The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-06-09 00:00:00

THZ CORRUPT PRACTICRI BILL

The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the
Parliamentary Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Practices) Bill,
the provisions of which were identical with those of the Bill
Introdiced last year.

-
Mr. Warton moved the rejection of the measure, which,
he contended, left untouched the worse sources of corruption.
Mr. C. Lewis, who seconded the amendment, urged that
the Bill was impracticable and unjust, and that its extreme
severity was calculated to render it ineffective.
_ _

-
Mr. G. Russell supported the Bill, and urged the Attorney-
General not to give way either on the severity of the penalties
or the marimum of expenditure.
Mr. Shell made some observations on the probable opera.
Sion of the Bill in Ireland. _

Mr. Stuart-Wortley, while admitting that something must
be done, thought the Rill mistaken in mixing up large ex-
penditure with corrupt expenditure ; and Mr. Carbutt spoke
in favour if closing public-houses on election day.
Mr. Cowen approved the Bill in principle, and said that
the amendments which he should propose would be in the
direction of checking the modern forms of oorruption and
Intimidation, the purchase of classes, and the growth of
machine politicians.
Baron de Ferrieres argued that the most effeotual mode
of checking corruption was by the creation of large con-
itituenciee, and was in favour, therefore, of putting off
the Bill until the whole question of the franchise had been
5161111 with.

gr. Gregory and Mr. Whiteley supported the Bill as an
honegt endeavour to deal with a crying evil, the latter,
however, objecting to the proposed enlargement of the law
CL agency.
Colonel ringscote remarked that the Bill was drawn
more for boroughs than counties; and Mr. H. Fowler, while
doubting as to the severity of the punishments, approved of
IkeBUL

Colonel Nolan thought the Bill inapplicable to Ireland,
and Mr. 4111rantham also spoke.
Mr. Raikes and 81r R. Cross insisted that the pitfalls
which it contained for innocent candidates must be removed
before the measure was passed into law.
The Attorney•Cleneral, in replying, expressed his willing-
ness to receive ameadments from both sides of the House,
and claimed for the Bill that it was an attempt, without one
trace of party bias, to remedy an evil which was a disgrace
to the country.

The second reading was then agreed to without a division.
gker some further business the House adjourned at five
mcn'utes...'3 (Pe'

In the Oi !()PS, June 6, the Bishop of Carlisle
HOUSE .'A,
moved the second
of the Cathedral Statutes Bill,
reau:24
which was substantially the ....!me measure as had passed their
lordships' House last Session, but ifa9lied the Commons too
late to become law.
The Bill led to some debate, in which the Bishop of Peter-
borough, Lord Granville, Lord Cranbrook, the two Arch-
bishops, and the Bishop of London, took part, and the second
reading was agreed to.
The Lord Chancellor introduced and moved the first rend-
ing of a Bill to amend the law relating to stolen articles and
one to amend the Pawnbrokers' Act of 1872.
Both Bills were read a first time.
The Orders of the Day having been disposed of, their lord-
ships adjourned at twenty-five minutes past six o'clock.

THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, at the morning sitting, the Lord
Advocate having moved the second reading of the Agricultural
Holding (Scotland) Bill, Sir H. Maxwell, while taking excep-
tion to some of the provi, i ions accepted it as on the whole
a tolerably successful effort to deal with a most difficult
problem; awl as he believed it would not be made the basis
for future agitation he gave it a cordial support, though he
reserved to himself the right of amending it in committee.
Mr. Barclay enlarged at considerable length on the griev-
ances and claims of the tenant farmers of Scothnd Freedom
Of cultivation and security of capital, he said, were the two
chief requirements, and on both heads he asserted that the
Bill fell far short of what they had a right to expect. To
induce the tenant-farmer to spend the capital necessary fo
bring the soil up to the point of fertility which alone could
cope with foreign competition, he must have full security of
possession awl must be routed in the soil.
Mr. Orr Ewing objected entirely to the proposed inter-
ferenee with freedom of contract, and maintained that land-
lords and tenants in Scotland could settle their affairs
without any legislation of this kind, which he feared would
teed to much dissension and ill-feeling.
Mr. M'Lagan replied to this that freedom of contract was
admitted even on the other side to have failed. tie approved
the Bill anti supported most of the clauses.
Mr. Dalrymple also thought the Bill a good one, but main-
tained that England and Scotland might have been dealt
with in the same Bill.
The Lord Advocate pointed out that there were many
distinctions between England and Scotland which made it
Impossible to deal with the two countries in a single Act.
Replying to the eriticians of previous speakers, he pro-
fessed his readiness to give ^ candid consideration to any
itm.endments which might be proposed; and as to the
khjection that the Bill would interfere with leases, he main-
ta:Nd that its operation would be to keep up a high
standaid of cultivation during the whole continuance of a
lease.
Sir A. Gordon gave expression to the deep dissatisfaction
with which the Scotch faiMUS regarded the Bill, after which
Li was read a second time.

