The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-04-12 00:00:00

WEIiNI*3DAY.

On the order for going into Committee of Supply,
Lord Pacursorros rose to make • personal explamo
tion. Referring, in the guarded manner rendered neces-
sary by the rules of the House, to a charge which, be
said, had been made against him " in another place," on
Monday, of unconstitutional conduce in having clues-
tinned the prerogative of the Crcwii to dissolve Par-
liament, he di tiled that he had ever said anything that
would bear that construction. He had only questioned
the conduct of the Ministers in advising the Crown to
dissolve Parliament in the existing state of things, it
beitg possible that the Hoare might desire to address
the Crown to afford the House an opportunity to con-
eider another Reform Bill, or even an addreas to Her
Majesty to dismiss her present Ministers, lit utterly
repudiated the charge, that lie had lurid any doctrine in
the slightest degree repugnant to the prerogative of the
Crown or to the principle.' of the Constitution.
Sir .1. PAKINGToN insisted that the language used in
another place (by Lord Derby was not opeu to the criti-
Main of Lord Palmereton ; lie (Sir John) hail used, be
'said, Wunder terms in that House, and he repeated the
opinion lie hart before expressed, that the language used
by Lord Palmerston in the late debate was not consist-
ent with respect to the Crown. That language was
threatening, and tended to impede the exercise of the
prerogetive.
Sir G. Gael' considered that the doctrine of Sir J.
Pekingtun would sacrifice the rights of that House. It
might be the imperative duty of the House to interpose
between advice given to the Crown, which was deemed
injurious to the interests of the country, and an actual
dissolution. He could not, lie said, help noticing the
irregularity in the other House in alluding to proceed-
ings in that House. It was the first time he had heard
of a person in the position of Lord Ikrby openly critici-
sing proceedingsin the House of Commons and condemn-
ing them.
Colonel Eer.Nett likewise censured the course pursued
in another place.
Mr. M hiNS thought that Ministers had given to the
Crown the hest advice consistent with the principles of
the constitution, and that the language of Lord Pal-
merston had amounted to a threat. He denied that the
noue to be put to the country was the Reform policy of
the Government, contending that the true issue was
whether the present Minister's should remain in office.
Sir G. Lewis complained of the unfair attempt to fix
mon his side of the House the responsibility of the
ineseure of reform, and of forcing a dissolution of Par-
liament. The issue was, lie said, a distinct appeal by
the Government to the country against the decision ef
the House on the two most important characteristics of
their measure of Reform.
Mr OsiloltNE thought the House had had enough of
HOUSE OE COMMONS.—SIONDAY. the Reform discussion, and made an inquiry regarding
The CHANCEI.I.OII of the Exeneoems. moving, as a the sileointnient of Mr. Dobbs to the vacant office of
matter of fora, that the House do adjourn, announced Judge"( the Irish Estates' Cann.
that after the vote of the House on Tliunslay evening. Mr. S. ESTCOUBT said the Government did not cow-
it Wall not tlie intentioll attic :ewe rn nt to proceed with pate debate but they could not he
lain of the course taken by the Oplp complaining of
since the
l ;
their Bill to emend the representation of the people, or
to propome any other measure with the same object. He the tone employed by Lord Palmerston in the debate,
protested against the doctrine that the question of l'ar- wideh Was that of absolute defiance, accompanied by •
liamentary reform WWI the appanage of any individual rec ))))) mendation to them to adopt a course which no
or the privilege of any particular party. it was in the party sitting on the Treasury bench could have
power of the t;overnment to deal with this or any other ad"Pted•
public question in the manner which they deemed most Mr. LiNnitav said, if the question had been a vote of
exiwolient for the public welfare, Or IllObt COlllll,CiVe 11/ the effilfisienea in the present Miniiiten he should not have
public intereets. The question of Parliamentary reform, voted against them, considering that they had conducted
lie observe,l, might be viewed in two light,, ss,„„eeeen. business well. They had, however, laid upon the table
tive and revolutionary. Those who regarded it, like • Ilia erroneone in its fundamental principles, and he
the Government in the first point of view, would wish, hail 'supported the amendment, though with regret.
in any change, to preserve the present character of the sir 11. Wil.horniter called attention to the fact, that
the sum voted and appropriated for naval services in
House of C )))))) none. as representing various interests ;
those who looked at it in the other light would attempt the year ending the 3lst of March. 18.18, was r 9,172,590,
to change its character, and 'slake it the representative and the total expenditure L'9,982,K39, and asked some
of the voice of the 1111 l nerical majority. The vote of the explanation of the expenditure in excess, and what Were
house had rendered it necessary for the Government to the outstanding expenses of the China war?
