The Express. — London, England, 1855-06-16 00:00:00

I IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. _,_ HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY, Jtr:4E 13. Their lordships met at hallosetten in the morning, when the Validity of Proceedings (Hones of Commons) Bill was lead a woad time, end the standing orders having bees suspended the ireresinieg stages . were dispoied of, in order that the bill 'might be included la the Royal Commission. ROYAL COMMISSION. TIM royal assent was given by commission to the follow• lag bills, the eemnsissionen present being the Lord Chasesnor, Doke of Argyll, and Earl of Harrowby Newspaper Stamp; Sewers House Drainage; ltegiatrauon of Births (Scotland); Reelesiastieal Property (lrelsed); Brighton laceeporation; Validity of Proceedings (Howe of Commons); Newport Corporation; Kiegeten-upon.Thames Improvement, Swamies Dock; Cornwall Railway; Donde*. Perth, and Abadan Rsilway ; Buff, Maedeff, and Tarriff Railway ; Swansea Vale Railway ; Bri•tol and Exeter Railway ; Hyde Gas (No. 3) ; I aaaaa ry and Old Mildews Railway; Liverpool Corpnrstloa; 10900i00,f and W. bury Road; SaliOntry and Yeovil Railway; Llynei Valley and Bridgend Railway; Commercial Road; Kineston• upeo-Hall, Reply, and Ferriby Road ; Abingdon Railway ; Plymouth Great Western Docks; Oldham Gas and Water ; Madras Railway; Birmingham Gas; Hartlepool Gas and Wate; Kelso Bridge ; Sr. George's Harbour Act Amend meat ; r Over Dar e y e Gas ; Ulster Railway ;•_ Londonderry I mprovemen t; Kilmarnock Gas; Lancaster W a ter widths; Aslaten-enderLene Water ; Nettiogham and Lough bmosgh Railway ; Manchester Improvement; Renfrew Pollee Improvement. At flee o'clock the house met for despatch of the ordinary basin's. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Waterford and Limerick Railway ; St. H.-len's Improve ment ; Cronsford and High Peak Railway ; Limerick and Castlewood Railway ; Neweutle-under-Lyne Gas. RELIGIOUS WORSHIP BILL. The Earl of SHAFIESUURY, in rising to move that this bill be recommitted, took the opportunity to explain an amendment which he proposed to introduce, in order to put an end to all questions with regard to the interference of the bill with the ecclesiastical powers of the bishops. He did not thick the provision was absolutely necessary, but he Introduced it by way of extra caution, and in order to meet every objection. The words to be introduced wen them Nor shall anything herein contaioed affect the discipline et the established church, or the enforcement thereof by the bishops of the said church." He moved that the bill be re cenitnitted. The Earl cf DERBY moved that the bill be referred to a seest committee, and on a division this was carried by a majority of 47 to 30. Their lordships then adjourned at 20 minutes to 8. HOUSE OF COXMONS.—FaIDAY, JUNE 16. The Eirsaina lock *a 6'1814 at a quarter before tour o'clock. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Usber of the Black Rod summoned the house to the Rouse of Peeve to wills's. the soya went given by com mission to several bile, for the titles of which see Lords' Urn. EXAMINATION OF MILITARY CADETS. Captain L. VERNON, referring to the statement of the Clerk of the Ordnance, in reply to a question put on Mon- day, the 11th inst., that " cadets at Sandhurst would of course be able to compete on the Bth 'lily for commissions is the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineere," asked the Under Secretary for War whether any cadets so competing, in the event of failure, would be deprived of their prospect of Obtaining 00112iliiiii0118 in t he line from Sandblast in due eosrse ? Mr. F. PEEL—The examination for commissions in the Artillery and Engineers will be an open one, and the successful candidates will be those competitors who show the greatest proficiency. Under the circumstances, it would not be proper to debar those candidates who may fail from the advantage of any prospects they might have at Sand hurst. GRANTS OF COLONIAL ARI LAN ESD TO FOREIGN Lord NAAS wished to know whether the Governor- General of Canada had been requested by the government to make an application to the colonial legislature for a grant of one million of acres of land, to enable her Majesty to offer settlements to such of her Majesty's foreign legionaries as might be willing to settle in Canada ; and if so, whether it was the intention of the government to offer similar set flatmate to the officers and soldiers of her Majesty's regular army ? Mr. F. PEEL—There is no intention of altering the ar rangements with regard to grants of colonial land, as an inducement to persons to eilist in the regular army. Nor has any offer of such grasU been made to Swiss or German recruits enlisted in the foreign legion ; but it has been suggested to the Governor.° aaaaa I of Canada that it might facilitate recruiting if the colonial legislature would enable us to make each offers ; but I am not aware that say act has been paseiW by the colonial parliament for that pur pose. With regard to officers in the tipsier army, an abatement is now made to them in purchasing crown lands in the colonies. Mr. ROEBUCK having complained that the hem. man's sassier was not heard at the lower part atlas Lord J. RUSSELL also replied to the questies.g said : The Governor General of Canada has received a de spatch from my right hon. friend (Sr G. Grey), which has been laid before the colonial legislature; but no proposal has been made to the Governor •O 1, in consequence of the legislature having adjourned without discussing the question. THE LATE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMEI AND THE CONDITIONS OF PEACE. Mr. OTWAY (who had the following notice on the paper :—" To ask the First Lord of the Treasury, if he will inform the hones what the unditioe wee, which, on the formation of his government, certain members of it stipu lated should not be made to Russia ; and whether the pre sent government is bound by that stipulation i") rose, and after expressing his reluctance at bringing forward the subject, proceeded to say that the noble lord at the head of the government, on a recent occasion, had stated that, on the formation of his government, a stipulation bad been made between him and some of its members with regard to the conditions of pesos which should be pro posed to Russia. He should be trifling with the house if he was to ask them to suppose that such stipulations were made with any other view but favouring Russia, for any one who had bad the pain of listening to the speeches of the right hon. gentleman, the member for Car lisle, and the nght hon. gentleman, the member for the University of Oxford, must be aware that:any stipulations they made with regard to the conditions for peace would have no other object but that the terms should be favour able to our enemy. Mr. OLADSTONR—I rise to order. (Hear, hear.) You, sir, have heard the language used by the honourable gentleman, that anything in the shape of stipulation be tween the noble lord at the head of the government and myself with reference to the terms of peace to be offered to Russia could have no other object but to favour our enemy. I put it to you, sir, whether such language comes within the rules of the house. (Loud cheers.) The SPEAILBR—Such langusge is not within the rules of the hones—(bear, hear)—for it is accusing • member of this house of being almost a traitor. (Cheers.) Mr. OTWAY regretted that he had accused the right hon. gentleman of conduct such as the Speaker bad de scribed. Nothing was further from his intention than to anus the right hon. gentleman the member for Carlisle or the right hon. gentlemen the member for the University of Oxford of treason. But whet he meant to say was that from the speeches they bad said every one must think that that stipulation aerie by them could be viewed in no other l than as favourable to Russia, and that such must kin been the intention of those right hon. gentlemen wee ens. rent from the remarks of the noble lord at the head of the government. That being the cue, gentlemen, of the pule tion of thou right hen. gentlemen would not have thought it right to make any stipulation with regard to the conditions to be offered to Ramis, unless the noble lord thought it • proper condition, for they sat together in the s►me cabinet for two years, and they must have been familiar with the opinions of the noble lord on the subject. It MSS • matter for grave consideration, far it was hat a sorry proof of hammy between the cabinet and its late member., and if those right has, gentlemen had so little cons leen in the noble lord as to' thick it necessary to make stipulations with bim they hai l hotter have joined him. But there was • graver matter for consideration. We were engeged in this matter in