Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-01 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION. NORTHERN TIMES OFFICE, TUESDAY, 9 A.M THE REFORM BILL. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS • allure The delusion is so obnoxious that it will deceive _ one, and it asks, why is a Reform Bill imperatively Tie.quired except to supply the great defect of the Bill Of ' 32 ? What is of real and pressing moment is , that the Political ri g h ts of the working classes should be fairly 0 . e f e° g l lised without d e l ay . Y e t, i ns t ea d o f any attempt . this kind being ma d e , th e G overnmen t Bill s t u diously ta to rnecmhiasin v eids the whole e disfranchised. question. Not a single borough is to re ed , . The manufactories of mock members while numerous large towns that have 1 11) since 1832, or have outgrown the measure of the y then accorded to them, are to remain as the "Nr are, destitute of political weight or influence in __e council s of the empire. Ministers promised a bill to anud the representation of the people in Parliament, xt they bri ng i n a measure that does not re f er to t h e ople at all. th e he Ti mes thi nks that the bill does not seem to deserve e_ on lavi s h e d u p on it. Th er e wo u ld, per ;Ps, be something like fairness in the objection that the ~ g4 l , Was even a development of the Reform Act ; that it net profe ss to bring that act up to the present r ) .; that it l eft immense anomalies not only unamended ld'oeut ev en exaggerat e d ; b a t w h a t ever it l eaves un d one , it 8 a good deal. A s an ex t ens i on o f th e su ff rage , it sit ,rPasses the a c t o f 1832 . B y t h e bill a l most any b o d y ght get a vote, if they thought it worth while. On if we cannot undertake to press the measure 111_ Parliament, wesmay ask for it a fair trial on its own er itti, and its rejection only for the sake of a better and The likely t o b e carr i e d . Herald says the bill contains what most impartial ell Will be inclined t o regard as a settlement of a long. Pead,„• 0 controversy. e i,_?Le Advertiser speaks of the measure as an erroneous • morning Star remarks that the bill proclaims the toi l LY of the Reform Act, in respect to that which was ,ene great defeat. The courage that ventures to dis- I f 1 ') 'without re-settling to make trifling innovations and leave untouched enormons evils, will scarcely venture to def eat, the storm crossed. The certainty of a Government, t eat, and a dissolution of Parliament , is visibly created certain quarters. „ :Tut MINISTRY . -it is st a t e d th at t h e Lor d L ova i ne , 'aY Lord of the Admiralty, will re-place Lord Donough ''ore. Mr. F. Lygon, M.P. for Tewkesbury, will succeed Lord Lovaine at the Admiralty. theour.iGN AFFAIRS . — The Daily Netva says that, from u_ admissi o ns elicited by the Earl of Clarendon, on -- "nuay night, we now see why last week's ministerial Moran about F rance and Austria be i ng about to leave France. the Papal Stat e s were received with iucrednlity in There had compa c t been no common consultation, no to justi , nothing like diplomatic transaction or event, the cheers fy the a which last Friday evoked of the Rouse. COMMERCIAL. galbred animation shown in the Stock Exchange on di _ has disappeared under the influence of the _sosrensions in the Cabinet, which are rumoured to be _Ore extensive than is generally believed. A discourag ti.;;,:fect has likewise been produced by the continued e xhibit on the Continental Bourses. The English Funds n, an unfavourable reaction of per cent., and in F o ,: s t of the other departments of the Stock Exchange xr quotations were established. In the Discount 4 44 e n a ket to-day, a fair business was do ne . N o go ld was th a t i nto or drawn' from the Bank. At St. Petersburgh NT into on London is quoted at 36 1-16.—Daily iff: Cri tY Article, Monday Evening. mke recent animation in the English Funds seems oelyto be of s h or t d ura ti on . They opened heavily this and sub sequen tly experienced a further decline. Prey..,, e ,was no i m p or t an t f ore i g n news, but the suspicion tak "s that wh a t ever t urn L or d C ow ley's mission may e, there i s no real i ntent i on on th e p ar t of .the Per° / Napoleon to diminish his armaments or to allow in the return it . tur n to a state of repose. The . disagreements re /I , w -',llglish Cabinet have likewise contributed to the 21 p„:' de pression . The range in Consols, which was durin g , e , e nt• in January, has been only It per cent. oPer a t t ; 'e Month just entered, and the result of the ,on e of the month has been a rise of a quarter per 'll' ll a ll t s ill ra ilway shares the fluctuations have been tow ards moderate, but the general tendency has been . tv nctiiiii : P s jatt. ii s np o r i t s avern en t...._Ti me , City Article, Monday t . nry 1 4.68 t -"n e B says : -- According to the letters to-day from the Continent , the feeling c f distrust in ' ti aler:ecial circles has experienced no mitigation—indeed bu s i ti i 8 at every point an increased desire to 'bring all Thess tr ansactions within the narrowest possible limits. f rom eJ°s ePh Fletcher and West Derby have arrived 2 ,3 Chi na, the formers43,6ootea • h of silk, an d the latter with 1,196,000 lbs. of ac Th e . tirighton Railway traffic return shows, this week, re ase of £1,597. LATEST TELEGRAMS. RANCE. th at , Feb. 28. F lt is undoubtedly the case Pow e Lue e onimunication of the Pope to the two h as ersp r equesting the evacuation of his dominions, pr,ss.ansed great dissatisfaction here. The im -14141(111 of the public is that the French Govern frOti f oe s not intend the withdrawal of its . troops e p :` °lll e. The get , eral hope in the man , onance beli„i e ,e is not s h are d by all persons here, and the wil l 18 very strong that the Austrian Government Qowr e line negotiations of any kind with Lord AsY, respecting Italian affairs. beli t , to the M o ld o -W a ll ac hi an pr i nc i pa lit ies , I (lo e ;' e myself j us tifi e d i n s t a ti ng , th a t A us t r ia 11 • lint intend to object to their union under one POb 4tEIGN INTELLIGENCE. t CHINA. of c h . lake the f o ll ow i ng f rom th e O ver l an d F r i en d 4 , ?'" of 15th o f J anuary inte,r , intelligence from China this mail is very El : e4 ing. First, we have to report the Earl of b ;,, s ,l'efurn tc , §hanghai, from as it transpires, 'as 1.1:711s voyage up the Yang-tse-kiang as far 1) 311; 114 'w ; and next, we have to tell of a .battle teeEl s ,•,, 4l „ the vicinity of Canton, our troops on this " 0 - 7 , - I t uriving everything before them. eit~„ - „Lae 4th inst , '7OO English soldiers left the l 110 "11,u marched inst., the north about 3_o the niihiral'es). Many people observed them, and t h e of each enrolment, when they saw that ph soldiers carried their muskets and re going t i nniediately concluded that they we 1)4 their l3lll eNvhere to fight their people •, so they put and b eat Militia clothes, took their flags and at t hey gongs for all to come out. Finally and -- ‘ c u. on the English, who returned the fire, 48everal were wounded. on the Bth instant, more than 3,0 -44zish soldiers went towards Kong-chune and__ the ilia and at the latter place they burnt all _.ge and th e camps of the militia. Not one b eea th ' vill agers dared t o fi g ht w ith th e E ng li s h, Fill P i - kwei had issued a proclamation to the u lo ligers, and had prohibited them from offering ~Is,ta.tion or creating