consider their posit in that House ; and, influenced Sir .1. PAKINGtoN deferred his reply untill the House
by three powerful considerations they hall &ten ll ill el was in e'""iiiittee•
to retain their offices under circumstances which. he Lord NAAS explained, in reply to Mr. Osborne, the
admitted, involved a degree of tification, but with • circumstances connected with the appointment of Mr.
feeling that, on the whole they were doing their duty Ih'hini•
to Die country. lie ofle;ed acknowledgments to the Sir F. BARING, with reference to the order which
. members on the benches bellied him, and to members prohibited a direct allusion to proceedings in the House
who sat below the gangway. for their support, and to of Lords, suggested that if attacks were permitted there
the House generally, especially the Opposition, for the upon members in this House, the order, on principle's of
courtesy and kind feeling with which they had supported reciprocity. and of fairness and justice, ought no longer
I • as leader of the House, with aii 11111111111 l minority. to exist. He called attention to the contract entered
In their present position he would state the course into by the Government for the conveyance of the mails
which the Government felt it to be their duty to take. between England and Ireland, by which the Postmaster-
Considering the state of parties in that Howe ; that a General engaged to pay the contractors 1:105,9O9 out of
number of sections of members could at any moment the revenue of the Post-office, contrary to the provisions
combine and overthrow the Queen's Government in of the Act 17th and 15th, Victoria, chap. 94, observing
whatever hands ; slid believing that such a state of that he concluded the violation of the Act hi be not
affairs was prejudicial to Hie reputation of Parliament intentional, but the consequence of same blunder.
and hi the best interests of the empire, and that it was Sir S. NOOTHCOTS admitted that it Was owing to an
important that the authority of the Government should oversight.
be supported by the authority of Parliament, the Go- After • few remarks upon this subject by Mr. W.
venom:tat had advised her Majesty, who had adopted Wthitans and Mr. Wum.iuiY the House went into •
and sanctioned this advice, to exercise her prerogative committee of Supply, when vote* were to for
stool, by dissolving the present Parliament, to recur to PaYing off Exchequer Bonds and Bills, and sinus on
the sense of her people. Under thee circumstances account for the Civil Services, the Revenue Departments.
it was his duty to inform the House that, as POoll as the and this Navy Estimates, after a discussion of a diversi-
'argent requiremente of the public service were satisfied, fled and tuiscellaneous character, among other topics,
Parliament would he prorogued, with a view to its ins- touching UpOD the finances of the country, naval expen•
mediate diosolut. . stature, the form of the Estimates. Dover harbour. the
Lord PALlilillsToN said he was sure he expressed the naval defames and Channel squadron, and the conduct
general feiing of the House in acknowledging the of the late Board of Admiralty in relation to the building
courtesy and fairnese of the Chancellor of the Excite- of lambi' ships and frigates, and to the protection of our
quer. Although he did not taunt the tlove 11111 l ent with coast, which was defended by Sir C. Wood at cotuoi-
now.iiiing in power in their present circuinetainme, lw durable length and with a profusion of details.
did not consider the late vote as 011 a of censnre ;as such Sir J. Paekisoros replied to this defence, and the
lie would nothsive supported it; it was only an expressi 111 l debate continued until the time arrived for closing
of the feeling of the House upon a measure, or parts of a
measure before it. ilis opinion was, that if the thovern-
went felt it their duty to retain their office. they al Id
either have withdrawn the Bill or altered it in committee,
no aos to adapt it to the opinion of the HOUW. and he did
not think that to pursue either course would be any di,
pAntgournt to political honour. lie did not offer any
obstacle it. their carrying out the adviee they liad given
to Her Modesty, but lie thought it was very unwise
advice. The question that would be put to the country
was, not what men should be in office, but what eliould
be the Reform Bill to he brought in by the Govern-
ment. If he were to attempt to prophesy the result,
he should say that the Parliament which the present
Government would call together would be far more
likely than the present to decide that power ought to be
treneferred to other hand.. Ile emended them to take
the earliest moment to dissolve Parliament ; great em-
barrassment and inconvenience would result from
delay.
Mr. BRIMIT felt with many members that the course
adopted by the Coven omit would lead to a large
amount of personal inconvenience; but, under all the
circ 1111 l stances of the case, it was impossible for him te
come to any other conclusion than that the Govenunent
hot taken the conetitutilnel course they were houiuii to
take. They had been defoated lay • majority exceeding
one-half of the members of the House, and the quest.
ought to be remitted to the constituency before it was
reproduced for adjudication there. But while lie
applauded the course they had taken, lie protested
against the attempt of Mr. Disraeli to get up a little
political capital by representing that the country had the
option between his own measure, Conecrvative in its
character, and (me that was revolutionary. It was very
odd, lie remarked, that liis Conservative Bill ehould
have liad more determined opponents on his own side of
the House than on the other. Ile (Mr. Bright) was
nut afrai I of the tribunal before which the Government
were about to tiring this question. Any measure of
reform he should propose would be in the lines of that
of 1e32 ; if that would be revolutionary, lie did not
understand the meaning of the term. lie warned the
members of the Government, when they went to the
busting*, &gaited making such a charge as this; if they
di.l so, they must take the consequences. He should
THUILSD AY. like to go to this election in a spirit of calinnevi, and,
On the motion for the second reading of the Indian the Government giving all the figures, to discuss the
Loan Bill, question fairly.
