The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-20 00:00:00

598 Centurion of old, Baron Rothschild would not believe. He came there to triumph over our ancient faith, over our ancient customs, over our ancient establishments, and over the principles of our Constitution. And he would add insult to victory, for after this bill became law no Christian man, however sincere he might be. would dare to utter at that table the words, "on the true faith of a Christian." It was not enough that he should not himself utter the words "on the true faith of a Christian." No other man was to be permitted to Jo so. And those were charged with bigotry who stood up to oppose this state of things, and for the maintenance of that system that had for centuries pre- served our common Christianity in the land ! The noble lord at the head of the Government having shelved all measures of improvement till the next session— though he had reaped a harvest of glory in China—yet thought this measure so urgent and so imperatively called for that he asked the house to pass it without a moment's delay. It was said the Conservative party was broken up, but he trusted that that great party would always be able to distinguish between what was wrong or doubtful, and what was reasonable and rijht, and to disapprove the one and yield to the other. The Conservative was the true party after all, and his conviction was that whenever the noble lord at the head of the Government attacked the Constitution, either in that or the other House of Parini. meta, it would be the duty and the glory of that party to resist him. The fortunes of the true Conservative party were interwoven with the best interests of this country, with the vindication of its religion, its honour, and its highest glory. Therefore, it was the business of that great party to stand up now for the principles which it had ever maintained, to stand up for them in private, in public, in the Senate, and in the closet, to stand up for the mainte nance and supremacy of that faith which they believed bad been revealed from above. and for the establishment of which, in its present form among us, immortal patriots laboured and blessed martyrs died. Lord J. RUSSELL argued that the words which pre vented Jews from sitting in Parliament were intro duced without any such intention, and their exclu sive effect was accidental. He controverted the assertion that by conceding just rights to members of the Jewish persuasion the Christian character of the State or of the Legislature would be destroyed. Mr. NEWDEGATE, in supporting the amendment, alluded to " apostacy," and expressed his disappro bation of such conduct. Lord PALMERSTON, after paying a tribute to the "courageous honesty" of Sir J. Pakington, observed that opponents of Jewish emancipation, by accepting a new form of oath, had surrendered the argument founded on precedent, and if they still wished to exclude the Jews, could only do so by creating a new disability. This, he contended, was contrary to the principle of civil and religious liberty, and inappli cable to an assembly whose functions were essenti ally political : We are told (said the noble lord) that this is a Christian country, that this is a Cmristian assembly, and therefore we ought not to admit Jews within these walls. Well, sir, this is a Christian country, and this is a Christian assembly, inasmuch as it represents the nation which adheres to that creed ; but does the hon. and learned gentleman maintain that this is a religious assembly ? This is a political assembly, chosen for political purposes ; and I say, with my right hon. friend the member fur Stroud, that you are not entitled to exclude members of this house by reason solely of their religious opinions. Yon are not entitled to inquire what a man's religious opinions may be, except so far as to how those opinions may influence and sway his political conduct. That is the only principle upon which religious tests can be justified. As the Dissenters and Catholics had successively been admitted to a full participation in constitutional rights, the Legislature were bound in consistency to abolish the odious exclusion which still existed in the case of the Jews. Upon a division the amendment was negatived by 341 to 201. On the question that the clause stand part of the bill, Mr. War.rot.t inquired whether the bill was to stand as it was drawn ; because, if so, Jews and Roman Catholics were put upon a different footing. lie asked whether the clause in Lord J. Russell's bill, restraining Jews from holding offices which Roman Catholics could not hold, would be inserted in this bill! Lord l'atAtEnsToN replied that her Majesty's Go vernment had no intention of making any alteration in the bill as it then stood. Lord K. CECIL moved that the chairman report progress ; but this motion was negatived upon a division by 278 to 142 ; majority 130. Upon clause 1, _ _ Mr. BENTINCE asked for a distinct answer to the question whether it was the intention of the Govern ment