The Sun. — London, England, 1858-07-30 00:00:00

THE SITN, LONDON, FRIDAY EV ENING, JULY f3O, 1858, IMPERIAL I 'ARLIAMENT. - _ ) HOUSE OF LORD a ..ee(YESTBRDA.Y. The LORD CHANOZLLon took Iris seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition again st the bill for legalising marriage w.lth a deceased wire sister. The Earl of MINTO said it was' bill which il Agains,ostt the rules of any the house to present petitions a g t had been already rejected. Lord CAMPBELL apologised for ;pr esenting the pe .be allowed to ex tition but at the same time he net :be n ot been read a press his satisfaction that the bill second time. BILL. UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLAN-9) :Crpeu the order of the us for disagreeing to some day being read for the conside ration of the Commons' tfile Commons of the amendments madez..ebally°the Lords to this bill, The Duke of MONTROTE regrett nendments that had been objected to many of the a s . lose the mea• ether thou mede by their lordships, but r. ertant should be passed this sure, which it was so im p session, be thoug ht u p on the ' whole the' Vest course would be not to persist in those amendments. After a few words from the Earl of Haddington, Lord Campbell, and the Earl Of Minto, the amendmenti:' were withdrawn. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. GOVERNMENT OF NEW CALEDONIA. BILL , This bill was read a third time and passed. MILITIA PAY BILL. This bill passed - through committee,and was reported. The Consolidated Fund Appropriation Bill passed through committee, and was reported, without amend ments. The Mowing bills also passed through committee : Militia (Services Abroad), Militia Acts Continuance, No. 2, Judgments (Ireland) Act Continuance, and Drafts on Bankers Law Amendment. CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION BILL. This bill having passed through committee, Lord EMMY, on the bringing up of the :report, moved the omission of the clause which leealises the payment of the travelling expenses of vot,vg- The noble earl (Hardwicke) in explaining the object ,1f this bill the other night, said the object of this clause was to enable poor voters to exercise their right to vote without incurring loss in so doing, but on examining the (dense, he (Lord Ebury) did not find one word about poor voters. The clause, if agreed to, would enable every person voting at an election of a member of Par liament to claim his expenses, and the result would be that enormous expense would be entailed upon the can didate, and that which had hitherto been looked upon as bribery would receive the sanction of Parliament. The Earl of HARDWICKE said, the single object of the bill was to remedy the present unsettled state of the law on this question of the carriage of voters. No one knew exactly now what to do. The consequence was that the greatest inequality and unfairness was produced in election contests. It was for the advantage of all parties that some strict defined rule should be laid down on which all might act alike. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY entertained in superable objections to this clause, and if it passed the bill ought to be called a measure for the " promotion," not the " prevention," of corrupt practices. It would open the door to all sorts of corruption and bribery and would give the advantage in every case to the wealthiest candidate. He recommended that the question should be deferred until it could be dealt with in the large mea sure of Parliamentary Reform which the Government had undertaken to introduce next session„ The Earl of WICKLOW thought that the question ought to be decided whether or not a voter could be legally carried to the poll. The object was either to bring the poll to every voter, or every voter to the poll. The former proposition was not practicable, and there fore he supported the clause. Lord CAMPBELL complained of the late period of the session at which so important a measure bad been brought before their lordships. It was read a second time, he believed, on the very day fixed by the noble lord the Chairman of Committees as the last day on which their lordships would read any bill a second time, and therefore, if not contrary to the letter, it was con trary to the spirit of the noble lord's resolution. Ar guments might be urged on both sides of the question, and he was not prepared to give any positive opinion upon them. It was very important that the honest and poor voter should exeroise the franchise ; but to give him facilities might open the door to bribery and cor ruption. Instead of removing doubts in the law the clause would give rise to many difficult questions. The necessity for legislation was not urgent, and it bad been announced in the other house that a Reform Bill was to be introduced next session, when the whole subject would be discussed. It was impos'ible to doubt that the clause would add greatly to the expense of elections. Non-resident electors would be brought from remote parts of the country, from the continent, and possibly from Australia. The expenses not being payable to the voter himself could only be paid by an agent, and a special messenger might be sent to accom pany enaim non-resident vntAr. Then would arise the question which he had no doubt would soon be discussed in Westminster-hall, whether conveyance did not include refreshment and ocnveyance back again—whether all the consequences of what was enacted were not enacted. Those were specimens of the questions which would arise, and as no evil could result from postponement he entreated their lordships not to agree to the clause. Lord REDESDALE reminded their lordships that thle Corr Egtefilyd'ektUßfterrvzin - L`n second time, and was read a second time as a bill of ur gency. This bill had received the approval of Lord Pal merston and Lord John Russell, and he thought they were justified in acceding to a proposition - which came to them with such authority, and which peculiarly af fected the privileges of the ether house. Earl GRANVILLE said there was this very essential difference between the dates of reading this bill and the bill'of 1854 a second time. In this case, the last day on which they would read bills a second time happened to be fixed five days before the end of the session, and in MI it was 18 days before the end of the session. He did not think that too much stress ought to be laid . upon the supposed acquiescence of Lord Palmerston and Lord J. Russell in this clause, because the former noble lord distinctly stated that there were arguments on both sides, and Lord J. Russell expressed a strong opi nion that this ought to be merely a continuance bill. He concurred with the noble and learned lord in his objec tion to the period at which their lordships were called upon to pass a measure which was only read a second time on Tuesday at the tail of twenty-eight other orders of the day. Lord Lyndhurst thought the bill in its present shape so objectionable that he had authorised him to obtain a pair for him against the clause if their lordships should divide upon it. (Hear.) When their lordships remembered that the Secretary of State had expressed an opinion that this bill ought to be re ferred to a select committee, and that it was the intention of the Government to bring in a general measure in the early part of next session, there could be no pretext for hurrying their lordships into the adoption of a premature and ill-considered alteration of the law. He had, there fore, great pleasure in supporting the motion of his noble friend. Their lordships then divided-- Contents Non-Contents ... Majority for the clause The report was then received. JUDGMENTS (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This ' bill, with amendments, went through committee. DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT _ AMENDMENT BILL. • The Commons' amendments to this bill were eons dered. Lord REDESDALE proposed that clause 5, enabling persons abroad to institute proceedings, which had been struck out by the Commons, should be restored. He had no wish to take any step which might endanger the bill; but he thought the Commons should have an opportunity of reconsidering their decision. Atter a few words from Lord CBANWORTH, The Commons' amendment was disagreed with, and the clause restored to the bill. Clause A s sent up from the Commons, was agreed to with an amendment by their lordships and the other Commons' amendments were also agreed to. PROBATE AND LETTERS OF ADMINISTRA TION ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Commons' amendments in this bill were agreed to, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. BILL. The order of the day for the consideration of the Com mons' reasons for disagreeing with the amendments made by the Lords in this bill having been read, Lord DERBY said—lt could hardly be expected that on a question of so much importance, and involving so many varied considerations as this, there should not be differences of opinion between the members of each House of Parliament, and also between the two houses them tielvee. Your lordships made several amendments in this bill, to the greater number, though perhaps not the most important, of which the Commons do not object. There are, however, five amendments which were made by your lordships to which that house has objected, and for objecting to which they have sent reasons to your lord ship. Perhaps it may he convenient that, instead of dealing entirely separately with each of these amend ments, I should at once state the course which the Go vernment are prepared t o take with regard to them all, leavinr , the decision upon each for subsequent . discussion and consideration.b The fir-,t amendment i with which the House of Commons have disagreed wi,l .ba found in the seventh line of the ninth page of the hill. th bill came from the House of Commons it was provided . that, with regard to all despatche s which might requ i ire se crecy—and that there were some that did require was not denied by any one —the Secretary of State should exEroise the fanctions formerly performed , oy the secre t committee of the Court of Directors. It was objected by my nobl e f r i en d (L or d Ell en b oro ugh) that that provision gave to th e Secretary of State not only a po wer which was . not ab so l ute l y necessary, but a much greater a uthc ray than is now pcsweed•bythe President of the Board of Control, because, although the President may insist upon sending out any secret orders, he must communi cate them to the Chairman and Du t Ch man of the East India Company, and, therefore, e although yalr he is not bound to follow their advice, he must necessarily have a a con sultation with them before taking step which ma - c lead to very important consequence,. My noble friene argued with very gre a t force that th e S ecretary of State wo uld now be placed in a position of more complete inde pendence, and might upon his own resp ons ibili ty, an d without bearing the opinion or advice of any of the councillors mighthom aw surrounds him, take a step which ghave moat important and most preju dicial effects. In compliance with these representations of my noble friend it was agreed to introduce into this clause words requiring the Secretary of State before sending out secret orders to communicate them to the Vice-President of the Council and one other member, to be selected by himself. I think that that was a wise and judicious arrangement, and one which, without too much cramping the authority of the Secretary of State,secured to him the same means of obtaining assistance and ad vice as are possessed by the President of the Board of Control under the existing system. It is, however, the opinion of the House Commons, that the provision which we introduced "tends to divide the responsibility of the Minister, and create a new secret committee, which, under the new Government, will be no longer necessary." There is no question that, to a certain, but very limited extent—because the Secretary of State has the power of overruling the councillors whom he consults —it does relieve him from responsibility. If the House of Commons are of opinion that that responsibility should be so whole and undivided as not to require that he should consult any person whatever before he takes so important a step as sending secret orders out to the il as it was sent down by your lordships. What the House of Commons means by saying that the Secret Commit tee will under the new Government no longer be neces easel they do not explain, and of course I cannot ex plain it for them. I cannot say that I think the amend ment l ots an injudieons one, or that its rejection by the Common.; is a desirable alteration of the bill. At rat e t sam e time, 3. do not think that , con siderin g the very grea 1 interests which are involved in the passing of this bill, the amendment suede dy your lordships is of sufficient im iortance to justify you in adhering to it against the wish of t See House of Commone, and therefore I shall propose List your lordships do not persist in that amendment. For the same reason, because I think that the q involved in them, though not an inconsiderable lord- one, is only of sub ordinate im p ortance , I shall ask your b urps not to insist upon the amendme taken by nts made in pa thgee 9, Iries 27, 39, and 40 . The objections Commons to these amendments appear to me to be ra ther incemeistent with that to which I have just referred. In that inotwnce they objected that the amendment in troduced by Var lordships t e nded` o divide t whichhe respour n sibility of the mister . In this insance, in yo Win lordships proposed to give to the Secretary of State un divided responsibility with regard to the appointment of the members of the Council of the Governor-General, m eta of the different Presidencies in India, sibi the H lity ought ouse of Cox:talons gay that that undivided re4pon not t rest with the Minister, and that " it is undesir ablel to increase the patronage of the Minister without providing' a check upon its' exercise." The distinction between ti:e views of the two houses is this. According to your lorcleships' amendment the Secretary of State was ca .to make these appoi ntments in Council, lled w hich rendered t necessary for him in every case to lay the proposed 0131-s o intment before the Coun cil, and to listen tol any objections which might be raised to it. The House of Commons have rejected that amend ment and restorer...l the clause to the form i n wh ich it or i g inally stood—eeiz., that the Secretary of Sta t e tments, not onl we shall make these al epoin but also with the y conc ith urre th nce knowledge of the Coune il e of the councillors. As the of the votes of a majoritY to the Secretary of State previous alteration leaves . ,that this unduly restrains too large a discretion, I think go' in the hands of the his powers and places too mu Council as a body the appointms'nt to very important noble friend (Lord offices, thereby encouraging what ts'Y Ellenborough) particularly deprecate. ‘—canva9sing and `lO Council rather the looking to individual members of t e otry and to the than to the Secretary of State in this cod. elteration, Governor General in India. I ob j ect to th! 3 . but I am not prepared to as k y our lordship' tie pe o r e s r is e t . in an amendment which has been deliberately and fully considered and rejected by the House of Ctsenmoele- The next two amendments to which the C mmons ebjeci are in pages 10 and 11, and involve the principle c..f ap pointment by competition. Now, I alai to draw your lordships' attention to the exact state of the case, and to the questions which are raised by the bill as it was sent up from the House of Commons, by your lordships' amendment, and by the rejection of that amendment by the other house. As the bill originally stood, it was i proposed to substitute the Secretary of State and Coun cil for the President of the Board of Control and the Court of Directors of the East India Company. With these authorities have hitherto rested the appointments to the civil and military services of the Company ; but candidates have been required to undergo a very severe and, to a certain extent, competitive examination. The particulars of that examination, and the amount of com petition which was to be introduced into it, have been regulated, net by an Act of Parliament, but by instru ments proceeding from the competent authorities, and in substituting the Secretary of State and Council for those authorities the bill, as originally introduced, gave to the Secretary of State power of making regulations, to be confirmed by order in Council, as was formerly exer cised by the Court of Directors and the President of the Board of Control. The "Louie of Commons, however, went a step further, in the direction of a com petitive e xamination, and proposed not only that a ll candidates should be subjected to such an exa mination, but that the result of that competition should, without reference to any other circumstances or any other conditions, regulate 0,0 ord., of ~,,, cession in which candidates should receive their appoint ments. Ido not wish to enter now into the general question of the principle of competitive examination for admission to the civil or military service ; but I think there are two grounds on which your lordships' amend ments may be fairly vindicated, and their rejection by ~—.4—;..a 4,v. The one is, that the principle of competition was exactly as much secured, subject to the consent of Parliament, by the bill, as it stood in the first instance, and by the system as it existed under the East India Company, in asmuch as the regulations being made and confirmed by order in council, that order in council, or any other order varying those regulations, having to be laid before the House of Commons, that house had an opportunity of expressing its opinion as to the expediency of such va riations. And seeing how much the print plc of compe tition is on its trial, perhaps its successful trial, at this moment, I think it was not judicious absolutely to tie the hands of the Executive Government as by an Act of Parliament to lay down such stringent rules as to the necessity of appointing the most successful competitor. Another objection is, that bitherto the regulation of ap pointments to the civil and military service of this country has not been under Act of Parliament, but by the direct authority of the Crown, of course under the responsibility of its advisers. This clause might therefore be regarded as to a certain extent infringing on the prerogative of the Crown in respect to these appointments. I must, how ever, fairly admit that there is a partial answer to this objection as far as the civil service is concerned ; for, though undoubtedly such a regulation as to the civil service of this country would be an infrivgarnent on the prerogative of the Crown, it is not so clear that that in fraction would extend to the case of India, because it is not a prerogative which the Crown has hitherto exercised there. It is a power and a prerogative which the House of Commons and Parliament are for the first time vest ing in the Crown— viz , the administration of Indian affairs by direct management, and by patronage —which is the most important point—connected with the services of India. Therefore it is competent for Parliament to hand over that power and authority to the Crown sub mode—that is to say, sub ject to such conditions as at the time of the transfer it may deem fit. Though Ido not assent to the principle adopted by the House of Commons, though I think it an unw ise course so to fetter the hands of the Executive and of the Indian Minister as well as to limit the discre tion of Parliament itself, yet in regard to the civil ser vice I am not prepared to advise your lordships to insist on your amendment. But I must say there is