The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-18 00:00:00

Mr. Bruce re-introduced hia Mine& Regulation Bill, and

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The Lord Advocate brought In the Scotch Nducation Bill.
His exposition of its provisions was prefaced by a long survey
o itho history and present condition of education in Scot-
land. Its leading feature Im to take the present system as a
I..undation, and to extend the present area of rating to all
lauds and heritages without exception, substituting
real rent as the rule of rating, so that all would con-
tribute according to their actual possession. The
management of the school. would, In like manner,
be extended to all persons who contributed to the rates.
The ratepayers would elect School hoards, which would
decide on the educational requirements of each district and
determine wrere new schools should be established. The
whole system would be worked under the general super.
vision ors Committee of Privy Council for Scotch Ed..
h sitting in London and administering the Parliamentary
grant.

A general approval of the bill was expressed by Dr. riar
fair, Mr Anderson, Sir E. Colebrooke, Mr. Carnegie, Mr.
Macao, and others, who, however, reserved their opinion on
itn tlntalls, and a pretty unanimous feeling was manifested
annlest entrusting the supervision of Scotch education to a
Board sitting in London.

Mr W. E Forster, in moving for a Committee to Inquire
Into the operation of the Vaccination Act (12671, and to
report whether such Act should be amended, &nerved
that this I ommittee was proposed by the Government
In fulfilment of a pledge given towards the end of last
session by the Home Secretary to the hon. member for
Sunderiand, who had introduced a Bill to amend the Act
of 18(.7, and to relax In some measure the stringency of
the punishment Though the House had convinced the hon.
member that he bail little chance of carrying that Bill Into
law, yet there was a feeling that it was desirable, If possible,
to remove the objection, entertained by some persons in
the cout.try in reference to vaccination. Hs need hardly say
that vaccination was one of the most useful acts that could
be performed, and that it wu even necessary to provide, by
legislation, that It should be performed. Those who agitated
in the country against the Act must have forgotten what was
the stare of the civilised community generally before the in-
troduction of vaccinatlen. He found that for thirty years
before vaccination sus introduced into this country the
average number of deaths every year was 3,000 for every
million of the inhabitants, and that from 18,4 to 1880 the
number had been reduced to 202 per million. In Prussia
the statiatits were even still stronger, for there the
tionther of deaths from smallpox had been reduced from
3 422 to 276 for every million of inhabitant. The most
extraordinary fact brought out by the late epidemic con-
firmed all that had been previously known respecting the good
effects of vaccination, and that was, that =minat the nurses
and servants of the Sinall.pex Hospi al, who invariably sub-
niliteci to vaccination, which was generally found to be re-
vaccination, not a single case was known In which they had
been affected. Stathtica showed that the extent of the
epidemic had really gone up and down, according as com-
pulsion had or had not been enforced. In Scotlend and
Ireland, where they had meowed almost complete nom.
pnislon, the dblease was formerly very prevalent, and
bold It seas reduced almost to a minimum. In those
districts, too, in Ent/land, where vaccination hu been en-
forced, small-pox bad almost vanished. The House might,
therefor*, ask what was the us* of any Committee to ex-
amine into the existing law t He was strongly of opinion
that a Committee would do good. Thin were certainly
some persons In the country who entertained a oonsoien-
ttous objection to vaccination, On the ground that IS would
do their children harm and he thoupt the evident:le
which would be adduced Wen the Cammtttee would
tend to convince those persons of their error. It was
most desirable to carry public opinion throughout the
country with the action of the law, and he thought that the
result of an Inquiry into this subject by • Committee
of the House would be to strengthen the hands of the Board'
of Gus:Mangle carrying out what had come to be regarded
by seine persons as an arbitrary Act. That was not the ooio
reason for aortas Ice VW 1119,410Liedl of liii. Coawoltles

In conseynence of the present epidemic several suggestion,
had been made for making the present Act more effective,
and these were matters which would be considered by this
Committee. It might also be thought desirable to have
some inquiries into certain matters connected with
the administration of the present Act, and he should
he glad on behalf of the medical department of the
Privy Council to have an opportunity of proving to
the country that they had taken elfvetive steps to prevent
Imperf, c vscclnation. He hoped that the Comml tee, if
appointed, would feel it to be their duty to reports, speedily
as possible. It was dimmable that the conclusion of the
House, which he had no doubt would be in accordance with
the common sense of the country, should go forth to the
public with the least possible delay.
Mir C 13 Adderley strongly objected to an Inquiry which
would throw doubt on the practice of vaccination at a time
when complete confidence ought to be expressed in it All
that was needed was to carry out the existing law.
Mr. W. 11. Smith was in favour of a comnAttee, wlikh he
expected would show how defective and unsystematic was
the administration of the law.
. .

