The Sun. — London, England, 1857-06-10 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. • HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YECTERDAY.) The LORD CHINCELGOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. MUTINY OF NATIVE INDIA.N TROOPS, The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH had been in hopes that it would not be necessary to draw their lord ships' attention to the lamentable mutinies which had taken place in the native army of India. The news' which he hid read last night gave so grave a character of the mutinies which had occurred in India, that he did not think it consistent with his duty to refrain from putting a question to the noble lord the President of the Council. Their lordships would, of course, be acquainted with the mutiny of the 19th Native Regiment, the march of that regiment, and its subsequent disband• anent at Barrackpore in the presence of five other native regiments. They must also have perceived with apprehen sion the spread of disaffection amongst the native army, but a circumstance had occurred that gave a more serious &Teel to the affair, namely, the spread of incendiary fires. From ti:e 16th to the 25th of April no less than seven incendiary fires had occurred in the district occupied by the disaffected troops. A regiment amounting to four hundred sabres had been permitted to remain in open mutiny without any effort being made to check the progress of the disaffec tion. He could not understand how it was so in Mee rut, where the Government had a strong force of artillery, dragoons, and carabineere, who could have been depended upon. Open mutiny was, in fact, open war, and it was only to be met by open war. There must have been some strange exagge ration in the accounts that had been received, but having carefully perused the accounts which had been published in the Bengal territory, he could come to no other conclusion than that the whole of the dis content was caused by the fear that the Government intended to interfere with the religion of the natives of India. He found the names of six officers, and several other public functionaries all connected with the mis sionary proceedino. ; and the Governor General (Lord Canning) was said to be a large subscriber to every so ciety having for its object the conversion of the natives. The hone must remember that the Governor-General could not separate himself from his public character as Governor General, and if any attempt was made to in terfere with the religious rites of the natives, a bloody revolution would tak e pl ace , th e resu lt o f which would be that the English would be driven from India. The question he wished to pat was, whether instructions bad been sent out to India, directing the several goverro ments to make known to the army that the Home Go vernment woul f prbtect all their subjects in the undis turbed exercise of their religion ? Earl GRANVILLE thought the noble lord had taken a course which might lead to very disastrous consequences in India. His question was based upon a telegraphic despatch, which might give a very exaggerated account of the state of the native troops in India ; but be felt hound t defended Lord Canning from the aspersions that had been cast upon him. He could assure the noble earl that the Government would not for a moment countenance any attempt to interfere with the religious rites of the natives of India. Lord MALMESBURY could not agree in regretting the observations made by the noble earl. The noble earl opposite had admitted that rumours prevailed which the noble earl had by his question given an opportunity of contradicting. The communications on this sut.ject did not depend entirely on the electric telegraph. If Lord Canning had subscribed to any such Societies as was stated, ho had not acted with his usual cool judg ment and prudence. Such societies could not and would not abstain from making use of that fact. From iiii kiowledge of Lerd Cannieg's caution and judgment, he could not believe that he would commit so imprudent au act. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said it was of the utmost consequence that Lord Cannine'is conduct should remain unimpeached till there e as clear and reliable in formation of what had occurred. He must entre it thei lordships until they heard what were the specific sub scriptions to suspend their judgmrnt. He was sure there was not a ma-s in that house more aware than Lord Can ning of the danger of giving countenance to any attempt to interfere with the rights of the native population to protection in their religion. Lord GRANVILLE, to show the vague nature of the information, referred to its source, a paragraph in an Indian journal, to the effect that the noble lard had sub scribed to a scientific association, which could hardly be thought to have any religious tendency, Lord ELLENBOROUGH said that since a noble lord, a member of the Government, had said thatif Lord Can ning had subscribed to associations for the purpose of converting the native population, he would not be fit to remain at the head of affairs in India, that was quite sufficient to remove any wrong feeling on the question. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE replied that he said if Lord Canning had done anything to give countenance to the rumours which were abroad, he solid not be fit to hold the position of head of the government in India; but that if he had subscribed to any religious association he .woull doubtless be prepared to explain his reasons for doing s The ject then dropped. PRINCESS ROYAL'S ANNUITY. • Earl GRANVILLE, in moving the second reading of this bill, said,—On the assumption that your lordships will agree with me in the principle that we ought to pro vide for the support of the institutions of this country, and, monarchy being one of the elements of our consti tltion, that we ought to deal in a spirit, not of wasteful ness, but of just liberality to the R.)3 al family—(se —that the Royal family shosid be maintained in honour and dignity, and that those illustrious ladies belonging toil who go abroad should have a fair and - liberal main tenance, it will not be neceseary that I shoull trouel • you with many observations. This might have offered a tempting opportunity to allude to certeia qualities of her Majesty ; but though the feelings of affection and respect which we may entertain for the Sove reign may make us more anxious cordially and unani mously to adopt a vote of this description, still I should be ashamed if I based it on any such affection and respect. (Hear, hear.) I only ask your lordships to lake that course which I believe we are bound to do, not so much for the dignity of the Crown as from a re gard to what is due to the feelings and natural pride of the country. Tile provision proposed in the present in stance is reasonable, and being reaeor able, I am sure it will be unanimously adopted by your lord hips. Look ing to the precedents in such cases, we find that for the Princesses Royal, the daughters of Geerge 11. and Georee provision was made by a dowry of 80,0001., and an annuity of 5,0001. In titia case the dowry is less by one-half than that given in former times, while the an redly is larger, being 8,0001, instead of 5,0001 I know there are some who have thought that to pay down a leeee sum at once would have be n a better arrangement, but lam not of that opinion. I think that a hen an il luetrious lady is married into a great kingdom and a powerful House our object should be not so much in make provision for her children as to provide for that in dependence and that decent splendour which I am sore every one of your lordships must think ought to at tend the eldest daughter of the Sovereign, (Hear.) For theta) reasons, without dwelling upon the feelings of gratrilcation expressed by your lordships on a former evening at an event which is likely to reward her Ma jesty for the excellent education she has bestowed 111 the Princess Royal, and to render the Princess Royal at happy in her future life as we all desire, I now ask your lordships to give a second reading to this bill. (Hear.) ' The Earl of MALINIESBURY said, although, accord ing to the old proverb, silence gave consent, yet in the absence of his noble friend the Earl of Derby, he felt bound on the part of noble lords on that side of the house to express his satisfaction with the bill proposed and his admiration of the manner in which her Majesty had exercised her rule in these realms, and of the bright example which she had set to all her subjecte. (Hear With regard to the d e t a il s of th e bill , as i t had passed the House of Commons, it would be useless to discuss the question whether any better plan could have been proposed. For his own part, he was inclined to believe it would have been better to have given a round sum at ()Secs, which would have placed the Princess Boyd in a Shore dignified position than as an annuitant of this country. It would be idle, however, to discuss that question now, and he therefore had only to express his concurrence with the bill which was before the house. The bill was then read a second time. , DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL. The house then went into committee upon this bill, iibich bad been recommitted. Clauses 1 to 16 were agreed to. Upon crease 17 The LORD CHANCELLOR said, since the bill had been printed be had received many communications suggesting that the provisions of this clause might be extended to husbands deserted by their wives. The 'Sallee gave power to a wife who had been deserted by kat' 'husband without reasonable cause to apply to the k;eurt for a divorce a merai et thoro, and he proposed 7 .1" an amendment in the 12th line, which would give to huabauds deserted by their wive; the same right of ipticradticn _ the eurt. LEON A.RDS said this biil sanctioned for the first time th e 'principle that divorces could be granted upon thesole ground of desertion. That he considered to b open the d oor to e a great dangerous principle, and would Lad considered this pu rllusien. The co mm itt ee w hi c h ( 3 3, eet had re comtr en d e d t h at i n goases of deserti on the rt n should b e empowered to rant the wife alimony, but to i prono unce a di vorce. sboull move as an am en d That was a much more reon o tba e propo si ti on , an d h e m as ent in line 15 that the clause be altered to enable the Court to grant alimony to a de ailed wife, instead of the divorTcea mouse chte( e r nsaet thoro.