The Press.
London, England, 1858-06-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JUNE 26,1858.

tax, it was sufficient ; yet he had no doubt that if
this duty were repealed, the other silty-three parts
would swell out and cover the deficiency. The remis-
sion of the paper duty, about a million a year, would
do more good to the general interests of the com•
munity than an additional million voted for educa-
tion, while tha abolition of the vexatious excise
regulations would give freedom and encouragement

to the mannfactur; in which we were now a genera-
tion behind foreigners.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Ingram, and
was supported by Mr. Salisbury and Mr. Ayrton,
who urged the inconsistency and injustice of many of
the exemptions from the tax, and suggested that a
reduction of expenditure would furnish a margin for
its remission.

Mr. CowAN testified to the correctness of Mr.
Gihson's statement, that the duty interfered with
our export trade in paper. He supported the reso-
lution.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the paper
duty was one of those taxes which, upon a favour-
able opportunity, he should be glad to see removed.
He could not, however, assent to the resolution,
though to a portion of it he had no objection. He
agreed that the .maintenance of the duty as a per-
manent source of revenue would be impolitic; but
be could not agree that arrangements should be
made that would enable Parliament to dispense with
the tax. This part of the resolution would cripple
and hamper the Government. The paper duty was
not the only part of our indirect taxation that re-
quired revision. There was no doubt that, notwith-
standing the improvements in the mode of raising
'our revenue during the last ten or even twentyfive
years, there was still great room for further improve-
ment, and it would be the duty of the Government
during the recess to take both branches of our in-
direct taxation into consideration, and to offer some
proposition to the house. He hoped the house
would not, by passing the resolution, hamper the
course of the Government, and nripple their efforts
for the improvement of that portion of the revenue
which is derived from indirect taxation, and that Mr.
Gibson would be satisfied with having brought
forward this important question, and not press the
resolution to a division.
Mr. Buiour thought it was not a statesmanlike
course to put a million of taxation exacted from the
people upon sugar or any other article in comparison
with a tax so injurious as the paper duty. When
this duty was taken off we should have paper made
from straw, and especially oaten straw, and no doubt
Ireland offered an admirable field for a very great
extension of the paper trade, as well as the agricul-
tural districts of England. He recommended Mr.
Gibson not to press the whole of his resolution, but,
in order not to hamper the Government as to the
future, to omit the latter portion.

Sir G. LEWIS objected to a mere abstract resolu-
tion, that such or such a duty ought to be abolished.
When the income-tax ceased 5,000,0001. of direct
taxation would be abandoned, and the question would
be, not only whether the paper duty must not be
retained, but whether other indirect taxes must not
be imposed. He thought it was most objectionable
for the house to bind itself to any abstract proposition.
When we had a surplus menu it would be time to
consider what tax had the first claim to the consider-
ation of the house.
Mr. DRUMMOND observed that simply repealing a
tax, without pointing out any means of repairing the
loss of revenue, was wronging the public.

Lord J. Russ Em. thought that the question of re-
pealing this or that tax should be left to the Govern-
ment on a review of the whole of our indirect tax-
ation. He hoped Mr. Gibson would embrace the
offer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr. GinsoN consented to omit all the words of his
resolution after "impolitic," and in this form the
resolution was agreed to.

On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE-
QUER, the house then resolved itself into a Committee
of Supply upon the Civil Service Estimates, when
Mr. ADDERLEY moved the Education vote in a
,witocinct explanatory speech.
The discussion in the committee comprehended
the various topics growing out of the subject of po.
pular education.
The vote was agreed to, and ordered to be reported.
The house then went into committee upon the
Sale and Transfer of Land .4 nd) Bill, but the
chairman was immediately: to " report
progress." re ni,G rya sfit to
The Durham County Pahstisthidadlisdon Bill was
read a third time and penal' -

On the order for going into committee upon the
Nisi Prins Court (Ireland) Bill, an instruction was
moved by Mr. GROGAN and agreed to, and the bill
passed through the committee.
Other bills were forwarded a stage, and, after some
further business, the house adjourned at half past
I twelve o'clock,

