The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-08 00:00:00

IMPERIAL

,
%The 119175 R OF LORDS assembled at &d o'clock on Monday
when the Lord Chancellor the Duke of St. Albans,
I;;o„'"a,rtlUiS of Ailesbury, the of Kimberley, and Lord
tr-''''etgaY, as Lords Commissioners, took their seats in
b(Alt of the throne, and the Gentleman 'Caber of the Black
directed to desire the immediate attendance of the
--.eruous.
cg The SPeaker and a body of the members of the House of
ranions came to the Bar soon after.
teThe Lord Chancellor then said,—My Lords and Gentle-
to n1"-Ww have it further in command from Her Majesty
thsaopaint you that since the time when Her Majesty
huala,t it' right to call you together for the con-
vacancieso many grave and important matters several
, have occurred in the House of Commons owing
te
v tile acceptance of office from the Crown by some mem-
ulla of that. House. It is, therefore, Her Majesty's pleasure
writ an oPPortunity may now be given to issue new
_ a for supplying the vacancies so created, and that after
Ignitable recess you may proceed to the consideration of
matters as will then be laid before you; but it Is Her
tirJestY's pleasure that such recess be not an impediment to
ti a meeting of the House of Lords for judicial business
arilig the continuance thereof at such times as may be con-
venient,
selle Lord Chancellor having taken his seat on the wool-
ek, several groups of peers took and subscribed the oath.
,The
.House adjourned at aventy minutes before four
clock
The RoUsE OF COMMONS sat at two o'clock, and the swear-
ag-ill of members was proceeded with.
Bradlaugh came to the table and handed a paper to
e Chief Clerk, who, after perusing it, informed the
'.'l3eaker that the member for Northampton claimed to make
7idarlirMa, tion instead of taking an oath in the manner pro-
hY the Evidence Amendment Acts of 1869 and 1870.
VThe SPeaker asked Mr. Bradlaugh whether he desired to
c_e any statement.
p Bradlaugh said :—" I have only to submit that the
earilainentrry Oaths Act (1861) gives a right to affirm to
veilLP2rson for the time being permitted by law to make
an
gler",, -ma atom I am such a person and under the Evi-
urther Amendment Act (1869) and the Evidence
~-;:lbtlinent Act (1870) I have repeatedly for nine years
Ei""‘ reade an affirmation in the highest Courts of Jurisdic-
„°4 in this realm. lam ready to make such a declaration
affirtaation."
,l-211e Speaker said he had not thought himself justified to
'Eune into the claim just made, because he had serious
it°abig as to the construction of the statute, and he thought
better that the question should be considered by the House.
4axl P. Cavendish said that, though itl might be incon-
oraatieut to deal with the question in the absence of the Law
linkers, it would be still more inconvenient that there
a ould be any delay, and he proposed, therefore, that in
rfogdan ce with the precedents of Mr. Pease and Baron
'••agehild, a Select Committee should be appointed to
_2:wider whether persons entitled under the provisions
Zi the Evidence Amendment Acts to make airtime-
tian,‘aa In courts of justice may be admitted to make aflirma-
T,r, Instead of taking an oath, on admission to the House.
committee would be nominated at the next sitting of
" /lunge, and would sit during the recess.
s
but i • -ourthcote thought this course not only convenient,
fi accordance with precedent, and seconded the motion.
however, doubted whether the proposed re-
b-aiPliva not weaken the jurisdiction of the House, and
cation snake
r. it subject to the decisions of the courts
instice ; but M Whitbread, Mr. M. Lloyd, and Mr.
th:ttg thought there was no danger of this, and pointed out
le t• ae duty of the committee would be confined to the col-
ion of facts.
Earl
that t, ereY, however, thought it extremely inconvenient
this ,_,!.03p House should be called on to agree to a motion of
arirn„aMd without first seeing it in print, and moved the
vi,..,:,,rnment of the House. Sir H. Wolff took the same
. but Sir C. Dilke and Mr. Walpole deprecated any
ob.. in dealing with the matter. In the end, after some
V.‘,.ervations from Mr. Beresford Hope, the motion for
tioneurnment was withdrawn, sad Lord F. Cavendish's
as agreed to.
0x1e...,w writs were then moved for Mid-Lothian, Leeds,
Hackney, Pontefract, Birmingham, Bradford, Tann-
"urliam, Shrew„sbur. ,Bath, Sheffield, Hastings, Chester,
17'Ll'or, '
and Marlborough the seats for which have been
aoated by the formation of the new Ministry.
t),Sir H. D. Wolff gave notice that, on the re-assembling of
tme RoUse he would call attention to our diplomatic en-
ire/gen:teats' to Turkey, and would move a resolution ; and Sir
tawson gave notice of his intention to move Local Option.
llfaclver gave notice that he will call attention to the
I'..!ration of Free Trade on Commerce and Agriculture, and
Lloyd gave notice of a Bill prohibiting canvassing.
__The:Rouse adjourned, at a quarter to four o'clock, until
Wednesday at three o'clock.

The HOUSE OF LORDS met on Tuesday, May 4, at half-past
ten ,
o c.oc& for judicial purposes.
At four o'clock the Lord Chancellor resumed his seat on
the
scribed woolsack, and several noble lords took the oath and sub-
rri the roll.
The Rouse adjourned at a quarter-past four o'clock until
day.