The Express. — London, England, 1853-02-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT MOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDSEsnAI , FED. 16. The SYRIA/LIR took the chair at 12 o'clock. ritivATE BUSINESS. The following bolls were read a sewed time : Aberdeen leadway ; Arnbergate, N.dtingham, and Bos ton and Rasters Junction Railway (No. 1) ; Ambeqate, Nottingham, an Boston and Mourn Junction Railway (Nottingham, &c) ; Aramaean Railway ; Bangor and Case ments Railway; bawd Waterworks; Birkenhead, Lan cashire, sad Cheshire Junction Railway (Ptralton cum Ses manthe. Ike ); lMrmiagham and Oxford Junction, Birming ham, Wolverhampton, real Dudley and Great Western Hallways ; B.sekburn Use; 11l sckbarn Railway ; Bieck pool and Layton witaWarbrick Improvement; Bristol Uaa; trittol Gas and Bristol sad Clifton Gas Companies Amal gamation ; Bristol Waterworks; Bntisla Electric Tele graph Company ; Catahridge lluivenity and Town Water works ; Cardiff Waterworks ; Carmarthen Markets ; Chrhenhatn and Galore Voisin Railway ; Cork Municipal Cori...m..lU* ; Crystal Palace Company ; Darlington and Beriurd Cmt:e Railway ; Devon and Dorset Railway; Dovouport this; Dißlicy Gas; East Grieudeed hallway; Eut and West India Docks and Birwinghe.m Junction Itellwev ; Eastern Counties Railway (North Woolwich, &c.) ; kettorn Ce retie.. 11•110r.sy (Woodford and Lough ton) ; I.e.t LAlllim'aire Railway (No. I) (Clifton to Salford); East Lauctrabiro Railway (No. 2) (Southport, tie.) ; East Louden Water'', At ; Elinbergl, 11l eterworks ; Erectile Telegraph Company of Ireland; Eves ham bridge ; Glasgow Improvement ; Great Nob testa ltauwey (Bedford Branch) ; Great Yar mouth Wellington Pier; Helene Reservoirs; Hull and Mel derma Railway; Irwin Veliey Waterworks; Leeds and Wlntettall Roma; Lamle Central Market; Leeds Gas ; Lee Liver Trust ; London and North Western Railway (Crewe to Shrewsbury); London end North Western R ailway (Northampton, tc.); London and North Western Railway 1 ()Wham Braneh); London and North Western Railway St. Alban's, &e.) ; London and North Western Railway Stourbridge, Ike.); Loudon and North Western Railway (Trine arid Oa ( ord) ; London Assurance; London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway ; London Docks ; Lougi Foyle wad Lough Swill) Draiaage and Reclamation; lgme,talt Water, Gat, and Market ; Maushester and Southport Rahway ; Manchester Division Stipendiary Magistrate ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Rea- we) (Barnetee); Midland Railway (Leicester and !Emilio); blool.ieud limbs ay. ; Norfolk Estuary; Nottingham Gas ; Orruskirk Rea; Peebles Railway ; Plymouth Improve merit ; l'ortadown arid Dungannon Railway; Preston Gas; l'easton %Vatersorks; Price's Patent Candle Com pany ; Leading market ; Bahia,' and Chasewater Rail way ; ltogentewn luclosare ; Ifuesendele Waterworks ; Runcorn mid Weston Caual ; St. Helen's Canal and Rail way ; Sa:firil Esten•ion and Improvement ; Severn Navi gation; Severn Tetley Railway; Sheffield Waterworks; bouth Devon and Tavastock Railway; South Eastern Rail we y (Canterbury Lad Whitstable, ihc.); South Eastern Railway (Lewisham, Croydon, and Bromley) ~_ South Eastern Railway (North Kent Railway to the Thames, le.); South Eastern Railway (Strood to Maidstone) ; South Wales Railway (Monmouth); Staffordshire Potts ries Waterworks • Stockport Improvement; Sunderland Dock; Sunderl and Gm; Warrington and Altrincham Railway (Stockport); West Cornwall Railway; Whittle Dean Waterworks; Wigan Waterworks and Police ; Wild. moro Fen, and East and West Fens; Wimbledon and Croydon Railway ; Wolverhampton Markets and Fairs, dee.; Woodford Railway; Worcester and Hereford Jane- Don Railway; Worcester and Hereford Railway; Bills. PUBLIC BUSINESS. PETITIONS PRESENTED. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.—Mr. HUTT, from Gates head, praying for the distribution of, to Literary Societies; Captain KNOX, from the members of the Dungannon Literary and Scientific Institutior., praying for the same. COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS. Mr. HUTT, from Gateshead, in favour of. TAXIS ON KNOWLEUGI.—Mr. lIADFIELD, from Shef field, against. CHRISTMAS BOXES.—Mr. LOWE, from letter-estriers of Hiddsrminster ; Mr. HEATHCOTE, from Tiverton, for permission to receive. COPYRULDS.—Mr. LOWE, from Kidderminster, fir the enfranchisement of. COLONIAL ECCLESIASTICAL GOVERNMENT.—Mr.LOWE. from 3,000 members of the established church in Sydney, praying that in any ecclesiastical government for that place, the bishop., clergy, and laity may be formed into one body, Instead of three. ATrOIiiNEYS' CERTIFICATZS. Colonel SIBTHORP, from • solicitor of Lincoln, agai!st. Mr. MORRIS took the oaths and his seat for Carmarthen. ' ELECTION PETITIONS. ' The committees appointed to investigate the petitions against the returns for Tavistock, Laacaster, and Canter bury, were sworn, sad ordered to meet at 12 o'clock this day. COUNTY ELECTION POLLS. ' Lord It. Cluosvxxoa having moved the third reeding of this bill, Col. SIBTHORP rose to oppose the bill, u a democratic, radical, and dangerous measure. It was brought forward to destroy the liberty of thu subject—to support tuoee who hail no sight to vote, by disfranchising those who had. He had little hope of the nevus of his opposition in that house, but he bed great hopes it would bas thrown out elsewhere. If not, it would endanger the aristocracy of the country, Imo( ultirn•tely G100t...,7 tl. state, the eseeditutieh. said dm throne. He, therefore, moved that the bill be read a third time the' dry six menthe. Mr. SPOONER seconded the motion. There were loud calls fur a division, and strangers were ordered to withdraw, when • Mr. DEEDES root and said that the opinionof the house having been already decisively taken on the second reading of the bill, he hoped his hon. friend would not divide the house on the present gum of the meuure. But having already given his opposition to the measure, he could not help repeating his objections to it now. and protesting against its passing. The noble lord (Russell) had signified his intention to legislate fur the purpose of putting an end to bribery and corruption. Nothing could be more desir able then such an object. Such being the intention of the government, he would put it to the noble lord (Grosvenor) whether it was desirable to legislate by piecemeal ea so tarp • subject, and whether be would not act more wisely by withdrawing the bill under the circumstances. (Hear.) Lord It. GROSVENOR could not accede to the P ties which had been made to him. It was true thirtte measure was a small one, but it had been supported by such overwhelming majorities in the house, that he dad sot think he wouid be doing justice to the measure, or to those who su rs.)pported it, Uhe were to withdraw it now. (Loud shee Mr. SPOON ER said that if the noble lord divided the home, be should certainly divide against him ; for instead 'tf that bill aqnillilb i :4; ::... expense of collate elections, all the inquiries ao 'dee led him to tho conclusion that Cue expense would be increased by Ibis measure. He did not anticipate any good from the bill, but a great deal of ex pense and other evil consequences. Mr. HADFIELD said that he had been informed that the measure would save a great deal of trouble, time, and 'specie. (Heu, hear.) There were 27,000 electors in the Wait Riding of Yorkshire; there were 20,000 in South Lancashire, arid the opinion of gentlemen is thug districts was that the election could be concluded with the greatest facility in one day. There were 19,000 electors on Man chester, and if the number were double the poll could be concluded with the greatest sue in one day. (lieu.) The house divided— For the third reading Against • 28 Majority for the third reading lOl Captain SCOBELL said he had no desire to oppose tha third reading of the bill, but be was anxious to propose en additional clause with a view of rendering the bill, as ho thought, more effective. The clause he wished to add was the tollewiug—" That no place for taking the poll should be at any licensed pub Lie-house or beer-house, nor upon the premises thereof." Lord it. GROSVENOR said that he did not object to the clause of the hon. gentleman, but he thought the lest words of the clause were too large. For instance, at the last Middlesex election, a most convenient place for taking the poll was a large room upon the " premises " of a public house. Ile would not object to the clause, however, if no other bon. member did so. Mr. G. M. BUTT thought that the introduction of the words, " upon the premises thereof," would only lead to ambiguity. Ho would therefore suggest to the hon. and pliant gentlemen to expunge these words. Mr. R. PALMER instanced a ease in the county of Barks, in which the words " upon the premises," would lead to great ambiguity and inconvenience. He quite con curred in the principle that the poll should not bo held in public-houses. Mr. HEADLAM suggested that the clause should be withdrawn. Capt. SCOBELL said he felt the importance of the sub ject so much that he Gould not consent to withdraw the clause, but he bad no objection to substitute for the words " open the premium," the words, or " within the cartilage" thereof. Lord R. GROSVENOR asked that the word "pre mises " should be struck out. Captain SCOBELL assented. Mr. W. MILES said that the very reason stated by the hon. member for moving the clause was that the seenes he complained of occurred on the premises of a public-house, and his object would be lost if he withdrew the word. Captaia SCOBELL said that was the case, and he should press the clause as it stood. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Sir G. GREY hoped the hon. and gallant gentleman would not press the clause, as it would tend to increase election expenses ; and it was a subject which required some consideration. Captain SCOIIELL consented to withdraw the clause, hoping to get it includ‘d in the bill of the hon. and learned member for Weymouth. The clause was accordingly withdrawn. Lord R. GROSVENOR moved an amendment in one of the el WWI, by which the declaration could bo made the day afttr th e poll. Colonel SIBTHORP objected that no notice had been given of the amendment. Mr. N RWDEOATE did not understand the object of the noldo lord, both. thought the pr lasted amendment would lead to groat dilkulty, as it would regain the poll clerks to travel and b. roasting up the poll books all night. Mr. R . PA Elt reue.ted that ohjection. Lord It. CiItOoVENOR said as be had given no notice or ss•a anundnuut, ..rid it was opposed, he would with draw it. The bill gigs paned. PAItISII CONSTABLES BILL. Mr. DEEOES moved the second reading of this bal. and stated the object to be to amend certain ame ea the Gabfest. In 1832 a permanent set was parsed, called the Rural Police Act; and it appeared that only • 'petit's of the counties had adopted it. In fact, only 23 counties/sad availed them selves of it; 23 also had not adopted it; and in six, namely, Cumberland, Dorset, Northampton, Westmoreland, War wickshire, and Yorkshire, it had been only partially adopted. There being 23 counties still under the Parish Constables' Act, it was to them his bill was to apply and if at any time any of those mantras adopted the Rural Police Act, they would be exempted from the provisions of this bill. The county of Chester being under a local act, and Middlesex bring under the metropo litan police act.they would be exempted front its provisions. In 1642, a bill was brought in by the right hon.baronet the member for Carlisle on the subject of parish constables. The existing acts were, therefore, three in number, and it was desirable thvt they should be consolidated, and to that portion of his bill be thought there would be no objection. The amendments he proposed were that the appointment of • superintendent of a petty sessional division who should have the cont'ol of the petty constable, should be made imperative. He also proposed that there should he • chief superintending constable, but it would be optional in the justices to make such en appointment or not. lie proposed to extend the powers under which lock-up houses were bailt, and also to charge the supply of handcuffs on the county rates. There would be a clause allowing superannuation allowances to retired superintending constables. After stating some other formal provisions of the bill, the hon. member concluded by mov ing the second reading, and proposed that it should be re ferred to • select committee. The bill was read a second time. LANDS IMPROVEMENT (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion of Sit J. YOUNG that the house go into committee on this bill, Sir R. FERGUSON hoped that the bill would be re ferred to the select committee, with the other bills on a similar subject brought in by the late government, or, at any rate, that it 'tumid be postponed till this day week. Mr. F. FRENCIi objected to deferring the bill to this day week. The house then went into committee. The el manung clauseawere &pied to, cud the bill passed through committee. DESLGN ACTS EXTENSION BILL. This bill was read a second ume. TRANSFER OF AIDS BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. GRAND JURY CESS (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion for the wand reading of this bill, Mr. F. FRENCH remarked that it would require con sideration on the part of the Irish government whether it it was requisite that these bills should be annually con tinued._ Sir J. YOUNG thought the bill was objectionable, and he would not have proposed it at all had it not been thought absolutely necessary. It would not, however, be renewed._ _ _ . The bai wag then read a third time. BILL FOR IMPROVING THE MODE OF CONDUCTINO ELECTIONS. Mr. G. BUTT asked for leave to bring in a bill to limit the time between the proclamation and day of election in counties, and between the receipt of the writ and the elec tion in boroughs; to limit the polling at elections for the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; and otherwise to regulate the proceedings of elections for members of parlia ment in England and Wales. By his hill the election for a county would take place within six days after the pro clamstion of the wnt ; and in the case of cities and boroughs the returning officer must proceed to the election within six days after the receipt of the writ, having given two clear days notice of his intention so to do. He proposed also to limit the time of polling in universities to flee days, which he thought, with the present facilities for travelling, was an amply sufficient period. He proposed also to give powers to the magistrates to alter and increase the number of polling plans in counties. He believed that the length of time that at present elapsed between the proclamation and the election was the cause of innumerable and serious expenses to the candidate. That time might have been necessary in 1 i tli, but it was absurd to any that so much delay was requisite now. He hoped also by his measure to duninish the opportunities for corruption which the present system afforded, and he might here venture to sug gest to the, government the great desirability of collecting and consolidating the laws relating to elections, particularly those which had reference to the punishment of bribery. Mr. MINN seconded the motion, and expressed his con- Currence in the remarks of the hon. sad learned gentleman with respect to the codification of the laws relative to elec tions. In the case of the Universities the position of con stituency was exceptional. In cities and counties the pre sumption was that the voters resided en the spot, but in Universiti , s the presumption and the fact werrijust the re• verse. He trusted that some means would be devised to enable the voters at university elections to record their Int (razes without being compelled to incur the expense of tra velling to Oxford and Cambridge. Mr. S. HERBERT could have no objection to the intro duction of the bill, but he suggested that as the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) had given notice of the intention of the government to bring in a general cleanse on the subject of representation, it was not ' desirable to legislate by detail upon that great question. Leave was then given to bring in the bill. FACTORY STATISTICS. Mr. COBBETT moved for a copy of a memorial from certain millowners of Manchester, presented to the Secre tary of State for the Home Department, and mentioned in the 6th page of Mr. Inspector Homer's Report on Facto ries for the balf•year ending the 30th day of April, 1852. Mr. FITZROY said that a search had been made for this memorial, but it could not be found. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. Mr. T. DUNHOitillmovei for lesve to bring in a bill to mead "A* Act for the more effectual prevention of esselty to 'nimbi." The object of his measure was simply to extend the right of appeal to cases where the penalty was under Ch. lei;;Washen given to bring is the bill. VALUATION OP LAND (IRELAND.) Sir J. YOUNG brought in a bill to supply a verbal animian in an set of the last session relating to the valua tion of rateable property in Ireland ; and the standing olden having been suspended for the purpose, it was read a Mat, second, and third time, and wee passed. BRLDONOUTR ELECTION PETITION.—COMMIT- THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, " That the machinery for conducting the preliminary in quiry by commission should be made less cumbrous. " That envision should be made for the trial of clergy men before the bishop or his official or commissary, assisted by a council of not more than fire members, who shall de ' aids all questions of feet ; the said persons not to be named by the bishop himself, but to be taken by lot or otherwise as shall seem most, espedient, either from the canons resi deatiary, nos-residentiary, and honorary, and thi rural deans of the diocese, or from a panel of beneficed clergymen elected in every archdeaeonry for this purpose. "That the greatest difficulty besets the due adjustment of the MUM of dual appeals. " That it appears to your committee of the greatest as:- count, whilst we maintain the just supremacy of the crown as the ultimate source of justice and redress to every sub ject complaining of wrong, whether in matters ecclesiastical or civil, to combine therewith security, that ecclesiastical questions shall be decided by persons qualified by office and acquaintance with the course of law ecclesiastical to de cide thereon. " That it appears to your committee that the acknowledged difficulties which attach to this subject have been much in creased by recent legisiation, which almost accidentally transferred the hearing of these causes from the Queen in Chancery to the Queen so council. " They would suggest the expediency of considering whether the best solution of this question would not be to restore this jurisdiction to the Queen in Chancery, and to enable her Majesty, when any appeals shall be presented from the court of the proviaco in matters ecclesiastical, in which any clerk iu holy orders shall be a party, except in causes matrimonial or testamentary, to remit the cause for rehearing in the court of the archbishop, providing that there should sit. under the authority of the great seal, with the judge of that court, other ecclesiastical and common law judges, to hear and decide fivally iu the cause. "Finally, your committee report that they have felt it their duty to lay these conclusions before the Convocation, as what would form the fitting heads for an &Wren to her Majesty, should one now be resolved upon by the Convoca tion. But tlicy beg further to report their own conviction the na such address should be adopted without a full and patiant examination of the whole subject ; and they would there fare respectfully suggest to the Convocation their opinion, that their report should be laid upon the table as matter for future consideration, rather than immediate action. " C. J. LONDOS, Chairman. Feb. 11, 18,53." On the motion of the right rev. prelate, the above report was laid on the table. The following petition was then read by the clerk : " L-radon, Feb. 14, 1&53. " My Lord Archbishop,—We the undersigned bishops of certain colonial dioceses within your grace's province of Canterbury, being in England at this particulartime, desire respectfully to lay before your grace our views and wishes upon matters of deep moment, not only to our respective dioceses, but to the whole colonial church; aid therein, as we humbly think, to the church of England herself. We are deeply convinced that the present is a most critical period in the history of the colonial churches. Though we look with hope and confidence to the ultimate issue of the present effort, in certain dioc:ses, to obtain relief from the impediments which obstru:t the due and effec tive administration of their.ecelesiovical affairs, we are nevertheless apprehensive that a ithout this counsel and co operation of the church at home in &gaunt- some plan fur the common benefit and guielo of the c3rouial churches, there will be imminent danger that different dioceses should frame their constitutions according to such power as is, or may be given them, upon principles which may teal to im pair the stability and integrity of the whole body of the English church. We therefore respectfully entreat your grace, at the approaching meeting of Convocation, to ap point a committee of bishops, and such others as your grace may think fit, who mse, in the name and with the authority of the church of England, give us the benefit of their counsel on various important points and principles ' which we are most anxious to have settled in our respective dioceses. In making this request to your grace, we would not be understood in any way to express in this document our own opinion as to oar right to sit in Convocation ; for whether it be considered that we have the right or not, We still think that it is highly expedient that the committee for which we pray should be appointed. We venture the mere earnestly to press this point upon the attention of your grace at the present juncture, from the conviction which we entertain that such an opportunity for the settle meat of the important questions now under consideration is not likely to present itself again ; and further to represent that questions of such vital importance cannot remain any longer unsettled without serious detriment to our church and holy religion. We deeply regret that in consequence of the lamented illness of the Bishop of Syd ney we are unable to obtain the expression of his concur rence in the views herein expressed. " G. P., Quebec. " D. 0, Antigua. " Cape Town." - - The Prolocutor of the lower house (Dr. Peacock, Dean of Ely), here attended, in obedience to a summons from the upper house, to receive the report of the committee upon the eaforeing of better discipline among the clergy. Ile WM accompanied by the Dean of Norwich, the Archdeacons of Norwich and Winchester, Dr. Spry, and Dr. Words worth. The following memorial was then received : " To the Most Reverend the Archbishop and the Right Reverend the Bishops of the Upper House of Convocation, in the province of Canterbury now assembled,—Tne me morial of the Bishops of Quebec, Antigua, and Newfound land respectfully showeth, that your lor dships (the memo rialists being now in England) have been made aware of the question recently rais.:d respecting the right of colonial bishops being within the metropolitan jurisdiction of the See of Canterbury, to sit in the Convocation of the province of Canterbury. That your memorialists are therefore earnestly desirous of having their own position declared, and their duty indicated in their behalf, by the decision of your lordships, in order that they may guide and govern themselves accordingly. "G. P., Quebec. " D. G., Antigua. " EDWARD, Newfoundland." His Grace the ARCHBISHOP said he had taken the opi nion of the Vim-General (Dr. Twigs) upon the petition of Robert, Lord Bishop of Cape Town, to be summoned to the convocation of the prelates and clergy of the province of Canterbury, and i: would now be road to their lordships. The Vicalt-On. , innAL then read an elaborate opinion, which concluded in these terms : " Upon the most careful consideration which I have been able to bestow upon the facts submitted to your grace's attention, I beg leave to report to your grace that the See and diocese of Cape Town are not within and of the pro vine* of Canterbury, so as to found any authority in your grace to direct the Lord Bishop of Cape Town to bo cited to appear at the Convocation of the Prelates and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury now assembled, pursuant to her Majesty's writ ; and that as the exercise of your grace's authority as primate and metropolitan in assembling the said convocation is strictly controlled by a statute of the la realm, your grace may notlawfully accede to the prayer of the petition of the said Lordßisbop of Cape Town, 'that you will be pleased to direct a proper citation to be forthwith isetied to him, or that he may be allowed without each citation to take his rightful place as a suffragan bishop in the present convocation.' " The Bishop of LONDON