conjunction with allies. He should like to know it those allies bed been made acquainted with those stipulations having been made ? Supposing that the stipulation had re ference to the fortress of Sebastopol—which was not un likely—what if our allies had considered it necessary that a condition should be made with regard to that fortress which thou right hon. gentlemen did not approve ? Supposing the stipulation had referred to the fortress of Bomarsund; and supposing our allies had made it a condition that there should be ■o rebuilding of that fortress, what would have been the consequence u between us and oar allies ? There might be other subjects to which be could refer, in which danger might arise from stipulations made by the right bon. gentlemen. He would say that it was neither statesman , like nee petrietis. They had, however, retired from the gswnme•t, end had submitted to a political ostracism, and he Wined the fatal Winona which they exercised on the polity el the fishiest and the noble bind no longer existed. Thelneeed part of the question he mut press. He put it Is no spirit of banal to the government, but be theoghtit neesesary that it would receive a clear and setts. tottery reply. As he believed that any conditions to be nude with Buda ought to depend on the ousessee if the scribed. Zit amass the ri i or the right I of Orford say was t every one by them than as (al been the In rest from tl I government Wu of thaw it right to a to be offere I proper coot for two yes opinions i a matter • sorry and its gentlemen . ' thick it se better nev matter for i 1 in conjuni 1 i allies bad having be i i fence ti il likely—w c mid Rion those lie the stipal and copy 'I . °l \ should b Ili . beta tbe attest b dupe s gentle= lite nor I I mem sad lie I Cis pol existed, pat it though I Il i limey 1 i 0 made i I i , • 1 I Ni, I 1 i 1 L. ' i I i r \ 1 • V' 4 . 1 , k . . THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 16, 1855. war, ►e loped the noble lord would state that he woe aet Woad by say stipulation side is February last, an was free, sosjasetion with ow' allies, to deal with ,ha d say la the usenet which circurnstancse shield for 0 " wpm of semen to the cowatry a sate sad honourable if the house Gould remove the neomeity for that sem 'taloa they would do emeatial SerriOS to the country. Notice had been gives of =other amendment to his mo tion ; w ould it did not thea appear oa the paper he sup posed it not be moved, but it was mere repetition hikis folios. He wished to say a word with regard to s reoolution. He had been accused of altering and amending it ; but he believed that was not substantially the case. though it was not now in the shape which it was W intention originally to have moved it. He had Only cut off a phrase having reference to the prose eat= of the leer, which was now unnecessary after the motion of the tight bon. gentleman (Mr. Du- Mall, aid some other words which were only words of reeital, but the essence of the motian was retained. There Mere three propositions in his motion, as be t had already stoned, sad he would endeavour to substantiate each of them. Be would first take the point relating to the state of the =don. He had heard it said that that part of the motion wee se longer necessary, because of the successes which had bees recently achieved, and that the reference to the state Otto nation was applicable only to the war. He denied that sash was his intention. He rant to refer only to -be woe; he looked to the Crimea as an epiemle, to the misfor tune. which bad occurred as witnesses, and the Blue Books am evidione ; but that was only a small part of the question whisk he proposed to bring before the house. He did not mesa that the Blue Books should be • dead latter, for that he should consider a great disgrace, and he hoped that the Blue Books would be the basi, of his motion. What he meant by the s ate of the nation was that the county was distrustful of perils. msM e and had lost its confidence in public men : it believed tinttlae were defects In our administrative system. sad 1111.11111..• defects ought to be :unwed ; that the govern- Mittebad become a class monopoly ; that the recent changes the gewerament only showed that that mnopoly did not pia ant oir the bands of a few families ; that government did ant efffelently represent the feeling of the country at Yip. They bad seen a liberal government voting spit= Mg liberal measure ; there was scarcely a liberal theism* during the erasion in which the govern ing= left not found in the same lobby with gen tlemen opposite, sad therefore opposed to those who ware on the liberal side. The country saw those who had hitherto been leaders of the people and the reps.- enstatives of popular °pintos@ absorbed in the government, sad mute and silent on questions connected with the spin iness of which they were once the advocates. (Hear, hear.) Wee it, then, astonishiag that the confidence of the people should waver, and atter they had been so often betrayed no aft mid he surprised that they should no longer give their ereniffleace to thus who had betrayed them ? The country thOwilltt that officers in the public service were underpaid and neglected; and under all these circumstances be mold ask, was not the state of the nation alarm fg. and was it not giving rise to • feeling which might become dangerous ? He woola now turn to the Wee branches of the public service : the army, to which were confided the honour and the defence of the country ; diplomacy, to which was confided the conduct of foreign affairs ; and the civil Service, to which was confided the con duct of our national affairs. He would begin with the army. It was a diffi.ult and delicate question, as fir as be was con sented. Hon. gentlemen were indignant that a civilian should touch the army. But, let him ask those gentle ales, could any one but • civilian touch the army ? (Hear.) Military men dared not touch it. No doubt he might be led into errors in dealing with the subject. The rules and regulations of the army bad for some time been the subject of much study to him ; yet still he might fall into error. Many, even eminent military men, were ignorant of the meaning, the application, and even of the existence of those rules. There was a large power in that house representing the army. He held in his hand a letter from an officer of rank in the army, whom ha would not name, which so fully expressed hie feelings and the real state of the cue, that ha would read it : A civilian, undertaking, as you have dons, to attack mili tary abuses so deeply rooted, and of such long standing as those which disgrace our service, is (as you very justly remark) placed in a particularly dinkiest position; for, nn acquainted as you, perhaps, are with ell the minor details and intricacies which sometimes even pulls professi-nal mem, you are not able to receive open assistance and evi dence, which would probably be the ruin of any military man who might volunteer to enact , uch a Curti= ' part ; and many a man who might be indifferent to the conse quent..s as regarded himself, might feel 'fru to sacrifice Site pro‘pects of some near relation, who might either be, or intended to be, in the military profession, and whose future rapists might thus be prom a ly blighted is the bud. Then, again, yon will have against you all those military men of family connexion, and great interest, who having profited by a corrupt system, will strenuously oppose any reform or i lion in the fame. All these circumstances combined render your task one of no ordinary difficulty ; still I would not despair, for you have not only the spirit of the times and public opinion in your favour, but also all that hard-working and ill-rewarded portion of the army who have not sufficient interest or family connexions to push them unfairly forwards—all such, if they dare not openly applaud, will look with secret pleasure on your un dertaking, and, I em sure, back it indirectly by any means which will not bring them under the influence of that inquisitorial tribunal which can more or leas influence the fortunes of nearly every officer in the service, what ever may be his merits, in the same manner that it can by its fiat place man, most unfitted, in the highest and moat responsible situations, which has unfortunately of late been so fully and fatally proved." He believed those words contained that which amounted to the whole truth. He had another letter, written by a gal lant officer whose name be was allowed to mention—via., Be William Napier. He (Mr. Layard) bad spared no pains lle go to the beat authorities before he touched on this ques tion, and among others to Sir W. Napier. who wrote thus : "The questions of promotion from merit and pro.notion from favouritism I have examined