another branch of the service which appears to me to stand on quite a different footing. You are now handing over to the Crown the supreme authority over the army of India ; but, by the 33d clause of this bill, it is provided that all appointments to cadetships shall be vested in her Majesty. And if you provide, as I think you must do, that with regard to the military service of India, as well as with regard to the military service of this coun try, all appointments of this description should be vested in the Crown, it is almost a contradiction in terms to say, in the first instance, that all cadetships in the scien tific branch shall be vested in her Majesty, and to follow that up by saying that no persons sha ll be recommended except in the precise order as they cease out of a com petitive examination, and that the Crown shall be com pelled to exercise its authority according to the result of that competition. With respect to the civil service, it may be argued that practically speaking, the Crown does not exercise that authority over appointments which are perhaps by the strict theory of the constitution vetvsted in it. But, in reference to the army, whether is country or of India, it is of great importance that we should!not loselsight of the principle that the Crown, and not Parliament, is the true source of appoint ment and of promotion. (Hear, hear.) That is a con stitutional principle which I confess I should see aban doned with very great regret and I think this p oint has not been maturely considered by the House o f C,ma mons. As to admission to th t e h c e ivilservice, the question Was raised in that assembly , cussed, and a division taken upon whenhf o i u house , was dis -! t ' e n om a e m t i o n u e ri d ttr e: Govern must, no doubt in a thin hose This being so, and the other house having liberate decision on this subject, thatviins'• anotherwith reason why we should not insist on our amendmentregard to to it. But the power of the Crown in theor practice over appointments arid promotions in L an a in I hold to be a matter of very considerable constitutionalrmy importance. The House of Commons, however, appears rather hastily to have inferred that the same necessity applied to the military as to the ci vil se r vice ; and, c. cordingly, it introduced into this clause amendments re lating to cadetships in the scientific branches °erre pending to those applicable to the civil service. This was done without taking into serious consideration and i s t discussing in t ionbetween whether thethere is power of h not a broadte c r : nover constitutional the d civil and the military departments respectively. This is a point of such great moment that, without saying that, even if the other house should adhere to its opinion, 1 -hould think it preferable that this important r u 7: 1: r to o e u tnr l a( d i ei :tending t eg d ltoes sucht, and another snad that he interim session,t a long d with gove government discussions c te u hn s e s t io inconvenience f s should an n e e m are . ri lee re like India, still it vc ould be unwise for your lordships has tily and at once to adopt the decision of the House of Commons in re j ection of your amendments. And s respects V:e provision that the Crown shall be bound to grant cadetships pr ecisel y in accordance with the suc cess of the candidates in a competitive examination, it is I believe due to the prerogative of the Crown, due to your lordships' own position, due to the great interests involved, as well as respectful to the other house itself, that it should be invited to consider the marked distinction f between the two cases, and that as the formal mode o attaining that end your lordships should be advised to insist on your ate tendment, which strikes out that abso lute and imperati . ve condition imposed on the Crown of selecting for cade tships in the scientific branches of the army those perste ns who may have most distinguished themselves at the examination, and that, too, in the ex act order in whit h they have so distinguished them selves. (Hear.) There is another clause as to which the House of Conswons seems to have shared the misaps prehension% entert'ained by some of your lordships. I allude to clause 54, which was much discussed here, and which requires that whenever any order directing actual hostilities to be commenced shall be issued, the fact of its issue shall be coon uunicated to both Houses of Par liament. In the origin Al provision the communication to Parliament was to be made within one month from the date of sending out Vie order ; but your lordships amended it to three moni‘hs if Parliament should be sit ting, adding at the same time the words "unless such order shall be revoked or suspended." If Parliament was not sitting, then the communication was to be made within a month after its next meeting. Perhaps the clause is not sufficiently explicit, because the intention is that if at the end of three months Parliament should not be sitting, then within three months after the re sumption of its deliberations the notice in question should be given. But the House of Commons seems to have thought the first and second conditions inconsistent with each other, and it says that the period of three months does not harmonise with the one month after the meeting of Parliament, which meeting may take place immediately after the issue of the order contem plated by the clause. That misconstruction existed in this house, and I regret that words were not inserted to make th e meaning clearer ; but the grounds stated for allow ing an interval of three months after the declaration of hostilities were really such as it would be impossible for the House of Commons to resist or overlook. These grounds were that the or ders might be sent out to India—and recollect it is with India you are dealing for the commence ment of hostilities. They could not be received within a month in that country, and after their receipt circum stances might possibly arise which would prevent the Governor-General, either from reasons of discretion or actual inability, from carrying those orders into effect. He might send home word, "It is quite clear we shall have to engage in warlike operations, but it is necessary to temporise ; I have not at command sufficient military resources, and I shall not be prepared to execute your orders within the next two months." In the meantime, however, before it was possible to send back this answer to this country—nay, even before the order itself could reach India—the clause as it first stood required the fact that such an order bad been issued to be promulgated and laid before Parliament. The consequence of that would be that the next mail would take out to India news that directions had been given to commence hostili ties, and every country against which such hostilities had been ordered would have ample notice of your intention to make war upon them, although your own Governor- General might have told you that for two or three months he would not be prepared to act upon your instructions. Thus, you would be actually giving your enemy, or rather your intended enemy, full warning of what you were going to do, while at the same time your own instru ments had not the means of giving immediate effect to your directions. No one, therefore, can, I think, doubt the propriety of the alteration made by your lordships to cause the fact of such an order having been sent out to be announced to Parliament not within one month, but within three months after its issue, so as to afford time for communicating with India, and learning whether or not there would be any difficulty in promulgating the order. Your lordships, as I have already said, have also inserted in this clause words providing that if such orders were suspended or revoked, then it would be unneces sary to lay them before Parliament at all. Cl e arly, if they are not to be acted upon, it would be un wise to in form the peruns with whom you have to deal that y ou ever intended to declare war against them. The clause then enacts that these orders shall be communicated to Parliament, if it is then sitting, within three months. This will give the Government three months grace, at I the expiration of which they will be bound to lay the o rders they have issued before Parliament. If, however, after that interval has elapsed Parliament should not be sitting.!hen the Government will have had the advan • tage of the three months already given them for the issue and promulgation of the order, and as sson as the Legislature re - assemb les, or within one month after its re-assembling, it will be incumbent on them to com ar;li'p3r e been had that o m r n a l' d a e to . I p o t p t o h s e e factthat c t l h a e u s l o t e b * the order shall be communicated to both Houses of Par. liament within three months after the sending of i such order if Parliam ent is sitting, and i f Parliament s not sitting at the end of such three months, then within one mon th next after the meetin g of Parliament. That, I think, would carry out what were your lordships' inten tions. (Hear, bear.) It removes the obvious miscon struction which the House of Commons has put upon the clause. With that alteration I think they would be of op i n i on that the clause is reasonable and just. I shall, therefore, my lords, propose, with regard to clause 54, that we do insist upon your lordships' amendments as altered by the amendment which I propose to insert in it. My lords, these are all the objections which the House of Commons have made to the amendments made by your lordships in the India Bill, and I thought it more convenient that I should make a general state ment with regard to them rather than make a separate statement on each. My propeeition, therefore, is not so . r .