The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

OXFORD STATUTES.

Mr. HEYwoon, on Thursday, moved an address
to the Crown, praying that the Royal consent and
approbation might bo withheld from the regulations
and ordinances recently sanctioned by the Oxford
Commissioners, and laid before Parliament, for the
amendment of the Statutes of Exeter, Lincoln,
and Corpus Christi Colleges, in the University of
Oxford, such regulations and ordinances being in
many points inconsistent with the spirit of the Ox-
ford University Act of 1854.
Sir J. PAKINGTON concurred in thinking some of
the regulations in question objecti Amble, but moved
a verbal amendment to the resolution, by which its
import was to a considerable extent modified.
Sir G. GREY submitted that the adoption of the
resolution in either shape would be attended with
much inconvenience; and stated that the statutes
under discussion would be referred to the Privy
Council for examination and correction.

Sir W. Heathcote, the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, Mr. Henley, Mr. Cardwell, and other members
continued the discussion. Both motion and amend-
ment were ultimately withdrawn.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT-GALLERY.

Earl STANHOPE, on Tuesday, moved an address to
the Crown, recommending the formation, upon the
site of the present National Gallery, of a Gallery of
Original Portraits, of persons most honourably com.
memorated in British history by eminence in science,
war, politics, literature, and art.
'the Marquis of Lansdowne, the °Earl of Ellen-
borough, and the Earl of Carnarvon, briefly intimated
their assent to the proposition, but recommended the
alteration of the terms " most honourably commemo-

rated" to "most eminent." The motion thus
amended was then agreed to.

THE LOCAL DUES ON SHIPPING.

Mr. LOWE, on Thursday, in answer to Mr. Mac•
kinnon, said that the motion for appointment of a
c)mmittee to consider this subject was to be made on
Friday week.

Mr: DISRAELI said that his hon. and learned
friend (Sir F. Thesiger) had given notice of an
amendment upon the election for this committee.
The day for which the motion was at present fixed,
was the eve of the Easter recess. He would suggest
that under these circumstances it would be more
convenient to take the motion after the holidays.
Lord PALMERSTON could not conceive that the
question of appointing a committeo would be
one requiring more than one night's discussion ;
and as hon. members would have the holi-
days before them to refresh themselves from aoy
extraordinary exertion, they might, perhaps, not
object to extending their debate somewhat into
S tturtlay morning. It would be very inconvenient
to defer the appointment of the committee.

METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT BILL.
Lord PALMERSTON, on Tuesday, in answer to ques-
tions from Mr. Butler and Mr. T. I)uncombe, said
h could not consent to postpone the second reading
o this bill. He was informed that it was of
im ranee that this bill should be passed before
Easter.

SALARIES OF COUNTY-COURT JUDGES.
lc Lord PORTMAN, on Thursday, gave notice that he
• ,ould, after Easter, move resolutions on the ques-
Lon of the payment of the judges of the county
spurts.

THE PRESS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR stated that a bill on the
subject was nearly completed, but he would postpone
the second reading till after Easter.
THE LAW EXPENSES "IN RE DYCE SOMBRE."

Mr. V. SMITH, on Thursday, in reply to Mr. Otway,
said, the opinion of the law officers of the Crown on
the construction of the 34th sec. act 3 William IV.,
appeared, so far as he was able to judge from a cur-
sory perusal of it, to be favorable to the power of the
Board of Control to inquire into the circumstances of
the case of Mr. Prinsep "in re Dyce Sombre." He
could not at present say whether he would sanction
an indefinite expenditure from the revenues of
India to support Mr. Prinsep's claims, but if upon
investigation he found that he had the power, and
the circumstances of the case seemed to justify it,
he should certainly exercise it.

IMPERIAL HOTEL COMPANY BILL.
The second reading of this bill—which proposes to
remove the National Gallery of Paintings trom its
present locality, and to convert the building into an
hotel—having, on Monday, been moved,
Mr. BENTINCK moved, as an amendment, that it be
read that day six months.
After a short discussion, in which Mr. Fitzroy, Mr.
Bouverie, Mr. T. Duncombe, and Mr. Patten strongly
objected to the principle of the bill, and Mr. Ewart,
Sir J. Shelley, and Mr. Wilson supporte'l the second
reading--the house divided, when the second reading
was carried by a majority of 8.
The bill was arcordingly read a second time.
TAX ON UNDER-GARDENERS.