On the order for going into Committee on the Ballot Act
Continuance and Amendment Bill, Mr. Beresford•Hope
was opposing tha Bill when the hour arrived for suspending
the sitting.
At the Evening Sitting, the House was counted out before
ay business was done. ,

In the HOUR or COMMONS, June 6, on the order for the
consideration of the Windsor, Ascot, and Aldershot Rail-
way Bill,
Viscount Folkestone moved to re-commit the Bill, with an
Ins:notion to the Committee to reduce the rate: proposed
by the 2.19. to be charged for guano and artificial manures.
After some discussion the Amendment was negatived, and
the Bill was considzTed and ordered for a third reading.
Sir A. Otway, Chairmar/ Of Ways and Means. moved an
lin, Portant alteration of the gsliding Orders with respect
60, Railway Bills. Standing Order 187 prohibits during
Oast construction of a railway the payment of any in-
terest or dividend to any shareholder on the amount
Of the calls made in respect of the shares held by
"except such interest on money .I.dvanced by any
Shareholder beyond the amount of the calls actually made as
is in conformity with the Companies Clauses Consolidetion
Act, 1845, or the Companies Clauses Consolidation(Scotland)
Act, 1845." Sir Arthur 'Away proposed to extend this ex-
e,f3Ption to cases in which the Committee on the Bill might
think fit to allow interest to be paid under certain stated
conditions.
Sir J. Pease opposed the motion on the ground that it is
Out 4esirable to alter the effect of Standing Order 187 until
a Bill kas been passed to amend "The Companies' Clauses
Consolidation Act, 1845," and "The Companies' Clanses
Ooniolidatien (Scotland) Act, 1845,"
-10 far as these Acts
relate to the payment of interest out of capital by railway or
other companies. He contended that the declarations of
?arliament on the subject were consistent with sound finan-
cial legislation.
A lengthy discussion ensued, and eventually the House
alvided, when the result was—For Sir A. Otway's Motion,
181 against, 123.
The Item:dation was therefore agreed to.
NEW WRITS.

A new writ was ordered for North Leicestershire in the
too,. ro of General Burnaby, deceased; also for the borough of
usAby, in the room of llr. T. Barr, retired.
The House adjourned at six o'clock.

POPULkR CELEBRATION OF THE
CZ AR' S CORONATION.