Lord DERPY said the House would look on this Bill Lord J. ROWELL observed that if, as Mr. !Disraeli
as a grant on account which it Was necessary to obtain contended, it was coinpetent to any person Of party to
before the dissolution of Perliament, but that • further introduce • measure of reform it was equally competent
*um of £5,000,000 would he required. In answer to to any tenon or party to judge 44 and oppose it; but
various questions which had been put lie informed the this raivilege Mr. Disraeli seemed to deny him, by
House that a day of thanksgiving for our aIIOCCSIes ill I CCllartlfillg bill) for his opposition to the Bill, an opposi
India was about to be apoointed, and that • vote of tion which, he had stated, Was dangerous to the te of
thanks was to be given to Lord Clyde and the officers Europe. If this were so, the responsibility would rest
and troops under Ilia command. lie explained, in upon the Government who brought in such • Bill. lin,
answer to Lord Ellenborough, that the question of rail- be believed that the opposition to the Bill world have
way deposits was one not of revenue, but of account. I no influence whatever upon the 1WlICI) of Europe. Con-
He then proceeded to detail the steps which had been entering the state of public business and that of affairs
taken to reduce the enormous military expenditure. abroad, lie thought the Government should have er-
ne number of Europeans of all arms in India was Moulted every means of settling this question before
112,0011, to which • native army of about 320,000, inclu- they resorted to • dissolution. He 'dated his notions of
sive of police, was joined. The native army at the pre- what • Reform Bill should be; that he should propose •
sent moment exceeded by fO,OOO men the native army ElO franchise for counties, and to reduce the yearly
which existed before the mutiny. Orders had been value for boroughs hum £lO to £6 ; and he believed it
sent out to reduce as far as possible the native troops, was desirable to introduce a large betty of the working
and to prohibit new levies. Out of the 85 regiments of lasses into the constitueut body. The question of die,

did not make, any statement of the kind. He had said
that, having fulfilled the pledge they had given to the
House and the country, the Government did not wish to
burden themselves with any specific pledge to bring for-
ward any other measure on the subject at any particular
time.
On the report of the Committee of Supply,
Sir G. Geo' odd, he had understood within the last
feu days that the Government intended to advise Her
Majesty not to dissolve Parliament until several days
After the prorogation, and lie asked what were the
real intentions of the Goveniment?
The CHANCELLOR of the Exuli EQU ER said, the infer.
nation ref,rred to rested upon no ground whathever.
What be had said was that, as soon as jositible, towards
the end of the month, a dissolution would take place. I
He could not flu the precise day ; but a dissolution would
follow as soon as possible after the prorogation. He
gave explanations respecting the contract for a trans-
atlantic fortnightly communication between Galway and
America.
Lord PALMERSTON thought the statement of Mr.
Disraeli as to the period when the dissolution was to
take place unsatisfactory.
The CHANCELLOR of the ExcHkqesg said, the delay ,
of the dissolution would be no advantage to the Govern-
ment. He could not pledge himself to n particular day,
but the public business would probably be concluded
about the 19th.
Lord PALMERSTON thought the dissolution pig it
take jilace on the day of the prorogation or the day
after, and the elections in the Laster week.
After • few remarks by Lord J. RUSSELL upon this
subject the discussion respecting the Galway postal con-
tract was resumed.
Mr. &acacia replied to the inquiries of Mr. SALIS-
BURY and Mr. Chive in an early part of the evening,
The replies led to a few remarks by Mr. JAMES and
Mr. 1/ii.htn.
Mr. Cowan brought under consideration the gallantry
of two non-commissioned officers of the Bengal Sappers
and Miners who sacrificial these lives at Delhi in Septem-
ber, Iski7.
General Peet, regretted that it was not in his power to
grant any reward to the relatives of the two gallant
men in the Company's service.
The report was agreed to.
in a Committe of Ways and Means certain sums were
voted to Her Majesty.
Several Bill* were withdrawn.
The Local Government Supplemental Bill and the Con-
firmation and Probate Act Amendment Bill were read a
second time.
Other Bills were forwarded • stage, and the House
adjourned at a quarter past 9 o'clock until Monday.