; Entry of Seams • Lunacy Reitiatation; Encumbered Estates (Ireland) Act Coetinuanee; New•paper Stamp Duties; Crime and Out rage (Ireland); Registrar of Meeting.; Municipal Corpo- ration. Act Amendment; S.,eriffe' Court. (Scotland) ; Oaths in Chancery, de • Naval C.seet Volunteers; Land Tax Re d. mption ;Con•olidated Annette. (Ireland) ; Turnpike Acts Cuntinuance (Ireland) ; Poor lt• lief Act Conti ; Richmond (Y•okehire) Burgett° l'a•tures ; Electric 'Tele graph Company; W••rcest rand Hereford Railway; West port Port and tinhorn; Bayswater, Paddington, and Hol born Bridge italtwey ; West Cornwall Railway; Crieff Junction Railway ; Trelee and Killarney Railway; Impe rial Continental 0 oi, No 2; Brecon Colleciete Church; Ca/thin All Estaarylleclam diort; . Eirit Anglian Itailway,No. 2 . Chard Railway; Limetiek Improvement; Mourn oithshire Railway and Cabal; Severn and Wye It olway and Canal; South Wales Mineral Railway; 6taff.relehire Potteries Waterworks; Stamford .n 1 Es •endine Railway ; Cork and Baal-o It Merry (No. 2) ; Galway Improvement ; and several privose bills. The royal eninrotoioners were the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, and the Duke of Argyll. EIIEE TRADE IN INDIA. Earl GRAN V I LI.E sad that some misa,•prehension had soma abroad Irum an uoservation which he made the other night upon the third reading of the India Bill. It was Un der.t.h.J that lie expressed himself adversely to the intro duction of tree trade into India lie was one 01 those who believed that the priori ilea of free trade were applicable to sett, community and nation, and must ultimately be to their advantage. AI he meant to express on the occasion referred to was, that in India certain religious °everyman and hetii•ii had created ouch monopolies of labour in certain classes that it had increased the difficulties of the government there; and that even by the introduction of the beneficial principle of tree trade, hardship, both to persons and classes, had been infixted which could not occur in any other country. He on far, however, from expressing an opinion advent to free trade, but exacily the reverse, fur he spoke of the desirability o f ereaties competition, and carrying out to the fullest extent free trade in that country. CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL. On the motion of the Lon'. CHANCELLOR, the Com mune' are dements to this bill were considered. Ile should more that, with me exceution, they be agreed to. That fin pima opplied to the 19...• inetion, which placed small charitit• under the control of the Attorney• General. This would nicrioarily increase the expense of administerin‘ those charities; and as the eject of the bill was to diminish ate, the introduction of the section in question was con trary to the spirit of toe merino, and he should therefore mute It. om fission. The motion was agreed to. The Land Tea Commie...men' Names Bill, the Defacing the Coin Hill, the Linen, do , Manufactures (Ireland) Bill, sod the Militia Ballots Su.pension andMilitiaLaw Amend ment Bill, were read a second time. On the motion of 1".141 STANLEY of ALDERLEV, the 11 ickney Carriage Duties Bill was withdrawn. PILOTAGE BILL. The hove* then went into committee un this bill. On the loth clans living read, The Earl of HARDWICKE said, he had presented wren' petitions from Liverpool against this clause, which proposed to give to the Bard of Trade the power of licens ing masters of vessels to pilot their lion vessels. The sands lathe Mersey so frequently cheesed their position that it was insporailde fur a month together for any man to know how to beteg in a ship. Foreigner. under ;his clause would he able to bike out a license Si pilots, and it would strike a blow at the Liverpool pilots. All the authorities of the borough wen opposed to this clause. lie should, therefore, after the words "recited act," move the words, " Pro •ided always that nutting ia this act shall affect the pinta Liverpool.' Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said he could sot agree to the amendment of the noble earl. Ile trusted their lordships would sot agree to the smendineut, and he would repeat that the provision was nund only by the determi nation of this port not to carry out the law which pt. facilities for the examinations of pilots, and which had been acted osi in all other port.. After a few words from Lord CoLvirtsnin and Lori Btut: rut T, The house divided-- For the amendment 6 Against it The bill then passed through committee. THAMES EMBANKMENT BILL. This bill was reed a third time and passed. MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL. The report of amendments on this bill was received. DRAINAGE OF LAND (IRELAND) ACT AMEND MENT BILL. The report of amendments on this bill was received. DUTIES ON HORSES LET FOR HIRE BILL. This bill was read a third time and paved. DUBLIN CARRIAGES BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLAND) BILL. On the motion for ening into committee on this bill, The Earl of ABERDEEN was understood to express his regret at the opposition offered to the bill by some members of the established church of Scotland. If he thought that it would interfere with the rights and privileges of the church of Scotland he would be she last person to bring it before their lordships ; but, believing, as he did, that nutting of the kind would take place, he confidently recom mended it to the favour of the house. He confessed that he put very little value on all tests of this description— (hear, hear)—and every day landed a testimony either to their being valueless or mischievous. This test, on which it was proposed to legislate for the fu. turn as regarded the lay professors of the outvoted. tits of Scotland, did not establish any abstract principle, but it caused a great practical eon which WAS felt very much at the present time, and whit* would be greatly increased hereafter unless some sash remedy as was now proposed was applied to it. For whets ever the test was sot altogether disregarded it was attended with great hardship, and the truth was that it was only effectual in eases in which the framers of the test themselves would have been anxious that it should not have been applied, for it was applied to those persons whom the framers of the test would bate been most desirous to admit into the universities. The universities of Scotland were not ecclesiastical incite- Bons, and the church was entirely incompetent to impose any test en the professor—and not only so, but students were admitted of all setts and persuasions without any question as to their religious opinions. The professors had no authority over the students outside of their lec ture rooms; they were. independent of the un wind, authorities, and these institutions were open to the whole world and , were entirely different to Oxford and Cambridge. On many pro visos attempts a bill of this kind had been rejected by the House of Commons by small majorities, but on this occasion, by an understanding which had been come to among different parties, it had passed by a majority of 5 to I, only one Scotch member voting against it. They had now the advantage of public opinion in favour of the measure, sad W trusted that an end would be put to that apart from his office. It was, he thought, sufficient to re quire that th. it,fluenre of the office should uut be lased ia demur tun of that church. The amendment um then put sad negatived, sad *a clause passed. The remantiog dames pauud through commit% me, and the house resumed. corms or CntINION LAW (IRELAND) BILL. This bill was read a third time aad passed. The Burials (th.riad the