disturbance. Ri, e y v I th the native story of the Canton fight re 11 above, our reporter also gives the following Pro a v r i clin g the progress of th - e rebellion in this nee : th e " c, Ch an- -tsurn-kong, who has taken the title of e ex southern Ring, is making great success in his lir v n, si ° ll s, and h as over - run th e di s t r i c t s o f lai —e "aP and Hoey-ki n , bendi n g th e p eo pl e t o hi s opposed, an exercising great severity on all who a" h im. Riding in an imperial chariot his th e - f s 'Y and p his ower are truly becoming great, tr 8 name is spreading everywhere. CAFE OF GOOD HOPE. e Athenian (mail steamer), Capt. Strutt, h lved a t P lymouth on Sunday, from the Cape. 3 r dates are —th e Cape, Jan. 21st). St. Helena, e.eut; Ascension, Feb. 3rd. She brought 36 pas , i rrs, £l,OOO in specie, and a full general cargo. an. re Cape colony was i n a very flour i s hi ng s t a t e , ,_the natives wcre all quiet. _ o lhe 59th regiment had arrived from China, with V. re than 150 on the sick list; twenty died on 7hnorlde roefgidmyesnetntisrysicaknl. d y intermittent COTT , TIIC THE NORTHERN TUESDAY, MARCH. 1 1859 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS -MONDAY. THE EVACUATION OF THE ROMAN STATE S, The _ Earl of Malmesbury, in reply to the Earl of Clarendon, repeated his assertion that the French and Austrians were about to retire from the Roman States, at the direct request of the Papal Government. The French Ambassador had declared lately to himself that his Government were most anxious to withdraw their troops. DEBTOR AND CREDITOR. The law of Debtors' and Creditors' Amendment Bill was read a second time. After some discussion, the house adjourned at a guar- HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock, but long before that hour the house was densely filled in every part. Among those present were the American minister, the Duke of . Cambridge, Lord Campbell, and many other peers. Mr. Edwin James took his seat for Marylebone. THE NEW REFORM BILL. At twenty minutes to five, The Chancellor of the Exchequer rose to ask for leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws relating to the representation of the people in England and Wales. He commenced by observing that the state of the public mind and its familiarity with change render the task of introducing a Reform Bill far easier than in 1832. Looking to its result, he admitted that this measure was adequate to the emergency of the time; still he would not attribute to that bill all the excellent measures which had passed during the last 25 years. He would not forget that we had an excellent administra tion, and that parliament was before that time in advance of the country ; still that bill, without doubt, added greatly to the political energies of the country. That measure was without doubt an experimental one. Those who introduced it were compelled to trust the subject empirically, and some, if not many, deficiences occurred in consequence. Since that time our progress had not only been rapid, but perceptible. There had been no instance in history of so vast an increase of population and capital. With that increase the increase of intelli gence had kept pace, and universal discoveries had been made which had annihilated both time and space. It was, therefore, not surprising that there were deficiencies that ought to be supplied. Hence the question had first become a public, then a Parliamentary, and at last a Ministerial question. It had been a Ministerial question for the last ten years. It was two years ago that the Prime Minister in that House said that a change ought to be made. Events prevented that opinion from being acted on, but in 1852, in that very month of February, the speech from' the Throne proclaimed the necessity of making a change in the bill of 1832. In consequence a measure of Parliamentary reform was brought forward by the Prime Minister of the day. A change of Adminis tration prevented the measure from being proceeded with, but two years later a minister born and bred in the Tory camp, was also of opinion that it was his duty to recommend a measure of reform to his Sovereign, and an announcement to that effect was once more made in the Royal speech of 1854. In consequence' another measure was brought forward by the Government of Lord Aberdeen, one supposed to be yet stronger and more comprehensive than the preceding. The great war which succeeded again prevented the measure from being proceeded with. Before that war ended, another change of administration took place, and a noble Lord succeeded to the head of affairs of whom it might be assuredly said that he did not feel any morbid sympathy with advanced legislation, but he repeated to the sovereign the advice given by Lord John Russell and Lord Aberdeen, and the royal speech, for the third time, proclaimed that the attention of the legislature would be called to Parliamentary reform. The house had shown no disinclination to deal with the matter, and private members gave repeated indications of their desire to proceed with a detailed bill, which was the state of affairs when Lord Derby assumed the reins of power. They could not allow a question which three of our greatest prime ministers had declared in royal speeches ought to be pressed forward, to remain in abeyance. Could they allow such a matter to be placed in the hands of an opposition. Could they allow that on which hung the destinies of the country to be made a desperate resource of faction, or were they to wait till the public mind was excited on the subject, till the nation was com pelled calmly to judge what ought to be the fundamental basis of their constitution. It was not the part of an hon ourable government to allow things to be placed in that state. It was therefore the unanimous opinion of the cabinet of Lord Derby that the question must be dealt with, and dealt with in an earnest and sincere spirit. It had been said that it was not for Lord Derby to undertake the task. He altogether denied the statement. What was there in the antecedents of Lord Derby to preclude him from • dealing with parliamentary reform. Had it not been for the energy of Lord Grey and Lord Stanley, the reform bill of 1832 would never have passed in its present form. There was nothing in the position or opinions of members on that side of the house to prevent them from supporting a measure of reform. He had himself when in opposition declared that he should offer no opposition to the introduction of a bill for remodelling the constitution of that house. In pursuance, therefore, of the pledge given on the accession of the Government of Lord Derby, he proposed to call their attention to a measure which, he thought, would be found politic to adopt. Parliamentary Reformers might be divided into two classes—one of those who adopt the bill of 1832 to the circumstances of 1859, keeping in mind all the principles of the constitution. In that class might be reckoned her Majesty's Ministers; but there was another—he might call it a new school— - who were of opinion that the sole object was to realise the commercial state of the people. Their standard was population. Now population, no doubt, must be one of the elements of their consideration. There was also the consideration of property.. The new school had, with a murmur, admitted the right of pro perty. Property, and population went hand in hand only in statistics—in reality, they were constantly separated. In