Colonel HARCOURT, on INlonday,called the attention
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the mode in
which the tax on under-gardeners was assessed and

he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave ex-
planations upon the subject, and expressed as his
opinion that the tax, falling on the masters, could be
no hardship to the labouring classes. He thought
there was no ground for the interference of Parlia-
ment.

THE EASTER VACATION.

Lord PALMERSTON, on Tuesday, in answer to Mr.
Spooner, said that the Easter vacation this year
would be the same as that of last year, and he in.
tended to propose, therefore, that the house should
adjourn on Friday, the 14th inst., until Monday, the
31st inst.

The following arrangements have taken place
during the week :

MONDAY.

A resolution was agreed to, on the motion of Mr. Wilgon,
granting 2:c,000,0001. out of the Consolidated Fund towards
making good the supply voted to her Majesty.
The second reading of the Trial of Offences Bill, sent
from the Lords, was agreed to.
The Annuities Bill and the Exchequer•bills Funding
Bill were read a third time and passed.
The Mutiny Bills passed through committee.
TUESDAY.

In the Lords, the Turnpike Trusts Arrangement Bill
passed through committee.
The Commons Enclosure Bill was read a third time
and passed, and the Consolidated Fund Bill read a second
time in the Lords.
the Lords, Lord BROUGHAM having presented a peti-
tion from the corporation of Sheffield in favour of a reform
cf the Ecclesiastical Courts, the LORD CHANCELLOR stated
that a bill on the subject was in preparation.
Mr. Wat.poLE gave notice that on Tuesday next he
should move for leave to bring in a bill to substitute one
form of oath for the three oaths of allegiance, supremacy,
and abjuration at present taken by members of Parliament.
Mr. HENLEY gave notice that when the motion for going
into committee on the Partnership Amendment Bill was
brought on he should call the attention of the house to the
abuse of the forms of the house committed by the substi
tution of an entirely new bill in place of that committed
pro formit, and that he should on that account move that
the bill be committed that day six months.
The second re.ding of the Dwellings for Labouring
Classes (Ireland) Bill was proceeded with after much
opposition.
The Metropolitan Local Management Bill was read a
second time.

WEDNESDAY.

The Dissenters' Marriages Bill and Consolidated Fund
Bill were read a second time.

THURSTAY.

The Out Pensioners' Bill (Greenwich) and the Conso-
lidated Fund Bill (26,000,0101.) went through committee.
_ _

Mr. BLACKBURN obtained leave to bring in a hill to
extend the provisions of the Railway and Canal Traffic
Act, passed in 18454.

THE ACCOUCHEMENT OF THE EMPRESS EUGENIE
is anticipated to take place before the 14th at the
latest. The widow of Admiral Bruat is named as
governess to the infant. 1)r. Dubois, the Empress's
acconcheur, took up his residence at the Tuileries
on Saturday last, and is never absent during the
night from an apartment close to his imperial patient.
COUNT Oai.oFF (says Le Nord), encountering
Marshal Baraguay d'H illiers the other evening in the
salons of the Tuileries, is said to have observed
smilingly, "Ah!M. le arechal, I believe you lately
visited my country." "Yes, Count," replied the
Marshal, "I had the pleasure of leaving a card at
Bomarsund."

223

THE WAR.

THE Mon iteur of Thursday states :

Marshal Pelissier has informed the Minister of War
that the resolution passed by the plenipotentiaries on the

25th of February last, relative to the armistice, which is to
extend to the 31st of March, was known in the Crimea on
the 2Mth of February. On the 29t11 of February, at a con-
ference held at the Tractir Bridge, between the chiefs of
the staff of the allied armies and General Tutchimeff,
delegated by the commander-in•chief of the Russian army,
it was decided that there should be a complete suspension
of hostilities.

This, for the time, puts an effectual stop to all anti-
cipated operations. The intercourse that will now
take place between the two camps, though of course
limited, will no doubt after so long a lapse of actual
conflict lead to friendly relations. The asperities
consequent on an active state of war have passed

away.
K.There is no intelligence of any importance from
the Turkish armies in Asia Minor.

Sir Colin Campbell arrived in the Crimea on the
14th, and was immediately appointed to command a
corps d'armee. Our camp is healthy, and the men
well drilled. The weather has been severely cold of
late. The French soldiers are reported to have
suffered much.