metropolis) Bill, and the Em ployment of Children in Factories Bill severally went t h committee. Ths A.semcd Tazve,l _____ nee or. Lives,andSherifri (Scot land) Babb warn severally read a third time and passed. -- - because they would toad to show that the agent of Mr. e Butler Johnson was as much implicated in the corruption practised et the election as either of the unseated meembers. Mr. LOWE said the commissioners, in the exercise of their discretion, had declined to report these papers to the house, and be thought the house ought to pause before they adopted this motion. The act of parliament under which the commissioners acted armed them with • power and jurisdiction unknown to any other court or tribunal in existence in this country, and in the exercise of that authority the commissioners in this in wipce had thought fit to all for the production of certain documents, but having had the papers laid before them they did not think it was expedient to print them in their report. Now, parliament having i d the commis donors with such a discretion woald the House of Cotn- Mows be justified in interfering with its exercise? lie I eartainly thought not, and since the production of these ciPzicould neither add to the Canterbury case nor lead ulterior proceedings against the agent complained of he really could see no use whatever in agreeing to the me den. (Hear, hear.) The motion was withdrawn. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Mr. ROTRERON moved for leave to bring in • bill to retralatie friendly societies. These societies, be thought, should now be placed on a permanent basis, a n d th e y b a d mew gained sufficient experience to enable them to effete that object. One of the obj.-cts of the present bill was te intend the operations of friendly societies from 1001. to 2001.; in the case of annuities, from 201. to 40/. ; and la cases of sickness, instead of the amount being limited to 20s. a week, as at present, that the amount should be se- Leave was given to bring in the bill, which was brought la accordingly, and read a first time. CRIMINAL CODE IN MALTA.—RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. Mr. IL INNAIRD said some months ago his attention was celled to a code for amending the law in Malta, and he made application at the Colonielioffice to know if the code had arrived, and he was told the code was in the Colonial office. He then moved for a copy of so much of the criminal code as related to offences in respect of He had not been able to obtain this return, although he be lieved that every exertion had been made by the Under- Secretary of State, till this morning. In the amended code there were seven separate articles relating to offences con nected with religion, the punishments awarded by which reminded him far more of the intolerant enactments of despotic governments rather than the enlightened legislation of a free country, whose bout it was to have taken the lead in the promo tion of civil and religious liberty. And allow him to add that this was unprecedented in the law of Malta itself The only argument he had heard in their fasour was that they were the necessary result of our guarantee to the Mal. tete of the exercise of their religion. lie therefore begged to ask when a guarantee was given which would warrant the paining of such a code as this? lie could discover Re such guarantee; but, on the other hand, he found that when Sir Nicholas Maitland issued his pruclamittioe on Oet. 15. 1815, he merely promised the:natives that they should have the Ire cise of their religioa. It appeared to him that that meant no more than that they would afford to the Maltese the same protection in the exercise of their religion that we ourselves enjoyed. He found that by the code of 1837 penalties of hard labour and imprisonment were awarded to whosoever should disturb the sacred functions or worship of the Roman catholic, or the Angli can religion in the celebration thereof. These enactments were evidently not intended to interfere with the full right olf diseunion and in conformity with this it was expressly Hissed by the English commissioners that no Eng , Usk government would grant protection to their *Aeon from argument. Consequently the ordinance Hillieh was passed in relation to the press forbid the publication of any writing reviling, or otherwise insulting nay doctrine of the Rumen catholic or of the Anglican Eureb. In that there was the principle of equality ; bet to turning to the amended code, he found the Roma* ditch was designated, for the first time, the Roman who- Me apostolic church, while the Anglican church was entirely emitted by name, and only included under the general emu" dissension," so that it was positively proposed that the religion of the sovereign of this country was only hemseurth to be regarded in Malta as dissension. Then the functions of the Roman catholic church were alone termed sacred ; that was another innovation_ , the term was not applied to protestant worship. Then he came to the penalties which applied to insults to the Roman catholic worship, and to thefts in the private houses of the priests. He found also that the term " blasphemy!' was applied to persona who spoke against the Virgin Mary in the saints. Then, from four to six weeks' imprisonment was awarded to those who stole the Eucharist, to which might be added solitary confinement for a period of sixty days, and all this might be increased by one degree, which meant all the aggravation of punishment which might be inflicted by prison regu lations. A more iniquitous and monstrous law was never proposed, and seeing that they had hundreds of soldiers and sailors in that island, any one of whom might in a moment of inadvertence take some bread and wine from a priest's house, he thought they ought to pause before they allowed such a punishment to be inflicted as was inflicted by this code. He was astonished at the audacity of the legislative council proposing that our Queen should sanction such a law as this, and he was sur..rised that government bad not gives them an opportunity for discussion before this code wee sanctioned and allowed to become law. He could only lay that any one suffering under such a law would glee rise to a discussion in the house, *bailor to 6,at made with respect to the Medial. If he were in Malta and • Roman catholic procession were to go by, he can didly imafessed he should not take off his hat, nor should he kneel, but under this law he should be liable to impri sonment though he was a British subject. This was con trary to the whole spirit of British law, and unprecedented in Malta itself, and he could not believe that the noble lord who led this house, and who wrote that admirable dispatch to the Duke of Tuscany, would sanction such slaw as this. In conclusion, the hon. member moved that the proposed amended code for Malta is maul d to the constitutional right and liberty of her Majesty's subjects. and is an innovation in Maltese law, and that an humble address be presented to her Matesty, setting forth the ob vious effect of such code, and preying her Majesty to take the said code into consideration, and to withhold her &auc tion to it until the subject shall have received the mature consideration of parliament. Mr. T. CHAMBERS said the proposed alteration of the penal code of Malta was an alteration of the penal code in relation to doctrine, opinion, and worship. It was said they guaranteed the exercise of the Roman catholic religion there granted. It was guaranteed on the terms read by his hon. friend ; that was, they were to have the free exercise of their religion, and