The Express. — London, England, 1853-07-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P. HOUSE OF LORDS.—Faion, JULY 13. The Luau CUancttlkit took his seat at 6 o'clock. L j ew IP EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURE BILL. Lord BROUGHAM wished to Gall attention to auim portant matter. in which his Loble and learned friend on the woolssek, his noble and learned friend the Lord Chit Justice, and himself had • tight to complain. He alloid to the treatment elsewhere of a most important bill which had been Nut down by their lordships to the other bowie eel patham. tit. lie introduced a bill in November Lot on the Law of kle idiot.* and Procedure, which was reed a second tame th 10th of March. it wee then t mod that tn. re was no d•lTrrenee of opinion between his noble and learned friend on th • woolsack, the Loyd Chief Jestime hati mit up in one porti in of that bill, which was a supplement to the act of ItSil, enabling parties to ba examined se wit s.... •, or colt:moiling them to he easmina, as the env might or. Of the great bent which had resulted from the set of ISD it was needles , for L:rl to speak, because testanosy had been borne to its merits by all the learned judges. Dot then was coo important unsi‘sion in that iset—that which regatded husband and w.fe. His nohle and learned friend on the aele differed on the subject two years ago, but he heel rate, with his wasted candour, distinctly admitted that he hal changed lii. opinion, and wee in favour of that portion of the bill which wee read a second tune in March last fur supplying that defect. Ilia noble and !tensed friend, however, and Vie Loud Chief duo tin did not agree upon all the other points of the bill ; nod it nes sugetsted by them that the bilk bould be divided late two so that the portions of it anon which thisre was no dtlference of .opinion should Os made • .eparete mea sure. He acquiesced ; sail thus, parts as to husband atid wife formed tne sole sulj.ct of one bill, the other being patient. d. Toe bill paseed their lordships' house on the 6th or nth of June, and he was given to understand that it would not be oppo sed in the other house. It went down to the other hoe e, and there it had slept ever since. What had ht the cousequenc , ? The circuits had begun, end they se uuld all be holden without the great ROA necestary benefits ot that act. A similar bill bad poised for Seet hed, and the Seineli courts were now acting under it. He thought he had a right to complain of his bill having been committed to its lone net of seven weeks, mud he wished to nib fors .me explanation of SO important an omessien. The LOUD CHANCELLOR would state how the mat ter steed, he then thought that his noble and leaned friend would he satisfied that no disrespect was intended to tine. Aft. r brie Sy recapitulating the stat.ln nt of Lord Broughaui as to tne progress of the bill through that house, the wild, ant learned lord proceeded to say that the Com mon-law Conitui,locers mode their first report abidut two year, •igo, upon which the hill of Ilia was framed. They were: cages. I: during last winter and the greater part of thu spring in further ins' stigation of the subject of es ideate and tune:dare, end he cayman] a wish that his noble and learn .1 (newt should not pi:•ss his bill on until they sow a urea of what those ceimniasionen wcrc about to sug. gest. They made en elaborate report en the 30th of April, and they Lad incorporate d in a bill founded on that report the enactment of his noble and learned friend on this mite jest. A ...mit of their proposed bill ass put into his hands for the tint time yesterday, mid lie felt that it was impos sible to entertain the mee.ure without looking very care fully into its details, and that it could nut pass during the present session of parliament. (Hear, hear.) Ile had received many anonymous letters stating that he was obstructing these reosruis. lie would devote all his energy to that and other measures of legal reform, but they regulted great and m careful consideration. (Hear, hear.) When his motile and learned friends could tie with reference to the bill which had just been prepared what they had done with the bill of 1851—when they could meet, nut in committee, but, night by night at lac., othe rte house., and go through clause by clause, the Wes. sure would receive that suiontit of attention which was necessary to its well working. They had adopted that course with regard to the other bill, which contained 200 elan e ,and there never was an enactment that had worked smiothly. (Hear, hear.) He had consulted with the Attorney-lienerul, who had promised, os the principle in volved in tho bill of his uubie and learnt d friend load been approved, to use his utmost efforts to carry it through the other how eof parliament this session. lice regretted that he (the Ltd Chancellor) had not been sufficiently awake Co the importance of the measure being passed before the serener circuits commenced. (Hear, hear.) Lord CAMPBELL said, that several times within his ' emperience the want of such a bill had been severely felt, suit the truth had been excluded because the wife could not bo called. His mottle and learned friend on the wool sack des. reed the thanks of the public for the great seal he had menifested in the cause of law reform, and the efforts he bad m de to promote it. (Hear, hear.) LANDi IMPROVEMENT COMPA-N V (No. 2) BILL. The Doke of ARGYLL, in moving the third reeding of this bill, *aid its principal otket was to authorise the com pany to issue debentures. Die chairman of committees had taken wake objection to it as enabling the company to evade the stamp duty on deeds; but this would not be the ease. The act provided the same machinery for securing that the improvements were good and safe, as was provided in the Inclusive Acts. The ;kind of improvements to be • promoted were such a. were least likely to be undertaken by individuals on their own account. The committee on the bill had consieeeied the ob j ections, and did not think they ought to prevent its paseing. Lord ItEDEteDALE said his objection was founded on the Remind that advantages ought not to be given to one company which were not soiled under the general law ; but ae a bill had been passed making debentures generally transferable, that objection was removed. Lord ST. LEONARD'S thought the provisions of the bill so important that it ought to have been brought before the house m a public bill. He would not oppose the third CatrtnLc, the Duke of BUCCLItCH, and the Marquis of 2 4 ALISIICKT bristly addressed the house, and the bill was then reads third time and passed. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. The Earl of ELLENISOROCOH moved for the follow lag velure.:—" Copy of the oath now takes by the direeton MOW East India Campaay. Copy of any bye-law of the Bast ladle Company probibitiag the directors thereof from deriving pecuniary advantage (rem their patronage. Copy of Ley bye-law of the East India Company prohibiting the di rectors thereof from using their patronage to n muneration fur votes given to them and services rendered to them at their cleanse. Return of the establishment of a regiment of Langston infantry in the service of the Eut India Com pany, and of the total usual charge thereof. Return showing the rules by which °Moen are appointed to the several ranks on the formation of a new regiment in the service of the East India Caapany. Return of the casual ties in cash European regiment in the envies of the East India Company in each of the last ten yeass,epeeifyiag such as occurred is action with the enemy, or ia consequence of wounds resolved is action. Return of the number of men invalided is each of such regiments, in the URN year, It.