---ir-o-f;;;;;TI;37(a-!;:: who last year opposed the Committee
lest the public confidence In vacclnatt Ai should be weakened
when the smallpox epidemic mu close upon us, was now In
favour of it in order to ascertain why the practice had not
been so successful in England as In the other parts of the
kingdom Mr. Candli.h, Lora It. Montagu, and Dr. Brewer
also spoke In favour of the Committe, which was then agreed
to.
A first reading was given tl the Merchant Shipping Bill
NIL C. Portescue , Scotch Came Laws (Mr. idPLagan), the
Permissive Prohibitory Liquor It II (iir W. Lawson(, the
FernMe Suffrage Bill (11r. Jacob Bright), Coroners' Bill (Mr.
Goldney) and a bill for the Education of the Blind.

Mr. fidadstone, In • highly eulogistic speech, moved, and
Colonel Wilson-Patten seconded. a vote of thaikt to the
late Chief Clerk, Sir U. Le Merchant on his resigtation.
A new writ was ordered for Norwich, and the Mouse
adjourned.

In the II ouse of Lords, Fab. 14, Lord Granville, replying to
L ,rd (barna stated that the object of the Joint Anglo-
American Commission was not to settle the questions In dis-
pute with the I oiled Statea, but to diem', them In a friendly
spirit, and to treat for an agreement as to the mode of their
amicable settlement. The Comnilsaion directed that, ki the
event of any important disagreement, the High Corned,
shiners were to report to the English Foreign Unice, and
await further Instruction,.

Cairns call, d attention to the provisions of the Treaty
of Paris (1856) as to the Black den lie jmtified himself for
discusrng the subject during the sitting of the Conference by
the speech madeou the Address by the Prime Minieter. Tracing
the history of the negotiations of Vienna in 1856 he showed
that Lord Clarendon consistently and energetically advocated
the cessation of the prep mderance of Runts In the Black
Sea. So determined were the Western Pane,, to carry
out the neutral' mtion of the Black Sea that the
negotiations were broken di on thie point, and the war
went on until in 1851 Russia was compelled to agree
to this article of the Treaty. No official document
had been produced to substantiate Mr. Gladstone's
allegation that France was willing to give up the neutrality
of the Wack Sea, and as to the Premier's dental that the
British Government of that day attached any vital importance
to this neutral's Won, it was at variance with all the docu-
ments on recor4. Lord Cairns also doubted the opinion
attributed to Lord Palmerston that the neutralization of the
Black Sea could not be permanently maintained, and thought
it still more unlikely that he would select a Russian Minister
as the depositary of such a confidence.

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Lord Granville objected to the vagueness of the question.
to which he wee asked to reply, and explained that having
been obliged to go to Windsor that day he had been unable
to ascertain from the Pro min: what he had really said.
Great importance was, no doubt, attached by the Western
Powers at the time of the Conferences of V.euna and Paris
to the neuirabratiou of the Black Sea, but It woe not after
all the one vital principle of the Treaty of Paris. Circum-
stances, moreover, had changed. Turkey was then without
slnps ; now the Porte had one of the most powerful itiets In
Europe. Lard Clarendon was unquestionably very anxious at
the time to reduce the preponderance of Russia In the Black
Sta. Ile shared the impression of Mr. Gladstone that Lord
Clarendon had, before his death, changed his opinion on this
subj, ct. lie had, however, since made Inquiries, and had
satiated himself that there wae no proof of any such change.
With retard to Lard Palmerston he quoted various private
canversatlons in proof Mat he regarded the neutralix
Mon of the Black Sea as an article of the Treaty which could
not be permanently maintained. Excusing himself on the
ground of hie difficult ofiLial position lathe Conference from
giving his Individual opinion on this subject, Lord Granville
pointedly congratulated their lordships that the speech they
just heard had not been made before the Conference began
its labours.

Alter a few remarks from Lord Salfshury, the discussion
terminated, and their lordships adjourned.
in the House of Commons, Mr. Rylands said that on
Tuesday next he would move for leave to bring in a bill to
extend to the whole of Sunday the restrictions placed for a
part of that day on the rain of intoxicating liquors.

M. Graves Intimated that on the lath March he would
move that It Is des,roue that the number of money order
offices should he Increased, and that the charges for money
orders should be reduced.

Mr. Bruce brought in the Trades' Uolons Bill. Prefacing
the expositions of its provisions by • careful survey of leghe
latien on this subject from the Statute of Libourers down to
the present time, he showed how the doctrine of combination
in rcsiraint of trade had been gr idually turned to the
disadvantage of workmen and their societies: and, while
censuring some of the objects of Trades' Unions, he
, maintained that their main object, the protection of the
legitimate interests cf the workmen, was deserving of
cousideratioe. The bill, therefore, would proceed on
the principle of putting employers and workmen on
• footing of perfect (quality. in the first place it would
sweep away all the civil disabilities Imposed on Trades'
Unifies, with certain exceptions. Fer instance, it would
establish • system of optional registration with publication
of accounts, ctii.', but those societies which relgistered
would have the same privileges ai friendly societies of
summarily prosecuting defaulters, it: ,while those who do.
cllued registration would be left to the more clecnitous pro-
cedure cf Gurney's Act. The penal enactments of the Statute
of George IV. wouti be repealed, but certain. Rum s would be
retained, defined more prechely, and punished more sum-
marily. Threats and intimidation. for Instauce, would be
linilled to personal violence and punished summarily, but
only in cases where a man Might now be bound over to keep
the peace. Molestation sod obstruction would also be
Punishable, and, among other things, would be defined to
include acts of personal violence, dogging a marl from place
to place, hiding his tools, besetting his house or workshop,
and the like.
The explanation of the measure was followed by a brief
cenversation, in the coursedf which Mr. I. Hughes, Mr Her-
mon, and Mr. Mundella—the first speaking for the Trades'
Unions, the last two for the empli,yers—expreased a general
approval of the provistms, and au earnest desire that the
speedy pasting of the bill might bring about peace between
the two dosses.