carefully, thinking the latter an inevitable cdasrquencer of human selfishness, and the former impossible to solve, except in a few instances. With respect to favouritism generally, however, it certainly pervades the British army to an inordinate degree, seeing that no officer of high or low rank, so man below t he rank dila officer, no civilian related to or interested for an officer by nlationiltip or friendship, or seeking himself to enter es army, but whose fleet thought and immediate course is met very vehemently to beseech some person privately to nee influence to obtain by favour what is sought for, the ifiversal constant prayer is, 'Let me have your inn s= ?' Bountiful., indeed, some poor forlorn officer merely states hie long and arduous services, his wounds, =I the number of his relations who have died in action; hat this only to sway the influential person addressed, not astounds for acceding to his claim. Why is this Surely bosun the abeolate smithy of private interests, apart dram merit, is universally felt to be dominant. Your pur pose is to bring public opinion to bear on this system so strongly, that an amelioration must take place, and I for one will not shrink from cheering you on in such a patriotic mares. But while Idoso on general principles, it would be =generous, ungrateful, and unjust, not to state that I have made, I may say, hundred of applications, for officers nod soldiers, who have only their services to recommend Hem—favour without service I never asked for—and, while Lad Raglan we Military Secretary in no instance did I ever fail of success (cheers), nor have I is the very few oases which I have brought before Gen. Yorke, the Military Sure• levy, found the least backwardness to aid deserving man." (Cheers.) He (Mr. Layard), if he were not himself ad dressing the house, would join in the cheer with which the house greeted that sentiment of Sir Wm. Napier's ; but the very fact which Sir Wm. Napier stated as to the manner in which his recommendations had been received was en argument in support of his (Mr. Layard's) cue. Sir Wm. Napier was &great military authority; he had access to the Horse Guards, and could recommend persons there. For tunately he was a man whose soul abhorred everything like a job, and would recommend no man who was not worthy of the promotion he sought for. If every . promotion were given in the same way, he (Mr. 'Aura) would not com plain. If he saw, who a may had been placed tiny the =ads of other officers, a record inserted in a book at the Horse Guards, that he was so promoted at the recommenda tion of Sir William Napier, or Sir De Lacy Evans, or say men equally distinguished and ego slly pure, he (Mr. Lapsed) would net doubt the propriety of the appointment. It was not such recommendations he complained of. But there was • curious word which occurred in the regulations "prescribed for the very commencement of every msn's career in the army. The regulations stated that all re oessmendations for commissions were "to certify the eligibility of the person recommended, is education, ohs muter, and a-nue:ions." Now he (Mr. Leyard) did not sadentend what was the meaning of the word 6411- =lions," unless it were that the man was related to certain parsons. (Murmurs.) If hon. and gallant gentlemen would explain what it meant, he should be glad of lastruetion. Now, before going into the cases which he bad to mention, he must appeal to the indulgence of the house whilst he said • few words on a personal matter. The house had probably not forgotten what passed some time ego with rep ird to Colonel Hardline. (Hear, hear.) Until He present moment he (Mr. Lewd) bad not had it in his power to explain himself fully upon that suojece. But the reasons which had prevented him now no loner existed. Coifed Wilson rad retired from her Majesty's service. The eesatry had lost an excellent officer, who distinguished him self se much aa, if n• .t more then, any at Inkermann, where he was in the very th ckest of the fight. The miss of Cola sal Wilson idustrated the argument ; and he (Mr. Loran) would reiest the facts, so far as he had been able to ascertain them by the most careful in quiries. He would the House of Commons in any way, and although he had been told that he might here maks out a very good case if t h:i n c pt o c hose, ad h no e .e d os i , i d ep ev n :Teti if e e i b s h e a t: nit: d u : tit s i o c atneborlrei to w n ould he eh h aol e uts to e ever thirty sevene r T a h t e house might always rely upon it, that if ever he stated a thing be did el bemuse he believed it to be true, and that when he was shown to be wrong he would fairly and can didly avow it ; but there were momenta when a man was driven into a corner, and so bard pressed that his pride would revolt from retracting the statement he had made. He (Mr. Inlaid) could only assure the bout, how ever, that he was not satisfied on that evening, m wh ent ich he the handous:adwooawidas recollect, jthaantal thef hestartee: fused to retract it thee it was nzi the the sta inaccuracy f o fhnowa r trre aswant"%atteto: of that, respect thoe *its: this his hase aeof ta res p ect s t fat rbo o ola eittunhatft:doe boat.. th o :z n icet s abhheoehotushuortaus hoses, .. 1 )d,hiaentinNgrederosafewu b e causeats refused, teswar , hedf b too u r i beteehi i ret t et aTanderowewneraebothyreeteboilliasoses, otherw i h fit o ce we r r of u s lo i n o e w ls er in nau the Ga T arda ber , were killed in action, sad the three below them was =- titled to the mention' opened by their dist= Two of - • peace. Lord PALMERSTON—However Patera' may bethe desire of the boa. gentlemen to :obtaia • fall sapiens lion of the matter to which his question relates, 1 am meatiest that the house will concur with me in thi n king that it would be exceedingly inconvenient for me to ester into such an ezplanation. (Hear, heir.) All I can state is this, end nesse it will be thought sufficient by the hes. member and the house—My right hoe. friends who have lately ceased to be members of the government, when omaidering the proposition made to them by me to form • part of the government, very naturally and properly wished to have • clear understanding beforehand on certain points on which it was possible a difference of opinion might afterwards arise. In doing so they did only that which was due to themselves and to me. On one point they required explanation, and that point was whether it woo the intention of the government then Win formed to make • particular demand on Russia, • sine quo non in the coadi.ions of peace. I stated that I thought that this country was not then in a condition to de mand that point, as • sins gm non, and that I hid no intention of making each a demand. Of courts, all conditions of peace promoted by Ragland and France through Austria depended on the events of the war, and though at one time the country may aot have been in • con dition to be entitled to demand that condition, it is one which it may become entitled to ask. (Hear, hear.) I hope I have said sufficient to satisfy the house, and I do not think I can with propriety say more. Mr. DISRAELI—There can be no doubt of the impor tance of • government having • frank and free understand ing agues its members, aad the house has no right to re quire more than an azpoeition of the main principles on which It is formed ; and the house can have no right to inquire as to any conditions made among the members of the government themselves. But when in a debate of the magnitude of that which has recently taken plats, • member of the government refers specifically to a stipulation made between certain right hon. gentlemen and the noble lord, the government ought not to be surprised at questions sue\ as that of the hon. gentleman being put to them, which le quite a parliamentary and constitutional question. lam not sure that the tone of the noble lord did not imply that the inquiry was an improper one, but, on the contrary, I think it a parliamentary and constitutional questing, and, under the circumstances, the noble lord and the right hon. gentlemen must h peeled some such inquiries. Mr. GLADSTONE—After invoking your protection and mistime, sir, against the language used towards me by the hen. gentleman, which I may say I do not think he aban doned eo completely as he might have dons, I must, in justice to him, say that I concur with the right hon. gentle- man (Mr. Disraeli), and that the hon. gentleman is not so much to blame for putting the question. Ia a matter of this kind one of two courses should be pursued. The House of Commons ought to know nothing or everything. As far as my personal feeling goes, I cannot but desire that the noble lord, if he felt it consistent with his public duty, should, after the reference which has been made to this