- tuns of the number of men removed from each of such re giments, la thesis' years, for envies in saliva regiments, or in the oldness, or in the impartment of publiworka, or for ether public employment. Return of the esMblish- saint of each of her Majesty's regimeats 01 India according to the last revision thereof, and of the total I charge of inch regiment in India and at home. Return of the total pay sad emoluments of the isommander-ice-chief of the forces in India and of the commander-in-chief of the forties at Madras and Bombay respectively, when such officers are eoninuaders-inchief of the East India Company's ae well as of her Majesty's forces, and also members of council ; distinguishing their receipts as members of council from their receipts in the military department" La he apprehended there would be no objection to the pro duction of thus pepen, he would confina bib etherealise. to one topic—the proposed increase of the company's Euro pean troops in India. He would not discuss the provisions of the India Bill, is the hope that, when it cams before them, the government would take into fair and favourable consideration any reasonable objections that be might urge to matters of detail; his whole ob• jut being to make the bill as perfect as pos sible. Undoubtedly, the event. of the last two or three weeks had not caused him to feel less the ur gency of increasing the military force in India, and be was ready to do it in any manner, so urgently did he feel the necessity. The arrival of the India mail ea the preceding day mut have convinced many of their lordships that more fonts would be required there than they possibly might have supposed. That change had not been prods on his mind ; for, from the first he had deprecated the wax in Lea, and had stated his opinion of its great importance and of the great embarrusnsent it would produce. He had never entertained the slightest expectation that the Burmese goverossont would emi ,etarte is Use session of the provisos which we had appropriated and annexed to our dominions; therefore he was not disappointed by the resent news. He took the same view of cur position there which he had always taken. He regretted that in the commencement of that war, in its conception and its conduct, he could nowhere perceive the impress of a statesman or of a general. (Hear, hear.) We had given op that frontier which was the most easy to fortify, and had taken the very worst one which could be found. We had placed our selves in a position in which we could neither stand firm with safety, nor advance with advantage. It was a pecu liarity in that war, that the greater the succor, the greater the eraberrasement ; and if we were to advance to Ma, and to drive the King from then, our difficulty would only be greater than it was at present. At this moment, no rea sonable man could look to the termination of the war with the same degree of confidence with which most persons looked to it when it lint began. This was a very serious state of thing', and he was deeply impressed with the con viction that on account of our position there—irrespective of the change which the t inevens now taking place in the east of Europe must necessarily ake in our position every where, and especially in India—an increase of our military force was absolutoly required for our security. (Hear, hear.) But he could not approve of the manner in which it was proposed to increase it. He saw in the proposal some indi cation of an apparent intention, not of increasing the European military force in India, but of substituting for her Majesty's troops an equal number of the company's Euro - troops. He should deprecate that change as most in ' ' ca to her Majesty's service and to the interests of elia and of England. The &dealings which her Majesty's troops acquired in India was infinite, eves when they were not engaged in active service. The very march through the country was instructive. On every station the soldiers might learn as much as could now be learnt at the Gasp at Chobham. Re would only allude to ens point in the India Bill now before the other house. It contained a provision by which the directors to be appointed by the crown were to be permitted to sit in g &filament. Ile cons;dercd this provision in the last degree perabiour, especiaily taken is conjunction with beeecent alteration in the bill, whereby persona who bad es la ladia tea years, whether in the smite of the go- THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 16, 1853. might be some difficulties in the coastructiuu of the u. chinery, but he thought those difficulties might be got over, though it would require experience to construct such me shinery as to meet all possible contingencies. 1 The bill was then, by leave, withdrawn. PETTY SESSIONS (IRELAND) ACT.—SUMMARY JURISDICTION ,(IRELAND) Act. The Marquis of CLANIIILCARDE said these bills were only for the purpose of re-enactiag and consolidating acts l which had passed in torwr %elisions, and for extending the jurisdiction of magistrates in fame cases. With regard to Ithe Petty Sessions Bill, the only flaw principle was in the 'eighth clause, which considerably extended the jurisdiction of a single magistrate. That extension was given because there were same parts of the country where it was exceed laxly difficult to procure the attendanosof • second maga . trate. By another part of the act it was intended to extend the power of appeal. In the Summary Jurisdiction Bill the principal point was a clause giving . the magistrates power to deal with larceny where the Tame of the article stolen did not exceed 3s. It was manifestly absurd where the value of the property was so small to send the cue to the petty sessions. Another clause gave power to the ma gistrate to adjudicate in the case of small tenements so that the owners might recover pewseesion of them. By an act already in force power was given where the houses were in towns; this would extend the power to cottages in country districts having only half an acre of land attached to the holding. He thought this and other provisions in the bill would induce landlords to erect a better class of dwelling houses for the labourers then now existed. The noble mar uis concluded by moving the second reading of the Petty Sessions Bill. Lord MONT EAGLE objected to giving such lam rowers to a single magistrate. The practical effect would be that the powers would be yielded exclusively by the stipendiary magistrates. He dre the indolence of the magistrates of the country, who would not travel several miles to attend a petty sections if the stipendiary magistrate could admi nister justice without them. There were some parts of Ireland where it was very difficult to procure the attend ance of a second magistrate, and he should have no objec tion to allowing the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with the sanction of the Lord Chancellor, to give power to one ma gistrate to act in these districts. The clause giving to the migistrates a power over small tenements was beyond measure important to the tenantry of' Ireland. The law was in an absurd state as it now stood, and anomalous as compared with the law of England. In this es well as in other bills, he wished to take the law and the practice of England as the guide for their legislation for Ireland. At present in Ireland they had ens state of the law for market towns, and another law for other places. The noble lord wished to make the law the same all over. lie (Lord Mentesole) said this was a benefit to the tenantry, because under the present system the difficulty of getting nossession of cottages had caused the destruction of many of them, and had beenone great cause of suffering in Ireland. A landlord did not venture to put a tenant into a cottage, be cause under the law, as it now stood, he had no means of recovering possession. The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he did not rise to oppose the bills, but he agreed with the noble lord who had just sat down, that the power imposed to be given to a single magistrate should be accompanied with some safeguard. As regarded the Summary Jurisilic•ion Bill, he felt anxious that it should be considered by the members of the govern ment of Ireland, members of the House of Commons, who were now in thiscountry. lie suggested that the second reading should be taken now, but that the bill should not be committed before Thursday. After a few words from the Marquis of CLANRICAUDE, The bill was read a second time and ordered to be com mitted. SUMMARY JURISDICTION BILL. This bill was read a second time and ordered to be com mitted. ----- LAND REVENUES BILL. This bill was read a second time and orlered to be committed. ---- PIMLICO IMPROVEMENT BILL. This bill was passed through committee. TAXING OFFICER COMMON LAW BUSINESS (IRELAND) BILL. Thin bill wee reported with amendments, sad ordered to be road a third time on Monday. JUVENILE MENDICANCY (No. 2) BILL. Tbi bill was read a third time and passed. IDOLATRY IN INDIA. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition from certain ministers of religion resident in Calcutta, of all denominations, in which they admitted with gratitude that much had been done on the part of the East India Com pany to prevent idolatrous practices ; but, nevertheless, still more remained to be done, as they had heard, on good authority, that • practice prevailed in India by which, whenever the Governor-General or other great officer of the company set out on a travelling expedition, offerings paid for out of the public purse were made to the shrines on the road. The petitioners stated that these things were not mentioned in the parliamentary returns, and they therefore prayed their lordships to institute a searching in quiry into these allegations. On the motion of the noble earl, the petition was ordered to be referred to the com mittee sitting upon Indian affiin. Their lordships then adjourned shortly after eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY, JULY 1.5. The Sramma took the chair at twelve o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con sidered and agreed to :—Bedale and Leyburn Railway; East Kent Railway ; South Eastern Railway (Strood to Matt:Wane) ; South Staffnutahire Water Works ; Spalding Improvement; Victoria (London) Docks; Bills. The St. George's Harbour Bill ; the Westminster Im provements (Dwellings of the Working Clause) Bill, and the Westport Port and Harbour Bill were read a third time and payed. PUBLIC BUSINESS. EASTERN UNION RAILWAY BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Eutem Union Railway Bill. Sir G. PECIIELL moved u an amendment that the bill be read a third time that day six months, as the bill would inflict an act of grow injustice on the preferential share holders of the company. The house divided, For the amendment Against B2-56 The order for the third reading was then diacharged and the bill was referred back to the committee for a special rerert. Tao clauses were agreed to after a long discussion, and the house re•sumsd. REMISSION OF THE _CONSOLIDATED ANNIII- TIES (IRELAND). A bill for the remission of the Consolidated Annuities (Ireland) was brought in by the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, and read a first time. The house adjourned to six o'clock. The house resumed at 6 o'clock. SAVINGS BANKS. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY gave notice that, upon Monday next, he would put a question to the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, in order to ascertain whether any of the money Winsavings' banks had been invested in Exchequer oad ilia, to what amount and under what circum- Mane OATHS TAKEN BY MEMBERS OF PARLIA MENT. Sir G. GREY said, that without referring to what had Oaken plan in former parliaments, it was well known that a bill had been lately introduced for the purpose of remov ing*, disabilities imposed upon persons of the Jewish kith by the wit to be taken by members of perils neat as it now stood. That bill, after receiving the assent of this house, had been rejected else , where. Subsequently a bill had been proposed in the other house of parliament by a noble and learned lord (Lord Lyndhurst) of great weight and ability, the eldest 'table& was to simplify and alter the oaths taken W members. This bill, however, had not become law. The ashk lord the member for the City of London (Lord J. lhamiell) had stated that it was not the intention of go inuseat to bring the subject under the consideration of Me house, in any shape, during the present session. In that determinatioa he (Sir G. Grey) perfectly concurred. He wished, however, to ask the noble lord—considering the unsatisfactory state of the law upon the subject—whet ther it was the intention of the government next session to amend the law relating to this matter, either by a separate bill or by a provision in the bill which was to be brought in for the general amendment of the representation of the United Xingdom. Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the state of the law with respect to the oaths taken by members of parliament was such, that no one could consider it satisfactory. (Hear.) As the house was aware a trial had taken place upon the attempt of a gentleman to take his seat without taking the oaths as they at present stood. One of the learned judges upon that trial declared that he thought that the oath could be well taken without the addition of the words on the true faith of a Christian." Another learned judge stated that it would be much more satisfactory if parliament would settle this question, by declaring its opinion upon the oaths. Since then the noble and learned lord (Lord Lyndhurst) to whom reference bad been made, had proposed to the ether house to put the law, with regard to this question, upon a better footing, hat that S=had led to no satisfactory result. He (Lord 11) thought it was not advisable, considering the state of business and the vote of the other house, to bring the question forward again during that session. He should - , I however, certainly think it his duty to submit the question to the house in the nest session of parliament. Whether this were done in a separate bill or as part of a larger measure for amending the system of representation, he should not bring forward a bill for the relief of the Jews specially, but to place the oaths taken by all members upon a simple footing, doing away with the ridiculous intolerance and practical absurdity at present existing. (Cheers.) TREATMENT OF PRISONERS AT BIRMINGHAM. Lord D. STUART wished to call the attention of the noble lord, the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment, to the trostaient to which prisoners had been sub =d by the governor of the borough gaol at Binning - Is impared that the noble lord had sent an inspector of pima irmially down to Birmingham, who had made a amen upon the matter. His report stated that a great deal of cruelty had been exercised towards the prisoners. He (Lord Dudley Stuart) understood that a counter state- mut had been made to the noble lord (Lord Palmerston), awl he therefore now wished to ask him, whether he was prepared to give any further information upon the subject I I Lord PALMERSTON said it was quite true that in consequence of representations made to him, he bad mused eermacat or not, were capable of being appointed duce 'ors. What they all desired was to separate the govern ment of India in England from the polities of the day. (Hear, hear.) It should be kept u much as pos sible distinct. The att. tit ion of the directors should be fixed on India alone ; hut what would be the result if this provi sion were adopted ? A young man would return from India, alter being employed there no matter how—perhaps having gone to speed a little money; he would get into parliament. and, being eligible as an India director, he would netueally recommend himself to the govern men-, whatever the government might be ; tad he would be placed in the office instead of a better man. It would not only introduce men to the direction who were unfit for the office, but it could introduce into the court Political Vise, which would he most injurious to the carry tog on of Indian business. (Hear, hear.) The average lite of men was not long ; that of governments was much shorter; and the result would be the nomination of two or three strong conservatives, and then two or three strong whir who would be placed there merely because they would carry into the court the animosities which had divided them in the House of Commons; or, what would be infinitely worse, they would carry into the House of Commons the divisions which prevailed in the court. That would lead to discussions on Indian matters in the House of Commons characterieed by an angry and bitter spirit—diectresions conducted, too, by the political members of the &rani of Director lie (the noble sari) we-old moat willingly seclude from parlienicst the elected di rectors ; for he thought that as much mischief would arise from allowing them to sit in the House of Commons as allowing those who had been appointed by the govern ment. How did the present system work ? A man ac quired a little false ,restage by being a member of pa/lin iment ; that recommended hint to the directors; and they made him a director. And what did he do then ? Why, he used the patronage that fell into his hands for the pur pose ur er k 4 s: ; :i c tn: d l e i ta im b r pe lf a in n lh t ; e li o o t u h se er oLCL a mm , o p us p. . in LH , e n ar ts , went to the attorney of his borough, and that patronage VMS put to a bad use which ought only to have been employed for that most imi.ortant of public purposes, the good govern ment of ludic. (Cheers.) litanies nothing could be so un seemly as the scene that would be constantly witnessed, namely, the Indian minister making a statement in parlia ment, and a member of the board en the opposite bench immediately rising to answer him. Such • system would, in fact, do more to injure and humiliate the government of India in the minds of the Indian people than almost any course of proceeding that could be adopted. He, therefore, • did most earnestly Entreat her Majesty's government to re consider the provisions of their bill in this particular; and to consoler whether they would not rather fort go any mul -1 vantage they might derive from the power of placing in the ; direction any members of the House of Gammons that might have been ten years in India; and also whether they would not take from the dirt.ctors, hereafter to be elected, I the power of becoming members of the other house. (Hear, I hear.) The noble earl concluded by moving for the papers. Earl GRANVILLE (who spoke with his beet. to the I gallery, and was therefore hardly intelligible) was under !! stood to deprecate the practice of discussing bills not yet before their lordships. Ile trusted that they would follow the example of the other house, who had declared be the enormous majority with which t hey bad passed the second readie4 that they woul.i not allow any party spirit to be intr , cluced into their discussions upon so vast and impor- I tent a subject. With regard to the war iu Ava, lie had lonly to say that who that question should be brought beton the house in a more regular manner, her Majesty's government would not shribk from statirg their reasons for the course they had pursued , and they would Ibe able to show that that war had not been lunder: aken aril conducted with that complete went' of statesmanship and generalship which the noble earl had stated it to have been. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the increase in the army, the considerations mentioned by the noble earl had not escaped her Majesty's government. No doubt there was a great deal to be said on behalf of the plan which the noble earl had proposed, but some of the ergs meats be had used were, he must coufeas, perfectly new to . him. Of course it was quite true that the Experience gained Iby the troops in the wars which had unfortusately takes 1 place iu India not long ago, was very important, but that it was an advantage to our troops to remain a long time in 1 India during the continuance of peace, was an entirely I novel idea, because, although the troops certainly) did move in large masses, as the noble e a rl' I had said, there were some counterbalancing evils, the 1 ; effects of which were such that a regiment very seldom re turned home from India it. as efficient • state as it had left the shores of England. Tho authority of the noble earl on the point of making additions to the Queen's troops rather than to the company's was very high ; but the ;government could array against it the no less weighty names of Lord Dalhousie and Lord Harding., whose judgment the go vernment could not, with justice to themselves, overlook. (Hear, hear.) The question of allowing the directors who were to be nominated by the crown to sit in the other house was one of great delicacy and difficulty. It was hardly necessary to repeat what bad been the object the government had is proposing that a certain propor tion of the board should be appointed by the mown. They sought to obviate an evil which clearly did 'mist, namely, that some of the mist (eminent Indians were excluded from the board by the aversion they felt to the incidents of a canvass ; or, if they did seek a seat in the direction, they had often to wait five or six years be fore they succeeded in obtaining it, by which time their knowledge of India had become somewhat stale. Believing, , then, that the plan of having some of the directors &p -i pointed by the crown would work better than the existing system, the object of the government was to put them all upon a footing of exact equality ; and it was obvious that soy such inequality as would be created by forbidding the nominated directors to sit in parliament, would tend greatly to lower them in position and influence. (Hear, hear.) It would be a mere pedantic objection to suppose that they would show any improper subserviency to the minis ter of the day, in order to secure their re-appointment; and as the government, of whatever party ft might happen to be, would have to act under the severe pressure of public opinion, they might rest satisfied that the best men would be appointed. (lieu, hear.) On the other hand, there would be a real danger of weakening the nowt of Com mons if, when questions relating to India came to be discusseal—which he trusted would be more frequently the case fur the futon—they should be deprived of the assistance of these men who were best able to assist their deliberations. (Hear, hear.) There were no doubt two sidle to the question ; but he thought her Majesty's govern mime had taken the wisest course in adopting the plan ISM eta had embodied in their measure. (Cheers.) The am of ELLENBOROUGH wished to supply an ambilm in his speech. Their lordships could hardly be swum that in consequence of the creation of eight new regiments, there would be in this single year no fewer than EH extra cadetships to be distributed amongst the present directors, every one of wham would have thirteen besides the ordinary patronaie, so that they would each h ave pro. Est loss - that Pt to dallies of. (Hear, hear.) Now, figetlas board ha set loos to live—(• laugh)— and the meanie In which they had usually dealt with their peimenge o lt io tagits that to give them 13 extra cadetshipoloalh loM ofs not under the Pro' Mims of the bill, but as had previously been the care, was id fist of very great improvidence, and had the appeara . nce ass mmentons job. (Hear hear.) lie was not surprised Ihil the ealy part of the government measure that lad bums knows to the public should have , hems Os prepseed Merease of the India army, which ' had hues MBA easiest menthe ego ; or shit that part of the mom shield have bees mAremely molar in certain The had mime bees well toed ; but, Cride rL esse he tit bed leen 'Mem* ill bestowed. (Hen, hear.) The papers were then ordered. POLLING AT ELECTIONS BILL. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY moved the second reading of this bill, in order to assert its principle, but he intimated that he did not intend to press it further this series. Its chief object was to allow the votes of electors for boroughs to be taken at their own house. The Earl of ABERDEEN hoped that the noble sari would not now press the second reading ; and he could assure him that he would lees no advantage that he could hope to gain from his motion. (Hear, hear.) The Earl of HARDWICKE expressed his full concur rence in the bill, which he thought would enable many men of great respectability, and having &considerable stake in the countrr, to vote, who were now deterred from 'UV' ening their ri ght by their dislike to the tumult of en dn. tiol2. Lord WHARNCLIFFE approved of the bill, and said that the only serious difficulty in the bill was the machinery by which such a system was proposed to be carried out. Earl FORTESCUE gave his humble tribute of grati tude to the noble earl for bringing the subject before the house, and he thought that any scheme of reform in which extensive animations for the purpose of improving the manner of taking the votes did not form • part, would prove utterly futile. Though he was not prepared to accede to all the details of the bill, he could not see how any plan could be devised that would be likely to work lottra ; and the principle had certainly proved eminently emessainl in the case of elections for poor law guazdians. Cigar, hear.) Thu Marquis of LANSDOWN E deprecated the further of the bill. Before they had settled what alters- 1 wee t would make in the number and quality of &OD to whoa the power of voting . should bo coll uded it would be extremely inconvenient to settle the nib is which the appearance, or rather non-appearance it them voters at the hustings should be provided for. Hui GREY, after balancing the advantages and dis advantages likely to arise from the bill, considered that the timer preponderated. Bid DONOUGHMORE hoped the noble earl would set Mend the principle of this bill to Ireland. The great mil of English elections was bribery and corruption ; the poet evil of Irish elections was intimidation and violence. I/ It were extended to Ireland, he hoped the noble earl wail asks some arrangements to protect the lives of the ralsaton of the voted', and their brains from being dashed «a by stones. Lord REDESDALE said he should be glad if some such made of votine were adopted, but there were difficulties in the way which he did not see how to get out of. Under the provisions of the bill, the voter himself was required to deliver the voting paper, which was to be collected at hie lease, so that it would be requisite he should stay at home es the day of the election, and neglect his employment. If the votes were delivered by a proxy, that would open a dem se fraud, and there was danger from fraud or vice- WM that the voting papers would be abstracted or med dled with before the were opened. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said, after what had fallen from the noble earl at the head of the government it would be useless in him to attempt to carry on the mea eerie Ile thaoked their lordehip fur the kind manner in which it bad been received, and be hoped it would receive dm consideration from government. No doubt there this matter to be looked into and a report to be made. Ile would abstain from characterising the proceedings which were disclosed in that report further than to say that they appeared to him to have been perfectly illegal, and ez tie mely cruel and unjust. (Hear.) Re was about to submit a case to the law officers of the crown, is order to ascertain what steps could be taken upon the subject. CONSOLIDATED ANNUITIES (IRELAND). Viscount MONCK asked the Chancellor cat the Es chc quer whether it was his intention to include in the is mission of the Irish Consolidated Annuities the loans for which certain Irish preprietors ra ndered themselves per sonally liable in 114167 snider the authority of Mr. Labial there's letter. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would not enter into any statement of reasons in answer to the ques tim; but h .4 simply to say that the money to which the question had reference, and which was generally called the Lebouchere letter money, was not included within the scope of the bill which be had that evening laid on the table for the remission of the Consolidated Annui•ies. Ile might further say that he did not know any principle' en which it would be possible to include that money which, if consistently carried out, would not lead them to the re funding to every benevolent individual of all sums, whereby, out of their own private resources, they relieved distress in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) THE SIX-MILE-BRIDGE AFFAIR. Oa the question that at its rising the house adjourn to Mondaj - Mr. MILES put the question of which he had given notice—Whether it is the intention of the government to pr , eeed against the Rev, John Burke and the Rev. Michael Clime, Roman cathodic priests, who have been reported by an election committee of this house—the former to have excited the pace lc, and to have taken part in the riot, and the latter to have excited the people to take part in the riot, which occurred at Six-mile-bridge, on the 22nd day of July. 18-52, which, by deetroying the freedom of election, rendered void the return of the two knights of the shire elected to serve in parliament for the county of Clare at the general election of 1852. la illustration of his question, the hon. gentleman peneeded to restate all the main facts of this already too familiar CAW ; making out the case from the evidence offered by the various witnesses in the recent Clare election committee ; and the hon. gentleman taking credit to himself that in bringing this charge against these priests ho did not use n single hush expression of his own, but merely quoted the allegations of other people. Having, in a statement which occupied half an hour, detailed the pro minent points of the evidence, the hon. gentleman con cluded by ruing that he would now leave it to the house to determine what was the proper course to be taken either ie further ineestigetien, or in immediate punishment, in re gard to these two rev. gentlemen. It might he askeh, why had not the committee on the Clue petition lung since re commended a distinct course to the house; but the sufficient region was, that the committe e had been of ope.ion that in the first place it was necessary that the evidence should be printed, in order to enable the house itself to come to a conclusion on this case. That evidence was new in the hands of member, end he had called atteution to those portions of it which at least convicted the priests of extraordinary interference at the Clare election ; and it was his opinion that enough had been shown to prove that to them and to their conduct much of the unhappy accompaniments of the election were to be at tributed, and that, generally, they had violated the privi lege. and destroyed the freedom of election. Mr. MILNisS begged permission to say a few words before his noble friend (Lord Palmerston) answered the question. It was generally known that he (Mr. Mines) hid eat on the Clare committee ' and that he had had the misfortune to differ from the chairman as to the report made on this point; and be could not now avoid expressing his regret that such a subject should have been brought on in this incidental way—(hear, hear) that if the hon. gen tlemen—if be thought it right to bring it on at all—hm" not made a specific motion. (Hear, hear.) The view he (Mr. Milnes) had taken in the committee was, that however ap parently reprehensible might have been the conduct of these parties, yet still that while the priests were not in a position to defend themselves, the committee would be wrong to offer a judgment based on admittedly so parte evidence. The committee had had great difficulties to deal with. It was the first time that he had sat on a committee to try en Irish election petition, and really he could not help saying that Irish members only were competent for such duty, as only Irishmen could estimate, properly, the nature of the events taking place in so extraordinary a state of society as the evidence disclosed to the committee in question. An ordinary English member was bewildered in the attempt to ascertain on which side was the most in justice and the most intimidation. There was one witness examined before the committee who used an extraordinary expression, an expression which, had he (Mr. Milnes) been chairman of the committee, he thought he would have reported to the house, for the phrase applied to illustrate a system. The witness was asked had a certain voter, who was carried away, gone reluctantly ? "'Pon, my word, then," was the reply, "he'd have gone aisy enough, if they'd used force . " (Great Laughter.) The impression which the whole evidence made on his mind was a doubt as to the desirability of permitting the military to interfere in elections in Ireland, as openly and directly as they were permitted to do at the Clare election. He could not help feeling that these two rev. gentlemen denied in their is. positions before the coroner the misconduct which mu charged against them, and under such circumstances be did not feel that he would be justified in coming to a decision one way or the other. He thought it necessary to say so much to vindicate his conduct on the committee. (Hear.) Lord PALMERSTON thought that he might, without offence, complain of the course which the hon. gentleman pursued on this occasion, because, having merely given notice of his intention to put a question, lie entered into the details, and opened an elaborate discussion on the subject. It was said that it was • long lane which had no end, and he trusted that the longest bridge, even the Six-mile-Bridge, would come to some end. (Laughter.) This subject had been discussed many times in both houses of parliament, and the decision of the house had been taken upon it. Her Majesty's government hal, as was known, intended to institute a prosecution for the conduct pursued in the Six mile-bridge affair, and the Irish government was informed that such was the desire of her Majesty's government. But the Irish law officers to which the Irish government referred the matter, judged differently, and the government, after considering the grounds on which the Irish law officers came to that decision, approved of their decision. The govern ment therefore did not intend now to institute any further proceedings in the matter. The course suggested by the hon. gentleman ought to be taken long ego, so that these rev. gentlemen might be prosecuted at the next assizes. If they decided on prosecuting no legal proceedings could be taken till next spring, so that they would be prosecuting in 1854 for transactions which took place in 1852. (Hear, hear.) But it might be said, " prosecute 'for the sake of example." Well, another election bad taken place for the same county, where these transactions complained of took place—the same candidates stood, and the election passed off in perfect tranquillity, and no complaints had been pre ferred against the conduct of any person, whether lay or clerical. (Hear, hear.) Therefore, • prosecution was not necessary for the sake of example. If be were asked, "Do you concur in condemning the conduct which these rev. gentlemen pursued ?" He must say that he did ; and such was the opinion of her Majesty's government when they expressed their wish that a prosecution should take place. But when he said that, he did not think that their conduct —reprehensible as he considered it to be—was in such marked contrast to the conduct of the Roman catholic clergy generally in Ireland as to make it fit that these two clergymen should be selected for punishment. (Opposition cheers.) However reprehensible their conduct, it did not stand so prominently forward that they should be picked out and made the subject of legal proceedings. (Hear, hear.) He was bound in all sincerity to say that the con duct of the Roman catholic clergy from some of the highest to the lowest rank, was such as to give great pain to