- yn,,,•.mpodment3 with regard to the first aed second of these amendments, and also with regard to the third, so far as it relates to the civil • service, but to insist upon your lordships' amendment, and to submit it again to the further and more delibe rate consideration of the House of Commons with re gard to oadotahipa io the scientific branches of the mili tary service ; and also to insist upon your lordships' amendment with another amendment of a clause which I cannot but think has been mi-apprehended and mis understood by the House of Commons. (Hear, hear.) Earl GRANVILLE—I do not rise for the purpose of objecting to the course proposed by the noble earl. In the first place, I entirely agree to the very judicious course which, under the present circumstances, he has proposed that we shall take ; and in the second place, the session is so nearly at an end that I agree with the noble earl it would be perfectly idle to insist upon all our amendments. At the same time I cannot help ad verting to the strange conduct of the Government with regard to this bill. The noble earl, by the fact of his being Prime Minister and leader of this house, by the exercise of that influence which a Government always exercises at the end of a session, is virtually master of the proceedings of this house, and in that capacity I think he is necessarily bound to watch over the dignity and propriety of the proceedings of this house. Ido not wish to wander from the question before the house, but to illustrate my meaning I must allude to another question, which was very recently discussed by this house—l allude to the Jewish question. In that case we followed implicitly what was laid down by the noble earl as the most proper course to be adopted. We on this side of the house remonstrated strongly a ga i ns t certain proceedings connected with the Jewish question as likely to throw ridicule and a certain amount of discredit on this house. As soon as the pros ceedings were closed here public opinion certainly was expressed in • every possible way in the sense that we expected. Of course there was no help for that. But when the matter came before the House of Commons we found in the report of their pro ceedings that every side of the house agreed in the ob jection we had made, and I think this house, as a body, had a right to expect that some of the members of that Government which induced us to take the course we did should have vindicated that course in some manner, instead of which two of the noble earl's colleagues in the other house remained perfectly silent, and one of the Secretaries of State expressed his regret tha'a the House of Lords having taken a course which they thought wrong, did not, at least, act in a straightforward manner. With regard to that clause to which the third amend ment refers, and which relates to competitive examina tion, an amendment was proposed to which I strongly objected. The noble earl said the House of Commons had adopted on that subject a course which he did not think judicious. But it was not a private member of the House of Commons who proposed that course. That, c lause was proposed by one of the members of her - Ma jesty's Government, the President of the Board of Con trol, and, therefore, by one who was bound to be in accord with the opinions of the Government on the sub ject. When the amendment was proposed I objected strongly, on the first blush, that it was an amendment which appeared to me to take away the whole security which was thought necessary by the President of the Board cf Control. But I was met by what ap peared to me a very fair argument a: the time — that while practically it would not interfere with open competition as to admission to the civil service it would at the same time save a great constitutional principle and prevent an encroachment on the prerogative of the Crown. And t o that this house yielded. I strongly objected to the amendment with regard to the re-censtitation of what will practically be a secret cemmittee ; but . I f elt that the noble earl's authori y on the opposite side was strongly in fa vour of the amendment, and I urged every reason which a ppeared to me why it was most desirable not to fetter . the Secretary of State. The amen -Invent, howe ver, . being n n y a t t h u i r h a g llp i e t az a ie a d t . !a N h o a w ve , been xpected that her Majesty s Goverr . iment wcu,d have i p E r t o h p i ) s s a e ra d e b a y d t tn h e e n n t o w bl a e s made some effort to complete that w . hich . was the work earl, arl worth w a s a , of the Pliine Minister. But not a bit of it. If lam to believe the reports of the p roceedings of the other House the President of the Board of Control voted against this amendment, and stated that i n his opinion the amend ment was perfectly indefensible. (Hear, hear ) Well , then, I come to the next clause. What the House of C nnaions have done with regard to it, I for k, rather bears me out in what I took the liberty of pointing out on each successive c'ause connected with patronage — that whereas a great outcry was raised against the late Government as to the iinagir ary amount of patronage %bleb they were about to tran,fer to t'nerneelvee, every single change that has taken place under the d irect o 0 of her Majesty's present Government h been to increase the patronage cocferred upon the Secretary of State ; and, therefore, I am not surprised that the Home of Commons should have insisted on some check being re tained upon the exercise of patronage. If y our lord ships had adopted the course which we on this side of respectively. ee y. you o a t hi n k the House suggested, and which was so strongly su p - I ported by the noble earl the late President of the Boa rd of Cont r ol, tt a n o t en m a now o o House ha s ba obliged ta the Councils of the G overnor -G enera l an d Govern ors esp amendment civ aso mo r the ereasonmembersabandon t o o o m your f. plain that that confident communication which they should for their own sake have maintained has not, at all events, been maintained between the members of the Government sitting in each lions° in order to keep up that consistency between the proceedings of the two Houses which, I think, is most important to the dignity and honour of both Houses of Parliament. With respect to the amendment proposed by the noble earl as to competitive examination, I must say that I feel some pride that the noble earl, after having opposed my amendment, should now be theoperson to oppose one portion of the amendment of the House of Commons. With regard to the last amendments, I can only say I feel very grateful to the noble earl for having so very clearly stated the reasons why we during two stages of the bill pressed upon him those alterations, and which I am glad to say, except with a.verbal amendment, he in• tends now to insist upon. I have stated why we on this side of the house think we have good reason to complain of the conduct of the Government with respect to this bill, but at the same time it is far from my intention to object to the course proposed by the noble earl. Lord CAMPBELL was perfectly astonished at the passionate affection which the House of Commons had recently shown for competitive examination. They had actually gone wild on that subject. (Laughter.) Com petitive examination might most usefully be applied to the House of Commons itself. (Renewed laughter ) He thought discriminating examination was far preferable to competitive examination. The former system was applied even to the judges of the supreme court of justice in Scotland. He should propose a sort of dis criminating examination for the House of Commons ; and, instead of hon. members in that house pushing their passion for competitive examination to such au extrava gant degree as even to interfere with the prerogative of the Crown in the appointment to military commands, he recommended that they should direct their minds to con sidering whether a discriminating examination in their own cases might not be desirable. (Hear, and a laugh.) The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH—AIthough I per ceive with the greatest possible concern and regret the amendments which have been made by the House of Commons, I do not feel disposed to comment upon what took place in that house with respect to them. I admit that on all great questions the largest amount of ability is displayed by the gentlemen who lead the debates in that house, and, although I most deeply regret the opi nion which appears to be generally entertained there with respect to competitive examinations, yet I should be sorry:to attribute to the members of the other house any but the most conscientious convictions of duty in adhering to their opinion. I shall not trouble your lord ships with any general observations, but shall proceed at once to the questions at issue. If it be true, as the House of Commons state, with regard to the first point, that it is impossible to defend the amendment which your lordships have made, I can only regret that the House of Commons did not give better reasons for in sisting on the bill as it stood when they sent it up to your lordships ; for I find that they declare, in the first place, that the submitting of the secret despatches to two members of the Council would tend to divide the responsibility of the Minister. My lords, it could not by possibility have that effect, because the members of the secret committee are constituted only for the purpose of inspecting the secret despatches, and they would have n o power of objecting to those despatches or of pre vent'ng their being sent Tbey would have no other power, in fact, than that of offering in a copious and confidential manner their opinions with respect to them if they happened to differ from the Minister. I will give you an example, the application of which I am sure you will admit. The other day I wrote a despatch with regard to Lord Canning's andproclama tion.hdlhti hur,aef adsevvtpsopeesio n n: fcli ht o olgteleramhh r eotdk e htonpo eh p walunssec r adoeithto e vtrwege s huyi ,1 stated ya n oigewdu t nor e a labdnulmr t eadtr i ete o ty, wtin n