615

HOUSE OF

Lord BROUGHAff, at the request of the Lord
Chancellor, postponed the second reading of the
Independence of Parliament Bill.
On the motion of the Earl of MALMESBUBY, a com-
mittee was appointed to draw up the reasons for ad-
hering to their lordships' amendments to the Oaths
Bill. The second reading of Lord Lyndhurst's
Jewish Disabilities Bill, and of the Earl of Lucan's
measure on the same subject, was deferred till Thurs-
day week, in consequence of the indisposition of the
Earl of Derby.
The Probate and Letters of Administration Bill
was read a third time and passed ; an amendment
proposed by Lord Sr. LEONARD'S was negatived on a
division, in which the contents and nonoontenta
were equal-22. The Loan CHANCELLOR declared
the non•contents had it.

DIVORCE AMENDMENT BILL.
On the motion for the third reading of the Divorce
and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Bill,
Lord REDESDALE censured the speed with which
some unopposed causes had been decided in the
Court of Divorce. Nine cues had been disposed of
in one day—one case only occupied the court eleven
minutes. Serious objections were made to the
manner in which this part of the business of the
court was conducted. He hoped it would exercise
more caution in future, as no cases were more
likely to involve collusion than those which were
unopposed.
Lord CAMPBELL was astonished that Lord Redes-
dale should have so rashly and unadvisedly impeached
the conduct of some of the judges of the land. He
had himself presided in the Court of Divorce, and
could say that the cases were fully examined, and
justice done in each.
The Bishop of OXFORD thought the religious and
thinking portion of the community regarded with
apprehension the rapidity with which the decisions
of the court had been given.
Earl GRANVILLE thought Lord Redesdale should
have given notice of his intention to censure the
judges of the court.
Lord CRANIVORTH and Lord ST. LEONARD'S con-
curred in stating that the old mode of proceeding
gave no greater security against collusion than the
new one.
Lord CAMPBELL, on addressing the house a second
time, was called to order, and, after some converse•
tion on this point, the bill was read a third time.
The LORD CHANCELLOR gave an explanation of
the causes of delay in the office of the Chief Clerk of
Chancery in a case noticed on a former evening by
Lord Lifford. The Lord Chancellor admitted there
bad been some delay, but chiefly caused by one of
the parties in the case not being prepared with cer-
tain necessary evidence.
The difficulties that cense delay in the office were
pointed out by Lord ST. LEONARD'S and Lord CRAM-
WORTH. Many of them arise from the want of good
courts, with convenient chambers for the clerks.
A petition from the Society of Friends, praying—
but not " humbly " praying—for the abolition of
church rates, was therefore rejected as informal.
Their lordships then adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.--TVESDAT.
The morning sitting was occupied in committee
with the details of the Medical Practitioners Bill
(which was ordered to be recommitted) and the
Local Government Bill.
PAID ADVOCACY OF MEMBERS. "‘" '

In the evening,
Lord HOTHAM moved the following resolution :

That it is contrary to the usage and derogatory to the
dignity of this house that any of its members should bring
forward, promote, or advocate in this house any proceeding
or measure in which be may have acted or been concerned
for or in consideration of any pecuniary fee or reward.
He brought forward this motion, he said, upon
public grounds alone, having been induced to
interfere in the matter by its vast importance to the
character and reputation of the house, collectively
and individually, and to the character and reputation
of the country. He was in no want of precedents ;
he asked the house to establish no new principle ;
and bOr sited resolutions which be had found in the
journals. Of lute years appeals from India had
multiplied, and, in consequence, a practice had
sprung up regarding which he thought it was the
duty of the house to declare its opinion. The public
mind Inse deeply impressed with a belief* that the
rules wiiicb guarded the purity of that house were
evaded, and it was in evidence that it was believed in
India that the hervices of members of Parliament
might be obtained by money. The resolutions here-
tofore passed did not apply where a legal member
was retained for professional services, and who under--
took to bring forward in the House of Commons the
case in which be was professionally engaged. For
this reason he proposed his resolution, which was
unambiguous, and be appealed to the house, as men
of honour, honesty, and common sense, to proclaim,
to the people of England and of India and to the
World, that while determined to punish cortupti4n