he trusted they would have it ; bat undoubtedly they would not have it if this law were passed. This was an appeal on behalf of the Roman catholic laity as well as the protestant laity. This cods altered the legal status of every class in Malta. Mr. F. PEEL said he was not sorry that his hon. friend had stated his objections to this criminal code. In one re spect he would qualify his satisfaction of the speech of the hon. gentleman, because he must say that, to a certain ex tent, it was an injudicious one, calculated to keep alive animosity, which it was their object to allay, between the different sections of the community at Malta. Ile thought also he should he able to show that it was inaccurate and not so correct as it might have been if the hon. gentleman had chosen to refer to documents which were as accessible to him as they were to himself. He understood his hon. friend to take a general exception to this code on the ground • the - ' Mr. 1. BUTT said the boo. gentleman (Mr. Peel) bad not satisfied him that the effect of the code would not, after all, really be to make the Roman catholic shurth the dominant religion in Malta. Mr. PELLATT thought that the code contained a vast amount of objectionable matter. if the house assented to it. they would be going back to the middle age*, and este blishing a benefit of clergy for one particular body of reli gionists. Mr. NEWDEGATE pointed oat the wide construction which the words of the cod* relating to insults offered to Roman catholic ceremonies, functions, and articles, might be made to bear. It was a rule with the Roman catholic chureb, that whatever was once made en article of the faith never . ceased to be such. It followed, therefore, that the doctrine against which the oath of abjuration taken by members of parliament was aimed, name,y, the "impious," " here tical," and " damnable doctrine and poeitien," that princes excommunicated by the Pope might be deposed and murdered by their subjects or others, though suspended, was still an article of the church, which it would be punishable in Malta to revile er ridicule. (Hear, hear.) It might be very well to tolerate the worship of saints ; but surely, after it was abjured in this country, her Majesty's •übjects ought not to he liable to penalties for objecting to such doctrines. Besides the code involved a new principle, it created a crime without any criminal intent. All they asked was that the government would take time consider this code. Mr. HUME said the mistake prevailing through the debate was that they were about to pass a law for this country, and not for Malta. When England took possession of Malta the inhabitants had guaranteed to them the free exercise of their religion, as the dominant religion—("No!") and it was intolerance now to treat it otherwise. The de claration made by members of that house might do very well in this country, but was wholly unsuited to Malta or Lower Canada. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD said the allegation that Roman catholic& held the doctrine that excommunicated princes might be deposed or murdered by their subjects, bad always been protested against as a calumny. It had never been a doctrine or an article of the catholic church ; he abjured any such doctrine, and so would any other Roman catholic. There were many cases where the law of England punished crimes without reference to the in tent, as assaults and libels. He had no wish to see the catholic church a dominant church ; be sought for equality, and no more. In this case they were dealing with a country essentially Roman catholic, and where its existence had been guaranteed by the crown. Mr. WARNER thought that if this cods should become law Without a protest from this country it would be moat disgraceful. (Hear, hear ) lie particularly ohjecred to the words ' shall outrage the objects of worship." This might be construed to compel protestant' to he uncovered when the host passed by. Another clause might be construed so as to silence protestant ministers, and even to prevent protestant professors from lecturing in the college of Malta. (Hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL said the house must consider, on this question, what was the position in which we found the Roman catholic church in Malta; what was due to the sub ject" of her Majesty residing there, and what was due to civil and religious liberty on the part of the government of this country. With regard to the first of these points, no use would deny, that when we took possession of Malta the great majority of the inhabitants were Roman catholic', and that it was part of our profession and public promise to the people of that island that we would respect their religion. (Hear, hear.) This was avowed in the various proclamations which were made at the time. There was no proclamation or declaration on the pert of the crown of England which did not openly and solemnly declare that the religion of the Maltese should be confirmed, maintained, and respected. By that religion every body would allow was meant the Roman catholic religion. It should be recollected likewise that at that period the question was not, so much as it was now, between Roman atthelics and the various denominations of protestant', but between the Christian religion and nll those who forsook it ; for at the time the French had possession of Malta the great object was to prevent the overthrow of the Christian religion altogether. Such being the case, we were no doubt hound to respect the worship, the practice, and the faith of the Roman catholic" In order to do that it was necessarily implied in the undertaking we had given that come puni-h -meut should be awarded to those who openly insulted -.nd reviled that religion. (Hear, hear.) That was no more than we claimed here, as a reverence due even from persons who did nut belong to a particular faith—that they should not insult or revile those who were advocates of that faith, and were carrying on their public worship. The case was the same under the law which it was now proposed to super sede by the present criminal code. A law of the 14th of March, 1839, prohibited "any writing, reviling, ridiculing, or otherwise insulting any doctrine of the Roman catholic church, or the government or discipline of the Roman catholic church, or any ritual or other religious observances of Roman catholic christians of racy class or description." Therefore, according to our original declaration, and ac cordino to the law at present existing in Malta, the exercise of the Roman catholic religion was protected and maintained, and any open insult to that religion was punishable—the pu nishment varying from one to twelve months' imprison ment. With regard to one class of objections that had been made, he did not think that those objections ought to prevent the advisers of the crown from assenting to the proposed alterations in the code. It was "aid that the es tablished chum ch of England was not especially mentioned, separated from other Christian communities, and put in the place of honour in which it had formerly stood. But if the legislature of Malta chose to specify the Roman catholic church, which was the established church there, and not any other, they were wholly authorised to do so, and no objection should be taken to that. There was likewise no foundation for the objection of Mr. New deism, about the declaration made by members of that hams against • certain doctrine with reference to sovereigns adeammunicated by the Pope; because, whatever might have been the practice with Popes in bygone ages, he did net believe that any Roman