The Sun. — London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAM NT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YEsTERDAy.) The L)rd CHANC':;LLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 5 o'clock. Lord DUNGANNON gave notice that on Monday he should put a question to her Mjesty's Government as to what arrangements had been made for steam com munication between Holyhead and Kingston. If any had been made he would like to know the period at which they would be carried into effect. He also gave notice that on Friday next he would move for a copy of the correspondence that lic.d taken place between the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and the Dublin Protestant Asso ciation. The noble lord also presented a petition from Armagh against any further grant to the College of Maynooth. Lord COLVILLE presented a petition from the civil servants of the Crown employed at Chatham, praying for an alteration in the system of allowances from the superannuation' fund. SCOTSCRAIG'S ESTATE BILL. On the motio❑ of Lord REDESDALE, this bill was read a second time. ST. JAMES'S PARK. The Eerl of MA 111ESBURY "--- Iregged to ask the Tiestion of which he had given. notice— namely, what are the objects and expenses of the works now going on in St. James's-park ? Toe lake in the enclecure had been entirely drawn off, and works were in progress to diminish the depth of the water. Of course the works would cost a large sum of money, and in his opinion the benefits that were expected to result from the improvements would dot be commensurate with the cost. He understood that. the whole of the expense would cost between 12,0001. and 14,0001. One of the objects to he attained by the improvements was to render her Majesty's palace more healthy by the fact of the water in the lake being rendered more pure. It was, no doubt, a raostitnportant object, but at the same time he must say, as a resident in . the locality, that he had never felt the slightest inconvenience from the condition of the park. The place had always been of a healthy descrip tion, and no complaints had ever been made by the in habitants. The second object of the improvement was the accommodation of skaters ; but, considering that in this country it was only about once in two years that this exercise was to be had, be, with out wishing in the slightest degree to interfere with the amusements and recreations of the public, did not think this was sufficient to justify so heavy an out lay. The third object was to have a constant stream of water passing through the park, and thereby add to the beauty of the park. No doubt it was important to have the water as transparent as possible, but whether Par liament would consent to the expenditure of so large a sum of money in making these alterations be very much doubted. The cost of carrying out the foot-l - r:dge would be 3,5001,, and the new ornamental entrance upwards of 4,0001. Their lordship might de pend upon it that much greater attention must be paid to the expenditure of the finances than bad hi therto been bestowed upon it. It would no doubt surprise many of their lordships when they were told that in the miscellaneous estimates Educe 18?..3 to the year 1853 the increase had been 4,200,0001. The increase upon salelies during that period was not less than 463,0001. The noble earl hav ing noticed increases in other items, said that the im provements as they were called that had been effected during the list few years were unworthy of the coun try, unnecessary, and extravagant. Earl GRANVILLE said her Majesty had made no complaint respecting the condition of the water in St. James's-park. The works were being carried out in ac cordance with the opinions of certain eminent medical men ;and the water in St. James'--park being considered in the worst state, it was determined that that should be first attended tc. Nothing could be more criminal than to tay burdens on the country at large for the mere use less ornament of the metrop lis ; but considering what this metropolis was, the capital of a large and wealthy kingdom, he believed that those who were not resident in it would not be satisfied if certain things were left its an unfinished condition. In this town, comprising two and a halt millions of inhabitants, there was great infe riority in many respects to second-rate towns on the Continent. But there was one peculiarity—the beauty of our royal parks ; while they added something to the decent splendour of the crown, they contributed more than anything he knew of to the recreation of the poorer classes of the metropabe. (Hear, hear ) And so lsng es they thought it useful to have those royal parks, that Mieister who applied himself judiciously and economi cally, as he ought, to make those parks as healthy and beautiful as the nature of the case would permit was de serving of praise and encouragement, and not of censure. For these reasons he thought the noble lord bad entirely failed in making out a case of uncalled for expenditure of the public money in the measures which had been taken to purify the waters in the centre of the metropolis and to beautify the parks. The Earl of HARDWICKE said the grants were made by Parliament fora epecific purpose; but it appeared only a small sum was expended f that purpose, and the remainder applied to something else. Lard I.SJONTEAGLE wished to set the house right as • to any excess in the sum voted over that expended. He regretted to say that there was no audit whatever appl'- cable to any one of the votes in that paper ; therefore the check supposed to he found in the auditors in reality did not exist. For the funeral of the late Duke of Wel lington 80,000/. was voted, and for that purpose only. The whole sutra was withdrawn a few mouths after it was voted ; but of this 25,0001. was not employed at ail for the funeral, but fur other purposes, spread over two or three years. There was no audit sufficient to correct that manifest violation of the law. It incidentally transpired in the other house that this had been done, and the matter was then set right. He did not blame a government for taking a vote larger than was actually required ; what he complained of was the application of the money to other purtesses. With regark to the park, the complaint was that the improvement bad ben done without any vote. (Hear.) The noble earl said they might not have got a correct estimate ; but surely for such a thing as draining a pond this might have been dose. Their course should have been to vote on account. The course pursued was not in accordance with the con stitu: ion of England. (Hear.) The expenditure of money a ithout a parliamentary authority ought not to be light y pass d weer. The 25,0001. surplus of the money voted for the Duke of Wellington's funeral had been ap plied to other purposee. Lord S I'AN LEY of ALDERLEY—It was repaid. Lord MONTEAGLE said it was only repaid when it was found out. (Laughter.) The Earl of WICKLOW thought the people of the metropolis ought to be most grateful to the Government for what had been done in the parks, as ought also those who lived in the neighbourhood, which bad been rendered much more healthy. The new walks had been laid out with the utmost skill and judgment by Sir B. Hall, and parte formerly deserted were now favourite resorts. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY wished to under stand exactly what had fallen from Lord Monteagle. Did he mean to say that any excess in one estimate might be applied to any other purpose ? He denied that this could be done. The only way of proceeding was, where an excess occurred on any estimate, on application to the Tr caeury by that department have might be given to apply the surplus to Borne other kindred object. The surplus of 25,000/, on the Duke of Wellington's funeral, he would undertake to say, had not been applied to any thing else, without beirg restored to the Treasury. Lord A3ONTEA GLE said the noble lord Ras in error. (A laugh.) He was right as to the leave of the Trea sury being necessary for the application of any surplus on the array or navy votes ; but this regulation did not apply to any of the civil votes. Ir, was also au error to say that this would be corrected by the audit. Trio whole of the civil estimates were encirelf out of the con trol of the auditors. On no occasion were they ever sub mitted to the Board of Audit; therefore no check was taus supplied. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY denied that the money voted for the Duke'is funeral had been perma nently dpi lied to any other purpose. Lord MONTEAGLE—Not permanently, but it had been applied to otter purposes for two years—till in fact the matter r ozad out in the other house. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY repeated that no sums were ever appropriated to objects other than those for which they were voted, except with the spi-cial ap proval of the Trea,ury, and he appealed to noble lords who had been employed in the administration of the civil departments whether that was not the case. The, , subject then dropped. THE PROPOSED NEW PUBLIC OFFICES. Tat Duke I SOMERSET dre;ttieattenti;nCriihe house to the plans now exhibiting in Westminster-hall, and retnindeo their lordships of tae result which had fol lowed a similar exhibition—that of plans for the New 'Houses of Parliament—a quarter of a century ago. They had been building ever since and they had not finished yet. Indeed, he wondered if anybody could tell when they would have them finished, or wnat they would have to pay before the Huti-ess of Parliament were completed? (Cneere.) He warned the Government and the public neainet the courso on welch they were about to enter. The Chancellor of the Exchequer to el the last Parlia ment that the greund which it was proposed to acquire would cost a million and a half of money, and the possi bility was that when they saute to make the actual pur chase they would find that it would really cost much more. ie wiehee, therefore, in th e fi rs t i ns t ance , t o ask, '1 whether thearchitects who had sent in designs had been given eleatly to understand the limits of the ground they were to cover? and whether tboae designs which ex ceeded those limits would at once be c,e;luded as not having complied with the condition % ? (hear, bear.) In the reext elece, he should be glad to know how far Par bereent