subject, have gone onwards and given the whole of the in formation cenncctei with the subject; for lam sure that partial revelations made up to a certain point, and then broken off as if from an official sense of ditty, are mischievous to all parties concerned. I regret the position in which the matter has been left, yet lem in no condition to press it beyond the expression of my wish and desire. As regards myself, and I do not speak for any one else, I can state that I am not aware that at any time, directly or indirectly, there was put, either by myself or any tile acting for me at the time that the government was being re-formed, any question by which It was intended to anticipate the terms of any treaty with Reseda; and for this plain reason, that I was not aware of any difference of opinion with regard to the terms on which it was fitting that negotiations should be entered into, or that there was any likelihood that such a difference of opinion could arise. In this I am speaking only for myself, and I can say that I was no party to any question of the kind. Ido not make any assertion on behalf of my right hos. friend (Sir .1. Graham), and it is for him to state the part he took in the matter. I can only say that nothing occurred to me with reference to any terms or stipulation or condition with Russia. I have thus stated briefly my part in the matter, sad I can only regret the position in which it steads. As nothing took place between my noble friend and myself but what was honourable, frank, and straight forward, I wish it had been possible to make known all the particulars of what occurred. The motion for the adjournment of the house to Monday then agreed to. ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM. The orders of the day having been postponed, Mr. LAYARD rose to bring forward the motion of which be had given notice: "That this home views with deep and increasing concern the state of the nation, and is of opinion that the manner in which merit and efficiency have been sacrificed, is public appointments, to party and family in firmness, and to a blind adherence to routine, has given rise to great misfortunes, and threats.. to bring discredit upon the national charieter, and to involve the country in grave disasters." Having presented petitions from Aylesbury and Rochdale is favour of his motion, the latter being also in favour of a yiga roue prosecution of the war, the hon. gentleman proceeded to say that he :must ask the indulganee of the house in bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice. In the first place, he was afraid he should have to detain the house for some time; and, se condly, the question was one which might give rise to feel. ings of irritation among members of the house. Hs wished to treat the question moderately, and he should quote the authorities of other persons much more than be should deliver his own opinions. The question was fag too important a one for him to treat it by appealing te passion or prejudice. He had not the power as the eloquence successfully to pursue that mans s but, if he had, it was his wish to confine him self to a plain straightforward statement. It could not be denied that there must be something wrong in the administrative system of this country, and that it could only be remedied by some kind of pressure from without. (Murmurs.) He stated this to be the feeling which existed oat of doors. Was that the ease or was it not) He should I endeavour as concisely as possible to state the ground on which he believed the people had come to that conclusion, and it would be for the government to show whether those grounds were just or not, and whether that conclusion was a true one or not. It would rest with the gentlemen in that house who represented the various branches of the public service, who would address the house that evening, to show that the public were not justified in the opinion they had formed. He would endeavour not to hurt the feel legs of any one in the house, sad he treated they would allow him to say what he thou/ch. in this matter without attributing to him any ;ersonal feeling. He was influenced only by the moat sincere and the deepest conviction in the course he was takiog,and all he sestet or desired was to come at the truth. It the hon. member for Weymouth was in the house, he hoped that he would rise and contradict him if he stated what was not true. The resolution which he was about to move contained three distinct propositions. In the first place, it stated that the house viewed with deep concern the state of the nation ; then came the part in which was stated to what be attributed the feeling of the nation ; and, thirdly, It stated the consequences which would if the present state of things continued in form. To that an amendment was to he moved by his hon. friend—if he would permit him to call him—the hon. baronet the member for Hertfordshire. Sores little time ago, and due he had given his notice of mutton, a noble lord brought on a motion in another assembly simihs to his (Mr. Lipid's). He looked on the amendment to be proposed by his hon. friend that night to be somewhat cf the nature of the motion of the noble lord. The noble lord MI shaped his motion so as to make it more palatable to the delesbly he was to address, and he believed that his hon. friend was actuated by the same feeling in shaping his amendment. As the Italian poet said, he anointed the edge of the jar in order to induce his friends to swallow the dose. He (Mr. Layard) believed that there was danger to the country Ia not calling thioge by their right names. Another danger existed in too great respect being paid to personal and private feelings. (Mar. man.) That feeling might be very right and proper is private matters, but there were times when there were far greater considerations than prints feelings, end a too great regard for private feelings might involve a neglaet of public duty. The house was swan that a large aredation had been formed with reference to this gentles. That association consisted of a number of min of wealth, talent, and enterprise, vermeils, a large class of persons is the country. That association believed that it was recog nised by the country, and it was determined to act up to the opinions which had been stated in its address, and these °Seers were not for purchase, and they were pro- , charge of the duties inipossd upon the oseemander ; but if , m oted. The third officer, Colonel Wilms, was for purchase, I this be true in the navy, in which, though the responsibility although his money indent been lodged. Col. Mackinnon, and risk to life be increase d i s war, y et there is little addi ng, third of thine who were killed, had purchased his tional fatigue or privations ausparstively, beyond whet is seassission, but had not heard of the commission being put , encountered in peace. how much more is it true in the case shined at the time of his death. It appeared now that of land service, where immense distances have to be tea there was a regulation, which Colonel Wilson was not aware ' Tined over unknown and difficult ground, where the gene of, I.or was say other officer whom he (Mr. Lsyard) ern- ral must necessarily spend deys tegether in the saddle, salted, by which, under thou circumstances, Colonel Wil- visiting, as he must do, all puts of an extended lice of ope sen'a friends in this country were obliged to purchase his ' rations, where the moat opposite reports have to be balanced commission, whilst he was ill in the boepital at &uteri. and decided, when the most elaborate combinations must Colonel Wilson certainly thought be might have been in- ibe rapidly conceived and executed, in order to move formed of that regulation, and might have had the option and feed vest bodies of men in an unwilling or hostile of purchasing or nut ; but that courtesy wall not shown to country, te find means of transport for supplies of provi him. It did, however, appear that the rule had, in that Mona and ammunition, to provide for the sick, to create, in instance, been strictly complied with. (Hear, hoar.) There short, with such materials as may be found, an organise& was also the ease of Colonel Crombie, whom he tion any failure in which may result in a terrible sacrifice of (Mr. Loused) stated the other night to have been human life, end may, in the most critical moment, beffie the made to sell out, without knowing it himself, hest combinations. That labours such as these must require until he was surprised by seeing it announced in the not only the exercise of faculties of the highest order, Gazette. Now, Ire all that he (Mr. Lapsed) stated about but physical strength, sad powers of endurance which shall this ease, he had what he considered to be the very beet keep those faculties unimpaired by