catholic of the present day would allow that it was an article of his church that van (ranee might be so wreaked upon excommunicated princes. Mear, hear.) He could not see that there was any ma terial difference in the present law with regard to any article of the Roman catholic church. At the same time, *are bad been observations made by hon. members which be thought required further consideration, and which should be weighed most deliberately. (Hear, hear.) He did not say that they were conclusive against any particular terms in the code, but he did say that they deserved the easaskieration, not only of the government, but of the legal advisers of the Crown in this country. (Hear, hear.) He agreed with Mr. Butt that certain words introduced in a parenthesis in one of the clauses were unnecessary; they were also ambiguous, and might be interpreted in a manner which a present we should not be prepared to assent to. To make an offence against the Roman catholic church pun ishable, he did not see the need of defining the civil rights of that church. (Hear, hear.) Some words in the other articles were also liable to excep tion. Where any of the services were disturbed, without violence, and without the intent to profane, the punishment was from one to throe months. He should have thought that two or three days' imprisonment, ore small fine, would have been quite sufficient for an offence committed without any violence, or any intent to profane. (Hear, hear.) He saw no objection to protecting the Roman catholic church against the profanation of the Virgin Mary ; but the words "by gestures" were certainly liable to a very wide inter pretation. This had proved to be the case at Masao, where also the Roman catholic faith was the p rev a ili ng religion, . . Zito Orvrefigs. TO CORRESPUNIIF:NTti. ktond Eaticti " Tbt Emirerei," mourning •he Fame metre' "Gazette,' la putliehed crety Tu. too) and Friday •ittht, in time lor poet. ►,t et twenaeßte intended for The E.r prime," Loc lon Ercning yawl, woet be at the tithes, le, Couverieietreet o by Two o'clock on the M y of pnbli•'.tioo. HIGH WKTEIt. AT I,UNDUN BRIDGE. Two Der —lffornfne. II h. Sfrot. Afternoon. 0 O . Ta-rrasew—Mornias, O. IS r Afternoon. Ob. 4 THE EXPRESS. TUESDAY EVENING. AUGUST N. 1853. PUBLIC WORKS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. This bill also went titrough committee. The Stock in Trade Haemption bill, the Customs Tariff Act Bill,and the Customs Consolidation Act Amendment Bill were severally read a second time. The Commons amendments to the 'Transportation Bill were agreed to. The Commons'amendrnents to the Entail. (Sentlinil) Bill and the Vaccination Extension Bill were severally agreed to. Their lordships adjourned at eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY, Aro. 15. The SPEAltibl took the chair at I o'clock. WItIIS On the motion of Mr. Burr, a new writ was ordered to be issued for Dunnarvon, an the rirm of Mr. M.inuire, wh• since his election had a.:cepted the office of steward of tb. Cniltern Hundreds. On the motion of Mr. E Hanicrm, a new writ was ordered for Stamford, in the room of the Right Hon. J. C M. Hernias, who since his election hnt accepted the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The lords' amendments to the following hills were agreed to:—Banbridge. Dublin, Newry, and Belfast Junction Railway, Hallway Harbour; Harwich Docks and Pier; London and North Western and Buckinghamshire Rail. ways; St. Margaret and St. J..dut the Evangelist, West minster, Vestries; Severn Valley Railway ; South Wales Railway (Deviation); Suutb Wales Railway (Pembroke, &c.); South Wales Railway (Power to purchase, &c.) Baron Vivian . , Estate Bill wall read a third time. PUBLIC BUSINESS. _ _ GUANO. Col. BLAIR. asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the government had received any confirmation of the truth of a report that an island, containing an almost inexhaustible supply of guano, has been lately discovered n the east eons. of Africa, and, in the event of the report being true, whether it was their intention to take any eteps that will cause that artick to be obtained at • more mode rate price by the agriculturists of this country. Mr. CARD WELL said that no information bad as yet reached him to the ef•ct rated in the bun. member's ques tion. Ile had been in commnnication with the First Lord of the Admiralty as to the future supply of guano to this country, and instructions bad been issued to the squadrons in the Pacific in reference to the course they should take it any islands were discovered from which guano could be obtained. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Sir DR L. EVANS gave notice that at an early part of neat s.ssion he would submit a motion to the house upon the subject of the policy at present pursued at the Cape of Good Hope. He believed that much valeapprehension had prevail,d, and would continua to p•evail upon that subject. CUSTOMS DUTIES IN HOLLAND. Mr. PELLATT asked tee S. eretary of the Treasury why the following British manufactures are charged higher du ties in Bodged than those of other favoured nations, via., iron manufactures, 6 per cent., while those of Belgium and Germ my are 2 per cent. ; hemp and linen manufactures, 6 per cent., while those of Belgium and Germany are 1 per seat.; moton and woollen manufactures, 6 per cent., while those of Belgium and Germany are 4 per cent. i and earth enware RN. per ewt., which amounts to abo u t a; p er c en t., almost a probibitoryduty ; and whether her Majesty's re preservative in Holland has remonstrated against these utterer, since parliament has reduced itsimport duties upon butter, cheese, egg., and other productions of that gonatrj. Mr. WILSON believed that there was a difference in the dirks charged in Holland upon some British manufactures se compared with thoee charged upon Belgian manufactures. There was, however, no treaty of reciprocity between this enuntry and Holland, and he ' , chewed that the policy of Zeeland was to do that which was beneficial to English , men, without regard to the interests of other nations. CATHOLIC RELIGION IN INDIA. Mr. LUCAS, in rising to call the attention of the house to the subject of the catholic religion in India, explained that when the act of 1833 was passed, provision was made for the introduction of two bishops of the Church of Eng land into Hindostau. A protest w..s then made by the late Mr. O'Connell, and upon a discussion of the matter which subsequently took place, Mr. Sbiel moved a clause, provid ing for the religious instruction of Roman catholics in India. There could be no doubt but that • due provision ought to be made for that purpose, end he, therefore, asked the Pre sident of the Board of Control, whether any further provi sion was to be made for the religious instruction of the Roman catholic, in India? 8t C. WOOD quite agreed with the hon. gentleman that due provision ought to be made for the religious in struction of the Roman catholic servants of the Ent India Company. The government of India did not proteu to do more tnan provide for the spiritual instruction of those in its own employment. (Hear) The government had never held itself bound to find religious instructors for the native community of India, but it was always considered unjust to send persons from finglsnil to so distint a country without providing for their religious instruction. He was quite pre pared to admit that the ptovi•ions at present made for the spiritual auistanee of the Roman catholic troops was far from being adequate to its object, and lie would also add that the government of India was tuliy aware of that fact, and were about to take meuures to remedy the evil. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. Lord J. RUSSELL said—l stated the other day that, before the prorogation of parliament, I would give the best info•tnstion I could with regard to the present relations be tween Russia and Turkey, I shall therefore make a short statement to-morrow upon the subject, and then move that the house adjourn to Friday next. (Hear, hear.) I under stand that the house will meet to-morrow at three o'clock, at which time I shall make the statement to which I have referred. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL. The house then proceeded to the consideration of the Lords' amendments to this bill. Upon the amendment, striking out the clause which refers to the salt duty, Sir J. FITZGERALD called upon the house to reject this amendment. He spoke from esperience, which taught him that the duty upon salt ought at once to be abolished. The salt duty itself was bad enough, but the consequences Bowing from it were such as no European who had not been in India could conceive. Mr. OREOSON, from his knowledge of the natives of India, could speak to the injurious effects of the monopoly in salt enjoyed by the Eut India Comm). Ile remem bered a representation upon the matter being made to him self by the natives when he was in India, strongly objecting to the effects of the salt monopoly. Sir C. WOOD thought that the last . . - - that Malta formid pot of , .re triginlons - of the crown, and r' n a when an ii ng the ss na had ben poi ha jean to - rthi which, if it was not checked, would bean eodlmi soared of referred to • repreentationmsdle — before the year 1833. At TOZItiOO. that date the duty wee reduced. Although he (Sir C. Wood) that the crown being protestant eould not properly assent Lord REDESDALE urged that a measure of this kind, supported the amendment of the other house, he was to a law which established the church of Rome. governor because, either by accident or design, he stud Mr. KINNAIRD said he objected to the term " blue with his hat on during religious worship. Generally, and involviag so great • principle, ought not to be premed quite ready to concur in any reduction of that duty, at this period of the session, and he hoped the noble earl which co u ld be safely made. He obj ected. however, pbemy." throughout these articles, there wean Ounces of that which Into be inserted—that the offense should be a wilful one. would be induced to withdraw it. strongly as to the clause, which the amendment in question Mr. F. PEEL said the hon. gentleman referred to the law of Tuscany and the case of the Madiai, and created an Z2 l ear, hear.) At the same time, any gesture tending to The Earl of HADDINGTON would agree to postpone rejected upon the same ground he had urged against itsinsult the religion of the majority of a country the bill until another session, if he thought it probable that introduction, namely, that it was an attempt to legislate for impression that under this cods persons might be punished might be a fit subject to be taken cognisance be would get anything as good in the next session. the details of Indian government. It should be remises. in Malta as the Media were punished. Now the Medial of b The Doke of ARGYLL presented a petition (on the part bend that the revenue of India, at the present moment, were punished for reading a protestant version of the Bible, y the police, in order to prevent disturb of • noble friend, who was absent) against the bill from the was barely sufficient to meet the expenses incidental to its and he would undertake to say there was no provision ance. All he said was that he thought the code required further consideration. (Hear, hear.) If gement assembly of the church of Scotland, but said he did government. In addition to this the opium duty was in a in this code under which persons could be punished for upon sending to Malta the observations which occurred to not erns either with the prayer of the petition or its all.- very douhful state, and the revolution in China might not, reading the Bible. And he would ask the house to bea r In mind that Malta was a Roman catholic country and the law officers of the crown, such amendments were made, rak petitioners es. The petitione stated that the existing test was improbably, decrease the receipts under that head. He, and the articles framed in such a manner that the govern- Nee than a declaration upon the part of the pw however, did not hesitate to say that as the East Indian under a legislative council,ts which Reiman catholic mem •meet could assent to them without objection, he thought t eam b e b e li eve d i n th e t ru th s o f th e scr ipt ure . B e t government had already reduced the duty, so it would in aad on th ha at after great been de re al tu o m f d e feats ' si And wnwapparolvaedw which , ofby It woe mesh more, and in giving this general definition of future reduce it when that reduction could be made con-that the government, having the whole matter before them, should have feel discretion to do so. They would be the test he thought the general assembly betrayed the sistently with a due regard to the exigencies of government. them. The hon. gentleman said they were unnecessarily bound to lay 'any correspondence that might take place weakness of the.. cue. He expeeted, adenittieg es they Sir DE L.:EVANS was glad that it was on so narrow and altering the act of 1837. The hon. gentleman had fallen before parliament at the beginning of the next session,and did in this allegation the insufficiency of the test as a re- technical a ground that the right hon. gentleman (Mr. C. into some inaccuracy in this respect. they would be liable to any opinion which the house might ligious test, so far as the doctrines and discipline of the Wood) acquiesced in this amendment made by the other The hon. gentleman was here interrupted by the appear- think tit to express. He assured the house that it would established religion of Scotland were coneernaethev would branch of the legislature. He entirely concurred in the ance of Mr. Pulman, the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod, be the objeet of the government to give to the people of have proposed soothe ; but instead of that they declared statement which the honourable member for Lancaster who summoned the house to the House of Lord s , to h ear Malta the fullest security for the exercise of their religion, that the general assembly could not consent to take up any (Mr. Gregson) had put forward in favour of this clause. her Majesty's assent given to a number of bills (for which cons istent with the principles of religious liberty and tolera grated but that of uncompromising hostility to any bill There was no necessity what, vet for taxing the food of the see Lords' rePort)• tion, as held in this country. (Hear, hear.) that infringed the rights and privileges of the peo;le in India if the East India Company would only Mr. PEEL resuming, then proceeded to say that the code Mr. SPOONER said that what: had fallen from church of Scotland. But so far from the test abstain from resorting to external wars, and he hoped that of 1837, which both the hon. gentlemen had eulogised beperfectly • f There e° the noble lord must salts actory. base confined to a declaration of a belief in fact would not be lost sight of by the right hon. gentleman highly, bad been the law of Malta, and was moreover w ere many things the truths of the Scriptures, it required the per s on s u b- who had just addressed them. by no means a l i b era l one; f or i t on l y p rotecte d