The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-06-18 00:00:00

HOUSE OF 00111110N8.-WEDNESDAy.

The a44~00d debate on the second reading of the
Affirmations NU, and Mr: G. Hardy's amendment, to
defer the second reading for six months, Wan renimed.
Mr. DiAlwyn replied to the *Motions offered to the
Bill, and 11111111 ed that the eencesidon it proposed to
make to isensaientioes soropies, so far from interfering
with the administration of justice, would aid IL By
the law of British India, seldom) on affirmation was
receivable in criminal ceses.

Lord R. Montagu opposed the Bill, believing that a
judical oath was not regarded as an empty ceremony
(as alleged), bet as a solemn act, that real weight
was Washed to an oath, as indicated by the condi* of
w it/bosom

Mr. Baines supported doe BM.
Bit G. Lewis said be was compelled to vote goblet
the second rtading of this Bill. The general law Of the
eount.-y laid it dowu that no witness could he examined
in a mart of justice without • declustiou of facts in
which them was a direct appeal to a %proem /doing.
But there being classes of religionista who objected, on
rel4ions grounds, to taking an oath, the law came to
their assistance, and, in cerfaia eases relieved them from
the obligation, and allowed a declaration to be received
1* 11.. of an oath.
Mr. Ittebeek referred to cams showing theta religious
sanctiou, by itself, when not in unison with popular
opinion, furnished no security fee truth ; and, on the
other hand, observed that if • man was known to be
an unbeliever he might be knocked down and robbed,
and the offender escape with impunity.
Mr. Walter remarked that the Bill presumed that all
persons would act upon conscientious motives, but how
°amid a mass be supposed to be actuated by conscien-
tious motives who did not believe in the moral govern-
ment of the world, and in a future state of reward and
punishment? He objected to the Bill, therefore, on
the ground that it went to destroy • principle which
constituted the main distinction between man and
beast.

11;:. Denman supported the Bill, citing • case of mar-
in which the evidence of • prinpal witness, who
seksowledsad thst he did not believe in • Ond, was
rejected. All that the Bill did was to lay that if the
jsii was satisbed thiit • witness expressed a sincere
destru not to be swore, his afarniation should be
received.

• Smith opposed the Bill, which was supported
by Mr. J. B. Smith.
Sic W. Heathoote believed that, if this Bill primed,
it would not be possible to stop short of the entire
abolition of oaths. The House, he said, must make up
its mind whether it would adhere to the system of
depending upon an appeal to the religions conviction of
a withers as the means of securing the truth.
Mr. Locke and Mr. Mellor rapportml the Bill, which
was opposed by r. M'Mahou.
The fiolicitor-Oessral said he should give his
decided opposit/ea to the Bill, which departed
samijully, as he 'bowed, from the prineiple room.
oiled in other measure, of relief in cease in eon-
'Mentions scruples. Ouch a fundamental 'lunge in
the manner nf taking evirtenie mast erased beyond
spurts of justice.
Bir J. Shelley ea the second reading of the
Bill, sad, after a reply by J. Trelawny, the amend-
wmt oarried upoa division by 136 to 06; so Use
Bill le r.
omp thou went into Committee upon the
Lo,ioteatilee Bin. the clauses of which were agreed to
after leech discusrion:
ON Ibis order for Um oceamittel of the Criminal
illeenallp Oath Belief Bin.

Mr. M Mithon orgy' various objections to the Bill,
and moved to defer the Committee for three months.
The Solicitor4leneral opposed the Bill on the eronmk
that he was satisfied ty es perienc. end otnervstion that
thous-milt jeriems pretosed to tell a lie who
wold shrink from spesking falsely npon oath.
Sir 11. Cairns opposed the Bill, which was supported
by Mr. Cranford.

-The debate Wall adjourned, and the remaining
imsineas hssing been disposed of without &bate. the
House adjourned at a few minutes before o' clock.

THVILIDA Y.

On Re question that the Speaker leave the eh.ir for
the Hqll6o logo into Committee on the East India Loon
After 1•011113 observations by Mr. fladlird
Sir IL Willoughby oluierved that this loan of
£1,000.000 Would increase the debt of India to eon•
sidernbly wore than n 00,000,000 : that the prospects
of the Indian finances were totally unintelligible ; that
the House wu entering upou a dangerous cour,.e. Ile
gave his vote to this now loan, Le said, with great
reluctance.