--
The Special Coreeeponient of the Standard, writing
from Moscow on Sunday, gives a description of the
Dormlar fete which took place on Saturday in honour
oi the coronation of the Czar. We make the following
extract's therefrom :
Seldom indeed has such a vast assemblage been
tethered together as that which met in the Park of the
etroffsky Palace, the estimate of the number vary-
Ang from half a million to a million; bat It is doubtful
'ether any one could form an approximate estimate
loke4 a man of people. It may be said, however,
that the whole of the population of )1•Ioacow were
there, together with many thousands of peavanes who
11,!trne in from the surrounding country. The portion of
L'ite Park marked off for the fete was about two hula-
'bed and fifty acres.
,Thia great space was not, of course, densely thronged
rtith people, but they were -scattered thickly ell over
' oad clustered in close masses around the central
attractions. These consisted of four vast theatres and
4,lsiretl9, with an area as large as that of the Coliseum.
'acing these theatres was the Imperial Pavilion,
White, with gold and red velvet; with, at the -sides,
Rteat stands for the nobility, deputations, magistrates,
/41%Pers, and other invited guests.
b 4.11 the people entered the ground they passed
between little rows of huts, where the food was ,dietrie
Nueted, essola person receiving a little basket with a
--'llkt is, a cake, and some sweets, together with an
earthenware mug, stamped with the double-headed
1811 a and the date, as a souvenir of the igte. The
and beer were distributed from ;Jambe and a
hole train laden with these occupied one aide of the
eetk• An idea of the quantity required may be
'atleel from the fact that there were about a handred
214 fifty waggon loads of barrels of. beer emptied
'tiling the day,,
I°ll,nd the huts and waggons, and at the entrances
eitt.th
e Park, the pressure of the crowd was for a
la7a van, severe, but the arrangements were good,
little the crowd so orderly and quiet, that there Wee
Sig CClnfmion except at these points, and by noon
tgt hundred thousand rations of food had been die.
to Lute& The first impulse of the majority appeared
0„..u1e- to do justice to the Czar's gifts, and the whole out-
falLta of the park were dotted with little picnic parties.
eee`uers, wives and children were feasting happily
utther, the TIN which were good in themselves,
,eee, ng an additional flavour from the fact that they
nak,? Presents from the Sovereign. The baskets in
• --ur Caw, the mugs almost universally, were pre•

served as souvenira, and tho most tempting offers for
them were refused.

Thd provisions consumed, all moved towards the
central attractions—the theatres, the circus, the
Iperial pavilion, and the various orchestras, where
natary bands played for their amusement. In the
theatres the most exciting melodramas, most of which
were founded upon national events or well-known
legends, were played. In one theatre wild moun-
taineers of the Caucacus carried off beauteous maidens,
who were rescued by Russian lovers ; in another
there was a fairy extravaganza founded on the
mythical adventures of Ivan, the Czarewitch, and
the fair Princess. In this legend a fiery serpent
and an old witch by name Baba Yasa have con-
spicuous parts. In the circus a number of clowns
cracked their jokes, and feats of horsemanship were
performed. In various parts of the park were greasy
poles, up which the Moujiks strove to climb for samo-
vars, or tea urns, harmonioms, watches, waistcoats,
boots, and a variety of other articles suspended from
the tops. The shrieks of laughter which greeted the
numerous failures, and the shouts of applause which
rewarded occasional successes, added to the din of
music and other noises which filled the air.

At two o'clock the Emperor and Empress arrived at
the Imperial Pavilion, where most of the foreign
Princes now in MOSCOW had already assembled. The
cheering was tremendous as their Majesties made their
appearance. Thousands of caps were thrown high in
the air, and in a very small proportion of cases could
these ever have been recovered by their owners. The
Emperer stood for some minutes bowing in reply to
the enthusiastic salutations. At the theatres and
circus, the representations had been suspended, and
the strains of the national hymn from a dozen bands,
each playing independently, added to the din. Then
the Emperor took his seat, and everything went on as
before.

In the circus a great procession was formed repre-
senting the triumph of Spring. It was preceded by
winged heralds with trumpets, then on horseback
came figures representing birds, beetles, grasshoppers,
and other creatures. These were followed by a
waggon with a gigantic, beehive, and the chariot of
the popular hero, Mikula Sehaninovitch, in some way
representing the fertility of the black earth. Then
came Spring herself, embowered in greenery and sur-
rounded by butterflies, and followed by the chariot of
Dobrina Nikititch, who killed the dragon—the latter
typifying Winter. The procession ended with mons-
strong figures, among which was one of a bear, who
was greeted as an old friend and acquaintance, with
shouts of laughter and the numerous familiar names
by which he is known among the peasantry. This
procession wound through the whole extent of the
Park.
At half-past three the Imperial party left the
Pavilion, being greeted upon their departure with
cheers as enthusiastic as those by which they had been
received.

