The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-05 00:00:00

UNION RELIEF AID BILL

Earl RUSSELL, who was very indistinctly beard in the
pMery, moved that the house go into committee on this
bill. By the measure it was proposed that when the rate
reached three shillings in the pound, a power should he
given to the guardians to borrow money on the security of
the rates. The measure was intended to provide for an ex-
traordinary and exceptional distress, and the remedy pro-
posed was to give power of borrowing money in conformity
with the Act of the 43rd of Elizabeth,
The Earl of MALMESBURY complained that, although
government must have anticipated the cotton famine, they
hail refrained from bringing forward any measure on the
subject until so late in the session. The proposed measure
was, he thought, a most unwise one, because the worst that
'could possibly happeu was that before the month of March
seat the poor rate is the three richest counties in England
would reach gs. is the pound.
The Dub of NEWCASTLE admitted that the bill could
not be defended except on the ground that it was an excep-
tional measure framed to meet a temporary and excep-
tional case. The government bad not interfered at an earlier
period of the sesinon because, if they had, they would have
offered • premium for the closing of mills, and would have
dried up the sources of private benevolence. It could not
be said that the bill would entail liabilities upon future
generations, because the money borrowed was to be repaid
by annual instalment, to be extended over seven years. lo
his °pinkie, the government would have been most culpable
if they hadallowed parliament to separate without making
some provision to meet the great and increasing distress
which prevailed in the cotton manufacturing districts.
Lord KINCISDOWN, as one connected with Lancashire,
could not forbear stating that he regarded the measure with
extreme pain. For a series of years up to 1861 there had
been unexampled prosperity in the cotton district, Mills
were erected, large populations were congregated around
them, and enormous fortunes were accumulated by the
manufacturers who brought them together; and was it
worthy of those who had made these large fortunes to
stretch out their hands at the first moment of pressure for
help towards those who had not received the benefit! Was
it reasonable that the millowaers, who had made the profit,
should thus endeavour to throw the burden upon
the owners and ocenpien of other descriptions
of property, by resorting to a rate in and !
They were told that the rake would rise to A. in the pound
before March. Why, he was ashamed to hear a demand for
such a hill made upon such a plea. Suppose the rates
should rise to Is. io the pound in an agricultural district,
what would be said were a similar application made for
relief upon the seine principle! What would be the outcry
from the ruillowners if, because distress existed in the neigh-
bouring agricultural parishes and the rates were high in
consequence, a proposal were made to extend the burden by
a rate in aid over the adjoining manufacturing districts!
They would be told, as they had been told
on previous occasions, that the distress was temporary—
that the suffering poor would find occupation elsewhere and
be gradually absorbed by the manufacturing and other dis-
tricts, and that every maxi must bear his own burdens.
(Ifear.l The effect of the bill, he believed, would be
io the first plan to stop that private charity which
was now dowiug in for the relief of the distress ; and in the
next, to relax the vigilance of the poor-law guardians to
keep down the rate. He could not Imagine any eutficieut
ground for introducing the dangerous principle involved in
the bill.

—Lard:ECIERTON of TATTON wee also connected with
the cotton manufacturing districts of Lenauhire and
Cheshire, bat came to a very different conclusion to that at
which his noble friend had arrived. He siocerely and cordially
agreed in the amendment introduced into the bill by the other
bones, and he thought those o their lordships who took
a different view could have but very little idea of the state
of our hives of manufacturing ioduatry dependent upon the
cotton trade.

Lord ()VERSIONS, while admitting the neceesity of
some provisiou for the relief of the distress in the cotton
manufacturing districts, lamented the necessity for the
adoption of a principle which he believed to be fraught with
danger.

ard REDESDALE regretted that borrowing powers had
been granted by the bill. With regard to the provisions
enabling a rate to be made iu aid, he thought they were
very defective in many reaperta. The bill must, however,
be feared with all its deformities.
hart RUSSELL, in reply, said the millowners were not
open to the charge which had been made against them as
regarded their desire to have the borrowing power inserted
in the bill, because the burden would evidently fall upon
their own properties, and much more so than if the union
organists resorted to a rate in aid, which would fall upon the
agricultural part of the counties. He desired to remark
that the necessity for this bill had not arisen, but the go-
vernment were anxious to provide for any increased distress
whirls might arise during the recess.
The bill was then committed and passed through all the
remaining stages, the lauding orders having been suspended
for that purpose.

THE CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION ACT

OONTINUANCE BILL.

This bill was reed a emend time, and the standiog orders
also having been suspended, wee passed through all the re-
znainiog stages.
TUE NIGHT POACHING PREVENTION BILL.