A few remarks made by colonel Sykes, and
Mr. Crawford said the Ind:an Recounts were, in his
opinion, eufllCiatitly clear, thote of the railways being
kept distinct.
Mr- Arten observed that if the railway companies
could not obtain sufficient capital to carry op the works
sanctioned by the Indian Government, it was necessary
to ask the Rouse for power to raise • loan for that
purpose. The capital wottld be exisendcd upon work'
of a reproduclive character.
hie C. NI-ood, preinking that it w:is inconvenient to
mix up this Loan Bill with the general finances of
India, with which it bed no ese.mtial connexion,
proceeded, in reply to Sir H. Willoughby, to jmtify the
view lie had taken of the Indian finances in February
last, and repeated what he had said in introducing the
Bill- thet the necessity for the loan arose from hie not
having at home • sufficient amount in hand of railway
money.
The House then went Into committee upon the Bill,
the clauses of whidi were agreed to.
On the order for the amend reeding of the East India
Council, Le., Bill,
Mr. Vansittart paid lie did not see why the revenues
of India :.hould be saddled with the CIPCIMIA of three
separate Council.. He objected to the multiplication
of local Boards or Councils, of which there were tee
many already.
After remarks by Mr. W. Foster, Mr. Layard, Sir T.
Coleridge., and Mr. H. Seymour in favour, and Mr.
A yrton and Sir J. Elphinstono against the measure, the
Bill was read a second time.
On the order for the second reading of the East Itdia
(High Courts of Judicature) Bill, • desultory &remotion
took place, and, no opposilion being offered, the Bill was
read ri sebohd time.
On the second reading of the Beat India (Civil Service
Bill,
Mr. Vansittart objected that the street of the Bill
would be to do away with the competitive system of
examination for the Indian led Service, and that it
would give rise to a considerable amount of jobbing.
Mr. Liildehl admitted that there warn stmug grounds
of objection to the Bill It WY said that it aimed a
blow, and without proper safeguards, it might be •
death-blow, to the present stetpus of the Civil Service.
Mr. Layard said, as the Bill stood, it would be •
dangerous memory, He, however, quite agreed with
the principle upon which the Bill was founded.
Lord Stanley suggested souse additional securities,
which, with those provided in the Bill, 'mold, he
thought be amply aufficient to guard against any abuse
of patronage.
After remarks by Sir T. Colebrook', Sir M. Farqu-
har, and Mr. Adams,
Sir J. Elphiustone moved that the debate be
adjourned.
Mr. H. Barnett" supported the ihl. Ile thought the
Civil filzrviist showed too great a distrust of the G 3.
rernment, who would consent to the introduction into
the Bill of proper tests.
Mr. Crawford, having heard the arguments on both
hide., was ready to give his hearty assent to the Bill.
Sir .1. Ferguason complained, as preceding speakers
hail done, that the house was uninformed of the
opinions of the Indian COUlleil upon tide measure.
Golonel Sykes and M. Torrena made a few observe-
tione, and

Sir C. Wood replied, observing that no serious ob-
jection lout been offered to the principle of the Bill ; all
the amendments which hall been suggested could be
made in the Committee. He did not believe that the
interests of the Civil Service would be prejudiced by
this measure ; on the contrary, he thought they would
he imp,vod. In conclusion, he Indicated the general
some, of the amendments he was ready to introduce
into the Hill.

The motion for adjourning the debate was then nega-
tived, aixl the Bill was read a second time.

(niter Bills were rorw—a—rcie-d—aTt.;;;;;;;.1, after tome
forther business, the House adjourned at half past 12
o'clock.

FRID A V.

On the question that the Speaker leave the chair, in
ordcr that the House might go into a Ooninittee of
Supply, after a great variety of question hail been put
and answerer',
Mr. Gregory moved for • Select Committee to Inquire
into the circumstaners attending the termination by the
Pectinaster-pneral of the poor.' enitract with the Royal
Atlantic Steam Navigation Company.
Lord J. Russell, in reply to sonic reinarke by Mr.
Gregory, elated what had occurred in relation to his
denial and refutation of the report of a bargain between
the Government and Irish inemben, to purchase their
auonort (which he had characteriartl as a ealuninyl, and
with reference to the interview of the We Mr. Daly and
Lint Palmerston. With regard to the motion, the
Government, he said, would not oppose it.
Mr. Dexter said he should support the motion,
believing that the more the subject was investigated
the better and the more clearly would it ripper', that
the Postmaster-general had only dune what, it was his
bounden duty to do.
Sir H. Cairns complained of the terms sehtch Mr.
Baxter had applied to this company, and caked whether
it was fair to represent them in • state of hopeless ih•
aolveney, there being no ground for such • representa-
tion.

The rhaneellor of the Exchequer thought Mr. Baxter
not open to the rebuke of 80. H. Cairns. Ile pro-
tested :igainst the notion which Mr. Gregory seemed to
entertain, that grace and favour had ything to do
with thia question.
Afkr remarks by Lord Dunkellin, Mr. Hennessy.
Mr. Clay, Mr. Blake, Colonel rretich, Mt. Disraeli,
and ether members,
Lord Palmerston, after a passing remark upon
certain extraneous topics in Mr. Disraeli's speech, and
upon the torrent of pent-up indignation which lie maid,
had found vent in it, justified the conduct of the
Government in relation to the contract and towards
the Galway Company, whose non•fullilment of their
obligations had imposed up the!li tile duty of
annulling it, di to the alight said to have been put
upon the Lord• Lieutenant of Ireland, the contract had
not h,en made and 'sanctioned in Ireland or by the
Irish Government, but by the Imperial anthority ; awl
it would not have been fair to the Lord Lientenaue to
throw upon him an onerous reapousibil.ty which did
not belong to him. The charge that the present
Government was not sufficiently alive to the interests;
of Ireland, but hostile to them, he refuted by an appeal
to the prosperity of that country, which was sufficient
evidence that it was well governed.
Mr. Mouverie criticised, with /Me severity, the
speech of Mr. Diana, and expressed his regret that
this committee was to be appointed, there being no
facts to be meertained.
. _

After a few remarks by Colonel Dunne the motion
for Ike appoistmest of a dmieet Committee waa agreed

—ilia it India Lois Bill was read • third lase aid
Po!rd.
. . . .

Other Bills were forwardad A stage, and the House,
after some farther busses., adjourned at • (loader
put 1 WI Monday.