- 'Earl GREY rose to order. he ller had proposed an amendment in line 12 , and until was disposed of their lordships could n o t discuss an altera tion in line 15. Tbey ought to proceed according to the recognised rules and practice of Parliam ent. (Rear ) Lord ST. LEOTARDS agreed with the noble earl, but maintained that tho eourse he had pursued wa s Cal . c'ulated to save the time of their lordship. The clause as it stood provided that desertion by her husband should L_give a wif e a r i g ht t o di v orce a mouse et tho ro . The cod Chancellor now proposed to extend the clause so air to meet the case of a wife deserting her husband. Now, his argument was that neither husband nor wife should have a right to divorce for desertion ; and if his amendment to that effect were adopted by their lord ships, there would be no necessity for discussing the alteration proposed by the Lord Chancellor in line 12. `Earl STANHOPE thought that much of the irregu larity which arose in committee proceeded from the un satisfactory mode in which the amendments were painted. They appeared, not according to the order iu which they ought to be taken up, but according to the frames of the persons proposing them. Earl GRANVILLE was of opinion that some latitude FEE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 10, 1857 might remind their lordships that they wers not legis lating for one class, but for all classes of the community, and that they ought to consickr the effect which might he produced by their legislation upon what were called the lower orders of society. It was said that they should not impose too stringent restric tions in the first instance, because if it were bund necessary the law might subsequently be rendered more severe. But all experience showed that it was much easier to relax a law than to increase its stringency. Lord CAMPBELL should support the amendment of his noble and learned friend. Their lorJships then divided, and tnenunabers were, — For the amendment Against Majority —9 The amendment was therefore lost. This and the remaining clauses of the Bill ware agreed to, and the house resumed. Llrd RED ESDALE gave notice that at a future stage of the Bill he should, with a view to meet the cases of Roman Catholics and other persons who had a conscientious objection to applying for a divorce a vinculo, move the insertion of a provision enabling persona presenting a petition for a divorce a mensa et thoro to make the adulterer a party to the suit, and to petition that the divorce should be followed by penalties similar to those imposed in consequence of a divorce a vinculo matrimonii. Their lordship adjourned at a quarter past 9 o'clock HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YEsTExpAy.) The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. BEECROFT took the oaths and his seat for Leeds. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —Banff, Macduff, an& Turriff Extension Railway ; Brighton, Hove, and Brenton Constant Service Water ; European and Indian Junction Telegraph Company ; Forth and Clyde Junction Railway ; New River C on pany ; Portsmouth Railway (New Title), and St. Philip's Church, Liverpool Bills. The following bill was further considered and ordered to be read a third time :—Wycombe Railway. The following bills were read a second time—London Gas Light Company (Capital), and Mallow and Fermoy and Great. Southern and Western Railways. SECRETARY OF STATE FOR IRELAND. Mr. ROEBUCK gave noticeithat on that day week he would submit a motion for the consideration of the house, substituting a Secretary of State for Ireland for the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. 47Mr. W. EWART gave notice_ that on that day fort night he ehould bring under the notice of the house the formation of grammar icllools throughout the country. THE BALLOT, Mr. H. BERKELEY postponed his motion on the ballot from the 23.1 inst., to the 13th of July. RETURNS. Numerous unopposed returns were ordered to be laid on the table of the house. PAYMENT OF LOCAL CONSTABLES. Mr. MILES asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it was his intention to in troduce a bill for the payment of local constables ap pointed under the Act 3 and 4 Vic. c. 83, s. 16. during the present session ? Sir G. GREY said that the act at present in operation had worked well for many years, and no difficulties had hitherto arisen under it. The local constables had 'power to go beyond their district to serve summons, &c., but at the expense of the persons employing them. He was not aware of any fund out of which constables could be paid, but he would look into the lam. CONSOLIDATION OF THE STATUTES. Mr. POWELL asked the First Lord of the Treasury what progress had been made by the Commissioners appointed for consolidating the statute law in the preparation of measures for that purpose, and whether it was intended to introduce during the present session a bill for the consolidation of any portion of the statutes ; and, if such was the intention of the Govern ment, what portion of the statutes would be dealt with ? Mr. BAINES said that the report of the commis sioners was ready, and would be laid on the table of the house in a few days. It was the intention of the Lord Chancellor, in a few days, to lay on the table of the House of L-rds a series of bills that had been prepared under the direction of the Statute Law Commissioners. THE POOR-LAW BOARD. Mr. CRAUFU RD asked the President of the Poor law Board, whether the hon. member for Boston still continued to hold the office of auditor under the Poor law Board Mr. BOUVERIE said that the hon. member referred to was appointed by the local guardians, though liable to be dismissed undercertain circumstances by the Poor law Board. He was not aware that his election for Boston prevented him from holding the office of auditor, which hitherto he had discharged with satisfaction. PARK LANE. Mr. BAILLIE asked the First Commissioner of Work., whether, in pursuance of the recommendation of the Metropolitan Improvement Committee of 1855, he had been able to devise any plan for relieving the great increase of traftc which now passed through Park-lane, and had become dangerous to the public ; and, whether there would be any objection to open to the public the r'-ad through the park, from Stanhope street Gate to Hyde-park Corner I Sir B. HALL, atter referring to the report of the commissioners, said that he took proceedings last year to carry out its recommendations, but he met with opposition from eight or nine residents, and on confer ring with the la v officers of the Crown, they agreed with the oij etions urged by the residents. It was, however, desiraHe to. widen Park-lane if possible. With reference to the second part of the question, he thought It could not be acceded to, because if opened in the day it must be at night, and that would be objectionable. THE DEATH OF JAMS: WILLIAMS. Mr. DILLWYN asked the First I;;;d---.Ftl:Trea sury whether her Majesty's Government had received any information respecting the circumstances attending the death of James Williams, a seaman on board the John and Edward schooner, of Aberystwith, who was killed in the harbour of Blleisle en the 24th day of May lass, by a shot fired frets the French war sc h ooner Ma ratcb. Lord PA.L MERSTON said that her Majesty's Go vernment bad received information with regard to the melancholy circumstance. It appeared that this vessel entered the roadstead of Belleisle without her colonrs fl y i ng, w hi c h was very wrong, becau-e a foreign vessel entering a harbour ought to have her national colours (Hear, h an) Unquestionably the c duct of the officer in command of the French vessel was unjustifiable, although he ordered two blank mus kets first to be fired. The non-compliance of the master of the schooner was no justification of th e F renc h com mander's precipitation in ordering a sh o tt e d mus k e t t o of the u n f or t unate a ff a i r was that he ordered the hedeisehiaarngaetdagainst th e schooner. (Hear, hear.) His xP person i'n who fired to fire high, the conse quence of which was the striking of the s e am an re f erre d to. The French Government bad, howe ver , given s h t e r r at iN in l g aj easgtyaig Government no opportunity of remon strating this act, for Count Walewski imme diately on the circumstance becoming known, volur taered a communication to her Majesty's ambassador Paris, of the most satisfactory and handsome kind, ex pressing the deep regret of the French Government at the occurrence, and stating that orders would be given by the French Government to dismiss the French officer from their service, who ordered the firing of the musket —(hesr)--and that the French Government was about to make inquiries to ascertain in what way and in what degree it was possible in their power to mitigate the afli ction of the family of the unfortunate seaman who may have suffered from the sacrifice of his life. Nothing could be more honourable or proper than the manner in which the French Government had acted, and intend still further to act in this unfortunate and melancholy GRAND JURIES (METROPOLIS) . catastrophe. (Hear.) Sir F. THESIGER moved for leave to introduce a bill to dispense with the attendance of grand juries at the Central Criminal Court, and at courts of General and Quarter Sessions