The Press. — London, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 21, 1857. although no proof of his guilt was before the house. He then detailed the history of Mr. Sadleir's case, insisting upon the notoriety of the proceedings, and that there could be no doubt that he was aware of the charges against him. He read reports of the strenuous and unremitting exertions of the constabu• Lary and police to discover and apprehend him, and also a letter from Mr. James Scully, dated " Hotel de Louvre, Rue Rivoli, Thursday, February 12,, which was to the following effect I think it my duty to inform you that the notorious culprit, James Sadleir, is in Paris. 1 saw him entering a restaurateur's where I was about to dine; and having caught his eye he instantly withdrew. I tun informed by the proprietor of ►he restaurant that he dines there every day, and therefore if the Government wish to arrest him, they should send some persons who know him, as he is a good deal altered, hie face being much thinner, and he wears a large moustache. Mr... Fitzgerald then resumed:— It might be asked whether the Government would pro ceed to arrest Mr. Sadleir in Paris, and by anticipation he would answer such a question by saying that they could not do so, because the case did not come within the treaty of 1843, signed between England and France, and which was made law in this country by the fith and 7th Vic., c. 73. In that treaty the crimes included were murder, attempt to commit murder, forgery, and fraudulent hank ruptcy ; these were the only offences for which the treaty provided ; so that the Government had no power to arrest Mr. Sadleir in France, or, if he was arrested there, to demand his extradition. Under these circumstances lie called upon the house to perfo m the office of self purgation by proceeding to the expulsion of an unworthy member. Sir F. THESIGER observed that there could be no difference of opinion regarding the resolution, in which the house must be eager to concur ; but the ground of proceeding should be well understood, and he wished to know how the case of Mr. Sadleir now differed from its position on the 24th of July, when Vie Government resisted the motion of Mr. Roebuck for his expulsion. Mr. WHITESIDE censured the dilatory proceedings of the Government in this case, and contended that it was as clear and strong and full on the 24th of July as it was now. Sir G. GREY justified the Government from the charge of inconsistency. The objection to the motion last session was, he said, that there was no evidence that Mr. Sadleir had any opportunity of vindicating himself. Mr. NAPIER believed that no man was more con vinced at the present time than he was on the 24th of July, that Mr. Sadleir ought to be expelled, but perhaps his expulsion would now be more" politically convenient" than it was at that time. The motiou was then put and agreed to. THE INCOME TAX. On the motion for going into committee of supply, The CHANCELLOR of tile EXCHEQUER adverted to the promised discussion on the general financial policy of the Government, and proposed that a debate should be postponed until the next motion for a committee of ways and means. Mr. DISRAELI complained of the inconvenience arising from this delay of a discussion for which the house was so anxious, but consented to it, neverthe• less, and announced the terms of an amendment on which he intended to challenge a vote, as follows : That in the opinion of this house it would be expe• dient, before sanctioning the financial arrangements for the ensuing year, to adjust the estimated income and expenditure in the manner which shall appear beet calcu• luted to secure the country against the risk of a deficiency in the years 1 , •04.9 anti 15:19.60, and to provide such a balance of revenue and charge respectively in the year 1860 as may place it in the power of Parliament at that period, without embarrassment to the revenue, altogether to remit the income tax. Mr. GLADSTONE inquired whether the Government intended to proceed with the naval estimates that evening. He protested against voting money before an opportunity had been afforded to discuss the Ministerial Budget in its entirety. Lord JOHN RUSSELL expressed his concurrence in this objection. Lord PALMERSTON, yielding to the evident opinion or the house, consented to postpone the naval esti mates. The house having gone into committee of supply, The CFAXCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that a sum of two millions should be granted t ) pay off the series of Exchequer Bonds issued in 1854, and falling due on the Bth of May next, and read a state ment of the details of the estimated revenue and ex penditure for the years 1858-59 and 1859.00, with the view of showing that the apprehensions of Mr. Disraeli of a deficiency were groundless. The resolution was agreed to. Friday was fixed for the debate upon the income tax and the tea and sugar duties. HOUSE OF LORDS.