would be bound by any decision to ehich the royal cerumissientre, stele inted a few days ago, might come (Hear) The intoner :n such things were usually managed was this. Alter the rep qt of commie. sioners, a vote was taken on account, and then, when any objection was made, they were met with the reply, "The work bas been begun, and must be carried out." In that manner they might have entailed open the coun try a heavy annual expense for the next 25 years, Earl GRANVILLE said that what bad been done was merely cal vying out the recommendatiors of a select committee of the House of Cummone. The committee had reported on the great inconvenience_ of having had , public business transacted in a number ofhouses rented by the Government in different parts of the town; and it recotnmend e d th a t th ere s hould he a concentration of alt the public departments in the neighbourhood of I'Vhi , e-bal. The committee, moreover, recomtnended that the architects of all nations sLeuld be invited to give One for filling up the whole block of land from the Horse Guards to Palace yard. What bad been done, then, was to ask, first, for designs for covering the whole of ais I;lock of land ; and secondly, for designs for a new Fereign and a new War-otfice, to be built on ground near Grat ter- treet, nearly the whole of varlets belonged ulnady to the Crown. In determining upon the smeller ( scheme, it would by no ratans be necessary t' commit! rHE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY themselves to the larger ; but it was thought better to have plans for ccvering the whole of the ground ; so that what was row bnilt might form portion of a comprehen sive design, rather than be wholly disconnected from what might subsequently be done. The successful com petitors would only be entitled to the premiums awarded to them. The copyright of their plans would then belong to the Government, and it would be for them to adopt such portion of them as they might think fit. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH expressed his dis satisfaction with the coarse which bad been pursued with regard to the Houses of Parliament. Some persons might praise what had been done; but he confessed that be was himself mortified and disgusted at the extravagant expenditure into which they had been betrayed. (Cheers.) There was no necessity for the Government to embark in building operations at all. Why could not St. James's Palace be made into a ]foreign office ? (Hear.) Close by was another larp budding Marlborough House. It was true they had now some trash there which, he regretted to say, he had lost half an hour seeing ; but it might be nacked up and taken away. It was said Marlborough House was wanted for the establishment of the Prince of Wales. Bat it was wholly unsuited for such a purpose ; whereas it would do admirably for public offices. (Rear.) There was a third building called Schomberg House which the Government might also convert into offices ; and thus by an expenditure of 50,0001 they might avoid one of five millions. (Cheers) Really, they must pay some regard to economy. If the House of Commons would not do its duty, their lordships, however foreign to their custom it might bo to interfere in such matters, must call the attention of the public to the subject; for the public must have one house of Parliament that would not neg►ect its financial interests. (Cheers.) The Earl of MALNIESBURY said that one of the reasons given for building new public offices was the ex pense to which Government was put in hiring houses. It was said that 20,0001. a year was thus spent ; but the intere,t on the mil ion and a half which the Chancellor of the Exchequer himself calculated the ground alone would cost would, at 4 per cent., be 60,0001. Earl GRANVILLE was understood to say that noble lords on the other side had admitted that there must be a new Foreign-office. The Earl of ELLENTOROUGH had pointed out how an excellent Foreigc-nffice might be obtained with out cost to the country. With regard to the War De partment, he confessed he did not see what reason there was for addition,' accommodation, when they were di minishing the army in a manner which caused him great alarm. Only the other day they determined to decrease the artillery at the rate of 20 men per troop ; whereas the country had been given to understand that that was an arm which was in future to be kept up on an efficient scale. (Hear, hear.) Phe Earl of HARDWICKE certainly thought that the artillery was the last arm in the service that ought to be weakened. (Hear, hear.) Lord CAMPBELL appealed to the Government on behalf of the I•aw courts. (Laughter) He trusted that means would be found to afford better accommodation to those engaged in the administration of justice ; and that that might be done without removing the courts from Westminster. He should like also to see the pre sent fcioade of the courts brought more into harmony with the handsome structure which it at present dis graced. (Rear, bear.) After a few words from the Marquis of LANSDOWNE and Lord REDF.SDALE, Their lordships rose at five minutes past seven. HOUSE OF COMMONS.--(YEsTBRDAT.) The SFEAKEIt took the chair shortly before 4 o'clock. SWEARING IN OF MEMBERS. Mr. A. M'Carthy, Mr. B. Hughes, Mr.S:norett, Mr. Connelly, Sergeant O'Brien, Mr. Deasy, Mr. Leslie, and Mr. Greaves took the oaths and their seats. • PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —Bedale and tsyburn Railway ; Meriton's and Ha. g,aa's Sufferance Wharves ; and. Peebles Railway. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented in favour of the Beer Bill ; against the growth of opium by the East India Cum parry ; the removal of the Jewish Disabiaies ; for an alteration of the civil service superannuation fund ; against tie taws on knowledge; against the abolition of Church rates. ber of the Administration—(hear, hear)—and, knowing the deep and sincere interest which my noble friend takes in the measure to which he has so long devoted his attention, I am quite sure, he will forgive me for appear hg to take it out of his hands. (Hear, hear.) It appeared to me, that if ever there was a moment peculiarly favour able for calling the attention of the house to the oaths which are by law now prescribed to members of Parlia ment on taking their seats, the present was precisely that moment, because the house having been recently consti tuted every member whom I have the honour of address. ing must have frash in his recollection those oaths which by the present law he has been compelled to take, con taining, I am sure I need not say, many things that every man must be very reluctant to subscribe to under the solemnity of an oath, and which must therefore be most repugnant to his feelings. There cannot, I appre hend, be a more solemn act than the taking of an oath. It is an invccation by a man to his Creator to give His sanc tion to an engagement which that man is about to un dertake. That man has thereby pledged to a certain de gree his future well being for the performance of certain duties which by his oath he Las undertaken to discharge. Such engagernente have been sanctioned by the practice of all nations. There are duties of such Importance in this world that it is fitting that those who have to dis charge them should bind themselves by the most solemn sanction to a due and conscientious performance of them. Bat the more solemn the act the greater is the responsi bility whioh a man incurs by taking an oath. The snore that engagement is entitled to the respect of men, in the same proportion ought to be the seldomness of its being taken, and the importance of the occasion upon whioh it is taken. (Hear.) To invoke the Supreme Being with reference to engagements which are absurd, and which no man could be supposed to break, is a profanation of a sacred rite. (Cheers.) It is, in fact, a breach of that commandment which forbids man to take the name of the Creator in vain. There are things in the oaths we now take which were, no doubt, fit to be sworn to in times long gone by, but which are so inapplicable to the days in which we live, and to the persons by whom those oaths are to be taken, that they are revolting to the mind of every reasonable man. I may observe that the changes which I propose to make do not apply to the oath taken by Roman Catholics. That oath was settled upon full deliberation at the time when the disabilities of the Catholics were under discussion. Ido not intend to disturb that settlement. (Hear.) The change which I am about to propose applies solely to the oaths to be taken by persons who are not of the Catholic religion. The object of the bill which I beg leave to introduce is, in the first place, to relieve Christians from the neces eity of taking oaths which are repugnant to their reason and to their feelings. (Hear, hear.) But, in the next place, by so doing, I propose to put an end to the last remnant of former prejudice and exclusion. The change which I am about to propose would not only relieve a Christian from oaths which a Christian ought not to be called upon to take, but would also sweep away tbat portion of one of those oaths which is the only obstacle to the reception of Jews in this House of Parlia ment. (Cheers.) It is hardly necessary for me to remind the house of the oaths which we now ty law are conipel , ed to take. So long a the law compels us to take those oaths we submit to the necessity, and no man can blame a per son who submits to the law. But I do say that if tLe house has the power, which I contend it has, to relieve itself from there profanations of a sacred right, the house would incur a heavy responsibility if it did not exercise that power, and relieve individual members from the ne cessity of taking those oaths. What I propose to do is to abolish, in all cases in which they are by law required to be taken, the oath of allegiance as it now stands, the oath of supremacy, and the oath of abjuration, and to substitute for those three oaths one single oath, which shall contain the oath of allegiance as well as that which is requisite in the other oaths, but which shall leave out all those portions of them which I conceive are not fit ting or proper to be retained. The oath of allegiance will stand as it now does, with such additions as I have men tioned. But to begin with the oath of supremacy. That oath is as follows : " I do swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest, and abjure as impious and heretical that damnable doctrine and position that princes excommunicated or deprived by the Pope or any authority of the see of Rome may be deposed or murdered by their subjects or any other whatsoever." On what possible ground are we called upon to take that oath ? (Hear.) Why, sir, it is abjuring that which none of as believe in —(hear)—which no Protestant ever did believe in, and which I humbly venture to say no Catho lic of the present day believes in. (Cheers.) It is true that in times long gone by that doctrine was held by some portion of the Catholic Church, but it is a doctrine so utterly repugnant to every feeling and principle of the present day that I am sure no man takes this oath without—if I may say so—an inward blush at being compelled by law to abjure what under present circum stances could not by any possibility be even contem plated. The oath proceeds : "And I do declare that no foreign prince, person, 'pre late, State, or pote n t a t e h a th or oug ht t o have anyjuris diction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm." I propose to leave that declaration as it stands. We next come to the cash of abjuration, which is in these terms : " I do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare, in my conscience before God and the world, that our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria is lawful and rightful Queen of this realm, and all other her Majesty's dominions and countries thereunto belonging." That declaration, in a somewhat briefer form, may, I think, properly be retained. The oath then goes on : " and I do solemnly and sincerely declare that I do be lieve in my conscience that not any of the descendants of the person who pretended to be Prince of Wales during the life of the late King James 11. ; as if James 11. had died some two or three years ago— (a laugh)— " and since his decease pretended to b 3 and took upon him self the style and title of King of England by the name of James tho Third, or of Sectlend by the name of James the Eighth, or the style and title of King of Great Britain, hath any sight or title whatsoever to the Crown of this realm or any other the dominions thereunto belonging ; and Ido renounce, refuse, and abjure any allegiance or obedience to any of them." I propose to sweep away altogether that declaration; (Cheers.) We might, with as much reason, for all prac tical purposes, abjure our belief in the Heptarchy. (A. laugh.) The oath proceeds : " And I do swear that I will bear faith and true alle giance to her Majesty Queen Victoria, and her will def en d to the utmost of my power again s t all traitorous conspi- racies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against her person, Crown, or dignity ;" That is, I think, a very proper declaration, and one which I propose to include in the new oath which I shall ask the committee to substitute for the existine oaths. The oath goes on,— " and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to her Majesty and her successors all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which I shall know to be against her or any of thent." That portion of the oath I propose to retain, because I think it a declaratio n w hi c h may proper l y be made by members of this house. (Elear, hear.) The nFxt clause of the oath is,— " And I do faithfully promise to the utmost of my power to support, maintain, and defend the succession of the Crown against the descendants of the said James, and against all other persons whatsoever, which succession, by an Act intituled An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject,' is, and stands limited to the Princess Sophia, Electress and Duchess Dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants." Although I do not propose to retain the precise words I have just read, the form of oath I shall submit to the committee will contain substantially the same declara tion,—namely, tbat the members of this house will engage to maintain the Protestant succession in the descendants of the Electress Sophia of Hanover in con formity wi 4 .11 the Act of Parliament. The oath concludes in these terms : " Ar.d all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknow ledgfl and swear, according to these express worth by me spo , .cen, and according to the plain common sense and under standing of the same words, without any equivocation, /.otutal evasion, or secret reservation whatsoever ; and I do make this recognition, acknowledgment, abjuration, renun ciation, and promise heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian." I propose to omit all that disclaimer of mental equivoca tion and reservation—(bear)---and I also propose to omit theae last words, "upon the true faith of a Christian," vrilich are the words that preclude a Jew from sitting and voting in this house. (Hear, hear.) I will now read to the committee the form of oath which I propose to sub stitute for the existing oaths,-- "I do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Victoria, and will defend her to the utmost of my power against all conspiracies and, attempts whatever which shall be made against her. person, Crown, or di gn ity ; an d I w ill d o my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to her Ma jesty, her heirs, and successors, all treasons, and traiterous conspiracies which may be formed against her or them ; and I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and de fend, to thautsuost of my power, the succession of the Crown, which succession, by an act, intitled `An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject,' is and stands limited to the Princess Sophia Electress of Hanover, end the heirs of her body being Protestants, hereby utterly re nouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto any other person claiming or pretending a right to the Crown of this realm ; and I do declare that no foreign prince, person, prelate, State, or potentate, hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pro eminence, or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm." That oath will, I apprehend, contain every portion of the existing oaths which we can in reason be called upon to oontioue, and will relieve the Protestant members of this house from the i 'iiticessity of pronouncing at the table, under the solenin sanction of an oath, a mass of jargon wholly unsuited to the times in which we live. I appre head that no one can object to the proposal I make on general grounds, although no doubt in the future stages of the bill I shall have to encounter the opposition of those who are adverse to the admission of Jews to Par l'ament. Now I have never yet heard any argument which appeared to me to have the least weight against the admission of British subjects, heing Jews, to sit and vote in this house. The main argument which has been urged is, that this house is a Christian assembly —that is to say, it is an assembly composed of men pi ofessing the Christian religion, the chief prat ieal doe trines of that religion being to ant with charity towards all—(hear) —to do unto others as we would they should do unto us—(bear) —not to persecute ; to_love our neigh bours as ourselves ; aut.!, in short, to carry out in practice those principles which are ignored by the arbitrary and tinnec,ssary cxolusion of cur Jewish fellow countrymen Irani Parliament. is it believed that the members of the Jewish persuasion are enlightened, that they are less able to assist us in our deliberations, and less likely to Lecorne useful members of the Legislature, thanany other class of the community ? Anyone acquainted with the facts knows that those Jews v, ho most aspire to be mem- ~~~ THE RUSSIAN RAILWAY. Mr. CLA.Y asked the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, whether it was the intention of the Govern ment to bring forward any measure fur the abolition of the Russian Company, or affecting any portion of the dues levied by that company ! Mr. LOWE sail that the proposed bill not contemplate abolishing the Russian company, but it did to abolish 2,0001. a year levied by Russian on British shipping for charitable purpGses, such as organs for Moscow and pictures for the Emperor of Russia, &c. THE WHITWORTH RIFLE. Col. SYKE3 asked the Under Secretary for War, whether, as a grave expense was being incurred by the Governments of England and India in the supply of the Enfield rifle, and consi dering the prospects of its supercession by the superior arm, the Whitworth rifle, it was intended to continue the manufacture of the former ; and, in case the Government considered further experiments neces sary with the Whitworth rifle before they decided upon its adoption, to state when they would renew those ex periments. Sir J. RAMSDEN said tbat the superiority of the Whitworth rifle had not been established sufficiently to enable the Government to consider themselves justified in discontinuing the manufacturing of the Enfield rifle for the use of thearmy. Experiments had been made rela tive to tbeWbitworth rifle of not an unfavourable character, but being incomplete he was unable to state more then. If the experiments, when completed, showed its supe riority over the Enfield rifle, the machinery for making the Enfield rifle could he adapted at a trifling expense for tho manufacture of the Whitworth rifle. STADE DUES. Mr. RICARDO asked whether the Government in tended to continue the Treaty of 1844 with Hanover, respecting the payment of Stade dues by English ships, or whether they contemplated terminating the treaty by notice, so that the question of the future payment of the Stade toll might undergo consideration? Lord PALMERSTON said that the matter referred to was unthr the consideration of the Government. He was unable to state what course the Government would pursue in reference to it. FIELD ALLOWANCE. Major KNOX asked the Under Secretary for War whether he bad any objection to lay on the table any correspondence that took place between the Secretary for War and the other authorities at borne, and Sir J. Pennefather, on the subject of field allowance claimed by the 51st Light Infantry, the Italian Legion, ,and other troops stationed at Malta during the late war ? Sir J. RAMSDEN said that the matter to which the question referred had already been disposed of in strict accordance