holden within the metropolitan police district, except in particular cases. The hon. and learned gentleman referred to the feeling of the public against the continuance of grand juries, as well as many of our judges ; and he referred to the practice of grand juries throwing out bills, and of persons going privately before grand juries, and preferring bills against prisoners for the pur pose of extortion, and gave a variety of illustrations of the working of the system in support of his argument. The secrecy of the proceeding facilitated its being abused. He proposed that no case should be tried in the metropolitan districts without a previous investi gation before a magistrate, by which means attendance of the grand jury might be dispensed with, and thereby save much loss of time and inconvenience to persons having to prosecute prisoners, from their not being re quired to attend before grand juries to prefer bills of in dictment. A great saving would also take place in the costs of pr3secution. . _ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the measure would receive the cordial support of the Government, who had not touched the subject, from their having had under their consideration a comprehensive plan con nected with the appointment of a public prosecutor, which would have taken the subject under consideration. After some remarks from Mr. BOWYER, leave was given to bring in the bill. _ LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE then moved that the petition of the members of the Land Transport Corps, complain. ing that the War office had not kept faith with them, be referred to a select committee. Ile stated several griev ances which thi s corps h a d su ff ere d ; but the great grievance was, that when they were disbanded a paper, and not a parchment, discharge was handed to them, which was treated as no discharge at all, so that the men could find no employment, for masters were afraid to hire deserters. They also complained that money was owing to them, which they could not obtain. Mr. TOWNSEND seconded the motion. Lord YALNIERSTON said the parchment discharge was given to all who applied for it. He had no objection to the appointment of a committee, but he did not be lieve much good would come of it. The motion was then agreed to. WILLS OF BRITISH SUBJECTS MADE ABROAD. Sir F. KELLY moved for leave to bring in a bill to give validity and effect to the wills of British subjects made abroad. Thn hon. and learned member pointed out that under the present state of the law no will made abroad by a British subject, according to the form of his own country, was held to be valid in the United Kirg. d ona. Several i nstances ha d occurre d in which great in justice had been effected by the operation of the present 'law. In consequence of this state of things any British should be allowed to their lordsbips in the discussion of amendments applying to the same clause. At the same time ha thought the house wonll gain much if it gave rather more authority to the person in the chair. He could not make a proposal of that kind when the Lord Chancellor was presiding, because the noble lord was a nominee of the Government; but he was at liberty to say that if the chairman of committees, an officer se lected by their lordships themselves, were invested with a kind of mild despotism gnat advantage would result in the transaction of public bu , iness. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE desired to know what was the question before the house. (A laugh.) Lord REDESDALE replied that the question was the amendment proposed by the Lord Chancellor in line 12. In no circumstances would he have put any other question than that ; but it was always open to any noble lord to suggest that, for the sake of convenience, two amendments bearing upon the same subject should be discussed tokether. Earl FITZ WILLIAM wished to make an observa tion on a word in the second line of the clause. He thought that "separation" should be substituted for " divorce" with reference to the proceeding here con templated as the result of desertion. The LORD CHANCELLOR remarked that the clause as it now stood, provided that any wife deserted by her husband for two years should have a right to divorce h mensa etthoro. Since the bill was printed he bad received a number of letters from husbands stating that a corre sponding benefit ought to be given to them. He saw no reason why thatrequest should not be complied with, and he proposed to introduce words in line 12 giving a hus band the same remedy if deserted by his wife as the clause now gave to a wife if deserted by her husband. Last ses sion great discussion took place as to whether in the case of unjustifiable desertion there ought not to be divorce a vioculo matrimonii, as was the law in Scotland. The committee decided in tho negative, but their lordships thought that some relief ought to be given, and it was at his suggestion that, instead of being entitled to divorce a mensa et thoro for desertion, a wife was to be simply enabled to petition the Court, and obtain an older for alimony. Since that time he had changed his mind upon the point, and his objection to alimony was that the hus band might come back and deprive his wife of the relief granted by the Court. Lord CAMPBELL did not object to the husband hav ing the same right as the wife to obtain from a compe tent court on reasonable evidence a separation, equiva lent to what was known to the law as a divorce h mensa et thotes, which was not, in fact, a divorce, because the parties might come together again and live happily the rest of their days. It was proposed by some that there shsuld be no community of property whatever between husband and wife, and he was surprised that the proposal should have received the sanction of his noble and illus trious frien i—(Lord Brougham)—illustrious for his pro motion of law reform and his defence of the female sex. With married persons there should be community of pro perty as well as of persons ; but when a new status was acquired by divorce Is mensa et thoro the c )inmuoity of property ought to cease. The wife's property would then be protected, and they would hear no more of the cruel instances of husbands returning and sweeping away everything belonging to their deserted wives. The amendment was agreed to. Earl FITZ WILLIAM said a woman who was sepa rated occupied a different position from a woman who was divorced. The general public did not understand the legal distinction between a divorce is vinculo and divorce Is mensa et thoro. He would therefore move to substitute the word "separation" for divorce's monsa et thoro. Lend CAMPBELL suggested that, to make it more intelligible, it should b 3 separation from bed and board. The LORD CHANCELLOR would not pledge him self to the precise words, but thought they should insert the words " judicial separation, which shall have all the effect of" before " divorce is mensa et thoro." Earl GREY approved of the amendment, because it would make the bill easily understood. Lord ST. LEONARD'S thought every one under stood what was meant by divorce k mensa et thoro. It was divorce so far as it compolled each party to submit to separation. Earl FITZ WILLIAM was understood t) adopt the suggestion of the Lord Chancellor as to the form of the amendment. After a short conversation, in which Lords Wensley leydale, Campbtlt, and Denman took part, the amend ment, proposing to substitute the words " judicial sepa ration" for "divorce k mensa et thoro," was put and agreed to without a division. The Duke of ARGYLL hoped it was understood that a corresp )nding substitution of terms would be made in the rest of the bill wherever it wad necessary. Tae CHAIRMAN said, that would be understood as a matter of course. Oa the questicn that the clause, as amended, stand part of the bill, Lord ST. LEONARDS said, ho thought the substi tltion of "ju licial separation" for "divorce I. mensa et thoro" was a very unwise one, altering as it did, and without, as it seemed to him, due consideration, a mi..- understood phrase whic'a had been known t, the law from the ear:lest times. (aear.) Their lordships c .uld not define what "judicial separation" wao. Be idea, he might remind them that an alteration of terms dil no'F, change the substance ot the thing meant, and it was therefore desirable to adhere to the old phraseol-gy. Too noble earl (Earl Fitzwilliam) seemed to speak ot "judi cial separation" as it it wre something distinct from diverce mem), et thoro, but it was, in point of fact, the same thing. He (Lord St. Leonard,4) believed the inten tion of the committee upstairs, on whose report the bill was founded, was to adhere as nearly as possible t.) the estall'shed law, but to give a new tribunal, and reAdier means of access to that tribunal, to all classes of the population. The Committee divided, when there were— Cowents Non-afrnterits 7G 37 -39 1 Majority The clause was then agreed to. On c'ati,e 18, The LORD CHANCELLOR stated, in reply to a questi• n from the Earl of Dououghmore, that he did not r ; rnpose to make any alteration in the existing law rela ing to alimony. The clause was agreed to, as were also clauses 19, 20, and 21. The LORD CHANCELLOR said, he now rose to propose a clause with reference to a question which occa sioned considerable discussion when this bill was lase before their lordships—namely, as to the punishment of persons who were guilty of adultery. It was originally proposed by this Bill that an action of trim. con. should not be brought until after a divorce had been obtained. Tuat preposition was very fully discussed, but it was not very satisfactory to their lordships, and it was re jected. Toe noble and learned lord opposite (Lord St. Leonard's) proposed that aluLery should be con , tituted a misdemeanour, and he (the Lord Chancel o) bad con sidered with great attention the propriety of carrying that