all those who wished to see the ministers of religion, whether protestant or Roman catholic, retain that respect and reverence which was essential for the due discharge of their sacred calling. (Hear. hear.) Things had been said and done by the Roman catholic clergy of Ireland which if said and dose by the protestant clergy in this country, would have raised an outcry from the Land's End to John o'Groats. (Hear, hear.) But then, on the other hand, there were circumstances in the crisis of the last election, which, although they did not in the least justify the conduct of the Roman catholic clergy, offered some palliation of it. There was • great political crisis which they looked upon as • religious crisis for they were threatened with the withdrawal of the endowment of Maynooth, and they anticipated, though erroneously and unjustly, that the party then in power would use that power against the liberties which were given by former acts of parliament to the Roman cathohc subjects of the Queen. Some allowance should be made on this account for the 'statement of the Roman catholic clergy. But he would abjure the house to draw the veil of oblivion over these transactions, and not to rake up animosities which he hoped had pas sed away for ever. (Hear, hear.) He, therefore, hoped that the debate would not be continued any longer, because he was afraid if the discussion went on things would be said which would have • mischievous effect both in England and Ireland. (Hear, hear.) He would then ask the house to pass on to the more practisal business of legislating for their distant dominions in India—(bear, hear) —hoping that a better time would come when both clergymen and laymen, priests and landlords, would agree to allow elections to be carried on with a more free exercise of choice, and more in harmony with the spirit of the constitution. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME said that he was very much afraid the noble lord would find himself disappointed in the hope that freedom of election would henceforth be permitted to be exercised, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland, without the intervention of party spirit, and intimidation of me kind or other. The people of Ireland asked for the ballot to put an end to such intimidation, and he would ad. eke the noble lord and his colleagues to try that remed (Hair, bear.) The noble lord blamed the Itmae cathol te day s bet he (Mr. Hume) might with equal justice blame pain y, who i nterfered with elections as much as Zeman catholic clergy, though perhaps not so openly Mai directly. The clergy on both sides had a perfect *ld to interfere if they did so in a proper and fair manner. The legislature could not prevent such interference, but if the noble lord really wished to see interference put an end to, he would give the people the ballot. (Hear, hear.) Col. NORTH said he was glad to hear the statement of the noble lord, but the noble lord was in error when he said that the priests did not interfere in the late election. On the day before the polling at the late election the priests interfered with the people in their chapels, and it was ia terference that Col. Vandeleur attributed the loss of his election. Mr. Sergeant SIIEE said her Majesty's governmeat took a wise course in not instituting any prosecution against the two reverend gentlemen, for in all . probabilitreary would have been acquitted by any joy. (Hear, hear.) He had read the evidence, and he wu of opinionthat they would in II all probability have been acquitted before any jury. He i The hon. member moved an amendmi eit to i his effect : felt certain that they would bo acquitted by the fur and im- 1 but the discussion turned for some time on other points, and partial juries whom he was in the habit of addressing. A the cenfusion which resulted was the °cease o o f Tou t more unfounded statement than that made by the noble i laughter. lord in reference to the conduct of the Roman catholic 1 Mr. HUME recalled attention to his amen :Ms sit ; and, clergy of Ireland he had never heard—(hear, hear)—made being put, it was understood that it was rejectie hesupposed for the burpose of reconciling the hon. gentle- Mr. BRIGHT put it to the house whether it was not man opposite to him to the course which the government worth while, here, where there could be L.. pernicious detetmined to take. The noble lord thought it proper effects, to test the alleged advantage of deceit Lions over to make a charge—a charge which it was impossible oaths ? The noble lord (J. Russell) had RR. t. i "acres that for him to substantiate—egad:lst the whole body of evening of his intention to propose the &bailee ••n of par the Roman catholic clergy or Learnt:. Did not the noble lord know that notwithstandin g all that gnestion of the desirableness of the change ii. this cleave ar, e lle:e.) i `""^"'" ...7.t11: :II 5t s."!!! f ' ? sfa; and there o t .zlit t o b o ." ja had been said of the interference of the Roman catholic proposed by Mr. Hume. Generally, as they diminished clergy, but one county election and one borough election oaths, they raised the standard of truth ; and lie WWI had been set aside. (Hear.) And with regard to the deci - upon the leader s o f that house to su pp ort the newstinient.- rion in the ease ef Sligo, he must say that a more doubtful The committee divided— decision was never presented to the house—(hear, hear)— For the amendment ll9 and if it were referred to another committee it was most Against it probable that their decision would be different from that of Mr. J. B. SMITH then proposed as an aineielment the the former one. He was quits surprised at the course pur- insertion of the words " oath or declaration." sued by the hon. member for Montrose, who seemed to Sir C. WOOD was understood to consent to the adoption think that the ballot was the only remedy that the people of these words. of Ireland asked for. But he could tell the hon. gentleman Mr. BRIGHT said the only effect of this onuld be to that as long as the grievance of the established church in its allow Quakers, Separatists, and eome other geese bodies to present form continued—a grievance which was a scandal take the declaration instead of the oath. It would not and disgrace to the protestant people of this realm, and the give a general relief. After tl.e division jest token, which removal of which was essential to the tranquillity of Ire- resulted only in a majority of 30, obtained by oie members land—the people of that country would not be satisfied. of the government voting with members oppueii,, he hoped (Hear, hear.) No doubt the ballot would do good, because this point would be conceded. it would protect the voter from the scandalous interference Mr. E. BALL said he hail votes with Mr Bright, not of the landlord, but it would not restore tranquillity to bar title he objected to webs altogether, but bei .use he con. Ireland as long as the other great grievance re- entered that the more seldom they were ad.i.i ...tried the moaned unredressed„ The noble lord eccusel the more solemn they would be. Roman catholic clergy as a body with interfer- Mr. HEYWOItTII observed that some memhi re even of ing at elections. There were 27 bishops in Ireland the Church of England objected to oaths, ne the ground How many of them ever took part in politics I Why not that they thought tee text, " swear Lot at all," ought to be wore than four or five, and not so many now. The literally construed, and they would not be r, Ii red by the Roman catholic clergy of Ireland were not die- existing law. posed to take part to political agitation; let but Lord STANLEY asked if the bill would al'. 4 Quakers, the grievances that they felt be removed and they Moravianseand separatists to take the declarao. i. ? would take no part whatever in political agitation. Sir C. WOOD said that the oath he prof., d was the He (Mr. Serjeant Shee) stood two contested elections, one existing octh, leaving out merely some now 10,1.1111 y irrele for Marylebone and one for Kilkenny, and he could say Tent matteorelating to the commercial 'filet , of the etwa that the conduct of the people of Kilkenny was at least as pony. WI-clover any person was relieved from :irking oaths peaceable and tranquil as that of the people of Maryle- by the present law, they would be relieved under the bill; bone. _Ulcer, hear.) and if the legislatu r e should think fit to eat, e• that relief Dlr. MALINS agreed with the noble lord that it would still further, it would be extended also to East India dl be better to draw the curtain of oblivion over what bad rectors ; but ie did think, that if ever oath, were to be passed, and not carry on the prosecution of these parties at taken at ail, they ought in the present rose. this late period. After the emphatic disapprobation of the After a few words in reply from Mr. burro, conduct of the Roman catholic clergy prunouuced by the The committee divided— noble lord, he was disposed to believe that the government For the insertion of the words B5 would in future repress any similar proceedings on the Ageinet it l2l-59 pr.rt of that body. (Hear, hear.) He should be quite The words were teerefore not inserted, and the clause prepared to abide by the test referred to by the learned ser- we.