with the regulations of the War-office, and that on that ground the Secretary of State for War was not disposed to lay the papers before the house. THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK. Mr. CONINGHAM asked the Attorney General whether it was the intention of the Government to prose cute the directors of the Royal British Bank ? (Hear.) The ATTORNEY-GENERAL at some length ex plained that he had applied to Mr. Linklater for copies of the evidence in this case, which, when forwarded to him, he should consider with a view to a prosecution, in conjunction with other learned functionaries. The law threw a great many duties of this kind on the Attorney-General without providing him with any machinery, and in this instance he should he indebted to Mr. Linklater for the papers at the expense of the shareholders. He asked the press to abstain from mak ing farther remarks in the matter, as it might tend to defeat the ends of justice. SHERBURN HOSPITAL. Mi. ATHERTON asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to bring forward any measure during the present session, Founded on the report of the Übarity Commissioners for England and Wales, relative to Sherburu lio , pital, in the county of Durham ? Mr. - BAINES said that the Government had no in tention to introduce such a bill this session. PRISONERS AT HONG KONG. On the motion of the adjournment of the house until Monday, Lord R. CECIL called the attention of the First Lord of tae Treasury to the alleged detention at Hong Kong of 42 prisoners, in a room 15 feet square for 20 days. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he bad every reason to believe that there was no foundation for the rumours that had been spread relative to this subject. He had sent to China for information. ENCUMBERED ESTATES COURT. Mr. W HITESIDE called attention to the conduct of the Government, in not removing the court for the sale of encumbered estates in Ireland to a more convenient site than the present, in accordance with the recommen dation of a committee of this house. Mr. HORSMAN said that the Government bad acted upon the recommendation of the committee, which was made in June last year, and he wrote to the Treasury, asking for an item of 10,0001., to be inserted in the esti mates of this year, for the purpose of building the new Courts. That had been done, and theitem would befound in the estimates stout to be laid on the table of the house. There was every disposition and intention, on the part of the Government, to afford every accommodation re quired for these court. Mr. NAPIER supported Mr. Wbiteside's statements, as to the inconvenience of the present courts. GENERAL BOARD . OF HEALTH. ICI coltßl que. ce of the application of Mr. PALK and Mr. T. DUISCOMBE, Sir G. GREY posponed the second reading of this biii for a week. PARLIAMENTARY OATHS. Tbe . home having resulved itself into committee for the purpose of considering the oaths required to be taken members of Parliament on taking their seats after their election, Lord PALMERSTON rore and said,--Sir, in rising to make the motion of which I have given notice I ought iu the first piece to apologise to my noble friend the member for the city of London for appearing to take out of his hands a queition which has long occupied his at tention, and with which he Las deall; in a manner that entitles him to great credit. can assure my noble friend that it was by no means from any wish to take unneces sarily from him a sulject to which he has devoted so much attention that I gave notice of that motion ; but I was told by those who are mot interested i❑ the que - ;ion that the cla%ce of any bill which might be brought, in passing into a law would be vety. much inci - c;icci by its being introduced as a Gluvernmert mcascre by a mem• EVENING, AIA Y 16, 1857 bers of this house are men eminently distinguished for the intellectual qualifications which would fit them for a seat in the Legislature of this country. Is itobjected that the Jews have no property and no stake in the country, aed that they are, therefore, persons who would be ut terly heedless of the nature of those laws to which Par liament may assent ? \Ve all know, happily for them selves, that the very reverse is the rise. (A laugh.) Many of them are men of great wealth—men who have a large stake in the country—and who have, therefore no motive to assent to any legislation which will not conduce to the welfare and prosperity of the empire. (Hear, hear.) Why, sir, I must confess that since I have been in the office I have the honour to hold, circumstances have occurred which have caused me to feel considerably ashamed of the present state of the law on this subject. When the country was in need of large sums of money in order to carry on the public service with efficiency some great capitalists came for- Ward--as my rght hon. friend the Chancellor of the Ex chequer can tell you—and upon terms not less honotirehle to themselves than advantageous to the public, provided those means which we required. While making the ne cessary arrangements, however, we could not but feel that the very men who had been instrumental in render ing such important service to the country were precluded by an arbitrary and unjust law from occupying seats in this house. (Hear.) Of late years the principles of civil and religious liberty have made great progress. We have swept away those unjust enactments which placed the Protestant dissenters in a position of inferiority as com pared with the rest of their fellow-countrymen. We have also swept away those ut just enactments which excluded our Catholic fellow -countrymen from taking part in the deliberations of tbis house. The exclusion of the Jews is the last remnant of prejudice and intolerance with which we have to deal. What is it that you fear from admitting Jews to Parliament ? Are you atraid that the admission of a few Jews will shake the Christian religion ? Why, sir, I have heard of many Jews becoming Chlistiane, bat it never fell to my lot to bear of a Christian who be came a Jew. (Hear, and a laugh.) The progress of mankind is governed by laws which admit of no retro gression. Thu Old Testament prepared the way for the New Testament, but the New Testament will never lead us back to the Old. Of what then are we afraid ? We cannot for a moment suppose that the introduction into the house of a few persons professing the Jewish religion will at all affect the Christian character of the country. I am convinced that such members, from their know ledge and intelligence, would render us material assist ance in our deliberations ; their position as men of consi derable property would be a guarantee for their interest in the welfare of the country ; and by admitting them to Parliament we should carry out that system of liberal legislation for the establishment of religious liberty which has of late years made so mime progress. I trust, therefore, that the house will give its most sorious attentiouto this subject. Many members of the house are unfettered by pledges, and are free to act upon their own judgment. Ido trust that this measure will be carried by a large majority of the house ; and then, if the opinion of the house should be stamped upon the bill, in approbation of the principle it contains, I cannot but indulge the sanguine expectation that those obstacles which elsewhere have hitherto impeded the realisation of the ardent wishes of my noble friend the member for the city of London may give way to an irnpuhe proceeding from a new Howe of Commons, and that at last we may have the satisfaction of giving the finishing stroke to that which his been too long delayed, but which I hope will now be conceded. (Great cheering.) The noble lord concluded by moving to bring in a bill to substitute one oath for the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjura tion. Sir F. THESIGER—It is not my intention to oppose the introduction of the bill proposed by the noble lord ; but, inasmuch as its avowed object is the admission of Jews to Parliament, and as my sentiments upon that im portant subject have undergone no change, I shall feel it to be my duty in its next stage to offer to the bill my sincere and earnest opposition. (Cheers.) The noble viscount at the head of the Government has made a graceful apelogy to the noble lord the member for the city of London for taking this question out of his hands; and I wish, as this has now become a Government mea sure, that for the sake of consistency the noble viscount had adopted the same course with respect to the present bill which he has pursued with regard to all other mea sures relating to Parliamentary reform, (Hear.) The other evening the hon. member for East Surrey proposed a bill for the abolition of the property qualification of members. The noble viscount permitted that bill to be introduced upoa the understanding that it should be carried no further, and waived all discussion upon the subject, because, he said, by common consent all ques tions relating to Parliamentary reform were to be post poned until the next session. (Cheers.) That was a bill for the abolition of the property qualification. The pre sent is a measure for the alteration of the oaths qua lification—(hear)—and if the one is connected with Par liaraentsry reform, so also, I think, must be the other. (Cheers.) Why, therefore, it there is a common under standing that we are to have no discussion upon the subject of Parliamentary reform, the present bill sleoull not share the fortunes of all the other measures and be postponed until the next session I am at a loss to imagine. For what reason are the Jews to be so pecu liarly favoured I Are their demands so urgent upon the noble viscount that he cannot resist them ? (Laughter.) I cannot help thinking that the noble viscount has been forced by some pressure into his prominent position upon this occasion. Before the elections took place a deputa tion from the city of London waited upon the noble vis count and requested him to introduce a measure for the admission of the Jews, and to make it a Government question. The noble viscount was unwilling to give any pledge upon the subject, and I have reason to believe I that his reluctance and hesitation were not unservice able to the noble lord the member for the city in the manly and successful appeal which he made to that constituency. (" Hear," and