the churches altered and scribing to it to declare that he adhered to the West. Mr. HADFIELD *roomed against the exclusion of this of Rome and England. By the present code the offence crown ' amended before it received the sanction of the • and after what had been said by the noble lord seamier Confession of Faith, and to promise that he would clause. The East India Company might just as well tax the of stealing the pyx containing the host was punishable in his h de in the full fi he would leave the matter an , con - oeaserns. in all rupees, to the worship and discipline of the milk as the salt used in India, and he trusted the house only by imprisonment from four to six months; whereas . such sanction t ill the deuce that it would not receive eetablished church of Scotland. Now, every one most see would not permit the injustice to continue. (Hear.) by the code of 1847 the penalty was transportation for 14 ame ndments required were made. lie admitted that they that it was intended by this that every person filling any The lords' am en d men t s were then agreed to without • years. In codifying the law of Malta, every attempt give the Maltese fullprotection • one of the professoriat chairs should be a member Of that division. had been made to assimilate it as far es possible with the th e were bound by treaty to church. That wad the state of the law at present, and if PETERBOROUGH ELECTION. mild spirit which had of late years pervaded the laws of exercise of their religion' and that should be done, but at the same time it should be recollected that there that law was strictly and literally earned out, those who Mr. GASKELL brought up the report of the Peterbo. England. Originally the church of Rome were styled the were • protestant soldiers and sailors and other residents were sn .nnbens of that church any could fill these offices. rough election committee, declaring Mr. Whalley to have " dominant church; but the government obj ec t e d to tha t - there, whom the legislature was bound to protect in Malta Bat the altered state of society in Scotland bad reedited been unduly returned, and stating that Mr. Thomson Ilea. on the ground that they would not admit the domination of that impracticable, and the result was that in the Univers key, jun., the other candidate, was entitled to the seat. the church of Rome within these realms ; and the legisla- as well as in their own country. eityof Ediutturgli the test was in abeyance, and in tbeUnivcr- Subsequently the Clerk of the Crown attended at the five council had therefore with great difficulty been Mr. HADFIELD expressed his thanks to the hon. mem same of Glaegow, Aberdeen. and St. Andrews, episcopal table to amend the return, after which M r . Th omson i n d uce d to a l ter the phrase to " the church o f bee (Mr. Kinnair d ) for brin g in g the sub j ect forward, and professors 4thecriesed to the test without having any norms flukey took the oaths and his seat for Peterborough. The the country," which was notoriously Roman catbo- also to the noble lord for the latter pert of his speech. of biedieg themselves either to the worship or discipline of hon. gen'leman was introduced by Col. Boyle and Lord lie. He supposed that the honourable gentleman (Hear.) The discussion was sure to do good. T he time the established church of Scotland, and to enforce that test Edward Howard. eye of the law all persuasions must would not object to the principle of having a chapter in the was come , when, in the • literally v ould be to exclude from the professorial chain REGISTRAR OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL BILL. the boast of this country that a slave code on offences against religion ; and the chapter which °e equa'• " '••• the most eminent professor of the day. He regretted that the This bill was read a third time aod ,passed. had been passed by the Council of Malta was at least per. could not put his foot on any British territory, but the best bill had come up to their lordships at so late a period of the LIBERATED AFRICANS (SIERRA LEONE) BILL. featly impartial. All religious functions and ceremonies and the sweetest o f g htest gem of liberty, ' which ld e nable the crown, was re li gious won a man tossing, but the delay had been consequent upon the efforts This bill was read a third time and passed. were equally protected, whether they were performed to worship his maker according to the dictates of his which hail been made to secure the assent of the Scotch within places a worship or out of tad. m. There was in- PASSENGERS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. own conscience. (Hear, hear.) He respected the members in the other house, and be rejoiced to say that at deed one chapter that might seem to con.radict this aver - This bill was read • third time and passed.w ith his rights of the Roman eatholics equally own, a private parliament of those members the assent of all, he . tion—namely, that against the pro f anation of objects of believed, except one, had been given to the measure. Under CANT ERBL RY ELECTION. worship ; but the contradiction was only an asp- he asked nothing for him self .ent that he would not concede to these circumstances be trusted their lordships would con- Mr. CRAUFURD moved an address to the throne for parent one, for it was obvious that protestants 'merits he hoped they would them. Having these eider that the time had arrived when the existing oath es• the Preducti ,ll of a paper referred to in the minutes of evi- could have no such objects. He would admit hose of reason, ture seri and truth. use no weapons but tP e acted from professors of the Scotch Universities should be dente taken by the commission,ne appointed to inquire into that the code was severe. He should have been glad, for (Hear, hear.) abolished, and a simple declaration enbetitukol. the existence of corrupt practices :n the city of Canterbury, instance, if the provision against blaspheming the saints had Mr. K INNAIRD tendered his thanks to the noble lord The house then went into committee. described by them (Question 11,2121 to be " a paper con- been omitted; but the hon. gentleman had very much ex- for the remarks he made on this subject, and they formed a 'a in it Clauses I and 2 were agreed to; some a mendments pro- misting of extracts from papers, whie`h Mr . Henry Coare aggerated the severity of the proposed laws. It was a min . complete justification to him for tin g g forward. posed by the Earl of HAD•INGIoN having been put and , Kingsford handed in," but not printed with their report; take, for example, to suppose Oat a person could be (Hear, hear) Ile thouabt the noble lord had answered the negatived. en d also for the production of certain other pai'ers severally punished for not taking off his bat while a processi on was observations of the hon. gentleman the Secretary for the On claws 3. described bthem as "Paper B," "Draft minutes of ea co m- p ass i ng . N o thi ng wee p un i s h a bl e exce pt acts of m- Colonies with entire impartiality. (" Hear, hear," and a 'the Earl of HADDINGTON proposed to insert words I deuce," " Minutes of evidence," " 11th Januate•, 18-53. mission ; nor could a penalty be inflicted for laugh.) The hon. gentleman had accused him of showing leakiest the declaration more stringent in regard to the minutes , " and " Voindomed paper," or " Leaf of Proof." awe committed without any intention to insult bitterness in his speech ; but if the hon. gentlemen would protecting' afforded by it to the church of Scotland. and referred to respectively in questions 10,288, or profane. On the whole, then, he (Mr. Peel) could not read that speech in the neseepapers to-morrow, he would The Doke of ARGYLL said the amendment was evi- 10,292, 10,297, 10,302, 10,303, 10,3,16, 10,307, and agree to the motion, because it would render it necessary to not find a word in it calculated to wound the feelings of any t u directed against sha members of the free church, and 10,308, but not printed with their report. Tile postpone the ratification of the code till next session; and one. (Laughter.) After what had been said by the noble t say writing oe speaking adversely hon. and learned gentleman insisted that it was the the codification of the laws of Malta, was a pressing and lord, he would not press the motion. 