tosoathoershgt w asdl uuefetttsl a c nanhdtru s i neueiej That despatch was in the hands of the secret o w committee for six days. No objection was taken to it, ua made reasonto me f for r n m t hye responsi bilitysubject being considered to be divided—if I had endea vourednhrtips tdacauseuil have drl tp r yeeb ot t uoubten h f: ton: e t circumstan ce esshlthntuhe akacasnshviataceeomi aedwarnyoect of th e hxetadhcat responsibilityeut Insdeb o easas f mhpd C omm ittee,otaihg nut spiriteahol s hould having been submitted to the Secret Committee in -no way relieved me of that responsibility. (Hear.) It is said that the bill wilt e net° r e wbieb, under the new form of government will not be necessary. But, my lords, the real change effected by this hilt in the practical government of India is not great. With the ex ception of the use of the Queen's name, which I deem very valuable, and the nomination by the Crown of the Governor-General and Governors, there is no great prac tical alteration in the mode of governing India, especially since it has been determined to continue in the Council half of the existing Court. How, then, can it be said that the slight change winch has taken place affords any reason for discontinuing the Secret Committee ? In my opinion, there is no change, however great, in the go vernment of India which could have dispensed with tie necessity for submitting the secret despatches to some second mind. This is the real value cf the committee. It is advisable in the course of human nature fur any man, be he whom he may, to submit everything of great importance that he writes to some one other mind. Be that mind an inferior mind, let the person possessing it have no power whatever over his proceedings, still there is an advantage in being compelled no to communicate; and that advantage I desire to maintain. (Hear.) Re member, thy emus, wee gene i ne-roren mittee was inserted in the original law for the govern. isoent of India by no common men; but that it was put there by Mr. Pitt and the first Mr. Dundas, two of the ablest men who ever swayed the councils of this country. Be assured that they did not do it without good reason. The Preeidout of the Board of Control bad then, as now, colleagues to whom he could refer ; but it was thought advisable that persons connected with India, and who could understand the real bearings of the case, should at all times have despatches of importance sub mitted to them, and should have the power of expressing an opinion with regard to them. These were my rea sons for desiring the introduction of that amendment. However, I agree with my noble friend that it is not of so much importance as that it would be desirable to risk the passing of this measure by insisting upon it in oppo sition to the opinion of the other house. But then comes another amendment of far greater importance, which, in reality, goes to the whole constitution of the Indian government, and I confess that it is with very great regret that I find thao my noble friend does not intend to insist upon it. The House of Commons say that it is undesirable to increase the patronage of the Minister without providing a check upon its exercise; but in this .bill they have greatly increased the patronage of the Minister without any check whatever. Tnoy have given him the power of creating the Governor-General, the Governors, and the members of the Council also. They have given him a great increase of patronage in the disposition of the establishment of the India House and likewise in the D omination to cadetships, without any check at all. But that on which I insisted is not patronage. Appointments to the Council in India are not appointments which a Government would ei.er ven ture to look on in the light of patronage. They will only be made in the exercise of the highest function of the executive Government —that of providing the very beat persona to assist in carrying on the most inepor• tent branches of administration in India. No Go vernment would ever venture in the way of a job, upon appointments of that description. Bat this I know, that it is most desirable that there should not be a double government in India. Under the bill as it stands now the Government name the Governor-General, while Vie Council will name the councillors of the Governor- General. The Council may take totally different views with respect to the mast important matters from those taken by the Governor-General. Beaten here, by the po over of the Secretary of State in the Council, they may, through their appointments to the Council in India, very materially affect the conduct of public affairs ; for, recollect that the Governor-General, though he has the power of overruling his Council in extreme cases affecting the highest interests and safety of the State, has not the power which is given to the Secretary of tate by this bill of overruling his Council on all occasions. It is only in extreme cases that he can do so, and there might be in his Council gentlemen opposed to the Governor- General who might reduce his authority to contempt by ,ntinually thwarting him ; yet the power of appoint ing those gentlemen you leave to the Council here. I think this a most material error. I have always deemed it necessary that all persons in India should I,ok head of the Government alone, or. if not t o him, to the head of the Government here. What would be the poei teen of my noble friend near me if the principle proposed to be applied to the Governor-General we-e carried out in my noble friend's caee—and if he , placed by favour of her Majesty's confidence in the position of First Mi ni,ter of the Crown, were to have all his colleagues chosen by the noble lords who now sit opposite? (" Hear, hear," and a laugh.) Yet that is exactly the position in which you place the Governor-General of India, who has to conduct matters as important as those which fall to the lot of my n o ble friend. I think, t herefore, that this is G e a v m er o u s m t e s u er t i u ou f s ln e d r ia ro , r an in d the co l vices of the old a d m i n i s t r ation. You re-a pp oint to the c o itn s t p i e t r u p t i e o t n u a t o e f s t h a e l n t e h w e Council half of the existing Court of Directors, with all their traditional policy, and you enable them to appoint the councillors of the Governor-General although it is notorious that according to their old prejudices every Governer-General is regarded as an enemy nn lees he adopts a course of subserviency to the Court. I cannot agree, therefore, with the Commons in their objection to this clause. It would be idle to think of dividing the house upon the subject , but I cannot g ive my assent to it because I believe that it will lead to great evils. Then comes a very iniportant q uestion with re spect to whi c h my no b le friend concedes one-half, and insists upon his own amendment as to the other half. When he makes a distinction between the military and civil services I think he has good ground to stand upon. There is a materiel difference between them. When corn p aitive examination was flint established for the Civil Service, I admitted that there was considerable advan th":l3 10 disconnecting the Civil Service from the Court of Directors, and that advantage still will continue to exi-t to a certain extent although the Court will have Lecome a ()Tanen. Feeling, therefore, that a great political as well as social revolution is thereby accomplished in India, I do not object to my noble friend's determina tion not t i insist on hie amendment on this point, but I rejoice that he insists upon it in the other. My lords, I cannot but regret th a t the House of Commons has fallen into what appears to me a dangerous error with respect to open competitive examination as the only road by which for the funtre achnie,;on is t i be obldned into the military see vice of India. (Rear.) lam quite sure that there is not only in the House of Commons, but also out of doors, a great error as to the classes which are to be benefited and injured by this poet innovation. The Establiehment of compaitive examination does not in the smallest degree affect your lordships' house—it does not affect your relatives or connections, nor the connections of the great landed gentry of the country, I regret to say that members of your lordships' house and of the other house, and the first gentry in the country, have not endeavoured—except in very rare cases—to obtain for their sons situations in the service of the Indian Go vernment. I regret it deeply, because I know it is by far the best field which any man can have for the exercise of his abilities, and it affords the highest rewards for the display of the highest virtues. I regret that this house has not participated in the glory which has been reflected by late events on the servants of the Indian Government. But I desire, my lords, to retain these ap pointments in the class which has hitherto held them. That class is the class of educated gentlemen which oc cupies the centre of society, which extends on the one side to the confines of the class which lives by buying and selling, and on the other to the class of which your lord ships are members—persons who have the means of pro viding for their eons otherwise than by professions of a lucrative description, of doing that for them which I think is the greatest misfortune than can befall any wan —enabling them to live in idleness. (Hear.) This class embraces clergymen, country gentlemen of small incomes, lawyers and all the learned professions, officers in the army and navy, and all that great class of persons hav ing a mediocrity of fortune, but of the highest and most cultivated intellec`. It is from that class which it is in tended by this clause to take away these appointments In sanctioning this principle Parliament has introduced a property qualification for appointments in the public service, because there is no doubt that it is by paying highly those who