—T!'FSDAY. BOMBARDMENT OF CANTON. The Earl of GRANVILLE, in reply to Lord Car narvon, btated that there was no truth in the report that Admiral Seymour at the date of the last THE PRESS. advices had commenced throwing red-Lot shot into Canton. CONSOLIDATION OF THE STATUTES. The LORD CHANCELLOR intimated his intention to bring in, in a short time, seven bills for consoli dating the criminal statutes. Lord BROUGHAM declared that the on'y way to obtain a digest of the common law which should obtain parliaaientary sanction was to confide the task to experienced legal hands, and, when that task was finished, that Parliament should accept the result of their labours without any attempt at alteration. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY. FISHERIES (IRELAND.) Mr. M‘MAHON, in moving for leave to introduce bills to assimi:ate the law as to the seacoast fisheries of Ireland to that of England, regretted that a sub- ject of so much importance, which was as much an English as an Irish question, had not been taken up by the Government. He recited provisions of the existing law of 1842, which showed its unequal pres sure upon the Irish fisheries in comparison with those of England and Scotland, pointing out what he considered to be the absurdity as well as the gross injustice of those provisions : In no other part of the world was the use of fisheries so much interfered with by legal restrictions as in Ireland. A Frenchman or a Belgian might by treaty fish within three miles of any part. of the coast of Ireland, and an American might set the Irish fishery laws altogether at defiance, while an Irishman was obliged to sue for the permission of a peddling bet of commissioners to exercise his industry upon his own coasts. He ( Mr. Al` Mahon) hoped that the house would consent to the introduction of his bill, vhich would remedy these grievances. Mr. G. H. MOORE seconded the motion. Mr. HOR3MAN said if the measure proposed to be introduced was identical with the bill of 1855, which was rejected by the house, he could not advise its adoption. Mr. M'MARos replied that the bill applied only to the seacoast, and did not interfere with the inland or other fisheries. Leave was then given. THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION. Sir C. WOOD, in reply to Sir De Lacy Evans, said that the Government had not yet come to a decision on the subject of this expedition, but as soon as they did they would inform the house. An estimate would be necessary if the expedition were decided upon. LEGISLATION FOR SCOTLAND. Mr. BANTER wished to ask the Lord Advocate whether he intended to bring in a bill this session extending to the Scotch counties the provisions of the Registration of Voters Bill, passed last year for the burghs; and also whether it was his intention to introduce a police bill for Scotland. The LORD ADVOCATE: It is my intention to bring in a bill upon both subjects. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, in reply to Mr. J. G. Phillimore whether it was the iutention of her Majesty's Ministers to bring forward any measure founded on the report of the committee of last sessiun on the appointment of a public prosecutor, said that the Government were not at present prepared to bring in a bill. THE NEAPOLITAN PAPERS. Lord PALMERSTON—in reply to Mr. Cochrane whether the Neapolitan papers presented to Parlia ment comprised all the despatches from Lord Cla rendon to the British Misston at Naples between the 19th of May. when her Majesty's Government re commended the Government of the Two Sicilies to grant a general amnesty, and October the 10th, when the British Mission was instructed to leave Naples? also, at what period and on what conditions her Ma jesty's Government intended resuming diplomatic relations with the kingdom of the Two Sicilies— said In answer to the first question, T have to state that the papers which have been presented do not contain all the despatches sent from the Foreign•office, bat that they do contain all the despatches which bear upon the matters connected with the purpose for which the papers were presented. There are some despatches containing instruc tions with reference to contingencies which did not happen, and there are one or two upon totally unimportant matters which have not been laid before the houses. I hope I may be allowed without offence to answer the hon. gentle man's second question by another question—whether the hon. gentleman has full powers from the King of Naples to arrange the matters in dispute? If his answer be in the affirmative I should suggest that he had better put his question to my noble friend Lord Clarendon, in Downing• street, than to me in the House of Commons. But, seriously, the question is one which the hon. gentleman will feel upon reflection, or if he does not the house will, that it would be quite improper for me to answer. CASE OF THE " ARROW " PROCEEDINGS AT CANTON. - . Lord PALMERSTOS—In reply to Viscount Goderich whether it was true that the