- then agro d to. : keno and would, with full confidence is the result, leave On clause 13, which provides that bye-lows 4,41 be made the decision of tho ease in the hands of such juries as his against canva.sing fur the directorship, learned friend was in the habit of addressing its this Mr. BRIGHT suggested that the Chairmai. should now country. Ile was not a supporter of the ballot, but he report progress. This clause was so absurd hot, if they thought either that the elective franchise should be taken went into it, they must strike it out. away from the people of Ireland, who showed their incapa- Sir C. WOOD remarked that too heuis had been city to exercise it withindependence,or that the ballot should wasted on irrelevant discussion. He hoped tit, y should be be given to them as a protection from the clerical influence allowed to go on. and intimidation to which they were subjected. (Loud Mr. HUME thought it would be better to have • statue cries of " Hear, hear," from the Irish liberal members.) tory declaration against canvassing than a bye-11w. Lord J. RUSSELL rose for the purpose of asking the Mr. BRIGHT said the clause would reit prevent can house whether it was desirable that this discussion should vassing. if a c andidate could not canvas-, i e could get be any longer upon the formal motion of the adjournment some one to canvass for him. of the house till Monday. (Hear, hear.) The question Sir J. W. lIOGG observed that if they precluded pro 'had been brought forward and answered, the two learned prietoi e from canvassing they precluded the candidate, gentlemen had expressed their views upon it, and as it was because no one could be a candidate who W. 1.• not a prc not possible to come to any other result than the agreeing to Prietae• In point ef fact, though the clauso did not appear the motion for tho adjournment of the house till Monday, to be effectual, it did all that could be din e, and he he eructed that they might be allowed to turn their atten- thought if they got the proprietors to pass a bye law to put lion to the more practical business of legislating for the an end to what all admitted to be an evil, that and public people of India. (Hear, hear.) opinion together koild prevent the binding of yetis fur Mr. MILES said ho thought ke had discharged Isis duty two or three vacancies which now occurred. L would be by pursuing the course that he had done. (Hear, hear.) much better that the candidates should send iii their testi- Mr. LUCAS hoped the noble lord the member for menials to the proprietors and that the pro ; r.eturs should Tiverton (Lord Palmerston) would not follow the advice of then go the election without canvass. the hon. sod learned member for Wallingford (Mr.Malins). Lord STANLEY quite agreed with the hon. baronet If the Roman catholic clergy were ever guilty of violating that public opinion might do a great deal, but public opi nion would do as much without this eletoe a , with it. went the law or of inciting the people to *kirk it—if they ever What reason was there why parliament sheuld not take beyond the fair and legitimate proceedings of a con tested election, he would not be the man to stand up and the matter directly into its own hands and erohibit what defend them, or to ask that they might be saved from the was proposed to be prohibited by a bye law? penalties of the law. (Hear, hear.) When, however, the Mr. 01. MILNES thought this a must in, ff, etual clause. hon. and learned gentleman told [them that after certain If a man sat at table and said to another, " I sheuld be glad if you would vote for my friend," he would to tined uder candidates had come forward, at an election, the :priests the proposed bve-law 1001. This appeared tii him a n d is were not to bo at liberty to tell Roman catholic that those turbance of all [h¢ ordinary rules of society, and he should of their persuasion who voted for them would vote against vote against the clause as impracticable. their own religion ; he told him, in reply, that it was per- Mr. BRIGHT said he was in favour of canvassing, and featly monstrous and preposterous to suppose that such ap- was against the clause on that account. A man might send peals would not continue to be made. (Hear, hear.) If a cart load of testimonials, but lie would rather sec his face any law were enacted to prevent them it would be a dead and the shape of his head. (Laughter.) Ile had known letter, and the government would soon find that they had the most incompetent men produce unexceptionable testi entered on an insane course. He was told—he was not in menials. the house at thisoinie,—that the noble lord had remarked that the conduct of the priests at the last election was die- The clause was then struck out. creditable. Ile did not know whether or not the noble On clause 11, which requires that 20 proprietors shall lord added anything with regard to the conduct of the land- form a quorum, and in which it was proposed to insert an amendment that it should not apply to mere formal lords. (Hear, bear.) The conduct of the priests was business, purely defensive; it was caused by the oppressive proceed ings of landlords. (Hear, hear.) What happened at the Sir C. WOOD said there was certain formal business which was required to he done by law, and this clause last election for the county of Sligo ? He did not know whether the noble lord knew anything about the need not conk into, operation then, but when they came to serious business it was necessary to have a quorum spatter, but it was said, in relation to the noble lord's own estate in that county, that it was thought to be a great present. Mr. BRIGHT said this was a most curious clause. The point in favour of one of the candidates at the last election object of it was to snuff out the Court of Proprietor', when for the county of Sligo, that the noble lord's influence was at least not opposed to him. A placard was distributed in any serious business was don. Whey any buskin was which it was stated that letters had been received from brought on which the Court of Directors did not like, the the noble lord, declaring that all the tenants on his estate hon. member for Hannon would only have to give a hint were free to vote as they pleased. That placard had not to his friends to go into the next room, and the house was been on the walls four-and-twenty hours, when it was fol- up. He did not wish to set up the Court of Proprietors; they were as near defunct as possibl i e, and this clause would as lowed by another, signed, he was informed, by the agent kill them outrig h t. M r. M e l v in, n his ee ioence, recom of the noble lord, declaring that the information was false, mended that there should be a quorum, because at present, that no such letters had been received, and that the infer :. when there might be only four or five proprietors present, ence drawn from the statement was unfounded. (Rear, speeches were made which got into the nee spapers. bear.) He had no wish to bring any charge against the noble lord personally,but he mustsay that the course pursued Sir J. W. HOGG said the directors were obliged by law to lay certain documentshefore the Quarterly Court of Pro by many landlords on that occarion was such that the Roman catholic clergy would have disgraced their sacred prietors, which were then placed in a room in the India character, and deserved the contempt of the whole world, House, and all proprietors had access to them. Suppose a if they had not used their efforts in a peaceful and eonsti- meeting, at which there were only four or five pro- tutional manner, to teach the people their rights and prietors, some one might get up and say there duties. (Hear, hear.) was not a quorum, and the directors would then Lord PALMERSTON said as a case had been mentioned not be able to lay these documents before them. in which he was personally concerned, he wished to say The hon. gentleman the member for Manchester hail re one word in regard to it. The facts were these. lie wrote ferred to the importance of the debates which took place in to his agent to say, that, so far as his wishes were con. the Court of Proprietors, but he could assure the hon. mem corned, he wished any tenant of his who was disposed to her that these discussions , which sometimes extended over several days, or to an advanced hour of the night, were ex attend to them to vote