The Press. — London, England, 1858-06-19 00:00:00

crlttngs . raliamott. LOUSE OF LORDS--110SIDAY. motion of the Earl Of MALMESBURS, the ,ing of the Oaths Bill was postponed from account of the indispobition of the Earl of ‘vorce and Matrimonial Cau3es Act Amend went through oomn , ittea. THE MILITIA. . to questions put by the Duke of Buc reference to calling out and training the the appointment of a Royal Commis mire into the organization of the militia HARDINGE stated that a commission would appointed to inquire into the subject ; the in the commission had not yet been tub points involved in the Duke of Bite questions would be fully investigated by the ion. A portion of the militia would be called training during the next autumn. discussion on the general efficiency of the followed, in which the Duke of Cleveland, of Clanricarde, and Lord Lyttelton took GREY thought it should be decided whether • - was to be a separate force, or a reserve ig recruits to the regular army. At competed with the army in recruiting. If were reduced to its proper character of a the expenditure saved would add to the increabing the efficiency , of the regular ?hich the country must ai laet depend. . . of CAustuvoi believed that Rich ques. be best considered by the commission, understood would make a very full in militia might be both a local force, and valuable means of filling up the ranks of the lordships shortly after adjourned. OUSE OF COMMONS—MONDAY. INDIA. Swim's, in reply to Sir E. Perry, read an from a private letter of Lord Canning, and from a private letter of Mr. Montgomery, he former, giving a favourable account progress making in the settlement of Oude. house having again resolved itself into a on the Government of India, .ANLEY moved the fifth resolution, "That, - to the efficiency and independence of ,it is expedient that it should be partly and partly elected." If, he observed, the t to be a reality, it must possess substan independence, and be known to have that If the members were to be nominated, three modes,—first, nomination for good practically for life. This mode did, to a de extent, insure independence ; but the forcibly applied that, under such a system 'nation, a certain proportion would always be through infirmity or other causes, of per -4g their duties in a satisfactory manner ; and if Council should be divided into committees, part - filled by incompetent to the exclusion of men. A second mode was nomination , term, without renomination ; and this Inexpedient in practice from the manner it would operate upon persons of different there would not be the same guarantee -deuce as by nomination for life. A third ;as nomination for a short term, with a renomination, which would practically members of the Council in a position of • dependence upon the Minister than any iblic offite, and men of station and ability r to the acceptance of the office for a of years. Of the three modes, he thought presented (the fewest inconveniences ; but adopted one of them, the house should deliberately consider whether a part of might not be appointed by another proposing that a portion should be Government were improving rather than from the present system. He did not principle of election with that of re he proposed it as a means whereby • of men at onoe eminent and independent obtained. The constituency, to be pro subseqnent resolution, would consist of of East India Stock, holders of Indian shares, and retired officers in the various `r the Indian service, forming an aggregate between 7,000 and 8,000, embodying a amount of persons interested in Indian affairs, large amount combining with a knowledge of administration, freedom from political bias. , RUSSELL moved, by way of amendment, • members of the Council be appointed by 41 ajaat3. This, he said, was the regular mode appointment ; every one knew from whom the "oent emanated, and there was the constitu security that there was a pers3a responsible for T, E. PRESS, Jt NE 19, iBSS. any unfit appointment. If a change was to be made, in his opinion it ought to be complete. He objected to the proposed constituency ; with the exception of retired Indian servants, they would feel no special interest in the welfare of India. If Lord Stanley should succeed in his proposition, and ten out of fifteen or eight out of twelve of the Council should be returned by his electoral body, he would give rise to a system of corruption. He (Lord John) would have all the members nominated by the Crown, through a Minister of the Crown, responsible for what he did. Sir J. GRAHAM said he had been of opinion from the first that a change in the government of India at the present moment was most inopportune, and high authorities were of opinion that at this time it was inexpedient. But he admitted that effect must be given to the decision of the horse. Although the Court of Directors of the East ICclia Company had yet had no accuser, Mr. Bright had desired to have a Council as unlike that Court as possible. So far from this, he (Sir James) desired to reduce the change to a