case of the lorcha Arrow was net the only one in which the authorities or wanton bad recently seized or entered upon boats 175 sailing under British colours, or furnished with British register ; and, if so, whether he would lay upon the table of the house any papers relating to such proceedings; and also, whether he would have any objection to lay before the house any instructions which might have been seat by the Home Govern ment to Sir John Bowling on his appointment as governor of Hong Kong, or at any subsequent period previous to October last, on the subject of the exclu sion of the British authorities and merchants from the city of Canton—said : The papers which have been presented to the house show that there were two former occasions on which lorchas had been molested by the Chinese authorities, and state the steps taken by Sir J. llowring on the subject. I will undertake that the instructions to which my noble friend has alluded shell be laid before the house. Sir J. PAKINGTAN 1 wish to put a question to the noble lord in reference to a statement which has appeared in the newspapers on the subject of the bombardment of Canton. That statement is to the effect that the admiral of the station has been bombarding Canton with red.hot shot. I wish to know, therefore, whether the Government have received any in. formation confirming that statement, and, if they have, whether they will object to lay the papers containing such information before the house? Lord PALMERSTON : The only foundation for the report to which the right hon. baronet alludes is this :—The Chinese had set fire to some of the Hongs, and, as there were numbers of them congregated in the space near the Hongs, it was thought desirable to disperse them. Some shells were accordingly thrown into that space for the purpose of driving away the crowd that had collected there ; they had the desired effect, and the place was cleared, but there was no bombardment of the town, no red•hot shot was ever tired, and the admiral retained his position in the river. NAVAL ADMINISTRATION. Captain SCOBELL moved for a select committee to inquire into the naval administration relating to the lists of officers, the patronage, the promotions, the retirements, and the efficiency of the service in all its grades. He observed that all he asked for was inquiry ; that he attacked not this or that adminis tration, but the system, and that his object was a mild administrative reform. He pledged himself to produce before the committee a better plan than the present. Sir C. WOOD said this was only a repetition of a motion made last sesssion, when the house thought it inexpedient to appoint a committee, no additional grounds having been now laid for such an inquiry. To improve the condition of the officers of the navy, he observed, bad been the object of successive Boards of Admiralty for years past, and he taxed Captain Scobell with error and misrepresentation, appealing in his reply to official reports and returns. The whole question, he added, had already node!. gone full investigation before a committee of that house. Mr. W. S. LINDSAY supported the motion. He suggested, among other questions fit for inquiry, whether there should not be a permanent head of the Admiralty, who might control all matters con nected with that department in the same manner as the Commander-in-Chief controlled the army. Upon a division the motion was negatived by 97 to 78 BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS. Lord PALMERSTON moved for a select committee to inquire into the operation of the act the 17th and 18th of Victoria, chap. 102, to consolidate and amend the laws relating to bribery, treating, and undue in fluence at elections of members of Parliament. The motion was agreed to. Mr. HORSMAN obtained leave to bring in a bill to discontinue the taking of toll on the turnpike roads now existing in Ireland, and to provide for the ma n tenance of such roads as public roads, and for the discharge of the debts due thereon, and for other purposes; and Mr. BouvEruE, a bill to provide for the relief of the puor in extra-parochial places. TENANT COMPENSATION (IRELAND). Mr. G. H. MooRE gave notice that on the 3rd of March he should move for leave to bring in a bill to give compensation to tenants in Ireland who bad made improvements in their holdings. METROPOLITAN WORKHOUSES. Lord RAY !AN gave notice that on that day fortnight lie should move for a select committee cn the administration of the metropolitan workhouses, and on the mode of giving relief in the metropolitan parishes. PROPERTY TAX. Mr. Mt:wrz gave notice that he should postpor• his motion on the property tax until that day fort night. LAND TAX. Mr. Micstssox gave notice that he should post pone his motion on the land tax until that day fortnight. MEDICAL LEGISLATION. Mr. HEADLAM gave notice that he should on Tues day next move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws relating to the medical profession.