for the two sitting members • but be ceedingly inconvenient, because they obstructed public also stated, that his tenants were of course at libertktovote as they pleased, and that no ill consequence to business, and were generally carries on by only two or them whatever would ensue if they did not vote three proprietors. The business of a quarterly court ought not to be stopped by discussions of a useless character, and as ho wished. Well, four or five days before the election, a number of his tenants wrote to his agent in the he hoped the precautions which the clause provided against town of Sligo to say, that if he did not come and carry such obstructions would be agreed to. them away, and keep them from violence--(laughter)— Mr. HUME objected to the quorum, and contended the priest and his adherents would fall on them and pre e- that it was only right that an occasion should be set apart vent them from voting according to their wishes ; and life- once a quarter upon which the grievances of India could be rally about 40 of them had to be maintained in a house in discussed. He had often been present at these meetings, Sligo to keep them from the violence which they antici and he could bear testimony to their usefulness. pated from a reverend priest. (Laughter.) Be was in- Sir H. WILLOUGHBY suggested that stringent powers formed, too, and had no reason to doubt the fact, that when should be given to the chairman of the company to preemie) a candidate to whom be was favourable was going to the order in these quarterly meetings of the proprietors. nomination, he was told that there were 2,000 persons The words were then agreed to. waiting for him at the entrance of Sligo, all armed, and Mr. HUME moved the insertion of the words " kelt headed : by a priest, with a doable-barrelled gun in his sive o f an y directors present," which would have the effect hand. (Laughter.) of rendering the quorum more easy of attainment. Mr. BRADY teat persuaded that the Roman catholic Sir J. W. HOGG did not think there was any necessity laity were far too intelligent to be influenced by the priest- for these words ; while, with regard to the suggestion of the hood to the extent stated by the noble lord (Lord Palmer- hon. baronet the member for Evesham, he did not think it sten). He regretted that the noble lord should have was possible to devise any reasonable means by which it fostered the spirit of bigotry which pervaded this country, could be accomplished. and thought he would have as much cause to regret the Mr. BOWYER reminded the committee that a vast pro expressions he bad used that evening as the noble lord the portion of India proprietors were women and minors, and, member for the City of London had to regret his celebrated under these circumstances, he submitted that a quorum of Durham letter. (Laughter.) 26 was too high. The motion for adjournment was then agreed to. Mr. GEACH concurred in the view taken by the hon. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL. member for Montrose upon this subject, and thought the open Court of Proprietors ought to be continued easy of ac- The house then went into committee on this bill. appointed by her On clause 10, providing that directors " as ' a° that the grievances of India might be freely and openly discussed. Majesty should be eligible to seats in parliament, M r . HUME sa id h e wou ld no t p r ess his former amend- Viscount JOCELYN moved an amendment, giving the meat; but, nevertheless, he felt so strongly upon this Crowe the power of removing any director, on address from poin t t T of a he . quorum should move that the consisted of 10 I either houso of parliament, declaring that his object w as, ins t ead to prevent the directors from being ever actuated by party After a few words from Mr. DANDY SEYMOTR this spirit. amendment was negatived without a division, and li t was Sir C. WOOD admitted that it was moat dedrable t ha t agreed that the blank in the clause should be filled up with the directors should be as independent as , ible. Taking the figure 20. the words of the act, with respect to judges, ' guansdiu se The clause as ame nded agreed to, was then and the bens gesserint," he had endeavoured to use the best English chairman was directed to report progress. form for the purpose of providing that the directors should The house accordingly resumed, when the chairman continue in o ffi ce as long as the y . did their duty. The words repor t e d progress, and obtained leave to sit again on which he had adopted were, in fact, borrowed from the Monday. County Courts Act. The committee divided: DUBLIN PARLIAMENTARY REGISTRATION For the amendment Against it 9O-47 This bill passed through committee. On our return to the gallery we found EXPENSES OF ELECTIONS BILL. Mr. BRIGHT moving the rejection of the clause, as un constitutionally On the motion for considering the amendments on this constitutionally increasing the powers of the minister, and bill, affecting the independence of parliament. These directors Mr. HUME hoped his hon. friend would postpone the bill till Wednesday, as he (Mr. Hume) had some amend would have patronage to the amount of 12,0001. a year, and meats to propose which could not be properly discussed at a salary which, it was not too much to assume , would soon be increased to 1,0001. Their appointment would be for a so late anheur as 1 o'clock. short time, with eligibility to reappointment; and under Mr. C. BERKELEY said the main object of the bill was , these circumstances he did not think they would be desk- to do away with the use of flags and banners, and other labia members of that house, appointed as they would be by absurd paraphernalia of that kind. He would suggest to the minister of the day, and removable at his pleasure. his hon. friend to defer his clause till the Reform Bill of be disposed t he noble lord was introduced . I Bit C. WOOD admitted that this question was of more Sir H. F. DAVIE thought Importance than any of the details they hadbeen discussing, t el ec tion scene, without doing any harm. lie should there that flags only enlivened an lat the same time he could not quite agree with very rime fore that had fallen, not only from his hon. friend, but from the to move that the bill be not extended to Scotland. of e 1 hon. gentleman who spoke on the previous part the — Mr. FORBES saw no reason why the bill, which was 1 clause. He could notagree in the term as applied to those gen- int ended to lessen the expenses of elections , should not apply wastlemen in the sense in which it usually understood in that to Scotland as will as England. house, who would be the mere nominees of the crown. When they consider the sort of persons who would necessarily Mr. E. DENISON did not think they could procee d with be appointed, he did not think they could properly be re- I use, the bill at so late an hour. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentle man, in deference to the opinion expressed by the . o a. ' seeded as placed in the position of directors merely because yßaUhaSallobeL felt tidat the d ia id tra n d o u t ett w en on ta de t r a that that spirit, t b , ill aa w d they were the supporters of the government. agreed to expunge the word " emblem," but he substitute for it the word " effigy," which was more uncouth. (Hear.) conceived reeent ul erecomm e nded its u aata Lo e r j d eal J aaa . house of six members nominated by the crown. At the sues s he Mr. MULLINGS said that he suggested the word effigy, same time he thought it was rather extraordinary to find but he would consent to withdraw it. that those who a week ago were exceedingly jealous of Col. SIBTHORP thought that the bill was a mean, nwtsitardrsaawblaslasd(Heexaagrserated having directors elected by the proprieters, and were in dirty, shabby, low, and paltry one. (Laughter) He did favour of their being chosen by the crows, should desire to not know what the constituency of Cirencester might thick, lower the position of those chosen by the crown in the but the constituency of Lincoln would not be humbugged Court of Directors. by this bill, and those who would deny to them the optsor- After some discussion, tunity of expressing their feelings deserved not to be re- I The house divided; the numbers were— turned by them. (Laughter.) In rino reritas. (Laugh- Ayes 139 ter.) He was ashamed to see that such a bill bad the sap- Noes 79-60 port of conservaties, for it was only fit for those who hail Clause 12 having been read by the Cuoutatoet, not a shilling in their pocket.. (Laughter.) lie concluded Mr. HUME submitted that a " declaration" ought to by moving that the bill be further considered that day three be substituted for an oath. (Hear, hear.) He objected to I months. the word "swear" in the clause. Mr. ()EACH said he was opposed to this bill on the