cram candidates for these appointments that they will be obtained. It is only by the expenditure of large sums in this way that it will be possible for the future to enter the service, and the gentlemen who have hitherto obtained appointments have not the means of incurring this expenditure. But the education obtained in these cramming colleges is not the highest species of education—that which is obtained at home by the exam. ple and conversation of good parents is by far the highest. You cannot compare for a moment the education which the a ms of elergymen and officers get with the education obtained by the sons of rich grocers or linendrapere, who will be successful in these competitive examina tions. Depend upon it this is a great and most in jurious social revolution. I cannot view it in any other light. I look upon it as fraught with the greatest danger, and I do trust that the House of Commons, on reconsidering its present opinion, will be induced to acquiesce in this amendment. I rejoice that for the present my noble friend will insist upon the amendment which he made in committee, though that amendment is not altogether satisfactory to me. I vote against the whole clause. I desire to maintain the Indian army as it ie, to draw it altogether from the same sources, which are perennial founts of everything that is noble, and everything that is virtuous. (Hear, hear.) Can we desire to have men in the public service superior to those who have been derived from that source ? (Hear, hear.) It is now, tea, when the scientific branches of these services have in the highest degree distin guished themselves and performed the greatest public service, that we are to change altogether the system by- which appointments are made, to deprive them of the hope of being followed in the same noble career by their sons, to destroy their prospects of being able to provide for their families, and not only thus to injure them, but, as they must understand it, to inflict on them a great offence. These, my lords, have always been my opinions, and it is impossible for me to refrain from ex pressing them. (Hear, hear.) Their lordships then resolved not to insist on their amendments on clauses 27, 28, 29, 30, and 32 ; but to insist on their amendment on clause 34 (relating to the admission to the scientific branches). On consideration of the Commons' reasons for dis agreeing with their lordships' amendments on the Turn pike Trusts Arrangement Bill, and the Vaccination (Ire land) Bill, it was resolved not to insist upon the amend ments. The Art-Unions' Indemnity Bill was read a third time and passed. The Reformatory Scho Is (Ireland) Bill was read a third time. The report of amendments on the Metropolitan Local Management Bill was received. The Draughts on Bankers Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. On bringing up the report, without amendments, on the Civil Bills, &c. (Ireland), Act Amendment Bill. ft short discussion took piece, but ultimately tue amend ments were agreed to, and the report was received. NEW WRITS BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed, with two amendments proposed by Lord EvERsLEY. VACANT SPACE AT ST. PAUL'S. The Earl of lIARRINGTON, who had a notice on the paper to put a question to the Government respect ing the plot of ground on the east side of St. Paul's, which was advertised to be built on, said he would postpone his question in the meantime, when The Earl of DERBY said it was no use putting any such question, as the Government had no infor mation whatever on the subject. (A. laugh.) PASSING TOLLS. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY, having presented a petition from merchants, shipowners, &c., of South Shields, relating to passing tolls and local dues, asked whether it was the intention of the Government to intro dune any measure upon the subject during next session ? The Earl of DONOUGHMORE, without pledging himself upon the subject, hoped to be able to introduce such a measure in the ensuing session of Parliament, Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' arnendm'ents to the following bills were considered and agreed to :—Atlantic Telegraph Com pany ; Clyde Navigation ; Warrington and Stockport Railway (Capital). VOTE OF THANKS TO MAJOR-GENERAL SIR J. Mr. ADDERLEY explained. After some remarks from Mr. Cox, Mr. Walpole, Mr. W. Williams, and other hon. members, Toe amendment was withdrawn, and certain of the Lords' amendments were agreed to. LUNATICS (SCOTLAND) ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Lords' amendments to tbig bill w ere agreed to. MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS' BILL. The Lords' amendments to this bill were agreed to. The Lards' amendments to the following bills were also agreed to :—Joint Stock Banking Companies Bill ; County, &c., Property Conveyance Bill ; Legitimacy Dalaration Bill ; and Copyhold Acts Amendment Bill. TRUSTEES MORTGAGES, &c., BILL. The order for the second reading of this bill was read and discharged. RETURNS. Several unopposed returns were ordered. REPORTS OF SCHOOL INSPECTORS. Mr. COWPER moved an address for copy or extracts of correspondence between the Committee of the Privy Council on Education and the managers of schools and her Majesty's inspectors of schools, relating to the dis tribution, publication and preparation of the annual re ports of the inspectors. After some remarks from Mr. ADDERLEY, The motion was agreed to. The bu- ineis on the paper was got through by half past 5 o'clock, and the house, after waiting for a com munication from the Lords, shortly after wards adjourned. CROSSED CHEQUES. ( From the Times' City Article.) The following letter from the Mercantile Law Amendment Society gives , an instructive history of the Crossed Cheque question. It is deserving of general attention because it bears upon something wider than mere business matter, namely, whether the Government are to be permitted to conduct their affairs without that decent regard to good faith which has hitherto been supposed to be essen tial in all the ordinary arrangements of life. The society seem to apprehend that the statement made yesterday, that the manner in which the Crossed Cheque Bill has been carried " reflects discredit upon all concerned," may be supposed partly to impugn their management, since the measure was originally promoted by their exertions. This, how ever, is not the case. They used their best efforts to expose and defeat the vicious clause subsequently introduced, and the mercantile public are not ti e less indebted to them from their having ultimately failed. If they were misled by trusting the intima tions of the Government, any other body of Eng lish gentlemen would have been misled in the same way. The discredit incurred is of a character too plain to involve any risk of it being placed in a wrong quarter : " Sir,—ln your City Article of to-day, in com menting on the Draughts on Bankers Law Amend ment Bill, you cunclude by saying ' that the man ner in which it has been carried reflects discredit upon all concerned.' "As the bill was introduced by this society, who have bestowed upon it much labour and money, will you permit me to make a few remarks to ex plain the part we have taken, and to absolve our selves from any discredit in connection with its passage through Parliament ? "In the month of May the attention of the com mittee was directed to the unsatisfactory state of the law relating to crossed cheques, and requesting us to seek an amendment. Being at the time in fre quent communication with the Attorney-General, who was then engaged in preparing the Government Bankruptcy Bill, I took the opportunity of mention ing the subject to him. Sir Fitzroy admitted th at the state of the law was not satisfactory, and very kindly offered to bring in a bill to remedy the grievance complained of. On the 31st of May he presented to the House of Commons a petition we had pre pared, and which was signed is a few days by some euifereds of the principal merchants in the city, praying that the crossing of a cheque should be deemed a material part of it. The next day a bill was brought in to alter the law to meet the views of the petitioners. I submitted this bill to the con sideration of a vast number of the most eminent merchants, to the committee for managing the affairs of Lloyds, and to the Chairman of the Stock Exchange. Certain alterations were suggested, and afterwards adopted by the Attorney-General, and in its amended form the measure was approved by every person we consulted on the subject. On the sth of July Mr. Hawkey presented a petition signed by 35 private bankers and eight joint-stock banking companies, praying that the bill might not pass. We obtained and placed in the hands of the Attorney-General another petition in favour of the measure, signed by nearly 1,500 of the leading merchants in the metropolis. " Mr. Boville having placed his amendment on the notice paper, seeing the mischievous conse quences that would arise from its adoption I at once waited upon the Attorney-General, and asked him to oppooo if. g;t• o-trproaeoci hie clictarprrwal of the clause, and promised to resist its introduc tion in the bill. I attended for many nights at the house, saw a great many members, and obtained promises of support for the Attorney-General, when he should wove the rejection of the clause, and I felt assured it would not be allowed to be in troduced, and I am at a loss for language to ex press the astonishment I felt when I discovered that it had not only been introduced, but that it was actually unopposed. We were at once inun dated with complaints from all quarters. Our sub scribers thought their interests had been betrayed. Members who had been canvassed to resist the clause on my assurance that the Attorney-General would oppose it, considered I had deceived them, and my position will not be envied. Measures were then taken to defeat the bill unless the clause was withdrawn, as