616

without their walls, they would not tolerate even a
suspicion of corruption within them.
The motion was seconded by Mr. DLVETT.
Mr. BOWYER objected to the resolution its conveying
a vague censure and casting a stigrn• upon legal
members of that house without any ground. Lord
Hotham ought, he said, to name the persons against
whom he brought his charges.
Mr. WHITESIDE thought. the resolution might be
adopted without trenching upon the honour of the
professional members of that house. The motion
appeared to him just and honourable, and be should
support it.
Mr. BotrvEum observed that the resolution was at
once too wide and too narrow ; it did not meet the
cue it, was designed to meet, for a man who was
astute enough to evade the existing rules would
laugh at this resolution. lie moved the previous
question.
Sir J. PAILINGTON said, if the house should adopt
this resolution, he suggested that the terms should
be general, covering every person sad thing, and that
the words, "in which be may have acted or been
concerned," pointing to the legal profession, be
omitted, since they might be a trap to the con
sciences of members of the bar, and, in possible
cases, led to serious difficulties, as in Crown prosecu-
tions.

Mr. LABOUCHEHE hoped the house would not
follow the advice of Sir J. Pakington, who would
deprive the resolution of any meaning, or dilute it
into a mere truism. There were rumours out of the
house, which he believed to be unfounded, but he
thought the house and the public were indebted to
Lord Hotham for calling attention to the subject, and
that members owed it to their character to put a stop
even to suspicions.
The SOLICITOR-GLNERAL, on behalf of the bar,
declared that for any of its members to have been
professionally concerned in any particular case, and
have received any emclument t'or his services, and
terwards to advocate in the Rouse of Commons
th a same case he had advocated out of it, was
deserving of the severest reprobation ; but he ez-
ressed his very great regret at the charges implied
?a the speectes of Lard Hutham and Mr. Divett
'against members of the bar. He called for the
grounds of those charges. On the part of the bar,
he believed that there was no foundation for them
whatever.

Mr. Sergeant DEASY, on behalf of the bar of
Ireland, fully concurred with the Solicitor-General.
The ArroaelEY.GaNitut. considered the resolution
as uncalled for and unnecessary, the object being
already provided for by a re-olution of the house.
If the words "any proceeding or measure in which
he may have acted or been concerned," were re-
tained in the resolution, in what position would the
law officers of the Crow❑ be placed, who might be
consulted on various matters which would come
under discussion in that nouse? 'They were applic-
able to numerous cases in which members of the
bar in that house might be consulted. As to Indian
appeals, it was impossible not to feel that proles
sional members ought to be free from a shadow of
suspicion, and the moment a member of the bar
knew that a case in which he was concerned was to
be brought before Parliament he should give it up.
Mr. MALtss protestel against mw►tive; being attn..
bated to the members of any profession. He opposed
the resolution.

Mr. BE:42IIICH approved the resolution, which,
however, he thought did not go far enough. There
were tore classes of cases which, in his opiuion, called
for the attention of the house. Members received
large sums of money, as testimonials, for services, or
reputed services, in the house ; and other members
became hired agents for colonies and received pay-
ment.

Mr. Grr.rm saw not a word in the resolution about
the legal profession. If he believed that a slur was
intended to be cast, he should hold it to be nude-
served. He could not vote for the resolution,
because he believed it was not needed ; that the
rules of the house upon the subjeot,were sufficiently

understood.
Mr. B. O'Binem opposed the resolution.
Lord J. Rosen. said be should have felt a diffi-
culty in voting for any resolution, however drawn up.
The house had already adopted a resolution upon
this subject that was plain and intelligible, and in
endeavouring to go further it ran the danger of
framing a resolution that would be too 'ride. Ha
would rather trust to the honour and high character
of the members of the Bar than to the words of any
resolution, and he should vote for the previous ques-
tion being put. In doing so, he rendered his tribute
to the motives of Lord Ifotham, who, in his opinion,
had done,
.by. by.,iiiging this subject
forward.

t•trt la wr•
After some remarks from Mr. Bovu,r,, ler defseliee
of the bar,

Mr. Roznuox said he did not think
.Lord Hotham
would gain much by going to a tilyisjoa ; but, if he
did, he should vote with him,

L