his opinion, there was something more to be thought of than population and property. There were divers inter ests in the country often conflicting with each other. These interests were necessarily local, and therefore scat tered all over the country. Let them take, for instance, the case of the metropolis and Scotland. Their popula tions were about equal, but their wealth was not equal. The metropolis was rated by the income tax at £44,000,000, while Scotland was only rated at £30,000,000 ; yet who would demand for the metropolis a larger number of representatives than the varied interests of Scotland. Take again the city of London proper. The city of London was richer than twenty-five English and Welsh counties, than 146 boroughs, than Manchester, Birming ham, and Liverpool put together, than fifteen of the very largest boroughs in the kingdom, and yet the city of London was satisfied with its representatives. The representatives were to represent not only the power, but the interest of the several boroughs. He would venture to say that many members in that house had as direct an interest in the prosperity of Liverpool as the two members who represented it. Was the power of the city of _London to be measured by the four members who represented it. The test, therefore, of the new school was altogether fallacious — their principles of population only applied when popula tion was concentrated. It used to be a favourite argument of various reformers, amongst others Mr. Hume, to describe small and remote boroughs with little business, and compare the two members returned by the great City of Manchester. He himself had then stated his dissent from the principle, as not only false but dangerous to the country, and fatal to that house. If population was to be the standard, it was not to the great towns they could give their additional members, what then was the case of North Cheshire, with its popu lation of 249,000. It had two great towns with a population of 93,000, which returned four members, while the residue of the county returned only two members, Taking again South Cheshire, it had a town with a I population of 28,000 returning two members, while the residue of the county with a population of 178,000 returned likewise only two members. In North Derby again, there was one town of 40,000 inhabitants return ing two members, while the rest of the county with 166,000 population returned the same number of mem bers. There were many instances of the same kind. If therefore they acted on the principle of the new school, they must disfranchise the boroughs, and give the mem bers to the counties. He had never heard any answer to the argument, " what would be the consequence if the population tests were adopted ?" The House would no doubt be a most respectable assembly, but it would not represent the interests of Eng land. Representation was but a means to an end, and it ought to be the mirror of the mind of the nation. They wanted all the interests of the country represented. The professional mind represented by per sons not too intimately wedded to any of those interests, but who were fair specimens of the vast variety of the English character. Hitherto they had obtained that and, j for their sy s t em , th oug h not f rame d f or th e , o bj ec t, h a d I yet indirectly fulfilled it, and if, therefore, they abolished that system, they were bound to find in its place another equally effective. Now there was one remarkable feature in the agitation of the new school. They offer no substi tute for the machinery of the constitution. They lay down inexorable rules, and follow them to their logical conse quences. The representatives under such a system would represent vast wealth, but it would cease to be the House of Commons—it would cease to have any hold on the executive. The exi zeriment had been tried in vafions countries, always with Ole same result. The executive could not be controlled by; two or three classes, and the consequences would be that we ,should have an exclusive assembly of parliament taken front a limited class and a bureaucratic administration. If the House was re-constructed on the new principle of popula tion, 'they would have, after all their reforms, to go back to the same' ,ignominions ppsition from which the energy of English gentlemen rescued the country two centuries ago. Now, as the _prosperity of the country had increased, and new interests were called into existence, the desire for the increase of the suffrage became stronger. It was a natural desire, and arose from no enmity to the Constitution, but from a desire to participate ire its benefits. In the arrangement which had been considered by the Government, they never took into their account whether their plans would or would not diminish the' constituencies of the country ; they only considered whether all that deserved it'would be equa:ly represented. Now, first as to the borough franchise. That franchise had been fixed by the reform bill at the occupation of those of £lO annual value. There appeared to be a general desire that the test should be' not the value, but the rating. With this opinion he partly sympathised, and there were many advantages in making the rate-book the register; but were they prepared to give the power of fixing the constituency to the overseers. There must be an appeal, and in that case they must have the machinery of the revising barristers over again; besides which, the rating of the country was very unequal, often absurdly. He took the instance of the 'borough of Boston, in which there were two parishes, one rated at half, the other at two-thirds of the value. The effect of adopting an £8 rating would be to disfranchise 400 electors of Boston, while the same £8 rating, if adopted as a test at River "would double the constituency. Many objections had been urged against the £lO franchise ; it had been declared to be founded upon no principle, and to be a monopolist franchise. Now, he derned that it was founded on. no. principle. It was said, why should a man with a £lO qualification have the franchise, while one with a £9 qnalification was deprived of it ? This was an objection to all tests. He contended that the £lO franchise was universal, and afforded a fair presumption that•the holder was qualified to exercise the franchise. He equally denied that it was monopolist. He included a vast variety of per- sons from those who pay £lO rent to those who pay £4OO. He admitted that many persons were now excluded who ought to have'the franchise. But their admission would not be secured by lowering. the franchise. If they, for instance, took a £5 franchise, they would then have really a monopolist constituency,— one, of which the predominant power would be identi&l, and not represent the variety of opinion in Englishmen ; they would not, while altering the suffrage, abrogate the territorial influence in order to introduce a household democracy. He then came to , his own proposition. He proposed to introduce into the constituency a class of persons who had hitherto been excluded from it. He proposed that persons possessed of funded property, East India Bonds, Bank Stock, should be entitled to vote if such property amounted to £lO annually; there would be in the bill provisions for ascertaining the facts of each case. The persons_having property to the amount of £6O in the savings bank for a year, would possess the franchise as well at those who were entitled to a pension of £2O