bodily fatigue and pries • a u thority and proof in writing. He was quite willing now Son. is too obvious to be disputed. . . . . The bresk to admit that he was wrong, and that there was nothing ing out of a war, of which no one can foresee the duration wrong it the transaction with regard to Colonel Crombie. r the extent, makes it incumbent upon us to take home. There were nee*, and these rules were 'elided, and if he late and effective measures to remedy evils by which the (Mr. Ls3ard) had said the rules were infringed in tbst par- efficiency of the service may, eta most critical moment, be ocular case, he was wrong in saying it, and be now seriously impaired." Now, how far was this recommenda renamed. (Cheers.) Against Colonel Harding. he had no tion carried out? The ages of the generals who cons personal feeling. He knew Colonel Hardisge as a most minded in the Peninsula were as follows :—" The Duke of gallant officer, who had distinguished himself well, end Wellington was a Major-(l lat 33, the Marquis o bese need ought not to be grudged him. But he (Mr. of Anglesea at 34, the Earl of Dalhousie 38, Layard) wished to expose the system, as exemplified in the Earl of Strafford 36, Lord Hill 33, Lord Beres- Colonel Hardiege's career. That officer, in 1844, was ford 39, Sir George Money 40, Lord Comber taken from school and put into the army as en ensign. In mere 31, Lord Londonderry 32." But look at the direct violation of the printed rules, which said that no ages of the generals in the Crimea. Lord Raglan wee 67 ; officer should serve on the staff until he had performed two Sir John Burgoyne 67; Sir George Brown 68; England years of regimental duty, he was made an aide de-vamp te 62; Lord Luau 61,- Commissary General Fader 69 ; Ad. his father. For his good service in the Sikh campaigns he astral Dundee 67. There was one thing to which he wished was made a lieutenant without purchase, in December, particularly to call attention, and it was this, that by 1845, while huadreds of poor ensigns who west through the their present system they excluded the middle class from same servile received no reward. Shortly afterwards, he the army. He believed that if they bad a fair chance of was allowed.to purchase his captaincy, over the heads f all obtaining officers' commission', if they were to open the the lieutenants is his own and another regiment. He ex- ranks of their army to them, they would have that most in changed into the Coldstream Guards, end then rapidly ad- telligent class entering the army even as privates. But the vaned 0 be colonel, with his present appointment upon government had dose nothing in this direction except one the staff. Now in the regiment, where he entered as an thing, which he gave them credit for, throwing open the ensign, was Lieut. Henry Buck. That poor young men served artillery. They had done nothing to reform the Horse also through all the Sikh campaigns, and at Govjerat, Guards. He should like to give an opinion on that, but he and all the subsequent battles, but he was still a lieutenant, would prefer reading to them the opinion of a great authority, though his career had been precisely the lame as that of being no less than that of the hon. member for Colonel Harding*, supposing that justice, and not Middlesex, and a member of the government. He favouritism, had prevailed. (Hear, hear.) Now looking at was a gentleman who had served in the Rimy, and who this ease of Lord Hardinge's son, and at the promotions of consequently knew how the system worked. He said : Colonel Wood, hie relative, and at Colonel Cunningham, .. Will any man tell me that our military system, as existing his son.in-law, was it surprising that an officer who had at present, has tended to develop or bring forward military ' gone through long unrequited services should feel some talent or genius ? I deny it. Look, sir, in the first in. heart-burniogs, and that he (Mr. La yard) should rise to stance, how the staff of the British army is composed. make some remarks upon the matter ? Bat he was sorry if (Cheep and counter cheers.) It is all very well for hon. he had said anything that was unjust, and he now begged gentlemen to come down and talk of consolidation of the leave to retract it (Cheers) But there was another case, Ordnance, the Horse Guards, and the Commissariat under I that of Lord Butane Cacti, who was promoted directly in one head, and the substitution of one minister for another. the teeth of all the regulations. it had bees mid that he I maintain (whatever may be the inherent vigour of that was promoted because he felt a meritorious desire to see man, whatever may be his experience), a mere consolidation active service; but the fact was that he exchanged out of a will not be sufficient; you must reconstruct your whole regiment which was at the seat of war, and we, placed in a military system. The time has arrived when you cannot battalion which was now in London; and he (Mr. Lsyard) expect an army, besides winning battles in the field, to go believed Lord Eustace Cecil was not far from the house at through the vicissitudes of a campaign under the present that moment. With regard to Captain Blackett, whom he state of things. (Renewed opposition cheers.) You must stated to have felt somewhat hurt at being put under Lord lay an unsparing hand en that building adjacent to these Eunice Cecil, it appeared from a letter of his father's to pi emises ; you must see whether, in fact, you can find a the Times, that Captain Blackett was promoted, not as he modern Hercules to turn the Serpentine through the Horse (Mr. Lewd) had asserted, on account of his servi. es, but Guards and all the ramifications of the War-office. (Loud because be happened to make the acquaintance, on based a cheers.) . . . . In England every one knows that it is vessel, of Colonel the lion. George Upton, of the Cold- not merit and capacity for which an officer is appointed to stream Guards. This reminded one of Canniest's the staff, but interest and connexion I say you needy knife-grinder, who refused to be condoled with. must not be satisfied with the army consolidation—you Now he had a list of lieutenants who had served for years must reform the army and the Horse Guards and years without any promotion. There was a cue which The fen is, that yOu never will have any reform till you had been sent to him by Sir Willism Napier, of Lieutenant commence with the Horse Guards, and are not satisfied Edwards; who went to Spain in 1811, serv e d at the nese with the mere consolidation of offices. It is very painful and storm of Badajos, and in six medal actions, wee thirty for me to make this statement—(ironical cheer.)-1 have a times under fire, and twice slightly wounded, afterwards superior duty to perform; I represent a constituency." with the army of occupation in France, and had been in the If he had spoken himself he could not have used more ap service ever since, except for sheet ;militia e n half-pay ; but propriate and better language than this. The opinion he he, notwithstanding Sir William Natier's constant applies- bad read being the opinion of a member of her Majesty's tions in his favour, was still a mere lieutenant. ( Hear, hear.) government, he hoped something would be done. He bad There wee another case that of Lieutenant D., who detained the house now a long time on the subject of the had made repeated applications to the Commander- army, but he d d not apologise for it, because the subject in-Chief, for promotion te the rank of captain, end was one of really great importance. Remember that every had been as often refused; an ensign of 1839, a lieutenant regimental officer in the Crimea was watching what they of 1840, the son of en old officer; he din the Chinese might do, and were hoping that the house would correct war, and bad been for 12 or 13 years on foreign and Indian the system which exposed them to so much hardship. With service ; he was still an old subaltern. The hon. gentleman regard to the navy, be was afraid that there was agrest deal then read a 'my touching letter which had been lately of cause of complaint, but be was cot going into that sub wntten to Sir William Napier by a Peninsular veteran jest then. He would only call attention te the ease of the officer, a brigade major at the Cape of Good Hope, who masters, a most praiseworthy, hard working class of men, addressed it" To my dear old commander," and who said, and who bad a great deal of respzneibility resting upon " This day is the fortieth mini yof the Nivelle, when them. The masters were entrusted with the most arduous you showed us the way to fight and conquer. flow few of duty, but they were never promoted. A gallant member those who have been so gallantly led now remain ! lam of the Board of Admiralty had said