a laugh.) The noble vis count, however, is IDW committed to this measure. If he looks back he sees no possibility of retreat. I know well the resolution end perseverance of the noble vis count when he has made up his mind, and therefore I have undertaken in attempting to oppose a measure which is brought forvard under the auspices and which is to be supported by all the weight and authority of the noble viscount. Tire noble viscount has had a consider able advantage in the experience of the last 10 years in framing his measure in such a shape as he thinks will be most likely to secure its ready acceptance. I have taken a rather prominent part in the st ruggle upon this question, and I think it will be neither uninstructive nor uninte resting if I should glance at the different measures which from time to time have been introduced, enabling the house to see how at the beginning the advocates for the Jew were ready to admit the Christian character of this asserrib'y, and how at last they have advanced to demands which have a tendency utterly to supplant and destroy it. (Cheers.) It is not known to those who have not paid attention to the subject under how many disabilities the Jews laboured as late as the year 1830, when Mr. R. Grant introduced his bill for their emancipation. They extended to their exclusion from civil and military offices, from corporation posts, and from a wide circle of civil employments. No one, I hope, will believe that I have the least desire to revert to such a state of things, but I have always considered that the condition of the Jews at that time furnishes one of the strongest answers which could be given to the suggestion we hear made from time to time that Jews are prevented from sitting here by the accidental insertion of certain words in an Act of Parliament passed -for a different object. (Hear, hear.) The disabilities to which I have referred were gradually removed between the years 1830 and 1847 ; and the first attempt which was made after that long period to introduce the Jews to Parliament came from the noble lord the member for the city of London, immediately after his return for that consti tuency with Baron Rothschild. I know that the noble lord is unwilling to have it supposed that his exertions upon this subject, which have been consistent and etraightforwrerd, had any connexion whatever with his return with Baron Rothschild ; but the fact is that, al though the noble lord was in high office during the greater part of the period between 1830 and 1847,it never appears to have occurred to him that the fitting time had arrived for proposing this measure until the coincidence took place of his return with—l may not say by—Baron Rothschild. (Cheers and laughter.) Let us now see what was the mea sure which the noble lord first thought it right, after a mature deliberation of 17 years, to introduce to this house, It was etnpbatically, if I may use the expression, a Jew BM. It was a bill to provide a particular form of oath for persons belonging to the Jewish persuasion, and the noble lord at that time thought it so inconsistent that Jews should hold certain high offices in the State, that he introduced provisions to prevent a member of the Jewish persuasion from holding the office of Lord Chan cellor, the office of Lord Lieutenant, and some offices in the Ecclesiastical Courts, and also from presenting es officio to any livings. That bill passed this house, but was rejected by the House of Lords. In 1849, We noble lord brought forward another bill of a rather different descrip tion. It provided a new form of oath for all the Christian members of this assembly. The oaths of allegiance, su premacy, and abjuration were repealed, and this common form of oath was to be substituted, contain ing the words Upon the true faith of a Christian," 'and I remem ber wed that my right hon. friend the member for Ox ford University expressed his gratification at findin g that the noble l or d had preserved the se emp h at i c words as part of the oath to be taken by the Ch ristian members of tbis house. (H ear .) It was provide d that a Jew, in taking the oath of abjuration, should o mit these words. There was no exception with respect to particular offices in that bill, because it was wholly unnecessary, inasmuch as the common oath was to be taken ou.ly as a qualifica tion for sitting in Parliament, and of course all those high offices to which the former bill tederred could not be held without the holders taking the old oath, includ ing the oath of abjuration, with the words—_" Upon the true faith of a Christian." That bill also pressed this house, but was rejected by the House of Lords. In 1850 the noble lord made a very considerable step in advance. He introduced a bill which provided that in all cases persons of the Jewish persuasion were required to take the oath Of abjuration, they should ()wait the words— " Upon the true faith of a Christian." Mere was no ex ception, as in the first bill of 1847, of t ,hose offices to which I have referred ; and the consequi one was that, supposing that measure had received the sanction of the Legislature, it would have been compe cent to Jews to bold tire highest offices in the State. (U *an) The noble lore), however, was compelled in the 'month of July to drop that bill, and then some very 'unjust suspicions having, it seems, entered into the to inds of the ad vocates of the Jews, they determin ed to take the matter into their own hands, and a very extraordinary recite appeared in this house. Baron Rothschild ap peared in the home, and claimed to take the oaths on the. Old Testament. Tier house came to the absurd deci sion thae. he might do so, though the oaths embrace the words " on the true faith of a Chtistii tin ;" and the prac• tical absurdity of the decision the house came to was I soon apparent, for when the baron cam e t o th e wor d s "on the true faith of a Christian," he ouliAed them, observing "They are not binding on my conscience." The not.le (Lord J. Russell) felt that those words were a part of the oath, and refused to be a party to any indi lect attempt to get rid of them ; and, therefore, pro posed and carried a resolution that Baron Rothschild should not sit arid vote in the house until he had taken the oaths as required by law. In 1851 the noble lord. brought in a bill similar to that of the previous year, leaving it open to the Jews to obtain any of the high offices referred to. That bill was rejected ih the House of Lords, and then Alderman Salomons —lately returned for Greeuwich—claimed, under a resolution of the house, a i ight to take the oaths on the Old Testament. Ho went through the oaths, omitting the words " on the true faith of a Christian," kissed the book and then at once took his seat. He was directed to withdraw, but re fused to obey the Speaker's mandate. A resolution was passed that be should withdraw, and immediately he reappeared and resumed his seat. Again the re solutioo was passed that be withdraw, aid again he refused to obey, until he was removed by the Ser geanteat-Arms. In the course of the discussion Alderman Solotnons asked the noble lord (Lord John Russell) if he would prosecute him for the penalties in curred in taking his seat. The noble lord replied that be shou4.l not, but that the alderman woull have no difficulty in finding a friend to do so—(a laugh)—which he did ; but any idea of mating it a mock trial was thwarted by the honour of the plaintiff's counsel ; and the result was that it was settled by the judgment of the Court of Exchequer Chamber that the words "on the true faith of a Christian" are an essential part of the oath. (Hear.) In 1852 the noble lord advanced another step, or rather stride. He introduced a Reform Bill, which he was compelled to abandon in the course of the session, and in that bill he inserted one oath to be taken by all members. In 1853 he introduced his bill with that form of oath which had been contained in his abortive Reform Bill ; and from the circumstance that it was to be taken by all members of the house—Protestant and Rsman Catholic—it nece=sarily involved in it a partial recognition of the Royal supremacy. That did not strike the house, and the bill was passed, but was rejected by the Lords. In 1854, however, when a second bill was introduced, attention was directed to this point, and the bill was rejected. Whether disheartened by this defeat, I know not, but the noble lord made no attempt in 1855 to bring in his bill, and a measure introduced into the House of Lords by Lord Lyndhurst failed. Again the advocates of the Jews became distrustful of the noble lord opposite, and chose to take the matter in their own hands ; and in 1856 Mr. Milner Gibson introduced a bill which certainly would have made "clean work" of the question, by abolishing the oath of abjuration altogether. There are parts of that oath which are rather precious to Protestant minds. (Hear.) It contains the only recog nition of the Act of Settlement. (Hear.) The noble lord himself shared that feeling, and found himself in a most peculiar position—he was unable to take a leading part in advocating the admission of Jews into the house, I and was obliged to defend the constitution from the at tack made upon it by the attempt to introduce them through the abolition of the oath of abjuration ; and in committee on the bill he introduced words equivalent to that oath. It is rather hard upon the noble lord that again the question is wrested out of his hands by the noble lord at the head of the government. The noble lord has explained the form of the oath he intends to propose. I am not aware of the reluctance of members to take the present oath of which he spoke. There certainly are words in it which I object to, because they are obsolete. But what the noble lord ought to do, as a fair way of dealing with that question, would be to remove from the oath of abjuration that obsolete portion of it, and then leave this question as to the admission of the Jews to be dealt with as a separate question upon its own grounds, as in 1847. The noble lord did not desire that on this occasion we should enter into the argument. But be might have spared us his reproaches about "prejudice" and "intolerance." (Hear.) The noble lord has his prejudices. We have ours ; but that is not intolerance. (Hear.) There are those who feel deeply on the subject, and