annually, as having belonged to the military, naval, , or civil services of her Majesty. He further proposed to enfranchise dwellers in parts of houses whose aggregate rent amounted to £2O annually, or 8s a week. No pro poSal for an educational franchise had been laid before the government, which in their opinion would accurately work in association with learned or scientific bodies - . But there were four classes whom he proposed to enfranchise whose claim in some respects depended on education. These were, graduates of all universities, ministers of all denominations, under certain regulations which would be found in the bill, members of the legal profession, all members of the medical professions registered under the late act, and lastly, such schoolmasters as possessed a cer tificate from the council. He should have more to say on the borough franchise, but first he would say something on that of the counties. The principle adopted for the franchise in the Reform Bill was that of possession in the counties and occupation in the towns. That principle had been vio lated in cases of the Chandos clause,• the history and effect of which he described with much detail. y That class of voters had been viewed with distrust and sus picion. A most undue influence had been ascribed to • the vote of these men. They did not form more than one-fifth of the whole members of the country voters, so that even if they had all voted one way, they would not have had the influence ascribed to them. But they voted various ways. There were great Whig landlords as well as great Tory landlords. It was thus attempted by the creation of the 40s. franchise to counteract the influence of the the £5O tenant clause. The consequence was that more voters for counties did not live in such counties than the whole number of voters created by , the Chandos clause. He described the mischief, , amounting to a civil war in its way, which folloWed from the conflict of classes. The present state of things was much to be deprecated, voters, whether for borough or county, should sympathise With the rest of the constituency; but, under the present element of that constituency, this was altogether impos sible. How, then, were they . to restore the good feelinc , of .the people, when it was impossible to propose the . exclusion of . those, who he called strangers, from the county constituency. The Government had 'given the subject their most anxious, laborious, and . thoughtful consideration, and he thought that there was a principle of which all mast acknowledge the justice, and which if applied with due discretion, would effect all that was desired. That prinCiple was the recognition of identity of Suffrage between counties and towns, the forty shilling freeholders now resident in towns would be enabled to record their votes for these towns, and the forty shilling freeholders of the town resident in the counties would record their votes from the counties, thus the great principle that each voter should vote for the place where he resided would be established, all the large extra-mural popu lation of the great boroughs would thus if qualified have votes for the counties, and to carry out this principle more completely he proposed that boundary commissioners should be appointed which should re-arrange the bounda ries of the several boroughs in accordance with the times. He believed that this could be done without suspicion of party motives by means of the machinery of the present enclosure commissioners,who would appoint deputies,who would report to the government, and that report would be finally submitted to the criticism of that house. He might be asked what effect all this would have on the members of the constituencies of the counties. He held in his hand a paper from Mr. Newmarcb, who estimated ' the increase of the county constituency by the adoption of the £lO occupation franchise on the counties at 123,000. His own estimate was much larger, and amounted to not less than 200,000. It had been proposed to adopt the . £2O occupation franchise in the counties ; but he saw no reason for trusting the loyalty or respectability of a £2O occupier over those of a £l6 occupier. The only tangible objection to the plan proposed was, that it would lead to electoral districts. But he believed that electoral districts were so alien to the feelings, principles, and ideas of the country, that he had no fear it would ever be adopted. That principle was founded as no others than the same numerical majority, and would never be admitted as long as Englishmen had any sense of their own dignities. If the proposal for reform which had been sketchod out were adopted, they would have at once an homogenous constituency, with a vast variety of charac ters. He believed the proper principle of representation to be a constituency numerous enough to be independent, and select enough to be responsible. This he believed would be secured by the plan which he had just pro pounded. He now came to his proposition for reform ing the mode of registration. He proposed that in future there should be a se If-acting register for the counties, that the overseer of each parish should make out a list of owners and occupiers, which could be revised and added to subsequently. There were other regulations which he would omit for the present, besides his plan. No one need make a claim to be registered unless he found his name omitted. As to the mode of voting, he wished to put an end to those scandals which had occurred at late elections. He proposed, in the first instance, greatly to increase the number of polling places in every parish where there are two hundred electors, and where the number is less, the parishes would be grouped till they readied that num ber, and a polling place established for each group. Each voter would vote for the place where he resided, and therefore a residency qualification register would be kept as well as a property qualification register. The expense of the various polling places would be thrown upon the counties. He would not compel all the voters to vote personally, and should therefore propose voters may make use of polling papers. That system had been tried elsewhere, and the consequence was, that 90 per cent. of the electors voted for the guardians of the poor, while for the legislature of this great country, only fifty or sixty per cent. voted. He believed that a machinery might be devised which would prevent all attempts at deception or personification, which, if attempted, would be made a misdemeanour. But it was n,ot enough to make provision for the proper erection of a constituency. It was their duty to see that the various interests of the country were adequately represented. Their object was, he repeated, to complete the scheme of tan, and to adapt it to 1859, so as to take the question for a long period : out of the domain of agitation, and make it as far as possible a conclusive I settlement. This task he endeavoured to honestly and j without respect of reasons, On this principle he would state ithere he foJind a want of representatives, and an representat;on. He found both of these held in the West Wing .and in South Lancashire. He propabd, • therefore, to add four members to the West which was studded towns not large enough to be singly represented, and had ;Tiany various interests. He would divide the West Riding for this' purpose into three divisions, founded on . the amount of property in the Wapentakes. ScrtFf>lr