On the question that the Commons' amendineots be con-
sidered,
Earl STRADBROKE thought the alterations which had
been made in the Commons were objectionable, but consi-
dering the late period of the session he would advise their
lordships to agree to them.
Lord LYVEDEN said he must confess that this bill wu
one of the most confused end bungling pieces of legialatiou
that bad ever passed through parliement. The bill, as sent
to the Commons, wu founded upon a sound prieciple- -via,
to put estop to persons going about the country at night
with their faces blackened in pursuit of game.
It RIM • night poselliog prevention bill, but the
title of the bill hed been altered four times, and in its pre-
sent state it was highly objectionable, and he believed it
would lead to more murders than had taken place in re.
Jenne° to genie-preserving end poaching. He would defy
anybo4 to noderstaud the provisions of the bill, and he
would ioBeitely prefer that game should be made property
at ouee, rather than that this bill should be pseud. The
police would be celled upon to auist the gamekeepers, and
they would become in the eyes of farmers and other ma-
payers a most unpopular body. The bill would be in-
effectual for the purposes intended, and it would shortly be
seen bow dangerous it would be to employ the police in
matters with which they ought to have nothing to do,
(Hear, hear.) He believed that the bill would make the
constabulary unpopular, and would not have the effect of
preventing poaching.
Lord DENMAN said he could not agree to the amend•
mute which had been made in the bill. He wee opposed
to the police obtaining the additional powers proposed to be
given to them.
Lord WENSLEYDALE thought that the remedy for
many of the evils connected with poaching would be to
make game priralissoperty.
The Duke of C %TOLLA
ND said that the bill did not
interfere with the game laws. It was framed merely for
the purpose of preventing night poaching, sad when it left
that house there could not be a better bill. It was row,
however, a totally different measure, and he was amid it
would not be found to answer the purpose for which it
was intended. He had groat hopes that coat steam a bill
would be pissed making game private property.
Earl RUSSELL said he regretted the present nesatisfac-
tory state of the game lows. The bill, as had been stated,
was originally is/redness' w;tla a view to provost night
poaching, sad when the affrays which from time to time
took plain with poachers, and the lawless character of the
latter, were remembered, the necessity for some such
measure would he admitted. (Hear, hear.) In oce respect
the House of Commons had consideisibly improved the
As framed it imposed a penalty of U. at the diacretioo of
the justices upon any party with whom game was found,
sod who could not satisfactorily aoocourt for his possession
of it. That clause introdeced a new principle into the
British law, namely, that of amain a party to be guilty
Ige:ore guilt was proved. These amendments threw the
harden of proof upon the complaisant. (Hear, bear.) Is
other respects, however, the alteratioes introduced
were likely to destroy the efficiency of the
He would be glad to see the question
Nettled as to whether game was private property, but could
nbt duly that considerable difficulty stood in the wild say
est thuneat el it,

Cuatinoria' ameadmenta were this sped to.
THE SOUTHERN. STATES OF AMERICA.
Lori CAMPBELL neva for copies or entroota of eel
eertrePridarco whisk ►od Wen recrived y her Maiiiaty
warernsed from Mr. Mars wiatiag to the recognition of
dr Co.'-'—.'-
Maks el Quist Be

Lord RIMELL ilk' not think it expedient to give the
correspondence moved for, uit was entirely um:official Is
reply to an isturvation of Lnrd Cempbell, be said he lied
received no communication whatever from any foreign go-
verunieut I. regard to the recognition of the Oonfaileaute
States. In reply to a question from Lord iIhaM4IIIWM he
said that if any steps for mediation were takes it ought to
be in conjunction with other foreign powers. The most
cordial action existed on this question between this country
and Fresco.

Lord KISOBDOMW having made a few remarks, Lord
CAJIIIML withdrew his motion.
THE GALWAY CONTRACT. •

The Marquis of CLANRICARDI , who bad • notice on
the paper to inquire whether the progress of the ieveetiga-
that into the resources, ie., and of the surveys into the
ships of the Atlantic Royal Mail Packet flotupany, bad
been such as to enable them to restore to the company •
subsidy for the conveyance of Transatlantic made, said he
should not put the question, but would be content to leave
the matter to the kande of the government.

ROMAN CATHOLIC PROSELYTISM.
Lord STRADBROKE, in the absence the Earl of of De
@art, moved for papers relating to the cue of William and
Mary Whelan, and correspondence of ,the commissioners of
the Irish Poor•law on the @object.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he regretted that a
provision be suggested in the Irish Poor•law bad been re-
jected, as it would have met alien& caeca. He bad been
unable to ascertain whether the Moro could be furnished,
and supposing the motion were carried, it was too late in
the sesame for the papers to be produced.
The motion was withdrawn.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO MERCY.

Lord the CYO of
William Hardman, convicted at the °minty of Autrim maims,
at Belfast, of the murder of his cousin, John Hardman, sad
recomuieoded by the jury to mercy on the alleged ground
of insanity ; and hiquirel as to the course her Majesty's
government would adopt.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE considered that the noble
lord had taken a very irregular coure. It was a very deli-
cate thing for either house of parliament to interfere with
the adminiatration of justice), and there was nothing in the
administration of justice in which more care should be taken
to avoid interference, than the exercise of the prerogative of
mercy. He should under these circumstances abstain from
answering the question, except to say that the usual
course in all such cases would be followed.

Lord DQNQANNON said thatti;-.case was of an
unheard of character, and he therefore thought be was jus-
tified in calling the attention of the government to it.
The subject then dropped.
THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE SYSTEM.

Lord DUNOANNON moved for a return of the number
of coevicts to whom tickets of leave have been granted from
the Ist of January, 1860, to the 14 of July, 1862 ; also a
statement of the number who, duriag the same period, may
have again been apprehended on and convicted of any new
offences, specifying the nature and character of .ucb offence.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said, with regard to the hist
part of the motion there would be no objection ; but as
regarded the second part, there was some difficulty in
obtaining the information required, as the men were often
brought up under different names.