that the Jews should be eligible to the offices of Lord Chancellor and Prime Minister? Lord PALMERSTON replied that the hill was not a bill of disqualification, and therefore, as it stood, it would not prevent Jews from holdinEr those appoint ment. Such appointments did not depend solely upon "the will of the Minister of the day, or of the Sovereign, but on the will of the house." The first clause having passed, an unsuccessful attempt was made by Mr. B. FITZGERALD to re po r t progress, but after some discussion the other clauses of the bill were agreed to. THE PRESS. The Sound Dues Bill, the County Cess (Ireland) Bill, and the Militia (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. sAVINOS-BANICS (NO. 2) BILL. This bill was read a second time pro formd, to enable the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER at a future stage to introduce certain clauses. INSURANCE ON LIVES CONTINUANCE BIM Leave was given to Mr. WILSON to bring in a bill to continue the act for extending for a limited time the provision for abatement of income tax in respect of insurance on lives. The bill was read a first time. LEASES AND SALES OF NETTLED ESTATES ACT AMEND- MENT BILL. Mr. IVnITEsiDE obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the Act of 1556, to facilitate leases and sales of settled estates. The bill was read a first time. ELECTION PETITIONS. - . . Leave was given to Mr. ADDERLEY to bring in a bill for regulating the presentation and withdrawal of election petitions. The bill was read a first time. The house adjourned at half.past one o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS—..TCESDAT. The Duke of Grafton, the Earl of Suffolk, the Earl of Clare, and Lord Kilmaine took the oaths and their seats. THE IRISH DEEM The Earl of DONOI , OHMORE asked if anything had been done with regard to the expenses incurred by Irish peers in proving their right to vote for repre sentative peers, with a view to relieve them from the charges to which they were subject ? The Lord CHANCELLOR thought that an Arrange ment could be made without introducing a bill, and promised to consider the subject. INDIA. Lord MONTEAGLE asked if it was the determination of the Government to consolidate the two courts in India, as had been promised ? The Duke of ARGYLL said that no promise bad been given that these courts would be consolidated, though the noble lord had on a former occasion charged the Government with a distinct breach of faith in reference to the subject. The project, which was attended with much difficulty, would be consi dered by the Legislative Council of India. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE asked whether the responsibility was imposed upon the Governor- General of making regulations with respect to the chief and other tribunals in India; if so, a more unfair responsibility was never thrown on a high functionary. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH suggested that a reference to the last Charter Act would show that the Governor General bad no power whatever, with out the assistance of the Legislative Council, of dealing with the supreme courts. The discussion then dropped. REFORMATORY INSTITUTIONS BILL. The Earl of CARNARVON moved the second reading of this bill. Lord BROUGHAM supported the second reading, but could not express his approval of the whole details of the measure without further consideration. Earl GRANVILLE approved of the objects contem plated by the measure, but suggested the desirability of leaving the conduct of legislation on the subject to the Secretary of State for the Home Department. He suggested to the noble earl that he could propose to introduce the main provision of his measure, in the shape of a clause, into Sir George Grey's bill, when it came up from the other house. The Earl of DERBY did not think they should reject the motion for the second reading because a similar measure was before the other house. If the Government agreed to the second reading, he would recommend Lord Carnarvon not to proceed further with it until the bill of the Secretary of State came up from the other house. Earl GRANVILLE declined to accede to the sugges tion, because he could not do so without affirming the principle of a portion of the measure to which he objected. Some discussion followed, in which the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, Lord KINSAIRD, and the Earl of Powts took part. The Earl of CUINARVON agreed to adopt a sugges tion made by Lord Brougham, that the debate should be adjourned, and the bill thus kept alive until Sir George Grey's bill should come up from the Commons. The debate wag accordingly adjourned. THE BATHING BILL. The Marquis of WEsrmeArtt moved the second reading of this bill, which was introduced for the prevention of indecent exhibitions at bathing-places on the coast of Kent. Earl GRANVILLE remarked that powers were already possessed by the authorities in the corporate towns on the coast to make bye-laws on the subject re ferred to, and they were the proper persons to deal with it. He also conceived that it was quite impos- SATURDAY, Bible to adapt the measure to country districts, an d really did not see the necessity for it. Ti►e bill was negatived without a division. The house adjourned at twenty•flvo minutes past seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS-TVESDAT. THE PAPER DUTY. Mr. Dtt.t.wvN asked the Chancellor of the Eacbe• quer whether it was the intention of Government to levy the paper duty on materials capable of being written on and printed on, but made from animal fibre ; or to leave such materials exempt from duty, as parchment is now. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER understood that a company had been formed for the purpose of manufacturing a substance resembling parchment from animal fibre. The matter had been considered by the Board of Inland Revenue, and the opinion given by their solicitor was that this material, though partially resembling parchment, which was not sub ject to duty, came ' nevertheless, from the mode of its manufacture, within the legal designation of paper, and was therefore liable to the tax. THE FOREIGN LEGION. Mr. ADDERLEY asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether the Cape Legislature had determined to diminish their vote of 40,000 i. towards the expense of locating the German Legion on their frontier by two-thirds, in proportion to the diminished number of the legion which had gone out, and diverted, in consequence, two-thirds of that sum to other purposes. Mr. LABOUCHERE said his impression was that no accounts bad been received of any such change of purpose as that alluded to on the part of the Colonial Legislature at the Cape. If, however, ho found the fact to be otherwise he would apprise the hon. gentle. man of it. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Mr. ALEXANDER moved for leave of absence to Mr. Bruen, for three weeks, on urgent business. Colonel W. PATTEN said the hon. member seeking leave of absence was on the first panel of election committees ; and as six committees would have to ho struck cn Monday next, leave of absence ought not to be given, unless the business was really urgent. " I understand," said the hon. and gallant member, after the lapse of a few seconds, " that there are very urgent reasons for the motion. (A laugh.) The hon. member is going to be married." (Loud laughter.) The motion was agreed to amidst renewed laughter. IRISH WORKHOUSES. Mr. FAGAN called attention to the present state of the workhouse system in Ireland and to the laws relating to medical charities and the relief of the poor, and moved for a select committee to take the subject into consideration. Mr. H. HERBERT said the attention of the Govern ment had been turned to the subject, and he thought the time had arrived, and that the Government were in possession of sufficient facts, for legislating cautiously, in another session, upon this subject. Mr. FAGAN, upon this, withdrew his motion. EQUALISATION OF POOR RATES. • Mr. AYRTON moved for a select committee to in quire into the causes of the inequality of the poor rates in the metropolitan district, and whether the rates should not be rendered more equal. He ob• served that, in all great cities, the rich congregate in particular localities and the poor in others, the effect of which, under our poor law, was to diminish the tax upon the rich because they were rich, to increase the exigencies and claims of the poor, and to render unequal a common burden. He pointed out. in stances of anomalies and injustice under a system depending upon an area, which he contended de manded immediate inquiry, and, if the facts were true, immediate legislation. He insisted, moreover, that, as the relief of the poor was a national object, every description of property ought to contribute thereto. There would be no difficulty, he thought, in finding a fitting remedy for the evil. Mr. TowssEsD seconded the motion. Mr. BOUVERIE resisted the motion. He remarked that some 400 members were already engaged upon committees, and he asked the house whether it was prepared to add to the number of committees, and to go into so extensive and important an inquiry at that period of the session ? In discussing the merit.* of the question he indicated some of its great ditf►- culties, with which Mr. Ayrton, he said, had not grappled. London was not a city so much as a vast province covered with houses, the parts having little connection with each other, and it did not requ►re a select committee to discover the causes of the inequality of the poor rates in different parishes, which were patent. Where there was a local ad ministration of the poor law, unless the property was the same and the number of the poor the same in all the parishes, the rates must be unequal : When persons complained of an existing system they should always be prepared to propose a substitute, It was very easy to make out a case against any tax, and alnpst against any law, but, as practical and sensible men