Lan,flashire would obtain two additional members, being also Divided into two additional divisions. Middlesex -would retie: Ye two further members, being also . divided info' two seciOns. These eight members were all that he preposad to add it.' the counties. • As to new boroughs, Hartlepool,. with its rapid developement of its industry, demanded member .; another would be ...iron to Birkenhead for the smni, com mercial reason. To that part of Staffordshire culled the I Black district,' which was the centre of an enormous trade, he would give a member, and to West Bromwich and Wedneebury united. He further allotted one to Burnley and Staleybridge, in South Lancashire. "Coming to the south, he would give a member to Croydon, and another to Gravesend. He declared that, after profound study with regard to the various interests of the country, these' were the only places that required' new representation. Thus fifteen new members were to be supplied by the constitutional means which had always been adopted. He did. not' agree with the denunciators of small constituencies, believing that a•constituency 'of 500 would choose as good a repre sentative as one of 1,000. If there was one borough in England liable to all the objections of small constituency and nomination, it was Arundel; yet it was that borough which sent the single representative of the 900000 Roman Catholics of England-L-900,000. It was more than the West Riding, and double the Tower Hamle/a. By the principle of his measure, no elector would be disfranchised; if he' lost his vote for his borough, he got it for his county. He did not propose that any bo rough represented by a single member should leave that member. To obtain the fifteen seats, they must make an equal, though an arbitrary rule. It would be found that there- were exactly fifteen boroughs in Eng land, which should bring two members with a population under 6,000. It would be a singular opportunity for the exhibition of the patriotism of these fifteen boroughs, if they would, without compulsion, consent to forego their members. The bill, therefore, contained a provision, that in the next parliament these boroughs would return one member each. The list was as follows Honiton, Thet ford, Eversham, Harwich, Wells, Richmond, Leominster, Andover, Tewkesbury, Marlborough, Knaresborough, Totness, Leamington Ludlow, and Maldon. He concluded by saying that, such as it was, he delivered this measure to the House of Commons, convinced that they would deal with it as became a wise and understanding people. Mr. Baxter moved as an amendment, -that the measures for England, Scotland, and Ireland, should be considered in the same bill. - - A miscellaneous debate followed, during which The Lord Advocate promised to introduce a measure for Scotland. Mr. W. M. Fox protested against the bill, as doing nothing for the working classes: Lord J. Russell disapproved of the clause in the bill which deprived the 435. freeholders of their right to vote for counties, giving them in return a vote for the town in which they resided. On that ground alone lie should vote against the bill. He further complained that the bill did nothing for the working classes by reducing the franchise. Unless the change was an improvement as regarded the people, they had better not change at all. Mr. Roebuck declaimed strongly against the bill, as intended solely to increase the power of the landed gentry, and, doing nothing for the working classes. He had hitherto supported the government, but he could do so no longer. Every stage of the bill should be opposed by all the friends of the people. Mr. Bright observed that people seldom do well that for which they were not .fitted. He regretted that the party now in power should have attempted even to open the question. None of the just complaints against the bill of 1832 were satisfied by the present. He urged the claims of the working classes, who would be bitterly disappointed when they learnt the provisions of the proposed measure. The government ought to be ashamed of offering such a tritling- . --he would say—such an insulting proposal. All the fancy franchises which it offered were only to keep up up the appearance of giving something when it gave nothing. He protested against the transfer of a large portion of the 40s. freeholders from the counties to the boroughs. Such a measure would create. nothing but anger and disgust throughout the country. The right hon. gentleman talked of interests, but he never explained what he meant by that term. He himself hoped not to have been compelled to introduce his own bill, but he felt that he must now take that step in opposition to a measure which disturbed everything and settled nothing. Mr. Drummond agreed that the present bill did not go to the point, and could not understand for what object it was introduced. He knew what the hon. gentlemen opposite were at, but for the life of him he did not know how to meet the bill. Lord Palmerston, deferring his opinion as to the details of the bill, hoped that a sufficient time would be given for consideration before the second reading. Mr. Crossley professed himself grievously dissappointed with the bill. Mr. E. James said, that the liberal feelings of the country would not be satisfied by this measure. Mr. Bentinck protested against the levelling doctrines of Mr. Bright. Mr. P. O'Brien wished to know if Ireland was to be altogether ignored on.the subject. Mr. Roupell expressed himself dissatisfied with the measure. The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied to the various points raised during the debate. The government was ready to take up the ease of Ireland, a bill of reform for which country would be introduced in due course. With regard to the second reading of the bill, he proposed to take it on that day three weeks. Mr. Baxter withdrew his amendment, and • Leave was given to bring in the bill. On the motion of the Solicitor-General, the Title of Landed Estates, and the Registry of Landed Estates Bills' were read a second time. The House adjourned at half-past eleven. WATER CGMMITTEE. The usual weekly meeting of this committee was held yesterday, Mr. Hudson in the chair. The other mem bers present were—Messrs. Farnworth, Earle, Mellor, Chilton, Rae, Ryley, Crellin , Wagstaff, Vernon, Bennett, and Woodruff. _ Mr. Duncan reported that the quantity of water pumped from Rivington, during the week ending 26th inst., was 37,783,802 gallons, and the quantity pumped from the wells was 38,976,262 gallons, making a total supplied to the town of 76,740,068 gallons.. The pro portion of Rivington to well water was as 37 to 38. The Engineer reported that the depths of water in the reservoirs under their respective overflows were : Week ending Feb, 26. Feb. 19. Rise. Fall. ft in ft in ft in ft in Roddlesworth 9 2 .. 8 11 Anglezark 2 1 . 2 4 Rivington 1 5 .. 1 3 ..... 0 0 .. 