we intended next session to renew the attempt to place the law on a proper footing. On Saturday last it was distinctly under stood by the House of Commons that the fourth clause should be expunged in the House of Lords, and on that understanding it was allowed to pass. " You have described what followed, but I may mention that so strong was the feeling in the city against this clause, that in two days I obtained the signatures of 545 influential houses against its being retained. "I know not who is to be blamed for all this, but I do know that many independent members, who have hitherto given Government support, con sider that a gross breach of faith has been com mitted in respect to this measure, in which they felt deep interest, and who now make no secret of their utter want of confidence in the Ministry, and of their intention early next session to endeavour to turn out the Government. It would be ungrate ful in me not to state that I believe the Attorney- General has been blameless in this affair, and that he has been forced, by a pressure he could not re sist, into a very unpleasant position. " It is our intention at the earliest opportunity to endeavour to place this subject upon a more satisfactory footing, but I hope I have said enough to show that no discredit attaches to this society for the part they have taken. " Apologising for the length of this letter, " I am, Sir, yours obediently, "J. RUSSELL, Secretary. " The Mercantile Law Amendment Society, 35, Parliament-street, July 29." FOREIGN SHIPPING.--in the year 1857, 48,918/. was paid for difference of rates and charges due to corpora tions and companies for foreign vessels, which under treaties of recipcocity or otherwise are admitted into ports of the united kingdom at the same rates of charge as British vessels, making a total amount since 1820 of 1.075.703 1 . [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Rheumatism and its Curo.—Holloway's Ointment and Pills.—These extraordinary medicines are daily revealing their wonderful properties. Mr. Taylor, druggist, of Rothesay, writing, Nlay 4, 1858, says :—" I hear of nu merous cures being effected by the use of your medicines— one of which I will mention. It is of a labouring man, who was so ill with rheumatism, that he could not move either his arms or his legs without the most excruciating pain, and who was completely cured by the use of yo ur Pills and Ointment.'' These medicines also will cure lumbago, wens, tumours, stiff joints, contractims, enlargements, and glandular swellings. —S )1d by all medicine vendors throughout the world, and at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. LAuvaanssmisscr. j— Sioux AND HEARING SPECTACLES--.. PowEestm TELESCOPES -- OPERA, RACE, AND PERSPECTIV GLASSES. —S. and B. Solonaons, opticians, 39, Albemarle street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel, W. By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and ex traordinary improvemen ts in the most powerful and brilliau , & I CC-COMIC), Opera, and Perspective T e l esc opes, Cann), Glasses, to know the distances. These Telescopes possess such w extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches, with an extra eye-piece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's and the double stars ; with the same telescope can seen person's countenance three - and - a - half miles atui b m e 's distant and an object from 16 to 20 miles. For the waist coat-pocket, and are of larger, and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly. The Royal Exhibition, 1851. —A valu able, newly-inveuted, very small, powerful, Waistcoat-pocket Glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known ono and a-half mile distant. They answer every pu s , pose on the Race-course and at the Opera-houses. Country scenery and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, vachtinm, to spor t smen , gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera, Camp, Perspective, and Race-course Glasses, with wonderful powers. - Invaluable preserving The Sp g e i c .e t a a t ele adv tn it s a e g s e power.ls a t vision impaired becomes pre fgr-o e m ateb t t his tra. in L v flp e a n r t r o l n t of f eriv th ed e carved and strengthened and very aged persons are enabled t ) employ their sight at the most m i nu t e occupation—can see with those lenses of a much less magnitying power—and they do not require the frequent changes to the dan gerous effects of furtber powerful assistance. Persons can be suited at the most remote part of the world by send. bag one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and stating the dist awe from the eye they can read small print with it, and those who have not made use of spectacles by stating their age. Deafness.—New Discovery.—The Organic Vibrator, an extraordinarily powerful, small, newly-invented instrument for deafness, entirely different from all otoers, surpassing anything of the kind that has been, or probably can be produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hear distinct lyat church and at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation et singing noises in the ears is entiro'v removed, and it atlerds a'l the assistance that possibly could be desired.-39, Albe • yilarlc•otreet, Ficcadilly—Opposito ties York Hotel, W, POLICE INTELLICENCE.-Julv 29. SOUTH WAILIC.—In The Sun of yesterday al)• peared a report of a charge against John Lawton, 46, a discharged soldier, for breaking a street lamp. He gave a very plausible history of his services in the 3d Dragoons and 16th Lancers during 18 years in India, stating that he had fought at Ramnug gur, Sobraon, Pesbawur, and Chillianwallah and was discharged in 1853 with a deferred pension of 6d. a day, to which he would not be entitled until he was 50 years of age. He told his worship he belonged to Hull, whence he had come to look after a situation under Government, that he was in great distress, having sold his four medals to get food before he left Hull, and that he was starving. Mr. Combe sent au officer to the Tower and ascertained that he had been discharged as stated, when he recommended him to attend the court at 12 o'clock on Thursday, so that further in ' quiries might be made respecting him. He quitted the court with that promise, but he hung about the avenues until he saw our reporter leave, when he went to the chief clerk and begged that he might be sent down to Hull that day. Mr. Edwin accord ingly provided him with the means, and he left the neighbourhood as quickly as possible. On the open ing of the court, our epurter was made acquainted with the circumstances, and the public will now perceive that this ' " old soldier" has victimised nearly all the police courts in the metropolis. As soon as Mr. Combe took his seat on the bench, Mr. Munday, one of the warrant-officers from the Mansion douse, attended from the Lord May to put his worship on his guard respecting this al soldier. Mr. Goodman, the chief clerk, perceiving in the newspapers that be bad made an application to be sent to Hull, was certain he was the same man who had been relieved four times by the Lord Mayor, on his making a similar statement about his services in India. Mr. Munday said that in quiries had been made about him at the time, and his story so far was found to be correct, but there could be no doubt he was a cheat in other respects. In Jan. last he was relieved and sent to Hull. On the 16th of the same month he obtained ss. from the Lord Mayor, and on the 14th of the present he was relieved again and sent to Hull. He ap peared, therefore, to have taken two pleasure voy ages to Hull and back at the expense of the Man sion-house poor-box. Mr. Combs said that unfortunately he had gone after victimising their poor-box. There was no fear of his making his appearance in court that morning. Soon atter Mr. Munday had departed, Captain M`Niel, 3d Dragoons, waited on Mr. Combo, and said he had just seen a report of the case in the papers, and from the apparently straightforward statement of John Lawton he felt great commisera tion for him, and was willing to assist him in his distress. He was in India with the 3d Dragoons, and returned to England in 1853. He did not exactly know the man, but he knew that several were discharged with a deferred pension of 6d. a-day. Mr. Combo observed that he hardly understood that the man said that he had such a pension. Captain M'Niel told him that such pensions were frequently granted, and he had no doubt Lawton was entitled to it. He, however, attended the court thinking to meet him, and if this story turned out true and he had been deserving, he should have assisted in keeping him from want. Mr. Combs said he had no doubt the man's story was correct as far as his being in India, as he seat to the Tower and ascertained that, but he now seemed to get his livelihood by victimising the pub lic. He had three times imposed on the authori ties of the Mansion-house by the same tale during the present year. Ile (Mr. Combe) had just re ceived a sovereign for him from Mr. Leo Schuster, the chairman of the Brighton Railway Company, through seeing the report in the newspapers. He , had sent to Mr. Schuster informing him of the cheat, requesting to be allowed to transfer that sum to the poor box. Captain M'Niel was very sorry that the public should be so imposed upon by a man who had served in India. Miller, 118 L, an officer attached to the Lambeth police court, here came forward and said that be had been sent by Mr. Norton to state that Lawton was supplied with 10s. by him on Friday last to enable him to proceed to Hull. In the latter part of the day several gentlemen waited on Mr. Combe, expecting to see the." old soldier." Finding they were disappointed, they complained of being cheated in a similar way. Mr. Combe told the whole of them that he had his suspicions of him at the time ' • consequently he told him to attend to-day (Thursday) ; but he ap peared to have