said that, as dean of the province, he had referred the matter to his chancellor, whose opinion coincided with that of the Vicar-General ; and therefore he did not feel justified in issuing the citation. The Bishop of SALISBURY would like to know in what form that opinion was before the house. It appeared to him that it was for the bishops as a body to juage whether or not the Bishop of Cape Town was entitled to a seat. He did not wish to express any opinion on the matter, as it obviously involved great difficulty. The Bishop of LONDON thought the matter rested with the archbishop, who was bound to carry out the Queen's mandate. That house could not decide the legal point. The Bishop of OXFORD thought the house was entitled to entertain the question as one of privilege. It was a question, not for his but for his grave ' s council. The matter was one affecting t heir common rights, and the con sideration of it could not be set aside by the mere arbitrium of the archbishop of the province. The Bishop of WINCHESTER thought that in the first instance the Bishop of CapeTovrn:should endeavour to esta blish his legal right to be cited by an appeal to the ordi nary courts of law. The Bishop of LONDON begged it to be understood that he expressed no opinion with regard to the legal question. The Bishop of OITORD said a legal opinion had been taken by the petitioner, and it was to the effect that the Court of Queen's Bench would not entertain the question, until admission had been relived by that house ; that court always presuming that great officers would do their duty. An inquiry must be established before the court would in terfere. _ _ _ The Bishop of Lottnox would ask the right rev. prelate whether ho held that the upper house could admit any ono to sit there as a bishop who had not first established his right to do so. The Bishop of OXPOID considered the house to be the proper judge of its own privileges. If it pushed them too far there would of course be legal address. Their position was in this matter similar to that of the House of Lords. The Bishop of LONDON quite agreed that that house was in the first instance the judge of its own principles, but there was a previous question, namely, of whom was that house constituted. _ The Bishop of SLLIABURT said his grace had not pre viously held that this matter was under his own personal jurisdiction; on the contrary, he allowed the petition to be received and discussed, and then referred it to his vicar general for his opinion. Yet it was now intimated that the matter was one with which the house had nothing what ever to do. . . _ His GRACE said he had certainly understood that this was one of those cues which belonged to the president, and upon which he had to give a judicial opinion ; and, not wishing to pronounce without due consideration, he referred the question to his official adviser, who had &elated against the claim. The petition was • petition against the arch bishop for not having cited him, and his answer was that ho ought not to be cited. The Bishop of EXETER thought the wisest answer they could give was, that they declined to decide the point, leaving the petitioner to seek legal redress. It would not be wise, he thought, to follow the analogy of the proceed ings of either house of parliament. That was the source of all the unhappy differences which took place 160 years ago. Prima facie his grace could hardly he presumed to have the right cf deciding the question ; for from the earliest times such questions had been brought before the whole synod, aul nut hilt to tuns abauiute urhitriuin of the metr.;- polite°. The Bishop of Wontrivrit thought the hest course WIN to order that the petition should he Lid or. the table. At this stage of On psecteilings (it being half-past t 12) TAL OF I The manben of the committee on the Bridgnorth elm tnition were called te the table to be sworn, but Mr. F. D the mamba for ()Macy, did not answer to his mama. Sir J. TROLLOPS, the chairman of the general cent mittm m elections, mid it was, therefore, his unpleasant duty to move that the hon. gentleman be taken into the cus tody of the Bergesnhat-Arms. TM motion was agreed to, and the house adjourned at 5 o'clock. Mr. Apsley Pellet, was accidentally shut out on Lord R. Grosvenor's division upon the County Election Polls Bill. 'ARY GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ELECTIONS. Yesterday the members of this committee, consist ing of Sir T. Trollope, Mr. J. R. Denison, Mr. Robert Palmer, Mr. &them, and Mr. C. Fortescue, re-resembled is Committee-room No. 14, and appointed the following members from panel No. 8 to inquire into the merits of the Petitions in the matter of the undermentioned controverted elasticate : BLacasoax.—Mr. Deedea (chairman), Lord Chelsea, Mr. Archibald Haiti*, Colonel Boldero, and Mr. C. W. Grenfell. Member petitioned against, Mr. W. Eccles. Petitioner, W. Forrest and another. CLITRZIIOI.—Mr. Milnes Gashill (chairman), Mr. Hatt, Captain Gladstone, Mr. Wyndham Ooold, and Sir W. B. Elswjth. Member petitioned against, Mr. M. Wilson. Pe titioners, J. M. Whalley and others. CHATHAN.—Mr. BrainitOn (ch airman ), Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Heywood, Mr. Alderman Thompson, and Mr. Apeley Pellatt. Member petitioned against, Sir F. Smith. Peti tioners, G. Ely and others. OF CONVOCATION. The Upper House met yesterday morning at half pest 10, after prayers, at the Bounty-oßee, Westminster. The following prelates were present : His Grace the Archbishop of CANTERNUM, in the chair; the Bishops of London, Winchester, Easter, Chichester, Worcester, Peter borough, Llandaff, Salisbury, Oxford , end Rochester. The Bishop of LONDON said he had to present a re port of the committee appointed by convocation to con sider of an address to her Majesty, in reference to the question of discipline among the clergy. It was as fol lows: • " The committee appointed by convocation, to consider of an address to her Majesty, as to a measure for the better enforcing of discipline among the clergy, report " That they have had various meetings, and in obedience to the commands of the house, have taken into their serious consideration the matter referred to them. " That they are unanimously of opinion that the present state of the law, touching the discipline of the clergy, is un satisfactory, and that it needs amendment. " That the great expenses and delays attending such pro ceedings, which amount frequently to a denial of justice, have not been removed by the recent acts upon this subject. " That the provisions of the last act, which governs the present administration of the law, are inadequate for their I purpose. " That the preliminary inquiry under that act savours too much of an actual trial, without its safeguards or con clusion; whilst it has been doubted whether those provi sions which were intended to govern the actual trial could safely be used for its conduct. " That the present provision for hearing and deciding final appeals, is not such as to give general satisfaction. " That it is highly important that these evils should be corrected. " That in the judgment of tho committee it is desirable that all causes against clerks involving questions of heresy or false doctrine, blasphemy, or schism, should be beard as they might have been before the passing of the act 2 and 3 Wen. IV.. c. 92, saving as regards the composition of the court of final appeal. " That the Court of Arches should be empowered to re ceive riri voce evidence, and to hear and exanilac wit nesses. " That provision should he male for the bishop to hear certain eases in private, if he shall think tit and the accused pasty consent, and to pronounce sentence thereon. the hoese sdionrned for the purpose of proceeding, with the other hoses, to her Majesty for the presentation of the addrene. • Oa their return, a few minutes before 2, the reply of her M►,jesty tor the eddresswas communicated to the Lower House Stine reply will be found under our " Court Circular ") : The Bishop of LONDON then moved that the report with regard to the discipline of the clergy should be printed for the use of the rcembers of oonvocauon. The motion was agreed to. The Bishop cf CHICHESTER said before the discussion was resumed, he wished to present two petitions, one from tout fectonot lds diocese on the Titan of admitting cu rates to vote at the election of proctors, another to the same effect from certain incumbents and curates. The Bishop of OXFORD then recalled the attention of the house to the petition of the Lord Bishop of Capetown, and entered at some length into the merits of the cue. ' The Bishop of LONDON followed. After many unsuccessful attempts to come to an agree ment on the subject, The Bishop of EXETER moved the following:—" That this house having taken into its consideration the petition of Robert Lord Bishop of Capetown, does not deem itself competent to make any order in the matter to which the prayer of the petition refers." The Bishop of OXFOILD said he could not assent to such a resolution. The house had already made an order by con senting to a reference to the Vicar-General, and they were now asked by the sweeping words proposed, to pledge them selves to a confession of impotence, which was certainly marvellous considering the quarter whence in proceeded. 