011ie dasfsirse dielpline of the establi•hat shunts, duty of the house to require the prodeatioa of these papas, lose felt newesity. The motion was then withdrawn. mut have ELECTION I'ETITIONS. An Hog. idLYLLLL mored, tinbehalf of Mr. I.,cke Kiug, for a return of au alphabetical list of all election petitions presented during the present session, showing the names of the places, names of member. petitioaed against, etc., &c. CLITHEROE WIZIT. On the motion of Mr. G A. flamiCri:e, a new wr i t W.l ordered for the election of a member for Clitheros, in the room of Mr. !Janinall, whose election was declared to be void. The house then adjourned at six o'clock till three this day. LONDON, TUESDA Y, AUG UST 16. This day, at 3 p.m., Lord JOHN 111,SELL is to tell the Ministerial tale of the Turkish and Russian disputes. The wish that what he has to say may be satisfactory is stronger than the hope even among those who are most friendly disposed towards him and his colleagues. Appearances aro unfavourable to the expectation that the part played by the English Government in the negotiations arising out of this matter will prove creditable to it. And bearing in mind the old proverb, that " too many cooks spoil the broth," men are rather dubious as to the diplomatic success of a Cabinet that numbers no less than five Ministers (past and present) for Foreign Affairs among its members. According to the most recent intelligence the head-quarters of the Russian army of occupation in the Danubian Provinces, on the Ist of August, was at Bukarest, and the mass of the army was concen trated within three miles round that town. But despatches from Braila of the Fame date men tion that detachments of Russian troops, which had entered that place some time before, had quitted and marched along the north bank of the river, up stream, others being announced se advancing to succeed them. An armed Russian steamer was stationed off Gslacz, and a Russian admiral had been despatched to inspect the embou chure of the Danube; according to one version of the story, for the purpose of devising fortifications; according to another, with a view to discover means of deepening the channel, as Russia is bound by treaty to do. Great care was taken to avoid irritating the inhabitants by enforcing payment by the soldiery of everything they received from them, and the favour of the priests was courted by ostentatious intervention with the local governments of the Danubian Provinces to respect their immunities wherever they had fallen into desue tude. On the Turkish side of the river, from Belgrade downwards, troops were be3inning to muster in considerable numbers, and great activity was dis played in strengthening, increasing, and repairing fortifications. French and Prussian officers were chiefly employed in this latter service. On the side of the Russians no symptoms were manifest of the slightest preparations for a backward march. On the side of the Turks the warlike preparations were marked by that eager baste which always implies an awkward sense of previous procrastination. The German papers are filled with paragraphs, evidently of Russian parentage, all tending toimpress Europe with a belief of the immense available military resources of Russia ; of the humanityand forbearance with which the Russians are acting in Wallachia and Moldavia ; and of the difficulty that the Emperor may experience in persuading his brave and eager soldiers to retire without achieving anything. In short Russia is taking up a strong position along the north bank of the Danube, from its own frontier to that of Austria, and is preparing excuses for postponing the evacuation of this posi tion as long as possible—trusting that the impossibi lityof moving in winter through marshy soon be added to these excuses. Turkey , on the other hand, having been prevented by the European diplomacy of Constantino ple from being as prompt and forward with its military preparations as Russia, may be unable to equalise its strength in time with an antagonist so reluctant to commence a retrograde march. All, in short, that European diplomacy has RC- I complished for Turkey is to hang on its arms and prevent it from assuming a strong position for at tack or defence, while Russia has been left free to do so, and has done so. This fact is clear, and incontestable. One thing, therefore, that Lord Joust RUSSELL is called upon to do in his promised statement is to exculpate himself and his colleagues from the charge of wilful or blundering complicity in this gross wrong offered to Turkey. There are many Englishmen who believe that both the honour and interest of England arc concerned in the upholding of the Turkish Empire in its indepen dence and its integrity ; there are some Englishmen who hold that this country has nothing to do with the disputes of other nations, but should stand aloof, and allow them to fight it out ; but there is no Eng lishman who will or can endure that his Government, after actually interfering in such negotiations as have arisen out of the Russc-Turkish question, should back out of them, baffled and shamed, leaving the State it professed to befriend only the worse off for trusting its friendly professions. WE have now arrived at a period of the year when something like a definite answer can be given to the question so anxiously asked by rulers and statesmen, "How are the people to be fed ?" Never was a satisfactory reply to that question more im portant to this country than at the present moment. Our consumption of food is unprecedentedly large, arising from the development of all branches of our trading and manufacturing industry since the repeal of the corn-laws, and the consequent advance of wages in every department. And the Free-trade which has been the not very remote cause of our actual demand for food must be unquestionably our main reliance for its supply during the ensuing year; for it is now certain that our own growth of wheat, at all events, must prove cousid:•rably below an average. How much it may fall short, or indeed what is an average produce of whect in this country, from the absencu of any public effort to collect and record agricultural statistics, it may not be easy to ascertain. Still such accounts of the growing crops now on the point of being garnered as can be obtained from individual sources may afford data for proximate estimates of our pro bable supplies of food from our own soil for the consumption of the ensuing twelve months. if we be deficient, such deficiency should be known and proclaimed as early as possible, and for two I reasons—first, that all practicable economy in the use • of food should be incultated on the public ; and secondly, that supplies should be sought for in each and every foreign corn-growing country likely to supply our need. Of the results we entertain not the slightest apprehension; for while our prime are likely to be sufficiently high to attract grain from many