who have no notion that in upholding the exclusion of the Jews from this house they are guilty of any ill tolerance. (Hear, hear.) The noble lord said that it was a question of " civiland religious liberty." It is not a question of liberty at all. Those words have a stimu lating effect, and create emotions which very frequently pass for arguments. It is not a question of liberty—that is of freedom from restraint ; it is a question of political power. The question is whether persons who do not profess Christianity are to possess a portion of that su preme power which now belongs to a Christian legisla ture. Sir, I join with the noble lord in entreating that hon. members will give their serious attention to the subject. Tney will find from the observations I have given that, eager as they may be for the admission of the Jews, it is necessary to be cautious that in accomplishing that object they do not trench on ear honoured institu , tions. (Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL—Sir, after what has been said by my noble friend at the head of the Government, and by the hon. and learned gentleman . opposite, it is natural that I should wish to say a 'ew words. I assure my noble friend that so far from finding fault with him for taking this subject into immediate consideration and bringing it under the view of Parliament, I agree with these who advised him to do so, because the question will stand the best chance if it has the weight and the influence of Gove . rnment in its favour ; and so far from wishing to introduce it myself, ac it has a better chance in the hands of the Government, and I am only anxious that it shonld stand the best chance of success, I cannot envy him the honour of bringing it forward. The hon. and learned member (Sir F. Thesiger) has given a history of the various measures which have been brought forward on the subject—a history which may be useful, as there are so many new members in the house, and of which I will only say that I hope he will soon be in a position to complete it, and to say "that in 1857 a new attempt was made by the noble lord then at the head of the Go vernment—(a laugh) —and be carried with him a great majority in the House o , Commons, the weight of which, with the influence of Government, was so successful that the House of Lords then conceded the measure, and an act passed for the admission of the Jews into Parlia ment." The hon. and learned member alluded to the connection of my advocacy of the question with my re turn for the City. But I first obtained the s ea t in 1.811, when Baron Rothschild was not a candidate, and secured it in 1557 when be wits a candidate with others, and where, I am 'nappy to avow, that I received the support of many who hold the political views of the hon. and learned gentleman. (Hear.) The bon. and learned mem ber detailed the various measures which were brought forward ; the explanation of which is that we were will ing to concede as much as possible if the main object was secured, and in order to smooth the obstacles which might be raised in the other house. But Ido not con cede the necessity of always proposing such a measure in the same shape and I consider that my noble friend at the head of the Government has done well to frame a measure in that shape, which is an improvement on many of the bills formerly introduced. I remember when on a question, of which the hon. member might have given a similar history—that of Roman Catholic eman cipation—Mr. Canning was reproached with not having alt the same "securities" which he bad proposed in for mer similar measures, he replied, " I decline to be se curity-monger all my life. (A. laugh.) I have proposed securities which you have rejected, and which I do not again propose." So I say as to this Jewish question, though it may have been right, with a view to obviate objections, to refuse the admission of Jews to certain offices, those plop )sals having been rejected, it is right to put the measure in the shape in which it may be most reasonable. (Hear.) The learned gentleman proposes on some future occasion, when doubtless we shall have a keen contest, to state his objections to the measure. The learned member says he is one of those who have a deep and conscientious feeling on the subject. Sir, I ad wit that there are those who nave such a feeling ; and I say that it is a mere feeling, and not an objection founded on reason or argument. I have heard many persons ex press their repugnance to the measure, but I never heard any one state good and solid reasons for thinking that there would be any danger in it—or, in fact, any real and valid objection to it at all. The learned gentleman said it was not a question of civil and religious liberty. I con ceive that it is so. But the learned gentleman, not being himself under the ban of any exclusion himself, can speak at his ease on the subject. (Hear, and a laugh.) If, how ever, any measure were to be proposed for excluding all members of the bar from this house—(laughter)—a measure in favour of which many plausible reasons might be given—(laughter) —as, for example, that a great deal of time might be saved (hear, and laughter) —we should not have the hon. and learned gentleman say that such a measure was no infringement upon liberty (hear, hear, and laugbte.). We should hear his voice very loudly raised against it, and he would con tend that it was impossible that a legislature could respect civil and religious liberty who excluded a most respectable class of persons (laughter) from the privi leges enjoyed by other classes of citizens (hear, hear, and laughter). Let the hon. and learned member put himself in the position of the Jews, and fancy what his feelings would be if he were told that in this free country, although he might be Lord Mayor of London, he could not sit in Parliament, nor enjoy that, the common right of Englishmen (hear, hear). lam sure that his feeling would be most strongly that such a state of things was inconsistent with liberty (bear, hear) ; and I can only say that when this measure comes on to he debated I shall be found in my place giving it my hearty support (cheers). Mr. NEWDEGATE said that.tbe indifference shown by the noble lord to the religious feelings of a large bodyof his fellow-countrymen was so great as to amount to a gross prejudice. Hp would not enter into the argument of this question, but begged the house to bear in mind that the experience of the last ten years had shown that, notwithstanding the repeated attempts which the Jews had made to force their way into that as:semlly —notwithstanding their lavish expenditure of money and their pandering to the popular tastes—they bad not been able to excite among the Christian people of this country anystroog feelingin favour of theiradmis sion. He trusted that the memb,,rs who had come to that house for the first time would, before they gavetheir vote, reflect that this measure was by the large majority of the peorlo regarded as a direct attack upon the Christian character of the Legislature, and that bet Majesty would never be called upon to sanction an) measure which was directed against the religion of which she was a sworn defender. To adopt this measure would ) be to decide that the laws should be enforced by ne sanction of religion, and that they would govern the country by the rule of might. He warned them that if they foil° wed such a course they must expect it to re sult in evils similar to those which had been -caused by its adoption in other countries. (Hear, bear.) Mr. LOCKE KING assured the hon. and learned gentleman the member for Stamford (Sir F. Thesiger) that he was no party to any understanding that all mea sures of Parliamentary reform should be postponed until next session, and he was very much surprised when he the noble I.)rd at the head of the Government ,t de that such_ an uncierstlnling cxiste , i. The abolition of the property qua'i9cation of intqab... , rs was intimately connected with this questio❑ of the oaths, and he hoped that when he movsd the s2coud reading of bin hilt for that purpose, . the nub:e lord would not oppose the motion. Mr. HENLEY expressed his regret that the noble lord had not separated tl4e , rernoval of surplus or objec tionable phrases from the oaths—to which probaby all members of that houee would have asserted—from the question of the admission of the Jews, to which wary of them could not give their :upport. His own opinion was unchanged, and he should vote against this bid as lie had done against many Others of a similar character. He did not see that there was anything ohjectiovable in the introduction of this measure apart from a Reform bid, from which it was a som,what different question— Oear, hear)—hu , be that rt.• it idght, the bill was no's before them, and when it acme on for a second rea, dng they must deal with it. He wished to know when the noble lord proposed to take that stage of the bill ? L)rd PA_LMEIZSTON said, that the bill could not he brourbt in 'mid Monday night, and be tt-rerora °mild not fix the second reading earlier than inim,.- dlately after Whitsunti.'c. The question was then put, and the motion having been agreed to, the hou4e re.-tuned, and leave was at once given for the introduction of the hill. TRANSPORTATION AND PENAL SERVITUDE BILL. On the order for the committee on this 1)11, Lord A. V. TEMPES P moved as an amendment that it be referred to a select committee, his view being to es tablish before that committee the possibility of making our prisoners support themselves by their labour. Sir G. GREY hoped that the house would nut accede to the motion of the noble lord, the only effect% of which would be the renewal of long-protracted inquiry for pur poses which bad been already achieved. (Rear, hear.) Mr. Pearson had explained his views to the house at great length on the sellreinunerative system, and eel. Jebb and the Recorder of Birmingham bad both been examined by c committees of that house. It would be a throwing away of all the advantages derived from the in e;uiry of last year if the select committee were now to he euewei. Besides, there was nothing in the present bill to interfere with the noble lord's sell-reranne,a,tive views, as it applied merely to that class of offences fJr which tratracted terms ( , f penal servitude were at present pro vided. At peseta convict labour was emp'ojed at Ports mouth and Chathatn, and in both places supplied the place of hired labour. At Portland also, anti Ber nuda, convicts were employed in remunerative labour, and that would also be the case at Dartmoor, but that the class of criminals sent there consisted of persons whose labour would be of little velue elsewhere. The main object of the present Dill was to enable the Government to send a certain class of prisoners out of the country. Mr. BAXTER believed that the only effect of the present system of training was to send prisoners back to society much less able to support themselves than be fore. He believed that immense evils had arisen from the abolition of transportation, which had been as ad vantageous :o the colonies as to the mother-country. 