'the Bishop of LONDON said the house was asked simply to declare that it could not decide the question under exist ing circumstances ; it was nut asked to pledge future meet ings of convocation. The Bishop of EIETtlt said the same turn of mind which made him resolve to insist on rights where he believed they existed, made him also resolve to disclaim pretended rights which he believed had no foundation whatever. It would be • reproach to the house to have decided the question if it did atterwards turn out that they had no power to do so. After some further discussion, a resolution in the follow ing terms was adopted unanimously:—" That this house having taken into consideration the petition of Robert Lord Bishop of Capotown, does not feel itself competent to en tertain the prayer of the said petition, namely, either to direct a proper cit Won to be issued to such petitioner, or that he be allowed without such citation to take his place as a suffragan bishop in the present convocation." The Bishop of Exrrxn said he had &petition to present rhe knew nothing about its concoction—respecting the election of proctors, which he had referred to his diocesan chancellor for his opinion. The right rev. prelate thee read the opinion, from which it appeared that the petition related to a claim of licensed curates in his diocese to vote at the election of proctors; the chancellor deciding against the claim, on the ground that the right of voting was confined (as was understood) to persona and vicars. The right rev. prelate said be hoped that before the house prorogued, if it did prorogue that day, n committee would be appointed to investigate the matter and prepare a report before the next session. He would venture, in fact, to move the appointment of a com mittee for that purpose. The Vicut-GeNzau, said, in reading the petition on the previous day, he found that the petitioner prayed that they might be allowed to attend and vote at synodal as semblies of the church. The petition was not confined to the question of voting at the election of proctors. His opi nion having been requested by his grace, he had to state that in the Archdeaconry of Sudbury, a claim of the licensed curates to Tote was rejected, on the ground that it was con trary to custom in that archdeaconry. The Bishop of OXFORD thought • committee should be appointed to inquire. The Bishop of WINCHESTER said there was one point to be considered before they entertained this question, namely, in what position the house then stood. It w a s tr ue that a committee was appointed in the last session, which was directed to sit after the adjournment, for the purpose of considering certain circumstances, and that committee had ' reported that morning. But they were now met under different circumstances. They had presented an address to the Queen and received her Majesty's reply,. and they were now asked to enter upon a new course, Which might place them in a position of great difficulty. He hoped the house would pause before assenting to such a proposal. The Bishop of SALISBURY did not see what distinction there was between the appointment of a committee then and the appointment of one at the last meeting. No doubt if the analogies of parliament were strictly applicable to them, it would not be competent to them to pass the reso lution ; but, having looked into the precedents, he had found it to be the practice of convocation to appoint com mittees to sit during periods of adjournment, and under the present circumstances unless committees sat at such periods they could not sit at all. The Bishop of Exists' saw no reason why committees should not sit in • quiet and private manner during the in terval of i rorogation. As regarded the petition, his grace had given a positive pledge that it should be considered, and that could not be done without inquiry. The house must either continue its sittings or refer the matter to a committee; and they thought it better not to sit lest the fact of their doing so should lead to apprehensions of designs on their part which they did not entertain. The course under which their peaceable intentions were least likely to be suspected was that of appointing a committee of inquiry. The Bishop of WINCHISTIR proposed the following amendment :—" That this house does not deem it sxpe dint at this time to enter into the consideration of the prayer of the petition, but remits it for the consideration of the Vicar-General for his further report on the question at issue." The Bishop of Exwrza said with great respect for the Vicar-Gener he could not allow him to decide for them ; nor was he aware of any precedent for such • reference. The Bishop of ROCHESTER said he for one must protest against the appointment of any fresh committee, which he was told on good authority would be illegal. The Bishop of Lownow thought there could be little doubt that the inquiry would be legal ; while the sitting of the committee, if an exercise at all, would certainly be a most innocent exercise of the powers of convocation. He felt the more strongly on this subject because there was an other petition before the hove—he referred to the petition from the colonial bishops—which involved no lees a ques tion than the maintenance or disruption of the unity of the church of England. What had been den* in reference to clergy discipline showed that there was no cause for appre hension. Hitherto there had been no disunion, no unplea sant discussion, no evil results arising from the appoint ment of a committee. Their conferences bad all been con ducted with the most perfect amity ; there bad been the most perfect freedom of debate • and the meetings of their own session of convocation had been models of temper and moderation. He hoped to see at an early period a settle ment of the difficult question of criminal proceedings for the correction of clerks offending against laws ecclesias bee/. His GRACE said he was advised that if he were to sanc tion the appointment of a committee he would be amenable for having ventured on an excenivejuriedietion, and going beyond has province of Canterbury, as the matter refined to bishoprics in the colonies. The Bishop of Wvecansnin said that notwithstanding what had fallen from the Bishop of London, he still thought that they were asked to enter on a course which was fraught with serious consequences. The Bishop of OXFORD said be now felt that it was ne cessary for him to do what be had hoped to avoid—namely, to divide the house. The difference of opinion was such that he could not content to any compromise. He en tirely acquiesced in the wisdom of not prolonging their sittings by any expedient which might have that effect, and he considered a prorogation but for the church, and most likely to lead ultimately to the restoration of synodal action. Until the mind of the church was more with them than it was then, it would be very in discreet to hurry on immediate action ; but he could not consent to their returning to a state of complete inaction •, and nothing could be more accordant with the spirit in which the house had proceeded that day, than to appoint the proposed committee to sit during the ream. After some further disunion, the question was submitted to a division, when the votes were—for the committee, the Bishops of London, Exeter, Salisbury, Oxford, Llandaff, and Chichestev—total, 6; against it, the Archbishop of Can terbury, and the Bishops of Winchester, Peterborough, Worcester, and Rochester—total 6. The resolution was accordingly carried. His Gases said he believed no committee could be ap pointed without the sanction