0 2 Prescot The rainfall for the week ending 26th instant has been 0.47 inch. The escape from the Millstone 250,000 gal lons per day. The Engineer added :—I saw Mr. Hunt on Saturday, who informed me that no difficulties would be put in the way of the committee in carrying out the suggested diversion of the water at the leak; that im mediate arrangements might be made for the work; that the draft agreement would be submitted to you for consideration in the course of a short time ; and that both proprietor and agents were desirous to forward the views of the Corporation in affording every facility in executing the suggested work. I have arranged to meet Mr. Hunt at Anderton, on Wednesday, to examine together the state of the ground before anything is done. The com mittee will observe from the table above, that the Angle zark reservoir is up to ordinary top water ; and that the Rivington reservoir is seven inches above ordinary top water, or one foot five inches below top weir. It is not considered by Mr. Hawksley advisable to fill the reser voirs to a greater height at present, as the works, in his opinion, have not yet acquired that solidity which a few more years will give them. Having thus our reservoirs so well filled, I propose, with the concurrence of the committee, to cease pumping at Soho and Bevington Bush stations. This will effect a saving of about £23. per week. On the motion of Mr. Farnworth, it was resolved that,. in accordance with the recommendation of the engineer, the Beviugton Bush, and Soho-street engines shod be stopped. It was also resolved that the committee report to the town council that the reservoirs were now full, in order that they might decide whether the town should be supplied with Rivington water exclusively, for a short time on trial. A letter was read from the Chairman of the Wirral water works company, asking the committee to allow their engineer to go to London to give evidence in reference to a bill now before parliament, for the construc tion of new works. The application was granted. A letter was read from the Cambridge G as and Water Company, asking the pecuniary assistance of the com mittee. in defending a case at law for the levying of a poehr-xate on the company's pipes which ran through the public. streets. On the motion of Mr. Bennett, the matter was referred. te, the Town-clerk, to report. This concluded. the general business. LIVERPOOL POLICE INTELLIGCfeA. BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD THE CHARGE AGAINST A SHIPPING •Patrick Kelly, the shipping master, who stood out ott bail, on a charge of having shipped a man under false pretences, to obtain money from him, was brought up by officer Laycock. The details of this case were published in our paper of yesterday. In reply. to his Worship, the officer said the ship was gone, and of course the captain was gone also, and he could not MASTER procure any more evidence in the case. Ms Worship said, it would be useless, therefore, to send him for trial, we must discharge him. Mr. Cobb, for the prisoner, said if the a case had gone on, he would have ben enabled to explain it fulli'and satisfactorily. Mr. Clough : I dont think you could—it is well for him the captain is not here. Mr, Cobb : I must object to your saying anything, now that he is discharged. STREET ROBBERY.—Charles Parr, James Gibson, Sarah Brown, and Mary Anne Hargraves were brought up, charged with having robbed a Scotchman, named John Hill, described as a.farmer at Meagle, near Perth. Mr. Cobb appeared for Gibson. A mass of evidence was given, from which it appeared that about half-past ten, on Saturday night, the prosecutor waa in the locality of Yolin's Market, and was rather the worse of wine, or " teddy," when he fell in with the female prisoners, and after a great deal of peregrenations, they got him into Back: lame-street, the male prisoners following them all the time. The parties were watched by some amateur detecti;ves, and one of the latter heard Parr say, "Pony has it all right," and then the prisoners separated, and ran several 'ways, but were . captured. On their way to the station house, the woman Brown gave the purse' con taining £8;. to the prosecutor, asking him not to proceed against the prisoners. The prosecutor said he could not tell exactly how much money was- in the purse, as he had been paying and receiving money during the day, but from-£8 there was froLB to £l2 in it. Mr. Clough : I believe you took too much wine that night ?: Mr. Hill : Perhaps so. Mr.Cobb:Cobb , - Perhaps it was "whiskey toddy ?" ,fion of Witness : Perhaps so. On cross-exam witnesses by Mr: Cobb, it appeared that Gibson was along with his wife; . and there being a dbubt created as t& his actin.. in concert with the others ; he was dis; charged. The other prisoners were sent for-trial..._. Goss OUTRAGE Ibr, B01:13-STREET. .Tames Phillips, a fellow with a face like- an ugly bull-dog, was • charged for having broken a square of plate filass in the shop window Wells, watairrstker,loB,l3old-street, and stealing a watch, value ten guineas: From the evidence of a young man, named Joseph Hodson, and Mr, Wells, it appeared - that at half-past seven on Saturday evening, the prisoner, in a very deliberate way, went to the win dow, with a large stone inchis hand, smashed the- glass, took out the watch, and rm. off with it. It appeared that the prisoner had been in jail for a similar' offence • and Mr. Wells stated that the prisoner said his (Mr. ; W.'s) windoW was the only one in town that he would lite to break and rob, and that he contemplated doing it the night before, Mr. Minsfield : Why sheltie' he patronise you in this peculiar way,? Mr. Wells : The Centre of mv• window is peculiarly fitted out with watches.. Mr. Man;field said it was a very grcsa outrage, andke sent the prisoner for trial. How TO OBTAIN BOARD Alf-D. LODOINO. (INCLUDING. COD LIVER OIL) WITHOUT PAYMENT.—MISS SAMAR' LEE'S ADVEITTURES.—Sarah Lee • a tall well-dressed female, whose• face was a perfect likeness of the image of her Majesty - on the farthings of '44, • which are said to be the best likeness of the Queen. ever yet produced—was brought up by officer Coldwell, 482,- . on charges of having obtained board and lodging from a Mrs. John Potter, 35, Ashton-street, and a Mr. John Smith, of Albert-street, Edge-hill, by false:representations. Mr. Bluck defended. Mrs". Potter (who seemed very indignant at being "don as shq.called it) stated that about a .fortnight ago the prisoner came to her house, and stated that she was Mrs. Lee, the widow of the Rev. Mr. Lee, of Manchester, who was nephew to the Bishop of Manchester. She engaged board and lodging in her house, saying she had come down here about some business, and that her guardians would be down very soon, and would bring her things, and would pay for all she might have; that Mr.Waldron, a great merchant of Redcross-street, was her particular friend, and would see all paid. Witness gave her all she required—including cod liver oil —up to Saturday last, but not seeing the prisoner's "guardians" coming from Manchester, nor her friend Mr.Waldron, the great mer chant of Redcross-street, nor anything else likely to repay her for the fortnight's board, lodging, and_ cod. liver oil, prisuuer expressed some indignation at such a rude demand, hint- ing that that was not the proper way to treat the niece of the Bishop. of Manchester, but sooner than hare herself subject to such an insult again, she would go at once to her Mend Mr.'