'Having these convictions, he cordially supported the proposition for sending a portion of our prisoners to Western Australia, but he warned the right hon. gen tleman that it would be only a temporary expedient, as the free colonists of Australia would soon raise an out cry against the pollution of their soil. Mr. W. 'WILLIAMS could see no reason why con victs is this country should not be made to support themselves. In the prisons in New York, Clnada, and various parts of the Continent, the labour of the pri soners more than defrayed the whole expense of the establishment. Lord NAAS believed it was not only possible but easy to return to transportation ; it was merely a ques- tion of expense ; but they ought not to shrink from any expense within reason for the purpose of re-establishing that which be believed to be the most effectual secondary pur ihrnent human ingenuity bad invented. Mr. LABOUCHERE, after the most anxious in vestigation, found it impossible to shut his eyes to the fact that to attempt to force convicts upon a free colo nial population would tend to the alienation of many of our most important colonies. The Au-tralian colonies felt quite as strongly on this subject as the old Ame rican colonies did upon the subject of taxation. It had been proposed to establish a penal settlement in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the noble lord the member for Cockermouth said that it was a mere piece of sentimen talisin for the inhabitants of Sydney acid Moreton Day to object to it. But in the case of Mereton B y there were sheep walks that extended within 500 miles of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and wherever sheep-runs existed men easily travelled over 1 arge tracts of country, and thus 'facilities were aff ‘rded for the escape of convicts. He had a curious instance the other (ray of the sensibility of the Australian colonists on this subject, for he had re ceived an addess from Ta-4nania, which is the extreme south of the Australian colonies, praying that no penal settlement should be es!ablishied in North Australia, which could only have meant the Gulf of Carpentaria, for in the extreme north the climate was too tropical to allow of its being settled as a place of labour for the white man. In his (Mr. Labouchere's) opinion, we shoe]. I act most unwisely by attempting to disturb the present state of things in Australia. which was, that a penal settlement was in existence in Western Australia--a region singu larly adapted for the purpose, being entirely insulated from the other part§ of the colony, there, being no land communication between it and them ; it was not adapted for sheep-farms ; so that there would be note of the intercourse those farms afforded, while it had, even by sea, more commercial intercourse with India and America than with the other parts of Australia. Ali these circumstances combined made it a fitting place for a penal settlement, and above all the other colonies agreed in the selection. He hoped it would be understood that it was not intended to deloge Western Australia with convicts ; but that it was only io be made available for the purposes of transportation ; so far as any intention was of carrying out that system on a modified plan. He believed that it was the wildest of notions to suppose that we could throw our conviet,B here, there, and everywhere. Some gentlemen said, let them be sent to the Falkland Llands, and if they escaped it would be of no consequence, as in the pls,ce3 to which they went, they would be glad to have them. But it was the fact that when a few hardened convicts from Bermuda went some time since to America, a law was passed by which a ship entering a harbour with even one such person on board was net allowed to land its cargo and was sent away. He believed that it was not safe or wise to legi- late against this feeling, and fiat any attempt to allow our convicts to find their way to other countries would be frustrated, aud they would be re turned' on our hands. He could not allow any such assertions as had been made with regard to the feelings of the colonists on this matter witArut a protest, and without urging that we were bound to consider the fe4. ings of the colonists in dealing with this question. After a short discussion, in which Mr. S. Fitz , 2eralci, Mr. Garnett, Colonel Sykes, Mr. Macartney, and Mr. Wyld took part, Lord VANE withdrew his amendment, and the house resolvei itself into committee. A debate of considerable length arose upon an amend ment of the first clause, proposed by Mr. Keating, the ohj+.ict of which was to repeal the clauses in the act of 1853 which sanctioned the grant of tickets-of-leave. The committee divided— For the rejection of the clause B3 For its rat ration The clause was then agreed to. The remaining clauses were agreed to after discussion. Mr. WILSON obtained leave to bring in a bill for the amendment id* the Cinque Ports Act. Mr. KENDALL moved for a select committee to in quire into the'law and practice with respect to the rat ing of Royalties of mines ; which was agreed to. Mr. BUTT moved for a sel-ct committee to inquire into the circumstances conneced with the employment of women and young persons in the bleaching and dye ing establishments in England, Scotland, and Ireland ; and to consider how far it may be necessary or expe dient .xtend to those establishments provisions regu lating such empl Imert ; and to report their ob•erva tions thereupon to the house ; which was agreed to. The house, after some further business, adjourned at a quarter-past 12 o'clock, until Monday. The house was exceedingly full ; many members were unable to obtain seats and had to stand on the fl)or of the house beyond the bar. BAron Rothschild was pre sent and occupied a seat in that part of the house re served for peers. The Wanderer of Vienna announces that the King of the Belgians has gained the priocipd prize of 300,000 florins, or 750,000 f., in the dra,Ning of the Austrian loan of 1334, which took place on the Ist lust. ADVlSltTitsndSfiTd SIM:TSAI N AND GENTLEMEg OF TCE ARMY A-ND NANY.—S,. ann K. Soionions, opticians, 3lt, Alhe marie-street, Piccadilly, W. Observe—opposito the York Botch--Portability, combined with great power in Field, Racecourse, Opera, aim general out-door day anti night powerful waistcoat pocket Perspective Glasses, weighing only four ounces, each containing 12 and 18 lenses, con structed of German glass, will snow distinctly a person's countenance two anti a half and three miles. They serve every purpoec on the race-course, and at the opera. Sinuses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at S to 10 miles. They are alto invaluable for shooting, deer -stalking, and yachting. single ones, the szoof a w hint, r o3sessing the same great power. Her Maje ty ea t-Gu •rds are making use of them as day and night. glasses, in preleretee o all others; they have also ce.ome iu general us, by gentlemen, cf the Army and Navy, and by aportsia en, gentlemen, aame kceaors, and tourists. The most powerful and brilliant telescopes, possesing such extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches, with an extra ast s nominal eye psece will Show distinctly Jupiter's moons aaturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope can be seen a ter snn's countenance three-and-a-half miles distant ind an object from 14 to 16 miles. All the above can be had of larger awl all sizes, with increasing powers, and are secured by iser Majesty's Royal Letters Patent. IN ewiy-mven:ed Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. The valuable advantage derived from this invention is, th:a vasiant becomes preserved and strengthened ; very agea aeasons are enabled to employ their sight rat the most uiuuto oceupation—eau see with these lenses of a mud.. less ma.aania lag power—and they do not require the fre quent change; to the dangerous effects of further power ful assistance. Perscns can be suited at the mo,t remote part of the world by sendin. one of the glasses out of their sped, 'cies in a letter, and stating the dist itce from the eye they can read small print with it, and those wh o h ave not made use of Spectacles by staitug their age. D ea f ness. ___ A newly-inventea instrument for extreme cases of deafness, called the Sound Magn her, Organic Vibrator, and Tvis,ble Voice Conductor. It fits so into the ear as not to b e in the l e ast pereeplile; the unpleasant eensa ion siuo.in , noises in the heal, is entirely . orno. ed. It affords in taut ielief to the deafest persons, aunt enables them to bear Ohs inetly at church mid at tublic assemaliss. 39, Alleeruarie•strect, Picca dilly—opposite the York Hotel. Country Markets. LIVERPOOL—May 15. The'corn exchange this mooning was slenderly attended by millers and dealers, and the transactions were limited, yet, having no pressure on the part of holders, quotations were nominally the same as on Tuesday, excepting for la. &an corn, which was in request to satisfy a continued us mend for Ireland. V r AKEFtELI)--21Ar 15. The fine weather had a material influence en the market to-flay, and the business in wheat was dona at a decline of is to 2s pc] qr. In barley there was no material change. Beans steady. Ows and shelling full as dear as last week. Average prices of grain—Wheat, 57s 9:! , i; bailey, .46e 0 ; oats, 283 5,0; beans, 46 s 32,d ; peas, 433 () , ,;d ; rye, —s. 01. EXETER-MAy 15. CORN.