they were doing some one of the privileged, and my career is a singular fate. thing for the masters, but what was it ? They were going Here I am at the Canes making preparations for the em- to give them a little more pay. But was that a reward ? barkation of the 43rd for Madras. Sir George Cathcart The misters said not, and he had received letters from recommended me for a brevet majority, an advance of one several, who said they were so disgusted with the treatment shilling a day; but my Lord Harding. rejected my claim to they received that they were desirous of leaving the service this trifling boon, with the inconsistency of admittieg that he and entering the merchant service. Now having said so entertained a high sense of my merits ; while he has Mo• much on the army, allow him to say a word or two on the moted young men over me, who have seen but trifling diplomatic service. He was somewhat more at home on service. One of them, twenty six years my junior, said to that subject; he had long made it a subject of study. me, 'I am surprised at my promotion, for as yet I have He would divide it into two parts ; the diplomatic service, done nothing t' and the chief of my staff wrote to me the strictly speaking, and the consular service. Now, if the re other day, and said, ' I have no hesitation in saying that was one service more important than mother, it was the the zeal and diligence you have exhibited, in carrying on diplomatic service. Frequently questions of peace and war the business of this great depot, have been of more service depended on their skill and ability,. and they had seen re than if you had been in every skirmish during the war.' " 'featly bow much depended on their consuls. But if there Mr. Lsyard contrasted this case with the promotion of was one service more than another which was made a vehicle Captain 8., who had not been mentioned once in any de- of favouritism ' it wee the diplomatic service. Here tbey spatch, having probably had no opportunities of distinguish had what wasealled the aristocracy in full p•ay. Amongst ing himself, but who in 1855 had been made the ambassadors and diplomatic ministers they had seven deputy quartermaster general, carrying immediately lords, two baronets, and twenty-one houourables, against the step of lieutenant- colonel, with the certainty seven commoners; of secretaries of legation there were two of being colonel in three years, whilst he still lords, eight honourable', and five connected with noble fami retained a captaincy in his own regiment. This unfortunate lies, against seven commoners ; of paid attaches there were and unjust promotion put him over the senior major of his one lord, seven honourable', end six of noble families, own regiment, Major A., who entered the service tour years agaiast ten private gentlemen ; and of uapeid attaches before him, and was ly wounded at Goojerat; also there were two lords, five honourable', and seventeen over Lieutenant- Colonel 8., six years his senior , who had private gentl emen. There was a little ook which was been frequently mentioned in the despatches; and over annually brought out by the Foreign-office, which gave Brevet Meier Symonds, who was known by his brilliant a list of the persons holding diplomatic appointments. feat at Seriegapatam, and who was nine years the senior Take Amnia, and it would be seen that our ambassador et the officer promoted, and was in the Affghaeistan war, was the Earl of Westmoreland, the secretary of legation amt severely wounded at Ghuennt. It also put him above the Hon. H. G. Elliott, ant' the first paid attsebe the Hon. Colonel A., who was in three Kaffir wars and frequently Julian H. C. Fane. Take Prussia, and it would be seen mentioned. Wee there not something wrong in that our minister plenipotentiary was Lord Bloomfield, I such a system ? (Cheers.) He then came to speak the secretary of legation was Lord Augustus Loftus ; first of the staff, which was the source of so many paid attache, the Hon. Lionel S. Sackville West; second of those anomalies. On the staff of Lord Seaton paid attache, the Hon. W. G. C. Eliot; and the first unpaid there were four or five officers, one or two of whom cer- attache, the Hon. G. J. W. A. Ellis ; so that these offices tainly had been wounded, but who were, in spite dell regale- were completely monopolised by peers and the sons of bone, now away from their regiments, which were on active peers. lie could give them some very strong cases. The service. After quoting the eminent military writer, Jomini, hon. gentleman then proceeded to mention the case of one upon the important functions of the staff, the hon. member gentleman whose name we could not catch. This gentle referred to Mr. Otway's return of the number of officers man, he said, served some time in the Foreign-office, and upon the staff at present who had been educated foe that was then appointed second attache to an . embassy; six service at Sandhurst College, showing the very small pro. days afterwards he was appointed first attaché, and a few portion of them who had obtained certificates of proficiency years afterwards was appointed mastery of legation. Thee in the senior department of that institution. He next cited on the other hand, take the case of Mr. Allison. another return, which an hon. member hid procured, of the If there was a man of genius is our diploma number of officers who had been promoted for good service in tie service it was Mr. Allison, and yet that man the Crimean campaign up to the 10th of March last; he had been kept at Constantinople from 1839 till the present fuuad that out of 93 officers who had been so promoted not day, end he was made merely Oriental secretary. They fewer then 63 were officers upon the eta This state of would not allow him to have the rank of secretary of legs things, he observed, was most disheartening to our brave tion. Men who were treated in that a anner felt despair. soldiers and officers in the Crimea. Two letters, which had They got into a morbid spirit, and felt no longer able to lately appeared in the newsmen, one of which alluded to serve the public. He would not go through other cases : the cue of Colonel Egerton, who never quitted his regiment there were a great unsay to whom these observations would from the day . they landed until hie death in the trenches, equally apply. Let the house take his word fer it, he said it but who received not one step of promotion, 'moused very ffom hie own knowledge, having been in the Foreign-office. forcibly the feelings of disappointment which existed in our He was surprised to hear the noble lord say that it was a camp. The use of Colonel Yea, and that of Brevet- great mistake to say that when vacancies occurred in any Colonel Dickson were alluded to. The father of the last- office they were not filled by the best men they could ob mentioned gallant officer was a captain in the Peninsula, taro. The first attempt that had been made to effect a when the commander of the artillery, being ordered by the reform in our diptomatic service ; somehow or other Duke of Wellington to perform a certain operationaaid it was failed. Some years ego it was determined to have impracticable,and the duke turned to Capt.Dickson,who said, English gentlemen at Constantinople who could " I will do it." He did it, and the duke promoted him to take the place of interpreters to the mission and be bead of the artillery, and kept him there, the result he wished to say one thing in justice to the present in being that the art.llery was the boast of the British army. terpreters. He had heard it said that they were Russian ' (Cheers.) New, the son's conduct was precisely similar in spies. Now he bad bad some experience of the interpreters ' the Crimea. It was he who brought up the two guns at et Constantinople, and he believed a more honest set of men 1 the Alma, at Lord Raglan's desire, which broke the mass of did not exist. He had never heard of an instance in which Russian infantry. But what reward did he obtain ? lie any one of those gentlemen had betrayed their trust. The was still a plain colonel of artillery. Then we suffered re- system, however, was certainly a had one. They should verse,, it was said, because we had not men to command ! sot have foreigners in that service. The Austrians had in- Nor could we hops to have them if we turned a deaf ear to terpreters belonging to their own nation, and so had the the claims of merit, and regarded only political or family French ; and why should not we? Well, an attempt:e as influence. (Hear, hear.) What was the rem dy now made, and four gentlemen were selected from Oxford and for all these evils? There must be promotion with- Cambridge ; but up to this moment what had happened ? nut purchase, and, if possible, without favouritism. They