The Press. — London, England, 1856-03-01 00:00:00

■ MARCH 1, 1856• ROEBUCK'S MOTION. which, if true, made it the duty of the house to in terfere for the protection of the subject. Mr. Philli more gave a copious narrative of the facts of the eas e, which, he said, appeared on the face of the depositions, and, in conclusion, accused the judip of admitting hearsay evidence of a witness whose direct evidence he had rejected, of mistepresenting the test imony of other witnesses, and of interpolating his judgment after ita delivery. The motion was seconded by Mr. J. EWART. Mr. WHITESIDE entered into a counter-statement of facts, by which he contended that the judgment in question was borne out, observing that Mr. Justice Torrens was only one of five judges of whieli the Court of Delegates consisted, and the judgment he delivered was that of the court. After examining the charges preferred against Mr. Justice Torrens, be declared them to be either groundless or trivial, and asked what the house was going to do—whether it intended to proceed in the career of summoning judges before it upon garbled extracts of evidence. The motion he characterised as a mischievous one, and lie trusted to have the support of her Majesty's Ministers in defending the judges of a court appointed by their own Lord Chancellor. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD and Mr. PACKE opposed the motion. Mr. WALPOLE said he had never listened to a mo tion with greater pain, and hoped it would be the last time the House of Commons would be asked to sit in judgment upon such a question. The last thing the house might to do was to interfere with the administration of justice. He recommended that the motion should be withdrawn. Lord PALMERSTON joined in this recommendation. The house, lie thought, ought not to take upon itself the functions of a court of review, which it was totally incompetent to perform. Mr. PitunmosE, after a brief reply, withdrew the motion. THE M'NEILL AND TULLOCH REPORT. Mr. ROEBUCK, on Monday, gave notice that on Friday next, on the motion for going into committee of supply, he would move the following resolution : That to appoint a commission of general officers to report upon the report of Sir John AV:Celli anti Colonel To'loch is to substitute an inefficient for a very efficient means of investigation, anti that such appointment will tend to strengthen an opinion already prevalent, that the real purpose of such proceeding is to shelterinco:mpetence, and to excuse the misconduct of those by whom ♦arious departments of our army have been subjected to the com mand of proved incapacity. THE CRIMEAN COMMISSION.-MR. Sir JOHN PANINGION, on Tuesday, gave notice of his intention to move the following amendment to Mr. Roebuck's motion on the subject of the Crimean repurt : That the house regretted that her Majesty's Government had not transmitted the report to the Commanderin- Chief before it was submitted to the house, thereby giving ground to suppose that there was a want of confidence between the IVar•otfice and the Horse Guards, and causing the construction of a military commission, which was in adequate in its nature to inquire into the matters contained in the report: and that the house observed with regret tha the Government had appointed to responsible posts officers whose conduct was iropugued, and while the inquiry into their conduct was still proceeding. Lord PALMERSTON, on Tuesday, in reply to Mr. Roebuck, mentioned the names of the board of offi cers to whom the Crimean report is to be submitted, and laid the warrant under which they are to act on the table. RECRUITING IN THE UNITED STATES. Sir DE LACY EVINS, on Thursday, rose to give notice— That on the motion for going into committee on the army estimates 1 shall move a resolution disapproving of the conduct of the Government in repeatedly refusing offers from most respectable parties in Canada to raise troops for service in the Crimea from among our colonial fellow subjects, while, at the same time, abortive attempts were being made to enlist recruits for the same in the ad joining territory of a neutral State, contrary to inter national law. THE CASE OF MR. COMMISSARY-GENERAL FILDER. Mr. F. PEEL, on Thursday, in reply to Sir J. Pakington as t o w h e th er t h ere was an y objection to lay the written reply of Mr. Filder to Lord Panmure upon the table, and thereby do that gentleman the same justice as has been done to the cavalry generals, Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan, said : Should Mr. Filder give any intimation of his desire to have the statement laid upon the table, there will be no objection to the fulfilment of his wishes. I may say, at the same time, that though I do not now enter into the reasons which led to the recal of Mr. Filder, were I to enter into a full explanation of the case, 1 have no doubt that that explanation would be deemed perfectly satisfac tory by the house. MORTALITY OF THE ARMY IN THE CRIMEA. Mr. PEEL, on Tuesday, in answor to Sir De Lacy Evans, rspeatad the explanation he bad given on 1 THE PRESS. a former occasion as to the non-publication of the information obtained by the Crimean Commissioners relative to the mortality in the British army. The information was better fitted for a separate publica tion than to form part of the report., but he could not say if it would be so published. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TREBIZOND AND ERZEROUM. Lord PALMERSTON, on Tuesday, in answer to Mr. Ewart, stated that the English Government had made strong representations to the Ottoman Porte in favour of the construction of a serviceable road from Trebizond to Erzeroum, and similar representations would again be made. THE NEW MILITARY COMMISSION. Lord PALMERSTON, on Thursday, in reply to Mr. Stanley, stated that the inquiry would be conducted with open doors. CONTRACTORS' DISQUALIFICATION REMOVAL BILL. On Wednesday, on the motion for the second reading of this bill, Mr. MITCHELL said, as he found a strong prejudice against the measure, and Mr. Ricardo had announced a motion for a committee to inquire into the whole subject, he should move that the order be discharged. Mr. Dut.lcoatsu seconded the motion, and argued strongly against the policy of repealing the present law. Mr. WALPOLE concurred with Mr. Duncombe, that, while the Legislature was strengthening the law against the corruption of electors, it should take care not to relax it as regarded the elected. With respect to contracts for loans, the committee of last year had reported that these contracts were not within the scope of the existing law; but there was still a great diversity of opinion upon that point; and he thought it would be proper to bring in ads claratory and enacting bill, removing all doubt that the particular specs of contract, between loan con tractors and the Government, was not within the provisions of the statute. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he was glad that, the bill was withdrawn. He thought it was not desirable to alter the law as to contracts with different departments which were not sub mitted to Parliament, those departments having power to vary the terms of the contract and to grant indulgences, thereby influencing the con tractor. In his opinion, the decision of the com mittee was well founded, and he was disposed for the present to let the question rest upon that decision. Mr. Napier, Mr. Hadfield, Mr. Henley, and Mr. Newdegate made a few remarks, and the order was then discharged, so that the bill is with drawn. THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE SYSTEM. On the motion of Lord DUNGANNON, returns were ordered of the number of convicts to whom tickets of leave had been granted ; and the numbers who, since receiving such tickets, had returned to their former courses of crime, specifying the character of the crimes with which they had been charged or convicted of. The noble lord then put a question to the Government, whether it was their intention to continue giving tickets of leave to convicts ? It was notorious that too many of the convicts had returned to their old courses of crime. Earl GRANVILLE said no alteration could be effected in the system without an act of Parliament; and it was not the intention of the Government to bring in any measure on the subject. The Marquis of SALISBURY was surprised at this declaration of Lord Granville. It was quite in the power of the Government to cure the evils com plained of. Lord HARROWBY said the evils could not be avoided, as they resulted from the abolition of transportation, which it would be extremely difficult to restore. Lord MALMESBURY thought this was not the period to abolish transportation. He thought the present system not established, and believed that we must eventually return to transportation. _ _ After some further remarks from the Duke of Argyll, Lords Campbell, St. Germans, and Mont eagle, the subject dropped. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE QUALIFICATION BILL. Mr. COLVII.I.E, on Wednesday, in ►roving the second reading, stated that the object of the bill was to enlarge the qualification and to extend it to per sonal property. Ur. DE - EDE - 8 regretted that he could not support a measure for substituting personal for property quali fication. Sir G. GREY said, although objections might be taken to some parts of the bill, they might be re moved in committee, and he did not object to its principle, that landed property should not be the sole qualification for the ofEce. Mr. VA.Nsirreßr opposed the bill, which was sup ported by Mr. K. SEYXER, and, after a short discus sion, it was read a secondtinte. NATIONAL GALLERY OF Earl STANHOPE, on Tuesday, gave notice that on that day week he would move an address to her Majesty, playing that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to take into her royal consideration, in con nection with the site of the present National Gallery, the practicability and expediency of forming, by degrees, a gallery of original portraits, such portraits to consist as far as possible of those persons who are honourably commemorated in British history as warriors or as statesmen, or in arts, in literature, and in science. THE BRITISH MUSEUM. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, on Thurs day, in reply to Mr. Heywood respecting the appoint ment of a successor to Sir Henry Ellis, as to whether that successor would continue to hold the two offices of librarian and secretary, stated that the Govern ment did not intend to depart from the existing arrangements. REFORM OF THE CORPORATION OF LONDON. Sir G. GREY, on Thursday, in reply to Sir F. Shelley, said be intended to bring in his measure on an early day. THOROUGHFARE THROUGH ST. JAMES'S PARK. Sir B. HALL, on Monday, moved for a select com mittee to consider the best means of communication between those parts of the metropolis which lie north of St. James's-park, and those parts which lie south and south west thereof, and to report thereupon to the house. An attempt was made to defer the motion, but, after a short discussion, in the course of which Lord PALMERSTON stated that no particular line had been contemplated, the motion was agreed to. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF PRIVY COUNCIL. Lord BROUGHAM, on Tuesday, moved for certain returns relative to the proceedings of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and for the produc tion of the rules and regulations established on the 13th of June, 1853, which latter his lordship con tended had facilitated the despatch of business, and diminished the expense of appeals to that tribunal by one-half.—Ordered. ANNUITIES BILL On Wednesday, on the order for the second reading, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that he proposed to introduce into this bill, when in com mittee, a clause of indemnity for subscribers to the existing loan, which would not throw any doubt upon the decision of the committee of last year. The bill was then read a second time, as were the Consolidated Fund Bill and tne Eimhequer Bills Funding Bill. MERCANTILE LAWS OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. The LORD CHANCELLOR, on Tuesday, called atten tion to the second report of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the commercial law, and pointed out the inconsistencies which these laws ex hibited, and showed the necessity of making similes commercial laws for the whole of the United King dom, and brought in two bills on tie subject, which were read a first time. IRISH BAR AND LEGAL EDUCATION. Lord BROUGHAM, on Thursday, presented a peti tion from the Irish bar, praying that the Irish be placed on an equality with the English bar; and that in any measure with reference to legal education Ireland should be treated as an integral part of the United Kingdom. The petition was ordered to lio on the table. The following ar during the week : MONDAY. have taken place The Partnership Amendment Bill and the Joint-stxk Company's Bill severally went through committee pro fermi. Leave was given to the Attorney-General to bring in a bill to amend the Metropolis Local Management Act of last session. The report of the Committee on Ways and Means was agreed to. On the motion of Mr. Harms, a new writ was ordered for the county of Rutland, in the room of Sir Gilbert Heathcote. TVESDAI. Sir A. AuNxw took the oaths and his seat for Wigtown shire. Mr. WISE gave notice that on Tuesday, March 11, he should move for a select committee to inquire into the state of our constnar establishments. viscount GODERICH, on the part of his hon. friend Mr. Layanl, would give notice that he intended to postpone his motion relative to the report of the Crimean Commis sioners until that day fortnight. Mr. Rot:BucK gave notice that on that day fortnight be should move an address to her Majesty on the subject of the ialaries of county-court judges. The Charitable Uses Bill was read a third time and passed, after a short discussion of the amendments pro posed. The Select Committee on the Court of Chancery (Ire• lanct) Bill, and that on St. James's-park, were nominated, not without some opposition. .. 199