of the president, but this was not one of those cases in which he should think it right to refuse his sanction. The Bishop of Wmcglavnit said he had two proxies, but he did not feel justified in using them on a bye-ques tion of this kind. The Bishop of OXFORD said there were three on the other side, which there was no thought of putting in. The Bishop of Birrza suggested that it should be com municated to the lower house that the upper house had ap pointed the committee, leaving them to do the same if they thought proper. He would like to act with the lower house. The Bishop of OXPORD thought such a course would increase the efficiency of the proceeding. The Bishop of Ezirria then proposed that hie Grace should be requested to inform the Prolocutor of what had been done in the matter in that house, and to direct him to name a committee of the lower house. - - His GRACE said he gave his sanction to the appointment of the committee because he did not think it his duty under the circumstances to interpose an objection ; but, as he en tertained very great objection to the meeting of the two houses again at that particular time, ha must certainly de cline to give his sanction to a communication. The Bishop of LONDON said, as the colonial bishops hap pened to be in this country at the present time and wished for their advice, he had intended to move the appointment of a committee to confer with them, but after what his grace had just said ho was not disposed to do so. The Vicaa-GrathuaL said the petition to his grace en treated him, at the meeting of convocation, to appoint a committee of bishops who would give them the benefit of their counsel. _ . . . Ihe Bishop of Ex rift thought that, though the peti tioners might have erred in point of form, it would be a graceful and catholic act to accede to their request. The Bishop of LONDON doubted whether they would not thus be touching the Queen's supremacy, which affected the colonial churches in a greater degree even than their own church. As a simple committee of bishops they might, no doubt, give advise. The Bishop of 0 x roltD thought that house should consider the conditions on which they consecrated colonial bishops. lio would I.IIIVJ that a committee be appointed to con.iaer the heads of an address tu her Maj,sty touching the pre sent relation of the el.O of (.'anti rbury to colonial bishops, with power to invite the attendance of colonial bishops. His GisaCu said it was no doubt quite right that the 853. colonial bishops should have the advice of their brethren in this country. He would be very glad to invite them to a oonference at Lambeth, but he hoped that no step would be taken by convocation. The Bishop of Lorroos thought that the end would be secured by his grace's proposal, while all difficulty as to form would thus be removed. IT; ditamaMicrieWould take the first opportunity of in viting a conference. On this understanding the subject was allowed to drop. The Bishop of OXFORD presented a petition from the in cumbent of St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol. complaining that he war compelled by law to marry all persons who pre sented the certificate of the registrar, without reference to their views on religious matters. The petition was ordered to lie on the table. A discussion then took place in consequence of a question from the Bishop of Oaford with regard to the legal posses sion of the records of convocation, in the course of which the Vic ir-General stated that they w,re in the custody of the registrar of the province, and were open to the inspeo tionof all the members of both housti. The Bishop of EXETER then presented a petition similar to that from the incumbent of St. Mary Redcliffe, and made some remarks on the hardship imposed on eh rumen by the present state of the law. The petition was laid on the table. The Bishop of Ostrom) then made some remarks on the form of prorogation, and expressed a hope that the arch bishop would consent to the insertion of the words " cum c3nsensu fratrum," in order to keep alive the right of the council. Those words had been traced back as far as the reign of Edward 11. ; and though they might if used on that occasion have no legal ability, there would be the ad vantage of the convocation not appearing to have been pro rogued by an arbitrary act of the metropolitan without the consent of hissuffragans. His GRACE said that if the matter were ono of mere courtesy he would yield ; but as it was clear that if he did Do he would thereafter be considered to have waived a right which be believed he had received from his pre decorators, he felt that he could not accede to the request. The Bishop of SALISBURY contended that there was no essential difference between a prorogation and an adjourn ment, and referred to the journals of the House of Lords in support of that view. The Bishop of OXFORD then read the following protest : " We, the undersigned, pray your grace to cause your registrar to eater on the records of the Convocation our humble protest and declaration, that, whilst we willingly assent to your grace's prorogation of this session of Convoca tion, we do not assent to any claim on behalf of the arch bishop to resolve on proroguing this tried sine CONSOMS fralrum. (Signed) " H. EXETER. "E. Saneu. " A. T. CH ICRESTER. " S. OXON." The Tnoaocuvon then entered the room with several members of the lower house ; and at ten minutes pest five the Archbishop prorogued the convocation in the usual form until Thursday. the 18th of August neat. The right rev. prelates then retired. LOWER HOUSE. The lower honsZmet,Onre-aseeMbling after the ad journment from November, at 11 o'clock, in the Jerusalem I Chamber, Dean's yard, Westminster. Dr. Peacock, Dean of Ely, the elected prolocutor, presided. After the names of the members of the house bad been called over, the minutes of the last session were read and confirmed. The Pummel:von then communicated the " Report " of the joint committee of the two houses (which had sat during the recess) on the subject of the discipline of clerks. [For report, see the proceedings of the Upper House.] On the motion of Dr. SPRY, seconded by Dr. Ressem., it was resolved that the report lie on the table for future consideration. A conversation took place with respect to the circulation of this report among members. It was agreed that the Upper House should be requested to order that it be printed. The Puotmecroz then said that the next subject for consideration was with respect to the committee appointed in November by that house to consider gravamina et re fernsanda referred to it. It would be recollected that there had been an understanding that the committee wee to sit in the recess conditionally upon the approval of bis Grace the President being communicated ; and as no communica tion had been received from the upper house, conveying the required approval, previous to the adjournment, he (the Prolocutor) had been requested to take the earliest means of obtaining a decision on the subject. The result was that the following correspondence had passed. On the 23rd of November the Prolocutor addressed the following letter to his Grace the Archbishop:— "My Lord Archbishop,—l was requested by the Lower House of Convocation to take measures for assembling the members of the committee appointed by them, as soon as I had received an intimation of your grace's concurrence in tke resolution which I had the honour to place in your grace's hands. I trust, therefore, that your grace will par don me, if I venture to ask—in conformity with the duty thus im posed on me—whether your grace would object to my summoning the committee.