were kept there on a miserable salary, and they were Now he (Mr. Lewd) believed that his gallant not used as dragomen. He had beard it said in the Foreign. I friend Sir Di Lacy Evans agreed with him in office that these gentlemen sbou.d settle in the country ; the opinion, that the system of promotion by purchase—our but how could they do that on 150 1 . a year, from which the I disgrace in the eyes of ensign nations—could be petals end income tax and other deductions were made 1 These gen- I to. A plan could be shown by which it might be super- tlemen were there with not even a chance of promotion, and s ded without injuring the vested interests of any persons. had been there since 1840 without having risen a There was a curious list of the number of commissions which step. He thought that a certain ezatninatioa had been given without purchase, partly in comsequen ie of was necessary, and above all a probation was the deaths in the war, end partly from other causes. Would necessary before appointments were made to the the house suppose that, out of 4,367 commissions, from the diplomatic service, but he thought the whole system of un rank of captain downwards , more than eats, or 2,413, had p a id attaches wee bad. If a man's service was worth any been given without purchase ? The list which he thing they should pay him from the moment that he entered ' they should dismiss him. Then the next thing they should held in his hand proved this to be the fact. Then, their service, sad if his services were not worth anything purchase,i all to theca shouldpurchase, h c o mm i ssions,el n • h... which ei cmh o a n lc.: few rdee be c o b e e nan sr.- hat b y legation was y t o if government were sincere in the disposition to seniority,dwv n s niocrei because irhtietnalc could hesnp nottodiplomatic the a d; servicean ce secreta ryship etehret certain n above qu o i f . put g ranged n without that d bya missions, to be bestowed by merit, and should never go by lificatione were necessary in the higher offices, w hich - they purchase again. (Hear, hear.) Such an arrangement would c o uld n ot always find amongst the lower. He suggested get rite of half of the purchase system at met and would that appointments in the diplomatic service should be give not Minch the interests of any men. It would be merely to thou who took first class honours at Oxford or Cam! justice ; for was it right that men who received their cora- bridge, or other recognised educational institutions. missions instil should afterwards go and sell them ? (Hear, would now say few words the • H e a on consular service. They hear.) The anomalies of the purchase system wen worse mastdi v id e th e consular serv i ce i n t o f our constit •uents in time of war than in peace. The officers who fought consuls general, consuls , ' Nice-consuls and consular spats. throughout the campaigns, and whose regiments were Some olthese *IR le had been ** ted oe appointed for moat extraor missed by casualties in their number of Alms, could not dines yr easons , mime of them for reasons which he might purchase, whilst men who had not left this country , but almos t - morality remained at the depots, would purchase over their heads. man in the consular service. The noble lord bore his • - Another thing which ought to be done for our army was testi many the other night to the efficiency of our consuls. this, to abolish the unfair privileges of the Guards., which He (Mr. Layerd) had been in communication men who from their wonderful with most of placed the other regiments at an intolerable disadvantage , them in three parts of the world, and there w ere I Thiscommission recommended a change in the military th em mos t efficient among acquire- system, but it was never attended to. Let him call their mentewould have risenthe . to highest posts if they had been attention to the report made last year, a report signed , at • in the service of other countries. They paid them 2001., least the royal commission was signed by the head of the goverament. They said: "It isi ncome g 11 7 tax, and • per mange called "the Foreign-office Clerks' admitted that in a naval command physical vigour, and the tax," and these two sums together ma d e energy which secorapan arise it, e necessary to the full air deduction from their income. , which deductions he thought ought not to be made. Hs saw an i aoeo sk . other day published by a roving Englishman of a which he had men over and over again —he mes eh e -- ` e some of our consular agents in the Esat sellin g tkOD. .A. man went to the consular agent, - ' him • small fee, by which he became what W it a ll e op o r- '" • British subject, though in fact not Imen,,, sod thereupon this man would neither pay h• nee anything else, and the consular agent ga v e ll 7,l l protection as • British subject. Now he should a t .1" that they should have what he might call a career in C o ' consular service, that no man should enter th a t s .7 cept in some of the lower stages, and if he didhis. des then let him rise gradually ; and if they did they oenjill give these o ffi cers encouragement. He had p ow - 0 . f refer to the civil service. They had rather safer a O ,AZ go upon here, because they had evidence befoll4l osgs and papers drawn up by some of the most remarkabl ossi to this country who had been engaged in the public seroo7. and instead of giving his own opinion on this branc h public service, be would give the opinion.' of some of those —:r gentlemen. It had been said that the civil service of i e e o entry was confined almost entirely to thus WO O eT A political and family influence, but chiefly to th ose who h 3 political influence. The first gentleman whom men ad aae— would read on this subject was Mr. Romilly. e uld— u The only motive for such appointments being flied •- e — , political partisan*, is gratitude for political servicei, dories exertions in obtaining votes in thy House of Coal large sums of money spent in elections, a steady Mb — ' ee to one political party at last followed by one advert ff eeti in-- first to indicate that the former unanswering devotion al to be duly appreciated—these and similar could °ajn-goe utshteberiskinegptgetsoginethertlca. actuate the minister of the day in dispensing receieent secretaryship,. comenissionershipe, and chairmanships,t.— they fall vacant. . . • . . . In all cases the men chosen are appointed not because they are peculiarly ha tot the situations, bat because as political adherents they n og be provided for ; they look upon their aopointeneata - n n e ',- imposing new duties, net as an important field for fr ay t exertion, but as a reward for the past, and an agreeable a minds of m easy retirement from active life for the future. In othei words the good of the civil service is sacrificed to polities; c l ei o n p si e te m ra u ti s o t n be r. ra A sed po in lit t i h c e al of politicians. Bat in the same proportion as hope, s raised in members of the House of Commons by every fresh political appointmeot to eituatiins in thy strictly civil . vice, they are lessened and crushed in the civil semi: , Let them now take the evidence of Sir James Stephen, a gentleman of very great authority. He said: " The dabs in the Colonial-office were clearly distinguishable into dins classes The first, a very small minority ; the sewed boa more numerous than the first; and the third es el' -cm lag the number of the other two united ln the narrow circle of the first of these classes were to he found, not indeed combined in any one of the members of it, but variously distributed among them all—qualities of which I can still never think without the highest admire. tion and respect—such as large capacity of mind, literary powers of rare excellence, sound acbolarship, iodomitabls energy, mature experience in public affairs, and so abiolute self-devotion to the public service. It comprised some ram who mast have risen to eminence in any field of open tom. petition, and who, if born to more ample tonnes, might reasonably have aspired to h.ld the seals of the office in which they were serving as subordinates The members of the third class—that is, the majority of the members of the Colonial Department in my time, possessed only in a low degree, and some of them in a degree almost incredibly low, either the talents or the habits of men of business or the industry, the zeal, or the knowledge, tr. quired for the effective performance of their approprirs functions. In many cases, ample and valid excuses Mat be made for these defects; but of the existence of them it it impossible for me to doubt. Neither have 1 sty doubt te to the cause of these extreme disparities between the per. sons of whom the establishment of the office was composed. The members of that which I have designated