sugge,tion into effect. He had, however, arrived at the conclusion that it was not desirable to make adul t -ry a misdemeanour, for on many accounts it would he extremely difficult. if not impracticable, to carry out such an enactment. It would, for instance, be necessary to make exceptions where the adulterer was not aware that the woraaa was married, fur in many cases trap, might be laid, and a roan might be guilty of adultery without being aware that he had committed any crime known to the law. A very easy mode of evorti g money would thus be afforded, and he thought the evil likely to result from such a change of the low would counterbalance its advantages. The two objects they shauld endeavour to accomplish were, first, to render the commission of adultery less frequent ; and, 201 y, to take care that, when proceedings were adopted for obtain ing a divorce's vinculo matrimonii, there should be a bona fide resisting party, and that no collusion should take place. He now proposed a clause with the view of carry . rig out those objects. What he sug ges t e d was t h at any person seeking to obtain a divorce is vinculo matri monii should not be at liberty, as he now was, to proceed against the wife alone, unless the court should declare that there were special reasons for sanctioning such a course, and also a fortiori that he should not be enabled to proceed against the adulterer alone in the absence of the wife, so as to fix adultery on her in her absence, but that iu every case when the husband sought a divorce, k vinculo inatrimenii, on the ground of adultery, he should present a pdition praying that both parties should be made rtipoedents or defendents in the case. B.,th the parties, the alleged adulterer and the wife, would thus be before the court, and the action would be bona fide resisted. Ai to the punishment, be should propose that the Court should have power to impose a fine upon the paramour, and that fine with t'.6 view of indicating tbat it was not intended to be merely a nominal one, be should propose to limit to an amount not exceeding 10,0001 He !Jelieved that the amount of the fine and the publicity of the proceedings would be effectual secu rities against cAlusion. Lord BROUGHAM entirely approved the substitute for the action of trim. con. proposed by his noble and learned friend. was admitted on all hands that that action must be abolished. That was the opinion of such eminent men as Lord Eldon, Lord Grenville, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, 'and Mr. Erskine, and their only difficulty was to provide a substitute. If any one wished to know with how much hardship and injustice a woman might be treated by the action of erica. con, as it now stood, he would give them en example. He held in his hand five letters from the falsely alleged paramour of an injured lady, and he would answer for it that the reading of those letters by one, two, three, or more of their lordships would at once convince them that the charge against that lady of having had an amour with his late lamented friend Lord Melbourne was absolutely and necessarily false. They had produced on his mind the most abso lute conviction that the thin was utterly and entirely impossible. Yet this action was tried behind the back of the lady, and but for the exertions of his noble and learned friend, then not her counsel, but that of the de fendant, her character might have been ruined for life, she being all the time as guiltless as any other human being. (Hear, hear, from Lord Campbell ) Ho pre ferred the infliction of a fine to making adultery a mis demeanour, on account of the danger of conspiracy which beset the latter course, and against which he was afraid that no sufficient security could be provided. Earl GREY thought that the c'ause as amended was a great improvement on the original clause. He should be glad to see imprisonment enacted as a punishment as well as a fine, and if no other noble lord undertook the task he should, later on in the discussion, propose aclauseto that effect. It was w ith great re l uctance that exer he consented to legali s e th e di vorce a v i ncu l o. Th e under present measu re ought, however, to be looked on as an lax p ed rn ime or nt a.14 0 y , nlyand if there were a n y s i gns o f re ath new system we ou g ht a t once to return t o whathad hitherto been the the o ry, n o t th e practice of th e E nizi6h Lord CAMPBELL cowria li ' l l s: e approved the claus e a s amended, but suggested that t' the floe, but that it s h ould be left re to sh ti o h u e l C d Court tion it according to the c i rcumstances of o b t u h e r e n limitsappaontrdo the means of the offender. The Bishop of OXFORD concurred in the necessity of adding the punishment of imprisonment to that of fine, because it savoured more of disgrace than a mere money payment would, and it ought to be the policy of the Legislature to do all in its power to brand this offence with infamy. He should later on move a clause to make it lawful for the Court to impose imprisonment as well as a fine, and also to give power to apply any part or the whole of the fine to paying the cost of the proceed ings. - Clauses 22 to 25 were agreed to. The LORD CHANCELLOR proposed a clause after clause 25, providing for the imposition of a flue on adul terous partied. The Bishop of OXFORD proposed an amendment, that the adulterous parties should be liable to " fine and imprisonment, or fine or imprisonment," and that it should be lawful to apply the fine to pay the whole or a portion of the costs of the proceedings. The LORD CHANCELLOR thought it would be better to limit the punishment to fine, as this was the first time that such a principle bad been introduced into the law. Lord DUNGANNON supported the amendment, as a fine only would be of very little effect in the case of wealthy persons , . Lord CAMPBELL thought it would be better to keep by the flue alone. In some cases a husband might feel reluctance and even horror at taking a course which might send his wife, even though guilty, to prison. The Duke of NORFOLK observed that in some cases a heavy fine would fall as a punishment upon the chit. dren. The Bishop of OXFORD reminded their lordship that imprisonment was not rendered imperative by his amendment. It might be inflicted in extreme cases, but these would be very rare. The LORD CHANCELLOR could imagine nothing more revolting to the mind of a man whose wife had been unfaithful to him than the reflection that he could not obtai❑ a divorce without subjecting her to imprisonment. Lord BROUGHAM objected to the amendment, which gave a court a power to inflict a heavy punish ment of imprisonment without the intervention of a jury. No doubt the sole action of a court was sometimes use ful, as in cases of insolvency or bankruptcy, but it was not the same in respect of criminal proceedings. The Bishop of OXFORD observed that, by a new clause which would be proposed, there would be a trial before a jury. Eai 1 GREY said, as they were about for the first time to make divorce a part or the law of the land, it was necessary to guard against that change by every possible precaution. A. pecuniary fine might be sufficient in some cases, .but there were others in which it, would be totally inadequate. There were special cases in which justice could only be done by punishing the guilty parties by imprisonment. In cases where a designing woman had entrapped a man into adultery with the desire of being detected, a fine would be of little use. Such cases might be rare, but that they did sometimes occur was a matter of history. The committee then divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 43 Against it 33 Majority —lo The amendment was consequently carried, and the clause as thus amended was agreed to. Ciauses up to 44 were agreed to. Uyon clause 45, the clause in which, on the motion of the Archbishop of Canterbury, words were inserted pro hihiting persons divorced after being proved guilty of adultery from marrying again, • The LORD CHANCELLOR proposed an amend ment, •he effect of which, he said, would be to rest ,re the clause to the condition in which it originally stood, and to allow guilty parties to marry again. Without enter ing into the Scriptural argument, he put it to his right rev. friends, could there be anything more scandalous than an Act of Parliament which should compel a wo man to remain single, or, what was very probable, should f :roe her into prostitution ? (Hear, hear.) Un der any circumstances such a thing ought to be avoided ; but lit their lordships observe what an injustice they were perpetrating when they left the adulterer free to marry, while placing a prohibition upon the woman di vorced in consequence of his licentiousness. He thought for his own part, that there ought to be no restiiction ; that a divorced wife eight to be at liberty to mai ry the adulterer or any one else, for he believed there was a large class of persons upon whom the apprehension of being yoked for life with their paramours would have a stronger restraining influence than either fine or impri sonment. (Hear, hear ) Lord BROUGHAM expressed his cordial approval of the amendment. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY, who was very imperfectly heard, was understood to say that both upon Scriptural grounds and for reasons of public morality he did not think that guilty persons ought to be permitted to marry again. He would therefore oppose the amend ment. The Duke of ARGYLL stated that several noble earls had voted for the introduction of the words proposed by the Archbishop of Canterbury upon the supposition that they amouated merely to a prohibition of marriage be tween paramours. He could not believe that a majority of their lordships would wish to condemn a person guilty of adultery to perpetual celibacy, or probably to a life of immorality. It was not improbable that scme so-called amendments had been proposed with a view to the re jection of the bill elsewhere. (Hear, hear.) The Feed of DERBY said the amendment of the Arch bishop of Canterbury, which it was now proposed to ex purge, did not condemn the guilty party to perpetual celibacy. It provided that the husband or wife guilty of adultery should not marry while the husband or w,fe who had obtained a divorce continued to live. If that provision were removed they would have the anomaly of a person divorced a vioculo being in a better position than a person divorced a !nerve et thorn, because the latter could not but the former could, wary in the life time of the person from which they were divorced. Earl GREY explained that o❑ the former evening ho voted for the amendment of the Archbishop of Canter bury, LecetNe be did not wish to see divorce a vinculo given without some safeguard; but, he thought it ill ful filled that ;Jeri-pee, and, as they had now made adultery liable to punishment, not only by fine but by imprison ment, he should vote with the Lord Chanced ,r to have it struck cut. The Bishop of OXFORD said the object should be to surround the innoce t with the greatest numeer of guards, rather than to leave the gu lty exposed to the possible inconvenience of marrying their paramours. That was most eminently the character of the proposi tion of the Archbishop of Canterbury. All experience showed that the purity of civilised society depended more upon the absolute chastity of the woman rather than the principle of the roan. The temptation to sin assailed the ma❑ and the woman on two opposite sides of their character. In the man the great temptation was the gratification of appetite, but it was not so in the woman. The late Mr. Coleridge, in one of his admirable essays on the relation between the two sexes, expressed the idea so forcibly that he would quote the words,— " The desire of the man is for the woman ; the desire of the woman is for the desire of the man." That was to ray, that the woman was led astray, not by the direct temptetion of sensual appetite, but by the proffer of affec tion—by the promise that what in early I,fe she trusted to be to her husband, but had fa led in being—r.a•nely, the object of attachment and affection—she would be to the tempter. Those married women who had fallen from the direct temptation of appetite were very rare exeep tioree, and in 99 cases out of 100 they fell, became their marriage had been unhappy in its coneequeeces. To say, therefore, that the woman should not marry for the natu• ral lifetime of the husband she dishonoured was to take away from the tempter a prevailing bait and to give an additional safeguard to her remaining innocent. Let their• lordships remember what the proviso was that was embodied in the clause at the instance of the most rev prelate (the Archbishop of Canterbury.) It was not in any sense put in as a penalty upon either party that they should be prohibited from marrying longer than they would have been prohibited .r o se marrying another if they had not sinned. The innocent party was allowed under the clause to marry again, and was it an extreme punishment to say to the guilty person that he or she should *not'ruarry again during the lifetime of the party from whom he or she was divorced ? It seemed to him monstrous to represent that as an outrageous violation o. liberty. After a few words from Loris DE Roe and DIINPAN NON, The committee divided on the question that "the words proposed to be left out stand part of the clause,' when the numbers were— Content Not content Majority in favour of the Lord Chancellor's motion. 04 46 -22 The result of this clivision was to expunge from the bill the pr,,vi.o carried on a former occasion, on the mo tion of the Archbishop of Canterbury, prohibiting the husband or wife convicted of adultery frnn contracting another marriage during the life of the wife or husband from whom they had been divorced. ' Lord WENSLEYDALE then moved to add a pro viso that either party should not marry the person with whom the adultery was proved to have been committed, and the Court in its decree for a divorce was to name that person. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE Could not assent to the amendment, which he thought would not tend prac tically to pr )mote the interests of religion and morality. He believed that in cases of this description women were generally led into error by passion, and those who had lived long in the world were aware of the feeling with which women who had so erred were regarded by their own sex. Even if women who had thus fallen remarried, they were still in a position of great degradation, and it was difficult to estimate the punishment they suffered. The object of legislation should be to provide for the re formation of offenders after they bad suffered punishment for their crimes, but he believed the effect of this amend ment, by depriving a woman of the opportunity of marrying her partner in sin, would be to degrade her utterly, and to drive her to a course of prostitution. When they dealt with a burglar or a perjurer they al ways supposed that he might by repentance be qualified to resume, in some measure, that position in society which he had occupied before he became a ; and were they in the case of a woman alone to refuse the opportunity of reformation, a!- though experience had shown that women who had violated the marriage vow had subsequently be come faithful wives and good mothers, and bad shown themselves deserving of that limited respect which could be gained by persons under such circumstances t He agreed with a great legal authority who hal said that cas es of this description ought to be dealt with accord. ing to the particular circumstances of each case, and he con sidered that the discretion ought to be left to the con rt. This amendment, however, if it should be adopted, would deprive the court of any discretionary pow er. The Bishop of OXFORD, in supporting the amend ment, observed that it was unnecessary to repeat the arguments ke had urged on a former occasion, but be subject dying abroad must make his will according to the form of the country in which he is domiciled. There wa, no part of the British law which gave so much an noyanc) and created eo many doubts as vestions con nected with the law of domicile. This state of ttie law was one not generally known to the British pub lic, and it rested upon a decision pronounced by the judge of the Prerogative Court in 1827, in the else of the disputed will of a Mr. Stanley, an Irish gen tleman and British subject, who had died and made his will in Portugal, according to the English form. Other cases of similar hardship had recent:y occurred, among others the case of a lady who had made her will in Paris, and the judicial committee of the Privy Council ultimately deeederl, on the principle of "lex loci regit ac turn, that the will was invalid; Lie des teen had spread great alarm through the country and among British re sidents abroad, and he had received numerous communi cations on the subject; but none of them had been able to suggest any reason why the will of a British subject, made and attested according to British law, should be set aside because the te-tator happened t) have resided for any period, whether long or short, at the time of mak ing such will, in Paris, Rome, or any else foreign c ,an try. He proposed by this bill to enact, that a'l wills and codicils made and duly attested by British subjects abroad competent to make them should be held to be valid in this country, no matter in what place the testa tor may hare resided, or have deers dimiciled. The bill contained a clause declaring that the act should not have any retrospective effect upon bills already executed and attested. The hon. member concluded by moving for leave to bring in the bill. Mr. MALINS seconded the motion for the int-oduc tion of the bill, consilering the present state of the law on the subject of wills made abroad by British subjects was most unsatisfactory, and unjust in its operation. The ATTORNEY-GENE [.AL said while on the part of the Government he had no objection to the introduc tion of the bill, still that permission to introduce it must be accorded with some qualification. The origin of the law was to be found in the universally acknowledged rule that, with respect to personality, a man always car• ried with him wherever he went his personal property. It was important, therefore, that the house should not, by hastily passing any measure, make the state of the law is this country different from that which prevailed lu other parts of Europe. Mr. SLANEY inquired whether it was intended by the bill to enact that the property of British subjects in France should be disposed of under wills so made, because if so he was afraid conflets between the jurisprudence of France and England would inevitably arise. Sir F. KELLY replied that the courts of France would give effect to the probate obtained in Britishcourts. Mr. B. HOPE argued that there was nothing which could so plainly show the animus of domicile as the form of the testator's will. Mr. BOW YER supperted the motion, and expressed a hope that when in committee the bill would be rendered more complete, by rendering it necessary that a Lia should look to the laws and practices of the country where the legal act was executed. Leave csaithen given to bring in the bill. INCLOSURE ACTS AMENDMENT. Mr. G. CLIVE asked leave to bring in a bill to amend and explain the Inclosure Acts. Leave was given. LUNACY IN SCOTLAND. The LORD ADVOCATE on asking leave to bring in a bill to alter and amend the laws relttiug to lunatics in Scotland, referred to the report of the coesmissioners as proving the necessity of such a measure. That report was most admirably adapted for the purpose for which it had been intended, but it was neither intended rex adapted to be made the ground of a charge against