The Attorney.Generalre.introduced the Bill for repealing
the Ecclesiastical Titles Act ; and Mr. Show-Lefavre bromiht
in a bill for the amendment of the Enclosure Lw which is
identical with the Government Bill of last year with the
addition of Mr. (awpor Temple. Bill for the Preservation
of Open Commons which is to be incorporated with It.
A first reading was also given to bil)e for providing for the
Management of Habitual Drunkards ( Mr. I). Dalrymple), for
facilitating gills of Laud for Public Parks, ate (Sir W. Ilutt),
for al,ruluishing the expense of Irish Private Bills by trans-
ferring the preliminary inquiry to local tribunals (Mr. Heron).
for exempting chorine. from Local Hates (Mr. Muni.), for
extending CAulty Court Jurisdiction (Sir. Norwood), and
for amending the Game Laws (Mr. Hardcastle).

The bill for granting Co annuity of .0,00 a year to the
Princess Louise was read a first time and Mr. Gladstone
gave notice that the dowry of £30,000 would be moveditu
Committee of Supply on Thuraday, and the House adjourned.

In the HOW° of C ,mmone, Feb. 15, Mr. T. Chamben
moved the recond reading of the slartiage with Dece.Wed
Wden Sinter Bill.

Sir Il .Selwin-Ibbetson was averse to repeating the argu-
ments against the measure which had over and over again
been urged In that House, but feeling very strongly upon the
subject he could not allow a bill of this sort to be passed
auk sifentio. He therefore moved that the bill be read a
liecand time this day six months.
Mr. Knatchbull-Hugeasen regretted that after the leaders
of the oppossition to the measure had come to the conclu-
sion that they had fought against the relaxation of a
vexatious restriction, the hon. baronet should have moved
Ms amendment. The measure had over and over again
been carried in that House, and by a larger majority
than ever by a Parliament elected ny household end.
rage, and although the sufferers under the present law
were not sufficiently numerous to command public agita-
tion, the wrong done to them was a fit subject for the
consideration of the Home. These marriagea were legal In
many other countries and the colonies, and it would be an
offence against the social law of England to retain upon the
Statute Book a law which billeted so cruel a punishment
upon ninny persons. This was not a question relating to the
upper or middle classes, but was essentially a question for
the working classes, amongst whom these marriage. were
most ha imant. Ha looked upon the present restriction
as • relic 0f ecolealastical tyranny, the operation of
which tended to diminish the goodwill felt ny the
people for the Church of England. It was a question of
civil and religious liberty, and he contended that it was a
great grievance that A restriction should be placed upon
thonsands of people In this country which was not justified
in common acme or reason, or by the law of other countries,
and which iva, directly opposed to the convictions of many
of the clergy and laity.
Mr. Moody avowed that he was still of opinion that the
proposed alteration in the law would sap the foundations of
society, and upset the social relations of many famine.; hut
he doubted whether the course taken by the hon. baronet was
a wise one. He could not shut Ma mes to the fact that the
Measure was largely demanded by the public, but he hoped
that the Government would bring In a measure dealing with
the whole question of &grans of aflialty, rather than encum-
ber the statute-book with an exceptional measure of sochty.

Mr. H. Csmpbell said that the people of Scotland were
willing to accept the measure. The opposition to It moot
almost entirely from Kirk Sessions and similar religious
bodies and not from the people.
Mr. Orr Ewing and (2)lonel Sykes pointed out that the
Kirk Sections were composed of laymen, and that they fully
represented the feeling of the people of Scotland, who were
strongly opposed to this bill.
Mr. S. Morley urged that the present restrictions were
tending to foster immorality and disregard for the marriage
tie among the working classes.

Mr. T. Chambers said that the growth of public feeling
In favour of this bill had been rapid and persistent It had
been repeatedly passed by the Home, and had only been
rejected in the Upper ibmee by the vote, of the bishops. The
opthions of Hebrew scholars and the practice of the Jewish
n•tion had entirely removed the religious argument against
these marriages ; and the opposition to the bill was now made
without a single argument being brought forward. He urged
that it was time that he law of this country should recognise
marriages which were legal in British colonies and in
foreign zountriee.

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Mr. ilinde Palmer said that the quest:on was essential,'
a poor man's question, inasmuch as the law was evaded by
the rich, who went abroad, and were married in countries
where such marriages were legal. On the grounds both of
religion and morality he supported the bUL
Mr. Denman also supported the bill; and the House then
divided with the following result :