been artful enough to get money to go to Hull from the chief clerk, knowing that it would not do for him to make his appearance in this court after the publication of the report. He had no doubt that the reporter would give a full exposure of his system of fraud, and that through. the medium of the press his further cheating career would be stopped. Mr. Combe informed our reporter that in the course of the day he had received several sums in postage stamps for Lawton, from various benevo lent individuals, which would be paid over to him on his attending and giving a satisfactory account, of himself. Country Markets. MANCHESTER -JULY 29. Our market this morning was well attended, and more firmness prevailed. Wheat, both English and foreign, sold to a fair extent, at about the extreme rates of last week. Flour not so much in request, but recovered the decline during the week. Oats brought full prices, whilst oatmeal must be quoted 6d to is per load dearer for choice. qualities. Other articles unchanged. OUTRAM AND MR. lIALLIDAY. The SPEAKER announced to the house that he had received a private lett-r from Lord Canning, dated Alla habad, 11th May, 1858, accounting for the delay in not acknowledging the vote of thanks of the House of Com mons relative to Sir J. Outram and Mr. Halliday. The right hon. gentleman then read the letters of acknowledg ment, which were similar to those read the other even ing in the House of Lords. THE KING OF DUDE. Colonel FRENCH presented two petitions from the eldest son of the King of Oude. The first prayed that, in bringing the King to trial, her Majesty would direct that the proceedings would be before a Commission of the Q aeen's Judges of the Supreme Courts in India, cc. cording to the rules of practice cf the English lam, and that he might be able to select his advocate to defend him, in order that he might receive a fair and impar tial trial. The other petition prayed the house to take measures to investigate the circurn , tances under which the seizure of the dominions of the King of Onde took place, and that an opportunity should be given the petitioner to bring forward evidence in defence of his own rights as well as those of his father, and that a committee might be appointed to examine into the trea ties existing between the King of Oude and the East India Company, and to take measures to do justice to the petitioner and his father. RAILWAY AND CANAL LEGISLATION. Mr. RICH gave notice that to-morrow he should cAll the attention of the house to the present state of rail way and canal legislation. FERNANDO PO. Mr. STAPLETON asked the Under Secretary of State f,r Foreign Affairs, whether he was in receipt of intelli , ence to the effect that a Spanish Governor of Fernando Po had issued a proclamation forbidding schools and prohibiting any person from going to any church or chapel except a Roman Catholic one ; and further, whether Fernando Po, which was an English military station from 1327 till 1834, was now recognised by England as part of the domi nions of the Crown of Spain Mr. FITZGERALD said Fernando Po never belonged to the Crown of England, but it was ceded to Spain by Portugal in 1738. It was true the present Spanish Governor of that placs bad issued such a proclamation, which was now under the consideration of her Ma jesty's Government. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Mr. J. LOCKE a•ked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any information bad reached her Majesty's Government in respect to the inaccurate state of the copies of Exchequer standards of weights and measures used by inspectors and leet and annoyance juries ; and, if so, whether it was their intention to adopt any means to enf.ace a periodical adjustment of the same. Mr. WALPOLE said he had made inquiries on the subject, but he was unable to obtain the inforination he required. Under the Constabulary Act the chief con. stables were largely interested in keeping the weights and measures correct, and he found tiat during the portion of 1357 that the act was in force the constabulary proceeded against 1,655 persons for deficient weights and measures, and succeeded in convicting 1,555. THE CIVIL SERVICE. Mr. RICEI asked the Secretary to the Treisury the following questions, viz., what cruses have prevented the presentation of " Returns of all persons who, having been nominated for junior situations in any of her Ma jesty'a civil establishments subsequent to the date of the order in council of the 21st day of May, 1855, and not having obtained certificates of qualification from the Civil Service Commissioners, have been employed and paid for such employment, in such establishments ;. distinguish ing, in each case, under separate columns, the name of the esteblishmenr, the name' of the person employed, the nature of his situation, whether temporary or permanent, the period of his employment, the amount of his pay, the authority under which such pay has been issued and allowed, and whether the person felled to obtain a certi ficate of qualification, or did not present himself for cxi ruination before the Civil Service CommissionerA. And, of all persons who, having obtained certifi cates of qualification from the Civil Service Commis sioners, have been employed and paid for a period prior to the date cf such certificate, and subsequent, to the date of the Order in Council of the 21st IVlay, 1835 distinguishing in each case, under separate columns, the name of the establishment, the name of the person ern pleycd, the nature of his situation, whether temporary or permanent, the period cf his employment, the amount of his pay, the authority under which such pay has been issued and allowed, and the date of the certificate of qualificaVon," ordered on the 13th day of April. Mr. HAMILTON said the causes cf delay were now removed, and the returns would shortly be ready. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. On the motion for the consideration of the Lords' amendments to this bill, Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved their consideration this day six weeks. The amendments had not been printed, and it wls unable to know their effect. Mr. COX seconded the tnoti.)n. Mr. PALK considered this measure as the word that bad ever been introduced into that house, BIRMINGHAM-JULY 29. At the market to-day there was a full supply of wheat and on the sales made the turn in price was in favour of the buyer. Barley 6d cheaper. Oats scarce, only taken, in retail. Beans and peas quite as dear, but lees in re quest. BOSTON-Jim 28. The market to-day opened with a liberal supply of whoa, at about last week's rates. Little business has bees done. In spring corn little change; beans and pies sold at an advance of 3s to 4s per qr. Prices :—Wheat, red, 38s Od to 44s Od; new, —5 to —r ; white, 42s Od to 46s Od ; extra, 4 , 35. Barley, sOd to 33r Od. Oats 21s to 30s. Peas, 40 to 42s Od. Beans, 44 1 Od to 50a Od per qr. NEWARK—JULY 28. At our Corn Exchange to-day there was a good attend* ante of farmers and a large show of grain, which ruled at late rates. Beans 3s to 48 per qr. dearer. Samples of new wheat and oats were exhibited. Wheat, white 41s to 475, red 423 to 445; barley, malting 33s to 345, grinding 31s to 345; oats, 12st. 33s to 355, llst, 26a to 288; beans, 48a to .50s ; malt, GSs to 72s ; peas, 4011 to 42s ; tares, —e to —s per qr. LOUTH—JULY 28. A moderate supply of English wheat, which meta dull sale at last week's rates. Oats and other articles as before. Wheat, red, 39s to 42s ; mixed, —0 ; white, 475; barle± 32a to 304; oats 24a to 27s ; beans, 40e to 44a. GLASGOW—JULY 28. A fair supply of wheat, but the trade was dull, at about the last week's rates. Little business done. Spring corn firm. EDINBURGH GRAIN—JULY 28. A large supply of grain to-day. Sales heavy for all sorts, and prices a shade higher. Wheat, on the top, Oa 6d - down, and on the aversk_g• N6d up. Barley, 3s Od up on the top, and is Da up on the average. Oats on the top were.Os down and on the average Os ld down. Beans on the top 2s Od up, and on the average is 7d up. AVERAGES PEIL IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat £2 2 8 6-12th. Do. new -12thg. Barley 1 9 10 4-12ths. Oats -12ths. Beans -12ths. Total Supply and Sales. Wheat 1320 qrs sold 875 qre Barley 4BO qrs sold 278 qrs Oats 1325 qrs sold 978 qrs Beans B3 qrs sold 81 qrs BIRTHS. BoTrEN—On the 27th inst., at 22, Clarendon-gardens, Maida-hill, the wife of Charles Botten, jun., Esq., of a son. Ll ., ll e o in N o — n, O o n f a th s e oll. 28th inst., at Blackheath, Mrs. W. G. PENNINGTON—O n the 27th inst., the wife of John Pew nington, Eaq., of Alderley Edge, of a son. MARRIAGES. HIGGINSON—FITZPIIRICK —On the 29th inst., at St. George's, Hanover square, Lieut.-Colonel Higginson. Grenadier Guards, only son of Lieut.-General and Lad,' Frances Higginaon, to Florence, daughter of the Right Hon. J. W. Fitzpatrick. MANBY—WILARD —On the 29th inst., at St. James% Westbourne-terrace, Charles Manby, Esq., C.E., F.R.S.• to Harriet Hood, eldest daughter of the late Nicholag Wilard, Esq., the Grey; Eastbourne, Sussex. D EA T 11 S. BEST —On the 25th inst., at Thetford, Henry Best, DK., aged 83. - BRIDGE —On the 29th inst., at 36, St. George's-road' Southwark, Captain Thomas Bridge, formerly of liar' with, aged 86. CLARK—On the 23th inst., John Clark, Esq., of the Sessions-h,,use, and South Hackney. LINDSAY--At Haigh Hall, the infant daughter of the Soo. ht~s. Charles Lindsay, aged seven weeks. PERCEVAL —On the 26th inst., at Calverton Itectorfs Bucks, the Hon. and Rev. C. G. Perceval, aged 61. RIDE AL -- On the 27th inst., at 2, Sidney-place, Brixton hill, Joseph Rideal, Esq., formerly of 143, Union-Art. 4 / Southwark, aged 64. -- - LONDON : Printed and Published by KURD° YOUNOI of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, 141 °' 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in thitemil d i of iiiadlesex, Friday, July 30, 1858. de l Wil ?II the