unlooked-for quart -- e. t hat attraction will be sure to produce importations cnough to prevent any exorbitant rise of prices. The very remit events of the corn market make this sufficiently plain. After a season more adverse to the growth of wheat than any which has occurred since 1816, and under the influence of a threatened war with Ru-sia, from whose southern provinces we have latterly received such large consignments of wheat, the price of that grain hail risen consider. ably, but not to an extent materially to inter. fere with consumption—nothing like the rise that would have occurred under like circumstance' during the existence of the corn laws, when , with the commencement of August the weather im. proved, warm sum)) days succeeding to interminable rains, and the prospects of a continuance of peace became more promising. Immediately a fall of from 3s. to 4s. per quarter took place in the !nice of wheat, l and every apprehension of serious seateity, if such existed, forthwith was dissipated. Still, in so bulky an ar;icle as wheat, any great deficiency of the home growth can only be sup. plied.by means of importation at an enhanced cost, uud it is important alike to growers and consumers to learn as nearly as may be the prospects of the coming harvest. Now the accounts given of the wheat crops in dif ferent districts and by different reporters vary so much, that persons unacquainted with the rural die. tricts may assume, as many do suppose, that the numerous complaints they hear of bad crops are to be set down to farmers' grumblings, and may be dis regarded accordingly. Nothing could lead to more erroneous conclusions than such premises. A MU} cession of wet weather occurred from about the second week in August last year to A!orch in the present year, when there was a large fall of snow, accompanied by severe frost, which c , titihued until April. During that long period, %%Atli the excep tion of about a week in September, it was wholly impossible to sow wheat upon the stronger kinds of soil with any reasonable prospect of obtain ing even a moderate crop ; and on the lighter soils, much injury was caused by the bad state of the seed bed. It was only on some of the thin soils, on open sub soils, where a few hours of dry weather enable the farmer to plough and sow after the heaviest rains, that wheat was well planted. But the effect upon all our various soils taken together has been, a deficiency in the breadth of wheat sown, both in the autumn and the spring, which has been estimated at from a fourth to a fifth of the average quantity. Much of the wheat actually sown was got in so badly that in some of the clay lands a comparatively few wheat ears are seen straggling amongst a wilder. ness of weeds ; while in other cases, the seed was sown so late in the spring that it may be doubtful whether the grain will ripen at all unless the rest of the season prove unusually favour. able. And it is on sonic of our best wheat !Linda that the worst wheat °sops are to be seen. In their last monthly circular Messrs. SITI:GE state it as their opinion that " the produce of wheat will prove the smallest that has been harvested in these islands since 1816." Certain it is that we have not had so bad a season since that disastrous year ; but we be. here that since 1816 the cultivation of the light soils has so greatly improved, and such a large breadth of light land has also since that time been brought into wheat cultivation, that the deficiency of these sods will not be nearly so great as it was in 1816. Whether the deficiency on the stronger soils may not be even greater than in that year, is a question not easily solved. A writer in the Bunkers' Jlayazine, regarding the state of the crops with reference to its effect upon the money market, states that he has arrived at " the conclusion that the yield of wheat per acre in the approaching harvest will at most be only about four fifths or five-sixths that of average years; and that "not more than four-fifths can be reasonably antici pated, under the most favourable weather." The data on which these conclusions are founded are not given, but it is probably an approximation to the truth. The Agricultural Ga:rtte has published the re. sults of returns made to circular inquiries issued to farmers throughout the country, which are thus bummed up. In England and Scotland, out of 184 returns regarding the wheat crops, only five report them as " good," or " very good ;" while 13 returns report the wheat crops as " average " or "fair," 94 returns are " under average ;" and seventy- five "much under average." In Ireland these re• sults are reversed; of thirty-eight returns twenty. two are " good" and " very good ;" sixteen "average" or " fair ;" seventeen "under average ;" and only three "much under average." It is satisfactory to know that the fine weather has lately much improved the quality of the wheat everywhere, so that it will, should dry weather continue, be likely to weigh well, and come speedily into use. There is also a good deal of last year's wheat in the hands of the farmers, many of whom are now reaping the reward of their patient holding on their grain. In most districts the barley and oat crops are good, though in some places rather late, and there is a fair prospect of good pulse crops. Hay, how ever, has been in general but indifferently made, and, from the ungenial character of the spring and early summer, root crops are scarcely equal to an average at this time of the year. Yet the prices of sheep and cattle, both lean and fat, as well as of wool, continue very high ; and it is confessed that farmers who have been able to hold a reasonable portion of their grain, and to keep and feed a proper quantity of live stock, have had a remunerative year ; and, if we may judge of the existing demand for farms, the prospects of British agriculture are anything but on the wane. VAN DIEMEYS LAND. Hobart Town and Launceston papers, received at Singapore, state that the welcome intelligence had been received, via Melbourne, that transports , tion had ceased. The steamer Yarra Yarra, which conveyed this gratifying intelligence to Launceston, entered that harbour covered with flags, and, as she rounded the bar, the League flag was run up as a signal, and in five minutes afterwards the bellman announced the glad tiding.) to the inhabitants. The Launceston Examiner was e ~,, i tating a repeal of the union betwren the northern and Louthern districts of the island by the extersion to Van Diemen's Land of the New Zealand constitution. The misconduct of the police force (compo-ed in a great measure of the prisoners of the crown), and the general want of confidence in their efficiency and honesty, was ocen. pying a good deal of public attention. The arrest of Mr. W. L. Smith, the correspondent of the Nt sr York Tribune, and his detention for several days on suspi cion of his being a runaway, had add; d considerably to the feeling existing on the policy question. The influenza had made its appearance at Hobart Town, respecting "neither persons nor p1at...71." NEW ZEALAND. The Sydney journals notice the receipt of Wel lington files of papers to the beginning of May. An 1 important meeting had been held at Wellington to request 1)r. Featherston to allow himself to be put in nomination for the office of superisaten dent of that province under the new constitution. Dr. Featherston acceded to the requisition and de livered an address. There is no account of the gold diggings. The recent proclamations respecting the land regulations, fixing the price at 10s. per acre, had given much satisfaction to the colonists.