the first elm were, nearly all, men who had been sought out and so pointed on account of their well ascertained fifth's for the public service. The members of that, which I have tisned the third class, were, without exception, men who h.d been appointed to gratify the political, the domestic, tr the per. sonal feelings of their patr Ds, t. e., of successive Seen. taries of State. The members of the so-celled ' wad class ' were chiefly, though not exclusively, indebted to sat nepotism for their introduction into the department. It will, of course, be understoco: that this classification ia wholly distinct from that which prevails there, under the same names, to indicate the seniority of clerks to each other I conclude, therefore, that tbere is in our public offices a nepotism which may rates many serious abuses in the conduct of them." He would now take the evidence of Sir C. Trevelyaci— " It would be natural to expect that so important a pro feuion would attract into its ranks the ablest and the mat ambitious of the youth of the country—that the east emulation would prevail among those who had . flitted fi— end that such as were endowed with superior qualifiettiou would rapidly rise te distinction and public eminent. Such, however, is by no means the case. Admission iota the civil service is, indeed, eagerly sought after; baths for the unambitious and the indolent and incapable tbst is chiefly desired. Those whose abilities do not warrant an expectation that they will succeed in open tuataras, where they must encounter the competition of their cm temporaries, and those whom indolence of temperament or ph , sisal infirmities unfit for active exertions, are plead is the civil cervice, where they may obtain an honorable livelihood with little labour and no risk ; wh re their no ass depends upon their simply avoiding any flagrant air conduct, and attending with moderate regularity to roma duties; and in which they are secured against the ode nary consequences of old age or failing health, by ss gement which provides them with the means of atir• porting themselves after they have become incapacitated: Then there was an Recount from Mr. Anderson, who laid one man was put to him in the Treasury whom he add not even teach to keep accounts. He also said that of thou clerks sent to him from the usual sources (which he sap posed meant from the Treasury), there was only one of whom any use whatever could be made. Of the other tent, one came to the office leading a bulldog by a Deist (Laughter.) Again it was stated that of 80 clerks supplied from the Treasury patronage there were only 12 who em worth their salt. There were two brothers who were dram imbecile, and there was another young man who coul d got be taught to count official papers up to ten. (Laughter.) He could read other extracts of the same teoour, 11 the gentlemen, though they might differ as to the remedy, agreeing es to the fact of the evil misting. Well, he sop. posed on account of this report the government bad issued the order in council which had recently appeared in the public papers partly induced also rerhaps from the no tice which had be en: called to the abuses in the civil senior. But that order in council merely declared that there should be an examination, and he did not think that that aloes would remedy the evil. He thought it was Mr. Rsuolly who said that in those offices where examinations bed beta requisite no man bad ever been rejected who bad been nominated by a gentleman who had po• wail influence ; and other gentlemen bad stated the same thing, that in those offices where hitherto examinations had been in force, they had been of tad • kind, and the pressure on the examiner was such that they Gould not remember a cue in which a man was rejected; and ore stated that he took the ' greatest trouble to get s man to resign to prevent the chief clerk turning him oat But he mutt say something with regard to the men so pointed examiners. Mr. Romilly said, •" 1 am well alms that that which constitutes true gentleman.like labor ic found in every rank of life; but it is less common it thi lower ranks than in the higher, and a selection, therefore, from a selected clue would seem to me preferable to gay choice, however extensive, founded upon competition. Ad. milting all the evils of patronage, and all the advantage of sweeping it away, as far as the legislature is coocerned . , do not think that the civil service should be made the UP strument of the political regeneration of the coma), WO it be good for the service itself. Parliament ought to he able to cure its own diseases, without having recount to the civil service." And then he went on to say .—"Open competition must necessarily be in favour of the col numerous class. The natural abilities of that more son tons class, i. e of the lower or less rich clasp, are not info rior to those of the higher or richer class. Inducements to cultivate those abilities for a special and important Aut, attainable by such means,will not be wanting. The compels* tively moderate prizes of the civil service rise in alas • you descend in the scale of society. 2001. or 300/. a year a much larger fortune to the son of a tridesman or fuse ( than it is to the son of • nobleman or squire; and I, this. fore, believe that the great majority of the appoiritionT will fall to the lot of those wbo are in the lower social polv tion. (Laughter.) The more the civil service is recuited fro, the lower deism, the less it will be sought arer by higher, until at last the aristocracy will be altogetberdt sociated from the permament civil service of the counsel: Therefore the evidence of Mr. Ronailly amounted sin that if they gave the appointments to that class that I, the largest amount of talent they must introduce a costPsT live examination and throw open the appointments to I If t and by doing so they would exclude the 'Demmer he had searched for an argument he could not have foam, ' better one than was to be found in Mr. Romilly's o wn go r: He (the hon. gentleman) was happy, however, to ay . ‘. A..1 Mr. Mill, a gentleman et great experience, and listin g not lees aa a philosopher than as a political econotow.. (hear, hear )— hao given a piece of evidence which . r! ; eontp.ete answer to tbe absurdities of Mr. Romilly. If the HMO of gentlemen cannot be xpected to ba t e much much ability and instruction as the sons ot low proP e l e _l, world make a strong case for social changes of s el 7 extensive character. (Hear, hear.) If the sons of 8 . ,u .. 7 men would not, even under the stimulus of compel maintain themselves oa an equality of intellect and elow Rents with youths of a lower mb ak, how much more the mark must they be with their present enotopoly,.w., to how much greater an extent than the triesda ei f measure allege must the efficiency of the public sera o; 7 at present sacrificed to their incompetency. And mo re; with advantages and opportunities so vastly superiug. youth of the higher classes have not honour enomip.4 energy enough, or public spirit enough, to make 4. 0 as well qualified as others for the station which to coot boa I to maintain, they are not fit for that station, and C(Cbeer') soon step out of it and give place to better people. „of I have not this unfavourable opinion of them I be.he ,b they will fairly earn their full share of distillate!). i they are no longer able to obtain it unearned, Ch He (Mr. Layard) perfectly agreed with what Mr. u ll a. to the probable effect of abolishing all distinction s ofolesa (Hear, hear.) With regard to the question of e st exam!' liens, a very curious return had just been t _ stance of the bon. member for Bodmin, shaven h oo gf o ; in the awn"' of the qualifications resuired of can didates public departments. (The hon. gentleman ga vesll,77lpo, of Clio paper. The acquirement s generally tont 1 yore the . a o f a publi c arithmetic , oonsisted o D ope} e m to able t° 410°°j " 60 opinion n general In must Goof o f the wh at present t o r of tt. jut, union t h e prop° , vented, by epee the d t h a t would OW the 01 Be conies wiredhtbc jt bad bee "siltation , of the cou be bad illustrated that the a were CO ow andPi bl ; o bs is c row d ed . i h w fhu oo sil e i datyg ows eft y t uDdt a g r a u b ts i a t 0"; 'pi°byeie swamped at egi'd dd a l l :a‘i I:014 riuTsuifr was subj more tb a him, wit but he lc Duman o. tioo, and would (Hear, d eeeee ed civil eery sent pure mistie to I offices we and the r the ails tree teal think th mot say t ceive a reduced milling to pay th dance th cient at pieced of the p Lion tun of the g • reline case the particul N7: — " much m nation that the incomt II Sines, W - proposi dueetei hog , ' isdu, fore, ener in a clod Cc 4r. by h more berl: then Gloi men tier Lev rime rem Mfg pre! 1416 "it itit tot VI; II! Lei