—Believe me, my Lord Archbishop, with great respect and regard, your grace's very obedient servant, " Gronne Pusicocx." On the 28th of November, the Prolocutor had the honour to receive the following answer from his grace: "Addington, Croydon, Nov. 27, 18.52. "Dear Mr. Dean,—No answer was returned to the reso lution of the Lower House concerning the appointment of ' • committee, because the novelty of the case made it neces sary to take counsel upon the subject, for which there was no sufficient time before the prorogation. I am not now competent to give my consent to the summoning of the committee, as proposed in your letter, because I am unable to do any presidential act during the recess of Convocation. I remain, dear Mr. Dean, your faithful servant, "J. B. CANTAUR." He had forwarded copies of these letters to all the mem bers of the committee; but he bad not considered himself authorised to take any further steps until the re-assembling of the house. The resolution passed in November was the following: "That the Lower House of Convocation begged respect fully to state to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, and to his right rev. brethren, that important representa• tions on matters at present affecting the welfare of the church, and conformably to the former usages of the Con vocation, had been introduced into the lower house ; that the house proposed to re!er them to a committee, and that the house thereby repeetfully invited his grace and his right rev. brethren, so to order the prorogation and continuations of the Convocation as to allow the home to receive in due time the report of such committee, and to take it into consi deration." The condition imposed that the committee should not sit without sanction was imposed, in consequence of doubts with respect both to the expediency and to the right of the committee of the lower house sitting and enacting without the consent of the archbishop. The Prolo cutor then proceeded to say that he had felt it his duty to study elaborately the law and practice of convo cation in order that he might come to a decisive conclusion as regarded the question of right which had been raised ; and be now, in a speech which was historical in character and minute in its detailed references to precedents, stated his conclusions to the house. In the first place, he believed there was no sound analogy between the practice of parlia ment and the practice of convocation. Practically, there was no adjournment in the parliamentary sense in convoca tion; every sitting, if only after an adjournment from morn ing to evening, was a separate session ; and, in fact, the eases were innumerable of committees sitting in the recess, or between sessions. This was the case with regard to com mittees of the lower es well as of the upper house. In con clusion, be said that he had not that day read any commu nication from the president respecting committees. It was, therefore, for the lower house new to decide what course the would take. The Dean of BRISTOL (Dr. Elliott) said that he did not quite go with the Prolocutor,in his version of the practice of convocation. the Prolocutor had not observed that there was a broad distinction between the business brought before convocation by the crown and the business which the Lower House attempted to'originate. Convocation had appointed committees, sad those committees had sat between sessions when the business they were dealing with was business re ferred to them by the crown. But how could there prece dents apply in a cue where the Lower House had attempted ito take the nitiative ? _ _ Dr. Sear contended that the right was clear. The house had the undoubted right to appoint committees, and obviously, therefore, those committees had a right to sit.d While discussion on this point, which was argued with great minuteness, was proceeding, A messenger appeared to summon the Prolocutor to the upper house. The Prolocutor attended accordingly. Oa ' lna retund he informed the house that it was adjourned to two o'clock, the upper house requiring attendance to Buck ingham Palace, where tho address agreed to in November by both houses was about (at half-past twelve) to be pre seated to the Queen. _ An' adjournment accordingly took place. On the re assembling, The PaoLocrovoa said the house wee now reconstituted, and would proceed to business. Business was in consequence about to be proceeded with, when the Prolocutor was summoned to the upper house. On his return be informed the house that be had received a eopy of her Majesty's reply to the address. This was read, and on the motion of Dr. Wordsworth the reply was ordered to be entered on the minutes of the house. The PitoLootrroft then said—lt will now be in con formity with practice to receive any gravamina members of the house may be ready to represent. Mr. F. %%NONNI' presented a petition to tho effect that licensed curates should be privileged to vote at elections of proctors in the province of Canterbury. Mr. BROWN presented a petition from tho diocese of Easter, praying for a revival of tho active powers of Con vocation. Archdeacon Tuonrs presented a petition from the mi nister of one of the mist important parishes in liriatol on the subject of the marriage service. lie represented the unfair state of the law which compelled him to perform the marriage service for persons who were not members of the church, who were members of other churches, or who were avowed infidels, and who wade no cancealment at the time of the service of the levity with which they re garded it. The PreoLocuvon said this petition was "to the arch bishops and bishops in convocation," and could not be re ceived in that house. A lengthy discussion took place as to whether the peti tion could be received. Archdeacon 1 itonpu contented to make :t 11:s awn, prof fering it sa gravamina tram hitnself The PROLOCUTOR Slid if this we* done he would take np the petition and present it to the upper h nse. The Dean of Dittsrut questioned whether the Prolocutor could do this. He was merely the representative of th e house, and could do nothing without the conseut, : a ft er con sideration, of the house. He (Dr. Elliott) morel that the petition, now an individual representation of graramina, should be referred to the committee of gravamina et re formarida. Archdeacon THORPE was willing to second that motion. Dr. WORDSWoRTH entered into an argument, opposing Dr. Elliott's, with regard to the position and power of th e prolocutor; but he concluded by approving of the motion, This, it was understood, was eveutually agreed to. Archdeacon DENisort then asked if there were any orders of the day, for if not he would be glad to proceed with a notice of motion with which he was prepared. Dr. WORDSWORTH said that before they proceeded further they ought to settle what they were to do in reg ar d te the committee which they had appointed, but whose p ro . posed sittings his grace hud not yet sanctioned. (Hear.) He apprehended that with all the precedents in their favour (which he read), authorising independent action, they had snide a false step in asking the consent of the archbishop. (Hear, hear.) In their anxiety not to assume too much, and to offend none, they had shown an excess of deference, committed an informal act, and put themselves, their pro locutor, and his grace in a false position. (Hear, hear.) In deference to the archbishop, and in respect to themselves, and mindful that it was their duty to hand down unim paired those prescriptive rights they had inherited, as • house of convocation, their business now was how best to repair their error—after all, a very venial one. One course wee open to them—to direct that the committee should meet without waiting for any communication with the arch bishop; but ho noted not bring his mind to think that that would under the circumstances be discreet sr fair. (Hear, hear.) What he proposed was that they should send up another message to the archbishop, apprising him that they had looked into ancient prejudices, and found that they bad made a mistake, and begging to withdraw the request for his sanction. (Dr. Wordsworth read a draft of a resolution to that effect.) Archdeacon GRANT seconded the proposition. Archdeacon Desisos said that they ought to look closely at their position before agreeing to a suggestion of that kind. The committee in question woe a most extraordi nary one. It was a committee of gravamina, to which was referred every . subject that could possibly become matter of deliberation in Convocation. For such a committee—a committee which would be a Convocation in, itself—there was no precedent in the history of Convocation, and no analogous precedent in the history of parliament. He be lieved that the action of such a committee would end in un reality ; for a committee could not report on so many subjects withoutltaking more time than convocation would be content to wait for.. While such a committee existed, and sat, it was a bar to the sitting of convocation; for convocation could not discuss what it had referred to a committee; and to this committee was referred everything. He was not responsible for the existence of this committee; he had not supported it; and he believed everyone would now admit that