The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-02-07 00:00:00

HONESTE AUDAX.

IN the House of Lords on Monday the Lord
Chancellor brought in several Bills to consolidate
and assimilate the criminal law in England and
Ireland, and Lord Chelmsford introduced a Bill
for the abolition of grand juries. The Bishop of
London complained of the continued disturb-
ances in the church of St George's-in-the-East,
and asked the Government what measures they
intended to take to vindicate the law. Earl
Granville explained that means would be
adopted by the police to prevent the recurrence
of disturbances in future. On the motion of the
Duke of Marlborough, a select committee was
appointed to inquire into the present operation
of the law and practice respecting the assessment
and levy of church-rates. On Tuesday the Lord
Chancellor brought in a Bill to enlarge the
powers of courts of common law in questions of
equity; and Lord Brougham brought in a Bill
for facilitating the sale and transfer of real
estates and the registration of titles. The Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, in answer to Lord Dun-
gannon, said that a Bill will shortly be in
troduced under the sanction of the episcopal
bench to alter and amend the law relative to
dilapidation. in glebe-houses. On Thursday the
Law of Property Bill, after some discussion,
poured through committee.
On Friday Mr. Maguire asked the Secretary
of State for Foreign affairs whether any facts; had
been communicated to the Government relative
to the alleged misconduct of the Consul at Tan-
gier, whereby he had violated strict neutrality
in relation to Spain and Morocco; and Mr.
Kinglake asked whether any information had
reached the Government in respect of the
military and naval preparations of the Emperor
of the French. Lord John Russell in reply
to Mr. Maguire said that the conduct of
Mr. Drummond Hay, her Majesty's Consul at
Tangier, had been strictly comformable to his
duty, and that he was entirely free from blame.
In the 'Commons on Monday the Lord
Advocate introduced a Bill to abolish the
annuity tax in Edinburgh, and to make pro-
vision in regard to the stipends of the clergy in
that city. Sir G. C. Lewis obtained leave to
bring in a Bill for the better regulation of the
Corporation of the City of London, stating that
the Bill is limited to the constitution of the
Corporation, and that he will on a future day
call the attention of the House to the subject of
the coal duties. On the motion of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, the Committee on
Packet and Telegraph Contracts was re-appointed,
after • protest from Sir J. Pakington against
the conduct of the committee in the last session
in investigating matters involving personal
charges. On Tuesday Mr. Cardwell stated, in
answer to Mr. Hennessy, that the Government
have no intention whatever of making any
alteration in the National system of education
in Ireland. Mr. Lindsay's motion for a select
committee to inquire into the burdens and
restrictions affecting merchant shipping was
assented to by Government and agreed to, on
the understanding that the motion should be
enlarged so as to constitute an inquiry into the
state of British shipping as well as the restric-
tions affecting it. Mr. Mellor obtained leave to
bring in a Bill to ammend the Corrupt Practices
Act, and another to amend the Election Peti-
tions Act. Mr. Hadfield obtained leave to bring
in • Bill to make Liverpool, Manchester, Brad-
ford, Leeds, and Sheffield warehousing places;
Mr. Slaney obtained leave to bring in a Bill
empowering two-thirds of the ratepayers of any
place to impose • rate for public improvements;
Mr. Scholefield obtained leave to bring in a Bill
for preventing the adulteration of food and
drink; and Mr. John Locke obtained leave to
bring in a Bill for amending certain laws
relating to attorneys and solicitors. On
Wednesday Mr. M'Mahon having moved the
second reading of the Appeal in Criminal Cases
Bill, Sir G. C. Lewis moved as an amendment
that it be read • second time that day six
months, on the ground that it would alter the
whole character and operation of the criminal
law, and operate against the safety of life and
property. After a brief discussion, in which the
Bill was almost unanimously condemned, the
amendment was carried without • division, and
the Bill was consequently lost. On Thursday,
in answer tea question from Mr. Disraeli, Lord
John Russell said that he could not produce the
papers relating to the projected annexation of
Savoy to France; but it might be sufficient to
state that Lord Cowley had had two interviews
with Count Walewski on the subject, at the
last of which, in July last, the French Minister
declared expressly that the Emperor no longer
entertained the idea of such annexation. Mr.
Wise moved • resolution for the annual appoint-
ment of a select committee to inquire into the
Miscellaneous Civil Service expenditure of the
preceding year, the payments made out of the
Consolidated Fund, and those on account of the
Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues. Mr.
Laing and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
opposed the motion, but it was carried on a
division by 121 to 93. On the motion of Mr.
Cobbett, as chairman of the Beverley Election
Committee, it was resolved that the Attorney-
General be ordered by the House to prosesute
Daniel Boyee and Robert Taylor for bribery
committed by them at the last election for that
borough. Mr. Hubbard obtained leave to bring
in a Bill to amend the law relating to church-