minimum, and, in the main, to make the Council as like the Court of Directors as possible. Sir Charles Wood had said that a better Council than the Court no man ever had to aid him, whereas Sir G. Lewis regarded the present system as cum brous and inefficient. The house having resolved that,the government of India should be transferred from the Company to the Crown, and that there should be a Council to assist the Indian Minister, he would build upon the old foundation. He was disposed to think, on the whole, that the members of the Council should be nominated in the bill; that they should hold office during good behaviour, equiva lent to holding it for life ; but that a large portion of the present Court of Directors should be among the persons nominated. After throwing out suggestions for combining the principle of nomination with that of election, he was prepared, he said, to vote for this resolution, but not for the 7th, which established a constituency like that indicated by Lord Stanley fur the elected members. On the whole, he wished to feel his way from time to time, and thought that by the Court of Directors, with its knowledge of the subject, being made part of the Council, a safe means would be afforded of introducing further changes with the least shock to the people of India. In the debate which followed, the resolution, the amendment, and the proposition of Sir J. Graham underwent a very long discussion, which wandered from principle to details, and into the policy of the whole measure. In the course of the discussion, Lord STANLEY said he had only asked the house to consider the principle of a partial election as an alternative proposition; and, if there be an election, a constituency must be found, and this was a ques tion which did not admit of an answer altogether satisfactory. Sir J. Graham's proposition was com plex in its character add required consideration ; but that proposition, or any other of an analogous character, fell within the scope and terms of the res lution, and the committee did not pledge itself by adopting it to any expedient for framing a con stituency. The Government merely desired to place some check upon the uncontrolled nomination of the Crown. Lord PALMERSTON said he did not think that Sir J. Graham had proposed a plan that would solve the difficulty. He had argued against the principle of election, and was yet prepared to vote for a re solution which embodied that principle. We lived under a constitutional monarchy, the principle of which was that in every act of the Crown there should be a constitutional adviser responsible for the act; but a Council, not appointed by the Crown, nor chosen by a legally established constituency, would be an irresponsible body, which would be wholly anomalous. If the elective principle be good it ought to be general, and the whole Council should be elected. Mr. GLADSTONE observed that it was evident that, in the opinion of the committee, there were many strong objections to both extreme principles—elec tion by a constituency on one hand, and pure nomi nation on the other. With regard to the first, it had been brought before the committee in a definite form ; but as to nomination by the Crown, the ob jections to it were of such a character that they would feel them more and more strongly as they proceeded. He felt the constitutional objection, but this was secondary to the consideration of how to reconcile nomination of the Crown with the inde pendence of the Council. It would be impossible to have an independent Council free from suspicion if the principle of nomination for a term renewable by the Crown were adopted; and if the nomination were for life the offices might lapse into sinecures, or the holders might become incompetent. It was difficult, therefore, to get over the objections to nomination by the Crown. The favourable manner in which Sir J. Graham's proposition bad been re ceived by the committee, in his opinion, held out a prospect of its ultimate acceptance. The sound. ness of its principle rendered it likely that it would secured increased favour ; it recommended itself, 591 first, by its merits, and, secondly, as a mode of escape from a difficulty. . . . After a further discussion, in which Sir J. GRAHAM gave a fullar exposition of his suggestion for com bining the two principles, and the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER reminded the committee that the reso lution did not pledge it to approve any specific mcde of election or any particular constituency, a division took place, when Lord J. Russell's amendment was negatived by 250 to 185. The question upon the resolution being pnt, Lord GODERICH moved that the chairman report progress, in order to afford time for the consideration of Sir J. Graham's proposition. This motion was negatived upon a division by 239 to 155. The resolution, after a few words of explanation from Lord J. RUSSELL and the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, was then agreed to, and the chairman was ordered to report progress. On the