they had not known what they were about when they took such aster). He bad, however, approved of the list of gravamina on which the committee was based; and he would now advise that that document should be left to stead as a protest from the Church of England, and that they should be content with its answering its declaratory purpose in that manner; and that now, without reference to committee, or to the possible permission of the arch bishop, they should proceed to the consideration, in convo. catian, of questions of immediate practical importance. Should this view be takes by the house, he was prepared to enter on a statement of a point of consequence, being one of the points in the referred gravamina. Mr. Deacon GRANT could not see the policy of the course recommended by Archdeacon Denison. If they left things as they were, the world could only come to one conclusion —that they were very bad men of busineqt. The question was, how could they extricate themselves from a dilemma? He thought they could do so best by declaring their error, and withdrawing their appeal to the archbishop. Arch deacon Denison said that the c.immittee had so much before it that it could report on nothing. But why should it not take single subjects at a time, and report on them in suc cession ? (Hear.) If the committee was directed to have a report drawn up by the next session, the house might rely upon it a report would be ready. And if there was no report, then let the committee be discharged. An irregular and uninteresting discussion on petty points, accidentally raised, here took place. Chancellor MARTIN thought that the best policy was to wait until they heard from the archbishop. lie therefore would move, as an amendment, that their application be respectfully renewed. Re Mr. COCKS would second such an amendment. Rev. Mr. J. 11. RANDOLPH Ntrecil in the general views of Archdeacon Denison, but he thought they ought to con sider first of all the suggestion of Dr. Wordsworth—the question, had they or bad they not taken a false step in November ? Certain he Yrts opposed to the amendment: for if they waited, an d the archbishop should communicate a refusal, then they would have committed themselves irre deemably, and established a precedent fatal to the lower house. (Hear, hear.) Archdeacon Ilmintsox was satisfied that they would do wrong to take any step in the matter until they had heard from the archbishop. If none came, then they would be entitled to conclude that the archbishop perceived they were in error, declined to assume the responsibility of sanc tioning a committee whose recommendations might be un popular, and that in that case they were free to go on, ex ercising their rights, as though they had never applied to the president. After some further conversation, The Dean of BRISTOL (replying 7 to some references made to him) said he had undoubtedly stated at the last session that there were precedents for committees of that house sitting between sessions with the sanction of the archbishop. But he had not said that those committees could or would have sat if they had not obtained such sanction ; and that was a very different thing. On the other hand, no com mittees had sat, after basing asked and having Leen re fused such 'lndian. For himself, he could not accept such a resolution as that suggested by Dr. Wordsworth. Dr. Wordsworth had, he (the Dean of Bristol) had, many others had, made search and inquiry with respect to ancient precedents in such matters ; but how could it be said that the house had made such inquiry? The PROLOCUTOR (in compliance with several calls made on him) stated his recollection of the origin and character of the condition agreed to in November, that the committee should not sit unless its appointment was sanctioned by the archbishop. Having stated these circumstances, he went on to say that he was decidedly of opinion that the house had put itself and the archbishop in a false position— (hear, hear)—but that it would be extremely undesirable to proceed with the meetings and business of that special com mittee unless the requested sanction was fully conveyed to them. To repair the mischief they hail done, and to put the house again in a proper position, they had this resource —they might declare their opinion on the law and the right, and, while abandoning that special committee, ap point another committee, and direct that committee to sit without asking any sanction. Chancellor MARTIN thought that perhaps a better course would be to appoint a committee to consider and sport on the law and the practice. Dr. hi'Caei, was quite content, as having been appointed to the Gravamina Committee, to wait until they heard from the archbishop. He, for one, did not at all repent of what had been done. He did not see that any false step had been made. He would not serve on the committee if it did not obtain the primate's sanction ; and, of course, he would not serve on any side-committee. Archdeacon SINCLAIR, as another member of the com mittee, spoke to the same eifect. After another irregular and not pertinent discussion, Dr. WORDSWORTH ridiculed the idea of appointing a new committee to consider the law. To appoint such a com mittee would be to imply a doubt of their right, and that would be absurd. Dr. Seas concurred. It would be to appoint a committee to consider their right to appoint a committee which they had appointed. Archdeacon TRORPR—The Prolocutor and some of his friends might privately go into the matter. Chancellor MARTIN—A number of gentlemen, members of the house, might go into the whole question of gravamina, sad do all that waa required, while not calling themselves committee. . Archdeacon Hams addressed the house at some length on the position of affairs. The purport of his observations was that they should atop at this point, and clearly ascertain their right. The discussion was proceeding, various new proposals, resolutions, and amendments and suggestions being intro duced, when the Prolocutor was summoned to the upper house. After an absence of half•au•hour he returned, and said—l have been to the upper house, and have received the orders of the bishop immediately to prorogue this Hour, of convocation to the 18th August next. The use of the word " immediately " does not even permit a conclusion to the business befora us. The house must prorogue at once. The house accordingly at once prorogued ; and it broke up amid a general murmur of merriment : not a single word in arrest of the sudden adjournment being said, the question as to the committee of course remaining quite %wattled. GENERAL SCREW STEAM SHIPPING COMPANY. — Yesterday en extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of this company took place at the London Tavern, for the elec tion of two directors in the room of the two who retired. R. M. Fox, Esq., M.P., took the chair.—Mr. J. Lyster O'Beirne, the secretary, read the notice convening the meeting.—Mr. R. W. Crawford proposed Captain Shuttle worth as a fit and suitable person to fill the vacancy. He had not only the ability to fulfil the duties. but alto the time to devote to the requirements of the office, which was an object of importance to the public as well as themselves. A candidate so suitable to their purposes he hoped would be elected unanimensly.—Mr. Money Wigram seconded the nomination.—The Chairman put the resolution, and Captain Shuttleworth was elected unanimously.—Mr. Pugh pro posed Mr. N. B. Acworth as a candidate for the other vacancy.—Mr. Holt, M.P., seconded the motion, which was also passed unanimously.—A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman and directors, and the meeting adjourned. TAFF VALE RAILWAY.—The half-yearly meeting of proprietors in this undertaking was held yesterday (Wednesday), at the White Lion Hotel, Bristol ; W. Coffin, Esq., chairman of the company, presided. There wee a numerous attendance. The report stator': "The balance of accounts enables your directors to declare a dividend . of 41. 10s. oar each orig.nal share of 12 , 61., payable on the th of March next, and a dividend in the same proportion on the quarter and 10/. shares. They have also applia the usual half-yearly sum of 750/. to the depreciation fund." The T rport was adopted, and the meeting basing been made spe c ial for the purpose, a series of resolutions was then pass-d for cmvertiog the shares into capital stock. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro , c..edings.