The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-05 00:00:00

THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

A meeting of the Conservative party was held
yesterday afternoon at the house of the Marquis of
Salisbury in Arliegtonetrest.
In the absence of Lord Derby, the Earl of MALMTABMIT
addressed the meeting. He lamented the unfortunate num
which alone prevented Lord Derby from attending, and ex-
plained at some length the ream), which induced him to
desire that the same mutation which had been adopted for
the House of Commons should also be moved in the Hones of
Lords, but on a day which would probably render the final
decisions of the two homes as nearly u possible simul-
taneous. He then read the resolutioa, which differed only
in a few words from that already the subject of debate in
the House of Commons, and concluded by impressiog upon
the party the necessity of perfect unity of action.

Several members of both houses addreued the meeting,
offering suggestions or stating their acquiescence in the
course to be pursued ; but nothing eoald be more unanimous
than the feeling of the meeting, which separated with an
expression of cordial regret that in all probability it would
be impossible for Lord Derby to more the resolution upon
which they had agreed.
It was understood that In Lord Derby's abeam the TOIIO-
- would be moved by Lord M►lmesbury.

Sir William Jolliffe, on Friday, will call atten-
tion to the memorial of Sir Francis Bead Read, Bart., to
the Secretary of State for the Colonies, laid upon the table
of the house on the 6th of June last; and more, "That,
in the opinion of this house, the great but hitherto unre-
quited services rendered by Sir Francis B. Head, when
Governor of Upper Canada is the years 1837 and 1816, call
for the favourable consideration of her Majesty's govern-
ment."

lo committee on the Punishment of Rape Bill,
Sr Stafford Northcote will move in preamble, Hee 2, after
"rape," to insert "and in cases of the defilement of girls of
tender age," and also will move the following clans.:
—" (Punishment for abuse of girl adder 12 years of age) :
When any person is convicted of the offence of nolawfally
and carnally knowing and abusing any girl, being ander the
age of 12 years, the court before whom he is coavieted may,
in addition to the punishment awarded under soy other
law, either now in force or hereafter to be in fore*, direct
that the offender be once privately whipped. To amend the
title of the bill."

THE DEHATE.—Yeaterday afternoon, an the hour
approached at which the House of Commons was to assemble,
an extraordinary amount of excitement prevailed in the
immediate neighbourhood of the house, indicative of the
interest taken out of doors In the impending debate, and re-
minding one of the gathering, in that quote, during the
party struggle which preceded the passing of the Reform
Bill. A great crowd of people had collected in Palace-
yard to see the members enter the house. and they did not
disperse until towards 9 o'clock. The arrival of Lord
P,lmerstou and of Mr. Disraeli waa watched with eager
curiosity. The leader of the opposition made his
appearance towards ball-past 4 in se open ear.
riage. He was soon recognised by the crowd, and re-
ceived a few cheers as he passed, but faint in comparison
with those with which Lord Palmerston wee greeted on his
arrival about a quarter of an hour later. The premier,
who wee in a close carriage, had been recognised in Par-
liament-street, and the cheers which his appearance drew
forth there were heard io Palace-yard, and became louder
and louder u be approached the house. Mr. Gladstone
leant back in his carriage, as if to avoid notice, and so passed
into the house almost wholly unobserved. In the half•bour
trim a quarter past 4 the members arrived in great numbers.
Ac Mr. Disraeli presented himself to speak, which be did
about a quarter to 5, the house presented an extraordinary
spectacle, resembling in its crowded stole end in the pre-
radios excitement more the eve of • division after some
great party struggle than the nominal:moment of a debate,
In the body of the house every available seat wee occupied,
and the members who had arrived late crowded the side
galleries or stood in groups below the bar. His Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge. Earl Grey. Lord Liao.
over, Earl Powis, Lord Houghtoe. and Mr. Jetties Slue
sat in the part of the house, immediately over the clock,
suigned to distinguished obsesses, and is the sesta below
the bar on either side of the entrance were Earl Result,
the poet Tennyson. the Duke of Argyll, the Bishop of Ox.
ford_ and many other persons of sots. Both the Speaker's
and Strangers' Galleries were crowded during the eight, and
score* who had orders for the one or the other waited in
the adjoining lobbies in the hope of being admitted.