The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-01 00:00:00

THE NEW MILITARY COMMISSION.

Lord PALMERSTON, on Thursday, in reply to Mr.
Stanley, stated that the inquiry would be conducted
with open doors.
CONTRACTORS' DISQUALIFICATION
REMOVAL BILL.

On Wednesday, on the motion for the second
reading of this bill, Mr. MITCHELL said, as he found
a strong prejudice against the measure, and Mr.
Ricardo had announced a motion for a committee to
inquire into the whole subject, he should move that
the order be discharged.
Mr. Dut.lcoatsu seconded the motion, and argued
strongly against the policy of repealing the present
law.

Mr. WALPOLE concurred with Mr. Duncombe,
that, while the Legislature was strengthening the
law against the corruption of electors, it should take
care not to relax it as regarded the elected. With
respect to contracts for loans, the committee of last
year had reported that these contracts were not
within the scope of the existing law; but there was
still a great diversity of opinion upon that point;
and he thought it would be proper to bring in ads
claratory and enacting bill, removing all doubt that
the particular specs of contract, between loan con-
tractors and the Government, was not within the
provisions of the statute.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he was
glad that, the bill was withdrawn. He thought it
was not desirable to alter the law as to contracts
with different departments which were not sub-
mitted to Parliament, those departments having
power to vary the terms of the contract and to
grant indulgences, thereby influencing the con-
tractor. In his opinion, the decision of the com-
mittee was well founded, and he was disposed for
the present to let the question rest upon that
decision.

Mr. Napier, Mr. Hadfield, Mr. Henley, and
Mr. Newdegate made a few remarks, and the
order was then discharged, so that the bill is with-
drawn.

THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE SYSTEM.

On the motion of Lord DUNGANNON, returns were
ordered of the number of convicts to whom tickets
of leave had been granted ; and the numbers who,
since receiving such tickets, had returned to their
former courses of crime, specifying the character of
the crimes with which they had been charged or
convicted of. The noble lord then put a question to
the Government, whether it was their intention
to continue giving tickets of leave to convicts ? It
was notorious that too many of the convicts had
returned to their old courses of crime.

Earl GRANVILLE said no alteration could be effected
in the system without an act of Parliament; and it
was not the intention of the Government to bring in
any measure on the subject.
The Marquis of SALISBURY was surprised at this
declaration of Lord Granville. It was quite in the
power of the Government to cure the evils com-
plained of.
Lord HARROWBY said the evils could not be avoided,
as they resulted from the abolition of transportation,

which it would be extremely difficult to restore.
Lord MALMESBURY thought this was not the
period to abolish transportation. He thought the
present system not established, and believed that we
must eventually return to transportation. _ _

After some further remarks from the Duke of
Argyll, Lords Campbell, St. Germans, and Mont-
eagle, the subject dropped.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE QUALIFICATION

BILL.

Mr. COLVII.I.E, on Wednesday, in ►roving the
second reading, stated that the object of the bill was
to enlarge the qualification and to extend it to per
sonal property.

Ur. DE-EDE-8 regretted that he could not support a
measure for substituting personal for property quali-
fication.

Sir G. GREY said, although objections might be
taken to some parts of the bill, they might be re-
moved in committee, and he did not object to its
principle, that landed property should not be the sole
qualification for the ofEce.
Mr. VA.Nsirreßr opposed the bill, which was sup-
ported by Mr. K. SEYXER, and, after a short discus-
sion, it was read a secondtinte.