officials, as had been done, without their having any opportunity of defending themselves, the other night, by the hon, member for St. Andreas. His proposal was merely to carry out the measure which his predecessor, Lord Rutherford, had endeavoured to a - ry. lie pro posed there should be appointed for Scotland a commis sioner, an inspector, a clerk, and a medical officer, who should be the lunacy commission for Scotland. He pro posed to give the counties in Scotland an appeal from that commission to the lunacy commission in England. The commissioner would have the charge of granting, renewing, and withdrawing licenses. He would gener• ally have a superintendence of the district wylurna, and he would be required to visit them twice a yoar. Tne neral expenses of the act would be thus divided—the offices and management expenses would be defrayed by Parliament, and the ether expenses would he tan ne by the counties, and an assessment would be made on them for the erection of the asylums. There wool be diEttict boards for the purpose of making the assessments. They anticipated that the asylums would be nearly self supporting, arising out of the fees for licenses, and from the contributicas of the parishes. There were miscellaneous provisions in the b 11, such as the punishment for maltreating lunatics. There was no doubt that Scotland was behind this country with re gard to this subject, but he trusted that the measure he proposed would be productive of great improvement. Mr. BAI LLIE contended that the northern counties of Scotland had never joined in opposition to the reform of the law, but had always shown themselves anxious fur an improvement. Mr. ELLICE reiterated his charges against the board of supervision and the sheriffs of counties for their neg lect of pauper lunatics, and cited several cases from the report of the .Commissioners, where the Poor-law in spectors had grossly neglected their duty. One parish he cited where the lunatics were in a neglected state, though the pariah had been inspected by Sir J. APNeill himselF. With respect to the bill, he thought it woul I be better to put Scotland under the English Lunacy Commissioners rather than to create a new Lunacy Board for Scotland. He hoped the private asylums would he every a+ere put down. Mr. DRUIiNIOND . also thought that the Lord Ad vocate had byno means succeeded in absolving the board of supervision and the sheriffs from ail blame in the matter. The fact was that the Scotch ofßc'als attended not to the care or comfort of the lunatic., but to the pro pel ty of the ratepayers. Air. COWAN supported the bill, and hoped the Lord Advocate would not attempt to meddle with tbose public aQylums that were already in fxistence in Scotland. _ _ _ CA. CLIFFORD' as an Engl , sh Lunacy Commissioner, promised the Government all the assistance that com mission could gise in carrying out their plans fez Scot land. The LORD ADVOCATE replied, after which leave was given to bring in the bill. HIGHWAYS. Mr. MASSEY rose to move for leave to introduce a lilt to improve the management of highways throughout the country. At present in reality the management was vested in the parochial surveyor. Ile was an unuaLl, and - therefore, of course, was an inefficient officer. Tile result was a state of things which ought not to be allowe 1. The parochial iurveyor assessed the ratepayers —he levied the rates, and at the end of his year of office he had to lay his accounts before the special session—there was no audit of those accounts—they could not be questioned in any way, and he himself was the sole judge of what money had been misappropriated, and the highways had f diet' into great dilapidation. What he proposed was, to divide the country into districts, and to appoint district boards, partly elective and partly ex officio, composed of magditrates and Guardians of the poor. Mr. WATKIN wished to know what courss was in tended to he adopted•with respect to the metropolis roads? Mr. MASSEY said that they were excepted from the operation of the bill. Mr. WATK[N suggested that the measure should be made still further effectual by dealing with those roads. Mr. ADAMS complained that a large number of un ❑ecessary burdens were at present thrown upon the high way rates, and he ehould be happy to render every as sistance in his power to the passing of the measure. Mr. SLANEY expressed his approbation of the mea sure, and bethought that the house was greatly indebted to the hon. member for its introduction- Ile was anxi ous to impress upon the Government the propriety of compelling the making of footpaths by the side of high ways. Leave was then given to introduce the bill. LAW OF MORTMAIN. Mr. ATHERTON moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the law relsting to the conveyance of land for charitable use?. The bill was similar to that which he bad introduced upon several previous occasions, but which he had not been successful in carrying into law. The motion was agreed to, and leave given acc)rd ingly. NErLEY HOSPITAL.. Sir DENHAM NORREYS moved an address for returns respecting Netley Hosi;ka!, showing by whom the site was selected, whether any reports were made on its salubrity and general eligibility for its purpose, pre vious to selection, and by whom ; by whom the original plans were prepared, whether they were submitted to any medical authority for approval, by whom they were officially sanctioned, and whether any report. was made upon them, aril by whom, previous to their being sanc tioned ; also a statement of the alterations or additions to the original plans which have been determined on, by whom they were recommended, to whom they were referred for approval ; and a copy of correspondence or reports relating thereto which have led to the adoption of the amended plan. Sir J. RLJISDEN said he had no objection to the returns being granted. Mr. STAFFORD said the return was just what he wished to be made, and if given fairly would, no doubt, give great satisfaction both in the house . and out of doors. He had made a serious charge against the Government, and it was most desirable for the purposes cf investiga tion and elucidation that that charge should be adhered to. He held in his hand a document which was for warded to Lord Panmure from all the medical men at tached to the first hospital in London, viz., the Middle sex Hospital. It stated that all the ventilation of the hospital came from the north-east, which was an at mosphere highly prejadicial to the recovery of the pa. tients. There were also other matters referred to which were most injurious, and which created what was called " a hospital atmosphere," leading to hospital gangrene amongst the patient; and disease amongst the attendants, that no precautions could prevent. These 'statements were verified by Messrs. Shaw, Campbell, Gordon, and all the eminent medical men on the esta blishment, and he fe►t it his duty to protest against more public money being spent in propagating hospital diseases in that direful form. On the 4th of May, 1857, however, an additional communicationwas made by those gentlemen to Lord Panmure, with respect to the pro posed hospital at Netley. Capt. Laffan proposed to draw off the air from a neighboursng field—(laughter) —and then have it sucked down by an enormous furnace, the windows beim: , aff the time closed. Those gentlemen ad vised that the forcing up of foul air from privies by steam —laughter)—had been tried and found ineffectual, and the same result had followed the attempt of sucking down the air. 111-y proposed that the more simple me 'hod of leaving the windows open should be tried. [The hon. gentleman then read the communication which had Leen sent to Lord Panmure.describing the disadvantages of the *posed plan, by stating that it would make the hospital a ho.bed of erysipelas ] When t- e return was laid on the table, he hoped the house wool/see who vas the officer responsible for the great expense and the highly injutlicious arrangement proposed for' the new hospital, and which were altogether inconsistent with those prudent and sanitary considerations that recent ex perience ought to have taught her Majesty's Government. Mr. S. HERBERT hoped to have heard some expla nation from the Government on that matter. He was not one of those who felt surprised at a Government estimate proving insufficient for its objects, because the same thing happened constantly in commercial under takings. • The Crystal Palace and many of our great pri vate undertakings might , be cited in support of that statement. Great deliberations often ended in failure as well as success, and the present instance was one where multiplicity of counsels bad not inspired confidence. Tue difference between the hospitals at Chatham and Portsmouth was, that the latter hail a long corridor, but the favourite scheme for a hospital now was, that there should be separate blocks for build ings. At Netley there was one great defect. It was ne cessary for hospitals to have not only air, but light and sun. The corridor at Netley, however, looked to the scuth east, , and the hospital windows, which were really the mo,t important, received air from the north-east. An improvement, however, had been made subsequently which partially remedied that evil. There was further a question as to the site, the air of Southampton water being stated to be of a relaxing character, but to patients arrnving f, ono the East he did rot know that the relax ing nature of the climate was any great objection. The great oljection in•his mind was the building of so large an hospital at a long distance from the place whence Cie invalids would be likely to be brought. It was inexpe dient both with regard to the invalids having to be shaking about in long journeys to the hospital, and the limited practice afforded to the students, who would see nothing butt loss f chronic disease. Lord PAL VIERSTON said he had never head