—Wheat, 7s 9d to Os ; barley, 5s Od to 5s 0c 1 ; grinding do.. 0 , Od to Os Od. Oats, 3s Od to 3s 4d* Be Kati, Os 0.4 to 0 Od. Peas, 00s Oil to 09s Pd. FLOUR. —Fine, 4.1 s Od to 46s Od ; seconds, 42s Od ' 0 40 Od per sack. CATTLE. —There was a small supply of bullocks. De't beef, from lOs to ii> 6,1 poi score ; inferior, Os 6d to lis per score; fat calves, —d to 6d per lb ; barrenners, Os 0.1 to 01 01. per score ; cows end calve , , 121. to 201. s ; butchers calves, Od to id per lb., rearm , calves —s to s e ach; sheep, ewes and lambs, 21. Os to 31. —s por couple; ewes. 0 to 8d ; wethers, 8d 81; lamb —to Oti per lb. Pig' , large size, —s to —s ; second siz —s to —s : to —s ; suckers, —s to s. Rough fat, , 4 1 per 1. • Pork carcases from lOs Od to its Od per score. BrasToL SUGAR-'MAY 15. The market has been very quiet this week, and with the exception of abqut 200 Barbadoes, for part of which a decline of is per cwt. was submitted to, we are not awar e of any transactions, although some parcels for arrival Are sp ken of. The refined market is quiet but very firm, and the mahu • facturers have scarcely auything to offer. Eum is much wanted. COAL MARKET.—MAY 15. Prices of Coals per ton at the close of the market. s (I.! Wallsend, Ms. Bell's Primrose l3 3; s d• Bebside's Hartley l7 3I ITetton lB 0 Eden Main l6 6 ,Boutli Hetton 18 0 Russell's fletton 16 6 fleugh Hall 16 6 Tees lB 0 ~ 20 ; sold, 18. tifisllssn kc. Hotton Lyons Main ~..14 9 Ships at market COURSE OF EXCHANGE. -YESTERDAY. krnsteream ............ 11 18 Ditto, three months .. 12 itotterdam ............ 12 1 4 Antwerp 25 65 tirtis,;eis 25 65 liamburgli ............ 13 9 1 4 Altomt • • 25 32% Ditto, three months .. 25 75 MarseiLes 1........• .• •• 25 77% Gibraltar. Legnurn ••••••.. .•• 29 6 0 , Genoa ......... 8 ‘. 1 7 , Milan ....•••• •• •••••" ...... Naples ........ ..... 43 Palermo ...... 1 30 Messina . .. 1304 Lisbon .• .......... •• 5214 , 7 , Oporto •• • •••• •• •• •• •• • •• 52, Bourde:Aux •••••• • • • .. Ft ankfort-on- \lain° •• .. 120 Rio Janeiro ..... ....... -- Buenos Ayre5.......... -- Berlin •••• •• •• • • • • • • •• Vienna .••••• •••• 10 35 trie.3te........•• ••.... 10 36 Petersburg ............ 37 11adrid .........., .... 49 Cadiz .........•••••••• 49% Barcelona •• • • •• •• •• •• • • ••• New York,6o days'aiglit Philadelphia ... PRICES OF RI7LLIos, FEE oz.„, Foreign Gold in Bars .t.. 3 17 ~' Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 u iL Mexican Dollars 0 0 57 ' New Dollars 0 ° Silver in bars ...... 0 0 LOCAL SHARE MARKETb. LIVERPOOL, MAT 15. STOCK EXCHANGE. —Caledonian, i--Elstet a Counties, 11/. 15-16—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 102t4' . Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 424 s Midland , 7 —North British, 10 1:3-1fi- Grand Trunk of Canada, 16t• 7-16—Great Western of Canada, 21,f Manchester, She r field, and Lincolnshire, 3f per cent. Preference, 66-1,3 3, caebiro Insurance, 3-16 pria. STA Nell wWirli-ilft, MAY 15. , nor STOCK EXCHANGE.-- The market was steady, out , a. a large business closed ratter weaker. The sales ~veto Eastern Counties, 11,1 15-16—East Lancashire, 0,1 14°I don and North- Western 106—llitt ,, , Bths, 3-16 cl;, - London and South-Western, 100—Midlands, 3a" Sheilields, 43. f. BIRMINGHAM, MAY 15. Pr of STOOK EXCIRANGE.—Great Western, Birmingham r fq--Birmingham Gas, 40—Midland, 8 {i.B4l—South St' fords, 9} 91--Birmingham Guaranteed, 13 LEEDS, MAY 15. A csno STOCK EXCHANGE.—Sheffield, Rotherham, and 20 , , —Midland, S4--Grand Trunk of Canada, lta—L ee lef Northern (No. 2) 3g pin. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE WEEK• Miles I____ JIT i P t !:/ opened, NAME OF RAILWAY. tag 1857. 1857 -.." RBI TISH. .t . 115 Aberdeen ..........•• ....•• ..... 2 63 7 35 i ;4 Bolton, Bl3elrll f:Passnttll4 :7l 3' a dd?‘ ;k L i Ballymenaa t: n r ii r ct i, Y l D n h d i°‘e;., " ; West ii ... Y 117 Bristol and Exeter ...... 61 i 3 6,2 36 C :1 r i : k e : s . .h . : l . r : i 4 1 1 , , , 9 1- 0 3 1 3 18 0 1 4.41 ! 1 9 9 • IhB Caledonian. ........... ............ 12,765 I'. 0 4 1 9, t i Chester and Holyhead .. • • ........ 5,298 -• ~ 10 6 % Cork, Blackrock, and Passage ...... 232 2 91 2 0 Cork and Bandon •••• .............. 350 `1,p5 9 56 Dublin and B e lf as t J unc ti on •....... 1,087 . . 99 63 I Dublin And Drogheda.• •• .. ......... • 1068 1 1 7 i 4N I Dublin and Kingstown .............. 1,680 ' 1, 5 1 7 t i 16 % Dundee and Arbroath ----• • .. •• . 557 ,00 3 1 i Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen Junction 1,042 . 3 0 36 1 Dundalk an,l Enniskillen •• •• - 502 8 0 6714 . Eaat Ang1ian........................ 1,108 ~ i ,39 93 j East Lancashire •• • • ................ 6,569 I ° , ' „ na 49v 417 ! Eastern Counties and Norfolk ••.. 3 23.783 A . " - ni Eastern Union.. - - ~. 142 Edinburgh and Glasgow .•• •• -•••• • • 5 818 ' '6l 128 Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee...... 6,314 6,t ' ..••• 6 Exeter and Crediton- •• ...... •• •• •• - ..., 22 Furness Hallway -• • •... .... •• - , 711 183 X Glasgow, and South-Western• ..... •• 6,281 7,' Ai ii 283 Great Northern . . -....- 21,551 2 N,11 203 Great Southern and Western (Ireland) 7,06 „ s 6 n '69 415 j Great Western ........ •• •• •••• - - 29.293 1 l,''' 14 9 25 q Irish South Eastern ................ 311 3 90 Lancaster and Carlisle- K s ............ 5,918 ', i i lii 2861,4 Lancashire and Yorkshire ..... ... 23,409 22,3 ._. Leeds Northern •••••••••• .......... - ••••• 16 4 Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport" - - 0 ,953 637 ., London and North Western .•• •••• - 65,054 u;' 3 7l ~s ' ;) London and Blackw 0•11.............. 1,319 " 7 16 1 2' 3 4 ' London, Brighton, and South Coast.. 13,456 19 5 '19 1 2 , London and South Western. •• .• •... 14,515 "631 " u Londonderry and Enniskillen ........ 733 Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, &c. - O/9 173 % Manchester, Sheilield,.nid Lincolnshire 10.019 '"801 28 Maryport Manchester and South Junction ...... 12,223 191" Maryport and Carlisle •• •••••• •• •... 978 „ , ; 43 505 Midland ..... .. --•••••. •• • • • • • • 31,686 2 1';71 1 126 Midland Great Western (Irish) ...... 4,274 i "'.- 78 14onklands - ..- - Newcastle Carli.. •• ........ •• 4 8f 149 North 13r1tish and .... •• - sle •• •• •••••• •• •• 4.784 .2. il l 233 North Staffordshire •• • • ....•• ••• • • 7,56 , 1 :03 1 47 North-Western •• .. •••••••••• • • •• •• 977 "...., 87 % Scottish Central .................... - ~ 32 Scottish Midland •••••••••• .. • • •• .. - 1, 0 29% Shrewsbury and Birmingham ...... 1,957 3, 01 48 Shrewsbury and Chester ...........• 3,639 80 ,3 0 ihropthire Union .. •• •• •• • • ........ 1,059. 2 3j 4 5744 4outh Devon ......... •• .• ••.•.. - - 2,644 l , 6, 90 301' South Eastern •••• •• • • .............. 16.946 ' 6, 0 3 17 1% South Wales ...................... 7,064 ( 041 108 South York., Doncaster, and Goole .. 3,059 `:, oft 39 Taff Vale .... • - ........ 5,155 41 3 36 Ulster ............................. 1,688 ;pi 77 Waterford P.nd Limerick .......... • • 1,343 i } 27% West Cornwall ...... ..... ....... 673 j 31 1 12 Whitehaven Junction ............... 489 682 York and Newcastle, and Berwick & .... York and North Midland & Leeds.. - FOREIGN. 2, 001 109 Dutch Rhenish . • •••••••. • • • • • • • • 2,26 8 ...-• 344 Lyons and Mediterranean .......... - ••••• 63 Montereau and Troyes ........ ~, •• .. - ••• - Namur and Liege .. • • ..........•• •• - 1 231 445 Northern of France ................ 39,698 . 3 ',•• - Orleans and Central .. - i ~.. 387 Paris and Lyons .....• • • .......... - ~ - Paris and Rouen. ................... - "' 466 Paris and Strasburgh •• .......... .. - , .., - Konen and Havre •• • • •• . .. - ± 1 .., ...... 536 West and North-West of France . • • • BIRTHS. OF A SON. N ick' On the 13th inst., at Holly Cottage, Hann:M/ 11- Mrs. George Henry Nichols. , v - Yli" ' On the lith inq., at 120, Cambridge - street , i' nr square, the wife of Vesey W. Holt, Esq. OF A DACGIITER, ife ° I On the 15th inst., at 24, Thurl oe - square , the 'i v Geoe Gutteres, Esq. cc, cf On the 14th inst., the wifo of Stanley G. Pr udell Gray's-inn, solicitor. MARILIED. Of . On the 13th inst., at Croydon, John Roll, E s q' a bte f of Ozleworth-rark, Glocestershire, to Elizabeth , of the late Stephen Godson, Esq., of Croydon. , A i li gt°": On the 14th inst., at St. James's Church. ri''sovi k e l; Samuel Swiro, Esq., oldest sou of the Roy . . JuL . ;. oiA" vicar of Mau held, Yorkshir, to Gertrude Elizbeircestel" daughter of Cbarles Stanton, Esq., of Stroud, 64° shire, and 15, Susses-gardens.. 1)1E1). On the 14th inst., Samuel Culle E sq., o f 2 , — l4 / arP° : . terrace, Kensington, aged 82. Y' ....„ OOP' Ou the 14th inst., at Warrington, Mr. Jobn . 110 aged 71 t of t ". '3O . n the 14th inst., Mrs. Susannah Stubbing, relic : - f.. ,, late Benjamin Stubbing, Es many years deputy cI bourn Ward, aged 85. Esq., re it' On the 13th inst., at Bath, Caroline, the wife of -' Freestun, .N. a toll/ .K On the I.2th inst., at Upper Barnsbury-street, I°ll William Hopkins, . b. On the 10th inst., at 2, Prospect, Villas, Vick 0 1 Mr. William Chandler, aged 94. . r . f . s oot', On the 26th tilt., at Madeira, Majcr Lance to 03 00, Lou.i-parish-housi, Banta, aged 45. The On the 4th inst., at-tzlouthuni, the Rev., I lt y d M.A., aged 81. ... ---" ....•••••••••.....-.*77f _ _ LONDON: Printed and Published by MTI II -'-' — ‘l4ac ..., of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun `"„ ... ;:co ' cr`" 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy' in ''' gi o f Middlesex, Saturday, May 16,1657. 4 racteri G j and s ~6 13 'n utene ces.4of ten. Ri ant Velti e , mad e ' their o n twi ce a l'ro Dr i e 1.11 bei ttz ;, Coral, e o%ine i T/tlri ) of this 536 J West and North-West or h'rance ade' LOVELY Loess.—At a fancy fair iu Paris, the -L P ____ kept a stall. A gentleman approa,:hed, re; turned away again, as if be.itating to purchase), bilt‘ ot, , turned to the princess's invitation. " You will ° I he said, " sell what I want ." " We'll see—what, i ° ' f or " The lock of bait falling on your si odder." Th e ( r i de' cess took up a pair of cissors, cut off the hair, avdt manded 50W. "The gentleman paid the moneY , ;0 0 hastening away with the treasure, showed it in to an intimate friend. " Ah," said the confident, 0 have been robbed, my friend ; the Princess 061 'wig 1" G vellt n. at On Leans. )2 40, Liver, Par exam' Pro! cation M clany ;i 111 .nni 4-1 h( t a t• 44114 ea unriva.l 1111 h),4ectur PA lic Tr" 'ff Pet, 1 0.14 , n, 4 21,1 c t he it i n rci Ltlit Y tro d ttti ; r lltle t," the Ri on, Its of l 'Yst. I N Butt t, :n tint