order for tho second reading of the Peace Preservation (Ireland) Act Continuance Bill, . . Mr. BAowELL, considering that there was no ne cessity for the bill, moved to defer the second reading for six months. Lord Nees stated reasons why the powers given by the bill should not be taken away from the Go vernment. Mr. Sergeant Deasy and Mr. C. Fortescue spoke in favour of the second reading, and Mr. P. O'Brien against it. Upon a division, the amendment was negatived by 168 to 20, and the bill was read a second time. Other bills were forwarded a stage, and some other business having been disposed of, the house ad journed at twenty minutes to one o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS-TUZSDAY. MANNING THE NAVY. The Earl of MALMESBURY, in reply to a question from Lord Brougham, stated that a commission had been appointed to inquire into the best mode of manning the navy ; but it should not be supposed that the present naval force could not be manned in a short space of time, or that ships enough to defend the Channel could not be immediately provided with Crews. PROPERTY QUALIFICATION. Earl FORTESCUE moved the third reading of the Property Qualification Bill. Lord Ravensworth, the Earl of Clancarty, and the Earl of Wicklow strongly opposed the measure, on the ground that it would lead to further changes, such as the payment of members, and would abolish the security that an individual returned to the House of Commons was entitled to aspire to that honour. If he did not possess the security of a qualification himself, the present law compelled him to be of such standing that be could be trusted with one. Lord Baouonam thought that as a qualification was often proved by falsehood, and sometimes by perjury, it ought to be abolished; but the abolition should be accompanied by an act, rendering inca pable of holding a seat all persons who should not have paid their debts within twelve months after they had been declared bankrupt. He gave notice he should introduce a measure to that effect. Lord DENMAN moved that the bill be read a third time that day six months, but it was negaiived with out a division. The bill was then read a third time. The Marquis of CLANBICAP.DE, after some discus. sion, withdrew his motion for considering a petition from Mr. W. M'Dermott, praying that the hearing of the articles of charge against him be postponed from the 21st of June to the 10th of July. The Marquis of SALISBURY, in answer to a ques tion, stated that the last correspondence between her Majesty's Government and the Governments of Naples and Sardinia would be laid on the table as soon as it was complete. There lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-TUESDAY. MR. TOWNSEND'S BANKRUPTCY. Mr. FITZROY, at the morning sitting, moved that a copy of the record of the adjudication of bank ruptcy against Mr. John Townsend, the member fq Greenwich, be read in conjunction with the Act 52.4 of George 111., cap. 144. This having been done, a discussion e■svads is which Mr. Townsend took part, and whi , n resulted in the following resolution : That Mr. John Townsend, memlye for the borough of Greenwich, having been found, d•elared, and adjudged a bankrupt from the .29th of Mara, had since been, and still was, by law, incapable of sitting and voting in that house. This resolution wag agreed to, the SOLICITOR GENERAL remarking that the statute did not require that a bankrupt member should immediately lose his seat ; it allowed him an interval of twelve months, during which he might get the commission seded, or pay his creditors, he in the meantime incapacitated from sitting and voting. • Vrotrt HO On the ono second reading Friday, on acs Derby. The Divorce meot Bill went In answer t rtzucit, in refs militia, and tl si-- to inquir staffs Lord HARM be appointed structions to t fished ; the pc clench's questi commission. A out for traininj A discussion militia followe the Marquis of part. Earl GREY the militia wa for furnishing present it comj the militia wet local lorce, the means of suer army, on which , The Duke of tions would b( which he and quiry. The lEI also a valuable army. Their lordab HOVE Lord STANLE extract from a another from s inclosed in the of the progress The house Committee on Lord STANLE with a view to the Council, it nominated and Council was to tial independe character. If there were Oro behaviour, prat considerable e: objection forci' of nomination, incapable, thre forming their the Council slt rn;gitt be filled competent me for a long ter would be toes; in which it woe ages, and theist for indeperden principle was power of rem place the mem far greater dep clerk in a publi would demur short term of 3 the first press before it odor fairly and del the Council n system. In I elected, the Ot departing fror confound the presentation ; the services of might be obts Posed in a sul Proprietors of railway shares branches of the number of bet large amount c and a large an Indian adminh Lord J. Run that the mere her bi a. ! est). of aPpointrner a PPolntment e time security I P A%