any compl iint about the healthy character cf the site of the hospital, but with regard to the character of the building many difftreLt opinions no doubt prevailed relative to the construction of hospital. The system of block buildings necessarily created narrow courts between the bud flogs, and as for having large wards with a great number of beds in each, that system had been almost universally condemned. The subject had received the greatest attention from the Government, and they would do their utmost to see that the hospital should be an in stitution for curing, and not propagating disease. Mr. TITE said that all the systems of artificial venti lation, as. witnessed by Guy's Hospital, and by the House of Commons itself, hal been brought round to the simple and natural plan of opening a window when air was wanted. In the great hospital at Milan this plan alone was pursued, and there were in that building 3,000 beds, and no better managed hospital existed. With regard to tl.e site of Nttley hospital he was quite con tent to repose upon the wed-known acuteness of the monks for selecting salubrious spots for their favourite retreats. laugh,) After a few wordei from Sir D. NORREYS in reply, Sir F. SMITH recapitulated tbe amounts of the vari ous tenders, showing a difference of about 90,0001. be tween the highest tender and the tender accepted. The return was then ordered to be made. ECCLESIASTICAL ESTATES. Sir G. GREY brought in a bill to further amend the act relating to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and continue the act concerninc, the management of episco pal and cacitulsr estates in b Eng:and. Mr. NEA.TE said he intended to oppose to the ut most that or any other measure having for its object to interfere with the administration of the property of the Church. He should take no further steps at that stage of the bill, but gave notice that he should oppose the bill at a future period. Leave was then given, and the bill was read a first time. REFORMATORY SCHOOLS, Sir G. GREY brought in a bid to establish and pro mote the formation of reformatory Schools in England. Those institutions bad been highly approved b. the ma gi.tratas and other influential authorities in various part i of the country, and be was anvons to show that the Go. vernment so far from opposing would encourage the for mation of similar schools. Mr. ALCOCK hoped the house would not hastily commit themselves to the principle of that bill. Mr. GARNETT hoped there wouli not be any provi sion for the maintenance of those establishments out of the rates. Sir G. GREY said be did not propose to charge any thing to the rates after the first formation of the schools. Leave was then given to bring in the bill. TEE MARRIAGE LAW. Upon the motion of Mr. GARNETT, a return was ordered of the number of martiages that had taken place under the 6-h and 7th Wm. IV., e. 85, s. 21. INSPECTORS OF TAXES. Mr. BLACK moved a resolution for equalising the salaries of inspectors of taxes in England, Ireland, and Scotland, which in England, were 5051., Ireland 500/ , and Scotland oily 3431. Similar discrepancies existed with regard to the surveyors of taxes. The SPEAKER intimated that the motion was not in a form in which he could lay it before the house, and it was accordingly withdrawn. IRISH MILITIA ACT. • The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND brought in a bill to amend the Irish Militia Act. COUNTY CESS IRELAND. _ _ On the motion that this bi:lbe read a second time, Lord NAAS considered some cxl.ltnation due for the ex raordinary course proposed in authorising the cess to be levied noon the authority of a sing!e magistrate. Mr. FITZGERALD said it was owing to the form of the existing Police Preservation Act, as applied to the recent disturbances in the county of Donegal. COURTS OF EXCHEQUER (IRELAND) BILL. , . After a few words from Mr. WHITESIDE and Mr. BLAND, the bill was read a second time. JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES ACT AMEND- MENT BILL. The ATTORNEY.GENERAL moved the third reading of this bill. Mr. BLAND said the bill involved the question of Linited liability, and Le moved that the order for the third reading be discharged with a view to the bill being recornrnitte , i for amendments. Mr. WHITESIDE, after complaining of the conduct of the Government last night, said that the bill was a piece of patchwork legislation, that had bee❑ attempted several times already by the shareholders in the Tippe rary Bank, in order to get rid of certai❑ inoonvenient f - ;ersons called creditors. He did not believe the Attorney- General knew what he was doing in introducing that measure ; but if he did, and justified aid carried it, he (Mr. Whiteside) felt c aitident that it would be rectified in another house, where juQtice was in a general way administered with something like fairness. He should vote against the third reading, beeause he believed it would form a precedent that at some future period the House of Commots would be heartily ashamed of. Mr. MALINS disclaimed the imputation that any bill but one had bee❑ attempted to be introduced, and but for the opposition of the hon, and leartfed member for E,niskiileo, the bill would have passed. The result bad been that the creditors of the Royal British Bank had lost the payment of very large sums which they would have received from various shareholders who wished to impromise but could not obtain guarantees against future proceedings. The hon. gentleman then cited several instances furnished by the solicitor to the official manager of the bank, in support of his statement. In one case, a general in the army, who was liable for 5,00@1., had offered 20,000/. to be set free ; but b.?ing unable to obta'n the required indemnity, he had been compelled to fly the country. The same thing had occurred in many other equally hard cases. After a few words from Mr. BAGWELL against, and Mr. WILD in favour of the bill, Mr. SPOONER asked i 4 Nether the present bill would affect the appeal then standiug before the Housa of Loris t The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that if the pre sent appeal succeeded, the shareholders would be liable to the last shilling of their fortunes. It was an appeal against the decision of the Lord Chancellor upon the old Irish act of Parliament, and would not be affected by that bill except in a particular case not at all likely to arise. The bill was then read a gird time and passed. Tim houso then adjourned at five minutes past one. PRIVATE AND JOINT-SToCK BANKS. The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of circu lation of the private and joint-stock banks in England and Wales for the four weeks ending the 9th of Nlay, 1857, and gives the following as the average weekly cir culation of those banks during the past month, viz. : Private banks ... £3,831,463 Joint-stock banks 3;172;715 Average weekly circulation £7,001,117 On comparing the above with the returns for the pre ceding month, ending the 11th of Apr .1 last ; it shows— An increase in the circulation of the private banksof £71,594 An increase in the circulation of the joint-stock banks of 13,262 Increase on the month £89,856 And, as compared with the return for the correspond ing period of the preceding year—viz., May 10, 1856, it shows — A. decrease in the circulation of the private banks of ....................... An increase in the circulation of the joint-stock banks of 2#,852 eerease on the year £74,648 On comparing the above - with the amounts of the fixed issues the following appears to be the comparative state of the circulation : The private banks aro below their fixed issues £681,690 The joint-stock banks are below their fixed issues Total below the fixed issue [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Ointment and Pills. —The variable temperature of the English climate xer cises a pernicious and deleterious influence on the skin, the muscles, and the glands, and thus it is we find ery sipelas, blotches, boils and quinsay, so prevalent at par ticular seasons of the year, often engendered and always aggravated by this bane to health. Providentially, in Hol loway's Ointment we 11,.ve the antidote before, eradicat ing disea4e, and invigorating the outward organs, whil s t the Pills conjointly pr. vent the recurrence of internal coinplaiots or outward ir.flainwation — Sold by all me dicine vendors throughout the world ; at Professor Hol. loway's Establishine:itq, 244, Strand, London, and 80, Maideil-lane, Nese Yank ; by A. 6:anipa, Cuu. stantinople ; A. Guidicy, Smyrna : and E. Muir, M alta. Prom the London Ga,zette of Last Night• WAR-OFFICE, JUNE F. The Queen has been graciously pleased to give orders far the appointment of Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel E lwar l Stanton, of the Royal Engineers, to• b 3 :in Ordi nary Member of the Military Division of the Third Class, or Companion of the Most Efonourable Order of the Bath. COLONIAL-OFFICE, JUNE 5. The Queen has been pleased to re-constitute and re-ap point Thomas William Clinton Mur loch, Esq., and Frederick Rogers. Bart., to be Her Majesty's Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners • CRO WN-OFFICE, JUNE 5. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. Borough of Leeds.