\Valdron, the great merchant in Redcross street, get the money, pay her bill, and quit the house at whether she got the money from her friend or not, the only portion of the promise she kept was that of quitting the house, for Mrs. Potter did not behold the face of the niece of the Bishop of Manchester (the woman who looks like the head of Queen Victoria in the farthings) after that, until she gazed on it in the dock that morning. She had Previously told a great many fine tales (cock and bull stories) to the soft Mrs. Potter about £4,000 a year, trifling bits of carriages (Mrs. P., °of course, was to have one, with a couple of horses, couple of footmen, and a variety of other things too numerous to mention), and the like, bat, added Mrs. Potter, with an indignant smile, 'twas all false—lies from beginnin g to cbd . - Mr. Bluck : And you got nothing ? Airs. Potter : No, not my pay ment even.: Mr. Bluck : And what was she to pay you for board and lodging ? Fourteen shillings a week; she was to board with me, reside with me, and enter into the privacy of all my household and other affairs. Mr. Bluck : Confiding Mrs. Potter, and' what did you do for her? Why, I attended on her hand and foot. Mr. Bluck : Poor woman, and she told you she was niece to the Bishop of Manchester ? No, she said she was married to the Rev. Mr. Lee, who was nephew to the Bishop of Manchester. I did not ask her for any money until last Saturday. And what did she say ? She said Monday was her Ar day ! when her guardians would pay, but she got so. indignant, that she went off to Mr. Waldron, her friend in Redcross-street, to get the money, but she forgot to come back, Oh, she's a. bad lot ! John Smith, of Albertstreet, Edge-hill, said the prisoner induced him, on Saturday, to take her imas a boarder and lodger, and told him that she had lodged at the hOuse of the last witness, and that Dr. Bickersteth was in attendance on her at a guinea a visit. Tie gave her board and lodging from Saturday up to this (Mhaday) morning, but she took him in. Mr. Duck : Why - man it was you who took her in—(laughter)--and not satisfied with that, you took her into the Station-house iu the.. bargain. (Renewed laughter.) I submit, sir, (to the court,) that there is no case at all against. her, as re g ards the innocent Mrs. Potter. Mr. Mansfield : Mrs. Potter, did she bring any luggage to your house? Mrs. Potter : Not a pins -worth, ex cept what is on her at this moment. Mr. Bluck said there was not the least pity for Mrs. Potter; she deserved all she got. The fact was she had taken in this poor innocent young lady altogether—(great laughter) —with the notion of getting something handsome—one of the carriages, perhaps, with a. pull at the £4,000 a year. (Laughter.) Mrs. Potter : It was all lies. Mr. Bluck : I think she served you , quite right. He asked Mr. Smith what the prisoner had said to him, and he replied that she said one of her guardians had made a present of a beautiful dress and £5- to Mrs. Potter for her attention. Mr. Bluck: Then you thosight you had a good "take in" in her ? The fact is, sir, they have taken up my client too soon. If they had waited until to-morrow, a person Would . be down here from Manchester to pay all. To Mr. Smith : Did she not want to go out of your house on Saturday for her cod liver oil ? She said she had left her cod liver oil at Mrs. Potter's, and said she would go for it., It was raining at the time, and I said she had better not go for it, and when I went for it this morning, I found herself mid her cod liver oil both swindles. (Laughter.) - Mr. Mansfield : Is the prisoner known here ? Bridewell-keeper : She was here in Octo ber 1857 for stealing flour, she was sent to the County Magistrates' Court, and there discharged. Mr. Bluck : Well, that shows she was innocent—what a memory you have. J3ridewell-keeper : Very good records we have here Mr. Black : What name was she under then? The same as now. Mr. Bluck : That has " done" her. . The prisoner was remanded for a week. DISTIONESI GlRL.—Alice Mont g otnery, 15, a servant with Mr. Shaw, a master carter, m Clement-street, was charged onsuspicion of having stolen a £5 note, the pro perty of her master. Mr. Bluck stated the case for the prose cution, the note in a c ioan.dit appeared ,o rk box in thethat, Thiau)rroi sldalr, and ylas wentt,Mr. S haw left out with his wife. The note was missed in the evening, and there was no one else in the house except the prisoner. It was discovered that she had p ur chased two dresses, a shawl, boots, and othe r thlngs. She was remanded for further inquiry. An American citizen was brought before the court by Mr. Povey, of t he Government Emigration Office, t o know if anything could be done to get him a passage back to New York, as he was destitute here. Mr. Cobb said Mr. Traviskoy, of the firm of Traviskey wouldand 31ontgomery, who happened to be in court, said h e kindly give the man a free passage. His worship thanked the gentleman, as did also the applicant. WIFE PnoTEcrioN UNDER TH E N rw Aur. TroM shopsr. Bluck, in on the part of a Mrs. Fazakerly, who has t Athol-street, applied for prote c ti on for her under the act. Tier husband abandoned her over three years ago, and since then she has made some progress in trade, but Ishe now heard that h e was going to take possession of what she had acquired, and to protect her from this the order WO sought. Mr. Bluck called some witnesses, who I proved the case, and his Worship granted the protection sired. BEFORE MR. HOUGHTON. ‘I . WEARING.-Phillip Conlan, the driver of a summoned by police officers 356 Both officers swore very ittllD .- `--v nights ago, the Crosby couttihtts, and 80, for furious dritim s ., strongly that, at half-past eight a defendant was driving most ftirioitsi/ Howard -street, to the danger of the p'ublit, vehicles passing. The defendant was driving, a. positively stated, at the rate of at least fourteen miles an hour. Mr. Charles Collis, Mr. John Decosta, and two other gentlemen, who were on the 'bus at the time, swore that in the first place the police had swore wrongly -the hour was only ten minutes past eight,. and as for furious driving, if the officers had sworn the other way, namely, that he was driving much too slowly, they would haVe cor roborated him. The two wheel horses were lame, and the first one was not inclined to go; and if inclined to go, it could not get on, for the street was crowded at the time. Instead of 14 miles an hour, it took them nearly nn hour and a half to go to Crosby, which was only six miles. His Worship said he believed the evidence for the defence, and dismissed the case, at the same time cautioning the driver not to do so any more. BEFORE MESSRS. HEATH AND HOUGHTON m - Great vi tut. thet WAGES CASE. - Charles Wells, late the chief engineer of the screw-steamer Tiber, summoned Messrs. Bibby for X, 1 0, a month's wages. Mr. Cobb was for the complainant_ It appeared that some time since the plaintiff was chief engineer in the Tiber, but lately he was transferred to and signed articles to go in the Corinthian, but when he went there just as the vessel was about to sail, another person was mit in his place, and he was sent back to the Tiber_ He refused to go in her, in as much as he alleged she was short handed, and he alleged that was the reason he got himself transferred to the Corinthian. After some diseussion r a sum of #:,7 lOs and costs were awarded to the plaintiff. FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM. The annual meetinb of the friends of this institution was held at the Asylinn yesterday, Henry Glazebrook, jtm.,.Esq., president, occupied the chair. There were alio present—the Rev. T. B. Banner, Messrs. Thomas Voore, IL Lomas, Flarmood Banner, W. H. Preston, R. A. Payne, Kendall, Moss, Bailey, and Buxton, besides a number of ladies. IThrmood Banner, Esq., treasurer, read the report for the past year. The:treasurer's account showed a halanee in favour of the institution of £371 14g. sd. REPOJIT " The year just nasscd was entered. upon not without apprehension that the public charities of Liverpool, would be . seriously prejudiced by the shock which had. visited the commercial world, and under which all classes were then suffering. Ahrnst every one appeared affected More or less ; personally or by connection.