The crowd now begaa to separate, and in an hour or
two the vast area was deserted. Every blade of grass
had disappeared, the ground being white with dust,
and covered like a timber yard with the chips and
fragments of the rough baskets in which the provisions
had been distributed.

The most noticeable part of the spectacle was the
good humour and orderly behaviour of the vast crowd.
All the foreigners present were greatly struck with
the orderly and quiet demeanour of the great mem-
blage. As I drove back to the city I passed hundreds
of thousands of persons trudging contentedly home-
wards, each carrying their mug, er basket, and many
of them some portions of the feast done up in coloured
handkerchiefs, probably to afford a taste of the Czar's
pies to the people of the villages from which they
Came.

In the evening there was a fine show of fireworks.
This morning I witnessed a wonderful display of
horsemanship. It took place in the Petroffsky Park.
Here, in the presence of the Grand Duke Nieholas,
and most of the foreign officers and guests, the Regi-
ment of Cossack Guards went through an extraor-
dinary series of exercises which threw the most daring
feats of the circus into the shade. The entire regi-
ment went past at full gallop in loose order, with
many of the men standing upright in the saddle,
others upon their heads with legs in air, many leaping
on to the ground and then into the saddle again at
full speed, some springing over their horse's heads
and picking up stones from the ground, and yet
regaining their seats. While performing these feats
all were brandishing their sabres and firing pistols,
throwing their carbines into the air and catching
them again, and yelling like maniacs. Some men
went past in pairs, standing with a leg on each other's
horses—one wild fellow carried off another dressed as
a woman. The effect of the scene was absolutely
bewildering, and it seemed as if the whole regiment
had gone mad.

'Upon a signal being given the regiment divided
into two parts. One rode off; the other halted and
made their horses lie down on the ground and lay
beside them, ws,iting, as in war, the approach of an
enemy. The other section of the regiment then
charged down, and in an instant every horse was on
its feet, every rider in his saddle, and with wild yells
they rode at their supposed enemy. When the
manesuvrea were over the regiment rode past, singing,
and uncommonly well together, a military chorus.
Altogether it was a marvellous exhibition of daring
horsemanship, and one hardly knew whether to
admire most the docility and mettle of the steeds, or
the sb:ill e.nd courage of their riders. Ali the foreign
officers and gi:Ots were Do less astonished than de-
lighted.

It is reported that five persons wera either nit°.
cated or crushed to death while 'endeavouring to make
their way into the enclosure where the popular Me
was held.

After the We on Saturday the Emperor invited the
Village Elders and the Marshala of the peovincial
Nobility to dinner at the Petroflsky Palace. Addres-
sing the former, his Majesty said :—" I am very glad
to see you once more, and thank you for entering so
heartily into our festivities which excite so much
interest throughout the whole of Russia. When
you return to your homes express to all my heartfelt
thanks, and follow the advice and guidance of your
Marshals of nobility. Do not Five credence to sense-
less rumours respecting ths re-distribution or grants of
land and similar reports. Rumours of this sort are
propagated by our enemies. All property, yours
included, must be unassailable. May God grant you
happiness and health."

The Emperor sub:equently addressed the Marshals
as follaws :—" I thank you for your fidelity. I have
always been convinced of the cordial feelings of the
nobility and confidently hope that as hitherto they
will be ray support in everything conducive to the
benefit of the throne and the fatherland. May God
give us a peaceful and quiet life. I thank you from
my heart."

In going and returning on the pilgrimage to Troitsa
Monastery on Sunday the Emperor drove in an open
carriage, and without any escort. The route was
guarded by special constables placed a few yards
apart. The Emperor and Empress were in the first
carriage and the Imperial children in the next, fol-
lowed by the Duchess of Edinburgh in the third car-
riage; the Duke, wearing a Russian naval uniform,
was with the Grand Duke Vladimir in the fourth.
The Emperon was evidently much impressed by the
popular feeling evinced. The Duke and Duchess of
Edinburgh were also loudly cheered.