—George Skirnw Beecroft, of the, Abbey House, Kirkstall, L ee d s , E sq., i n the room 0' Robert Hall, Esq., deceased. BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, JUN'E 9. The Right Honourable the Lor,is of the C omm ittee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received , through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a coil of a despatch from lier Majesty's Consul-General at Chris tiania, transmitting copy of a royal rescript regulating, as follows, the rate of exchange at which foreign silver coins arc to he received at the Norwegian Custom-houses, in Par ment of duties on foreign goods entered for consumption. Norwegian skip, Sp. Dol. Swedish silver specie dollar equal to 1 0 Danish R. B. dollar ~ 0 60 Spanish dollar ~ 0 107 Prussian dollar o 77 Russian silver ruble 0 80 7, Half ditto ditto 5 , 0 40 English crown 1 0 , f Half ditto • „ 0 60 English shilling f 9 0 24 Two half Dutch gu ild ers One ditto 0 41 Five franc piece 0 1 00 ,P Two franc piece 0 40 One and a h a lf f ranc p i ece JO ~0 30 Franc piece II 0 20 COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD LIEUTENANTS - County of Warwick—Sir Charles Mordaunt, Bart., to be Deputy Lieutenant. ... County of Derby—Francis Noel Mandy to be Deputi Lieutenant. liiHe Regiment of King's Own Staffordshire Militia — Edward John Jervis, Gent., to be Ensign, vice King, appointed to 2d West India Regiment. The Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry—William P. Alan,_ Gent., to be Cornet, vine Hamilton, promoted. • [The following appointment is substituted for that which appeased in the Gazette of 13th February last.] Prince of Wales' Royal Regiment of Renfrew Militia John MIT Somerville, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Dunlop► promoted. -BANKRUPTS. Charles Cullen Mercer, builder, Margate, to surrender June 18, at one, and July 16, at e l even, at the Cour t o f Bankruptcy. Johnson, offl ial asQignee, Basinghall-street; Bischoff, Coxe, and Bompaq, Coleman street. William Haslam, horn dealer and horn cutter, Sheffield, Yorkshire, June 20 and July 18, at ten, at the Council- Ira Sheffield. Brewin, official assignee, Sheffield; Unwilh Sheffield. Samuel Wroth Anthony, commission merchant, Liver' pool, June 3) and July 20, at eleven, at the Liverpool Die' trict Court. Morgan, official assignee, Liverpool; Peal' berton, Liverpool. William Lion butcher, Guildf or d, J une 19 , an d Jai 21, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Lee, official B signee, Aldermanbury ; L awrance, Plews, andßoyer, Olt Jewry-chambers. Joseph Brook, staff merchant and manufacturer, Law rence-lano, City, Jane 18, at tw.), and July 24, at eleven at the Court of Bankruptcy. Canaan, official assigno , Aldertnanbury ; Liuklater and Hackwood, Sise-lane, Backlersbury. Thomas Greenwood and Samuel King, builders, Cannon' street, Davonport, June 22, and Aug. 3, at one, a t the Exeter District Court. El irtzel, official assignee, Queen' street, Exeter; Edm on d s and Sons, Plymouth ; Stogdon , Exeter. Joshua Shuckford, builder, Lambeth, June 23 and Jo l c 16, at twelve, at the C our t o f B an k ruptcy. 8011, o fa c il assignee, Coleman-street-buildings; Lawrance, PieWs, an d Boyer, Old Jewry-chambers. SCOTCH_ SEQUESTRATIONS John Colquhoun and Company, bleachers, 'aisley. Robert Reid, baker, Glasgow. Walter Jamieson, wood merchant, Paisley. Robinson and Niven, drysalters, Greenock. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. G. Story, and T. Wood, Crotched-friars, hop, seed, al general merchants—E. Oldham and J. Holden, Accringto n ' and W. Laycock, Keighley. cotton spinners —E. York' shire, timber merchants—H., R., and W. K a y, M a nchl ter, commission agents—J. M oors an d R . Luggar, San"- bath, Cheshire, drapers—J. Broad and R. Hall, 'lasting* chemists—J. and G. Bennett, Temple Cloud, Somers* shire, fellmongers and leather dressers--W„ J., and ~,P• Jones, Wrexham, slaters and &aware merchants- - r 4 ' Aeons and J. Woodlan I, Leadenhall-street, bootmakers I. Lowthian, W. Parker, and W. J. Fairlie Carlisle, co t ; ton spinners ; as far as regard s W. P ar ker—J. Boat' and J. Gardner, Oldham, cotton spinners —G. H, L. karts and T. S. Veale, Armley and Wortley, Yorkshire, surgeons and apothecaries—R. A. Poole, E. G. Powel l, _ and W. T. Poole, Carnarvon, so li c it ors —G . Ki r kPa' rick and 3. Brown, Leeds, wine and spirit merchants"; E., G. E , and R. B. Ross, Brighton, hosiers and .glovers ; as far as regards E. Ross--T. and R. Sick' Leeds, wine and spirit me rc h an t s —T . H . H al l and W. Milner. Bradford, Yorkshire,g,rocers—J. Irvin and C. D a. . ton. Whitehaven, joiners a nd b u ild ers —J. Mellois': and J. Broadley, Louth, incolnshire, leather cutters aV dealers in grindery—T. Adams, J. Page, W. Price, . Massey, L. Mason, B. Page, T. A. Cullen, jun., E. al• Cullen, J. Thompson, and F. Mundy, Nottingham, la° manufacturers ; as far as regards B. Page—J M o rrison an l G. Mania, Jiuntly, provision merchants—W. Diokbr sin and J. Diggens, Great Titchfield-street, Marylehollet leather cutters--J. R. Bridson and J. Woodh-ouse, jun. , Bo!ton, Lancashire, dyers and finishers—J. H. Goodgamea , J. Shrosbery, and W. Bennet, Limehouse-causeway, linen drapers—A. Cairns, E. B. Jaques, and J. Robinson, Liver' pool, founders, coppersmiths, and plumbers ; as far as re' gards J. Robinson—E. Power and H. It. James, Bristol, ship and insurance brokers—W. L. Farle, J. A. Blo b ' and A. Gaskell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Southampton buildings, Chancery-lane, solicitors; as far as regards •E''' Gaskell. DECLARATIONS OF DIVIDENDS. T. Johnson, Broad-street-buildings, City, merchant dividend of ss. 2d. in the p o und, any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Whitmore, Basingball-street. G. Ridge and T. Jackson, Sheffield, stationers—secon d dividend of is. bid. in th e pound, and first and second dividend on new proofs of Bi. 14(1 in the pound, any Tile e. day, at the office of Mr. Brewin, Sheffield. J. W. Langridge, Birmingham, stay maker and dea l f f in baby linen divide n d o f l s . 8 d . i n the pound, a ny Thursday, at the office of Mr. Christie, Birmingham. Country Market.% LIVERPOOL --JUNE 9. To-clay thers was a good attendance of the trade, Wii , l showed some disposition to buy, but the business w S flat, and of a retail chat acter, at a decline of ld to 2d It 701bs under last Tuesday's rates. Oats sold slowly at t i rates of awl oatmeal in go o d d eman d , an d rath e dearer. Flour rather m ore i nqu i ry, at Tuesday's rat e '' Barley, beans and peas a limited sale, at late 1 3 t e9 i Indian corn opened in rather acti ve reques t , a t t h e r ates Tuesday last, but towards the close it was obtainable about Friday's rates, say—mi xe d 3S s 9d ; ye ll ow 3; I ' l3 ;h4 white :;9s 6d to 40s 6d per qr. LEEDS, JUNE 9. ar . We have had a tolerable s h ow o f w h ea t i n to-day v 3 j ket ; there is more tone in the trade, with a fair denv o and the turn in prices in fav our of the sellers from f 11; day's rates. Barley unalt ere d. Th e sa l e f or boso " hardly so active as recently. All other articles as befoT o Average prices of grain—Wh ea t, 60 3 Od ; 01 ; oats, 263 6d ; be a n s , 44 s 6d ; peas, 46 s u rye, —s. 01. NEWCASTLE—JUNE 9. To-day we had a moderate supply of wheat from farmer ° ' and Saturday's prizes barely oblained. South coal and foreign a slow sale, but not lower. O a t s fi rm , a° barley dull. Flour languid at former. rates. HULL— JUNE 9. Wheat, Eagli , h red, 57s to 60s ; white 62s to Os; ost!' 4 ,l 28s to 303; barley, 403 to 46s • Indian corn, 33 s ; cakes, Hull, 91 5s to 9t 15s ; ditto foreign, 8/ to 91; repo cakes, Cl to Cl ss. COURSE OF EXCIiANGF.:—YESTERDAY. %materdam............ 11 13 'Gibraltar ......•••• •• —. Ditto, three months .. 12 1 / 3 Leghorn 29 1 0 40 Rotterdam ............ 12 I Genoa ...... •• •• Antwerp •• •• •• •• •• 25 525, 3 Milan .• •• •• •• •• •••••• Brussels •• ........ 25 52 Venice damburgh •••••••••• • • 13 8 Naples •• • . •• 42 Altona •..., .. Palermo ...... 1 30 Paris•• •• •• .• •• •• •• 25 30 'Messina Ditto, three mouths .. 25 72% Lisbon .. 25 fi Marseilles .•• •• .• •• 25 75 Oporto • • •••• •••• •• •• •• Bourdeaux • • •. jßio Janeiro ..... . ••...• Frankfort-on-llaino •• .. 119% 'Buenos Ayres... •••• • •• Berlin •• •• •• •• •• •••• •• • • !New York,6o days' sight Vienna .......... •• 10 74 Philadolphia Trieste •• •• 10 36 I FILMES or BULLION, PEG 0-9 Petorshurg 3678 Foreign Gold in BAN #3 17 0 Mp.cirld .........., 48 7 4, Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 Cidi2......... • • ...,.. 49% Mexican Dollars 0 5 0 11-Lreclona ............ New Dollars •••••• ° 1 . ....• ..... Silver in bars ......0 BIRTHS, OF A SON. On the 7th inst., at Anglesey, Haute, the wife of ete . Richard Purvis, R.N. On the Bth inst., a t S ou thb oroug h, Kingston-on- Tham es' the wife of Sir Frederick Currie, Bart. OF A DAUGHTER. On the 9ih inst., the wife of Henry Stevens, of 22, V °. chester-square, Hyde-park. On the Bth inst., at New-cross, the wife of H. Conets ble Roberts, Esq. MARRIED. On the 9th insk., at St. Marylebone Church, Titn .r et h i Holmes, Esq., M.A., F. R.C.S., of 39, Curzon-street, 2 1: fair, to Saran, the only d aug ht er o f Th omas Brooksban,. Esq., of 11, Bentinek-terrace, R egen t' s - par k , an d Gray s inn. On the sth imt., at Bristol, William Partridge, -E IV: 17th Lancers, to Frances Ann, e ld es t d aug ht er o f j• „b Gloag, Esq., of the Military T ra i n, an d l ate o f the 1" Hussars. DIED. On the Sth inst., Captain John Brodie, of 11, P er ot, place, Clapham-road, a n d 13 , G eorge - yard, Lom b ar d -Bf° - " aged 71. On the 7th inst., a t Cl ap t on, H enry Layton Lomas, late of the Stock Exchange, aged 76. for' On the 7th inst., at R ea di ng , Th omas K e en, Esq,' Q ' g merly of Back s id e, an d t h e Wandsworth-roa d , ag e" On the 7th inst., at 36, Glocester-terrace, Col:0)3001- road east, Mr. John Fraser, aged 77. On the 7th i ns t. , a t P an, B asses P yrenees, J o hn Merc er ' Esq•, of Maidstone, banker, aged 3/ P O ringle, e the o hisf i inastte. Majesty'sa t D n ke G r q e m an France,Legio eaugte.clCBloaal rs B . On the 6th inst., a t 39, G oswe ll-road, Mr. John r green, aged 57. Out . le ,71,5rtehetionrs, abed S 3. t. a ,a e t"Arraxall, Somersetshire,be Revi. vatigh LONDON : Pzinted and Published by 'UMW° Y 001; of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Oftloo , 1 " 1 112, Strand, in tho Precinct of the Savoy, in the collia of Middle3cx, Wednesday, Juno 10, 1857. ~~: :~- ... -' \. MIN