- It could not therefore be expected that the stream" of benevolence would flow as uninterruptedly as before: The loss of many subscribers was the consequence ;. but it is tt, - • - it during the year, so gloomy in its pros ' singular fact pects, legac all precedent in'the same period of time "In these welcome benefactions the Orphau Asylums participated. Besides these, other donations and the usual sources of income, together with the sum on hand from 1857, have ffilly met the expenditure ; and again, therefore, does the-account terminate with a balance in favour of the institution. "Under these circumstances the committee are most thankful to be able to invest the , whole of the legacies; thereby fulfilling, no doubt, the- dying wish of the benevolent bequeaeuers, that the interest derived from the investment of their bequests would perpetuate the subscriptions which 7, they had annually bestowed' while " The committee refer with renewed pleasure to the state of the institution, and the system o f economy adopted, combined with , every requisite comfort- One extra expense has necessarily been incurred the last year in the painting of the entire building i ns id e an d out. Bat including that and all other outgoings of every description, the cost per head was only about £9: There are 136 children in the institution, cheerful and happy,, and every one of them blessed with health. ,To the good management of Miss Sanders, the . active co operation of Miss Fisher and sub-teachers, and the un remitting exertions of all, may be attributed the satis factory condition of the institution. It would be grad- would more • friends with AU important move in tne case of 'infant orphans' has recently been made, and is in progress, which wilt materially connect itself with existing institutions, and by which parentless children will be provided for, how— Candidates for the Blue Coat Hospital, or - len Asylums, cannot obtain admission ever young the present under the age of seven years. For younger brothers and sisters with equal, if not greater claims, because more helpless, there has hithertobeen no refuge but the workhouse; no alternative but p au p er i sm , however industrious and respectable their parents may have been. The remedy proposed, and already in. action, is an ' Infant Orphan Asylum.' A building similar to this, with similar accommodation; is intended, It is intended also to adopt similar rules, and the same prin ciples, thus forming a preparatory training- for any of the other institutions as the children become , eligible by the requisite age. Until the buildin g is ready, th e Infant Orphan Asylum will be ca rr i e d on at 274, Windsor terrace, Upper Parliament-street, where there axe now 17 interesting children, boys and girls, from three to six years of age. It has been essentially aided by the sister hands of this asylum working hard and cheerfully in the making of clothes, bedding, &c., and especially by the advice and assistance of Miss Sanders. ." Truly may these and all other- orphan voices chant their hymns of thanksgiving to Almighty God, and echo the assuring words of David, When my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will:take me up.' " The following legacies were received during 1858: Elizabeth Twentyman (deceased), £B3 8s 6d; William Tyrer, £5O; Mr. Dyson, £B3 6s 8d ; George Maxwell, £5O; A gentleman, £75; Sir John Gladstone, Bart.,. £52 lOs ; Thomas Walkinson, £250; Israel Barned, £9O; Egbert Dircks, £5O; Lewin Mozley. £s2'; John Moss, £5O ; Total, £859.5s 2d. The President moved the adoption• of the report, which ssed unanimously. Mr. Payne moved, " That the thanks of the meeting be given to the clergy who have preached during- the past year on behalf of the Asylum." The president had said that that mole of collecting money was the most leitimate,. and, he thought, also the most p ro d uct i ve . Ti e ' had seen by the report that £ll2 had been collected by clergymen. in their congregations for the- asylum, and he thought that the best thanks of the meeting were due to them: He had great, pleasure, therefore,, in moving the resolution. The motion was seconded, and passed. • Mr. Buxton moved, that the thanks of the meeting should be given to the various ladies and gentlemen wlice had taken an interest in the•asylum, and acted -as mem bers of the committee. The motion having been, carried, _ The President replied on behalf of thaliarties men tionedthe in the resolution. He said, the oonunittee , as a body, had done their duty, and the medical gentlemen, he knew, looked upon their - service s as a labour of love, a n m dwo r. uld n d h a a l lf m p l o e i ts d ure a i N n o c te o n o t f in t u h ig their the Rev. T.. B. Banner. . _ Mr. Banner said, he did not consider that he was en titled to any thanks, as he looked upon his work in the same light inwhich the president had mentioned that of the v e the wounldexdtor resolu tion, medical gentlemen—a, labour of love. He could not say that the subscription. would* be so large from the churches as it bad been, seeing that they had a kindred additional, institution to support ; but he would do his e was i t equal p suascraeticalled ey h de t i a o s ur what po.ito hadm congregationo been given to that best, best, t a o n and he ic e rais - e of any one, institutio n tio i , r a . and, in Preston rn doing twa's so, he said : Ileaplways avoided, if possible, moving a vote ofl that t nks in :Li e d t that t " he washet if th othfcorueoN‘d'oerreofantyh edeisnesrtlituntgioonf thanks, he thought it d the and it was with great t m p h l i e e e e a i t s o i l n i s r g t e i t b i e i h ti e g o . i n v m e nt o Il a r moo best ßan e ner, E sci, thanks treasu o r f er this for services."be requested to . cont - inue , his Mr. Banner said, in reply to the last part of the resolu tion, which that meeting had so kindly passed, he would be most happy to continue his services so long as God would give him health. He then moved a committee (or then ensuing year. He had to regret the loss of some members of the committee. In the first place, Mrs. Johnstone, of the ladies' committee, and next, Mr. Henry Brown, who, had taken such an interest in the institution. In the loss of these, they had lost two of the most valuable members of the committee which they had ever had. He knew that some of them would soon follow, but he was convinced that God was the peotector of these institutions, and he believed they were so firmly fixed on the hearts and sympathies of the people of Liverpool, that they might go to their graves fully satisfied that as good care would be taken of tthler theas when they were alive. He expressed his r i t:g ni re of . death of Mrs. Dale, which had dep ni D i a t l te e' e s presence. The Ttoh,eanmdomtiorn Bannerw with tthoeinnteimwaitnesttihtautt,inonnwtashattrdayb e fo. laid. tighregi fortnight, Cedtlid: the firs t also tfitht reosattt mentioned shhteoenc°ehma oa; business. This ended the t that on all wouldclergymen become gpuaoeradcili.aends,on behalf of fhe Jo" . ire rh l , l owl 1. 1, or 0 0° 0 a , l e oe ber °l ' 'O ce . ; Do „op [es pod O 4 .. A f 0 0 (1 .5 , till 51 I, - i 4 P col ;