The Express.
London, England, 1862-02-21 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 21, 1862.

THE *RIT FOR, .6LOUCEdTER.

Mr. H. BERKELEY, in rising to move that Mr.
Speaker do Wane hi wanset to the Clerk of the Crams to
'make out a new writ for the 'Umbria of two citizens to
wens in this peanut parliament for the city of Olouateder,
in the roan of Philip William Price and Charles James
Moak, Esquires, whose election has been determined to be
void, said that in bringing before the house the uses of the
ancient city of Gloucester, it appeared to him that the con-
duct of the house towards that constituency and great mer-
cantile community was both unjust sod unemiatihrtiocaL
Hr dide,4 offer any defence, extenuatioe, or even apology
for the malversatinn of the franchise which had so disgraced
Gloucester, but the house and the country were well aware
that the plague spot prevailed sot only within the walla of
Gloucester, but moat 40 other conetitueocies, nod
yet up to the present moment the house bad
viewed such matters with the most stolid indifference.
Sir G. GREY said it was sot the intention of the genre-
meet to offer any further opposition to the imbuing of this
writ, nor to the issue of the writ for the borough of Wake.
geld, which was to be moved by the honourable member
opposite (Major Edwards). But be must express hie dimmest
from the opinions of his hoc. friend who bad advocated so
etreuucenly the claims of Gloucester ; he must express hi
dimmest from the opinion that that constituency had been
uojustly treated by this hones, and he thought the house
would hardly feel that that was the ease, baring heard the
terms, which he should be leery to repeat, in which hie
hon. friend had characterised the modest et at least •
third of the conatitumicy. Ho east say also that be could
not agree with him in that sharp lies of demarcation which
has hoe. fraud drew between the 400 corrupt electors, as
be termed them, and these who be smarted were perfectly
pure. He believed that when extensive corruption was
found to prevail is any beramb—ead we one could deny it
was trainers where it wee erbeitted by the advocate him-
self that at least • third wee se earraas represented by
Lis hon. friend—it wee not fond that what
were termed the respectable portion of the con-
stituency wore really determined to use their utmost
effort to repress it. They trusted that, if the house should
agree to the motion of hi boa. Mood, and to the motion
of the honourable geatisaisa opposite, it would
be with a desire, in all Mare eases, not to allow
oonstitneocies where such pmeticies had bees allowed
to micipe without severe mmearee being takes,
but that if unhappily any such eases should again come
before the house, parliament would be prepared to
proceed against those imistitueseise either by an absolute
disfranchisement, or by the suspension of the writ to return
members to parlieureet fora time sufficiently long, not only
to mark the disapproval of parliament, but also to allow a
count.lerablc change to take place in the constituency.
Mr. DISR.I.EI.I approved the resolution of the govern-
ment. He thought that the suspension of writs by one
branch of the legislature wasarbitrary and unconstitutional,
aud that some measure should be passed by parliament to
meet macs of • similar kind.

_ _ .....
Mr. derMaot YIt.:OTT said he rejoiced that thaw two
eases would not be barren of results. The government
must bear in mind that they were but the types of came
that would recur ; they most deal with the question expo.
ditiously and vigorously, and deal not only with tbe consti-
tuencies, but with individuals who gave and offered bribes.
Further observations were made by mfr. Boat ca and
Mr. NORRIS _ .

The rootiori w•• thee put. There were • few cries of
'• so," but the writ was ordered without • diriaiou.
WAKEFIELD WRIT.

Major EDWARDS, amidst some marks of impatienoe,
moved that the writ also issue for the borough of Wake-
field.

After a few words from Mr. HADFULLIN which were ren-
dered inaudible by cries of "Agreed, amid,"
The motion wee agreed to.
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS

flizikiiiii:

Sir R. PEEL moved for leave to bring is a Mil for the
Registritioa of Births and Deaths in Ireland. All he
wanted, he said, was that the bowie should give to Ireland
the anus measure of Patios that had been given to Eng-
land and Scotland, Ireland being almost the *sly country
in Europe where so efficient system of registration
He showed the evils experienced in Ireland from the
want of it, and the moral sad social advantages that would
result from the measure he proposed, the principal features
.4 which be described. explaining, in much detail, the
niaeljuvry.. He proposed that the oonstabulary should be
' employed in lb* registration, and the coat of the scheme
would, he said, is compari.tion with the schemes of Lord
Seas and Mr. eudwell, be extremely economical.
111. HENNESSY objected to the employment of the con.
dabubirr in purposes of this kind, and regretted that the
bill would not include marriages.
Mr. LEPROY thought the statement of Sir IL Peel was,
on the whole, satidactory.
Mr. SCILLY considered the constabulary most unfit
agent. of registration.
Mr. GEORGE was disappointed at finding that the bill
would sot include memaga Constitutional objections
existed to the employment of the constabulary in the re.
gistratiou, though he did not know • more convenient
mode. _ .

iilijections to the bill were suggested by other Irish mem-
bers, and further explanations were given by Sir R. ELLL ;
ultimately leave was given to bring in the MIL
THE AMERICAN BLOCKADE.

The O'DONOOBUE moved an address for return of
the somber of British vessels, with the names, as far as
can be ascertained, of their captains road owners respectively,
that have succeeded, within the past six months in running
the blockade of the southern ports of America. Similar no
tura as to the British vessels that have bees captured or
destroyed in the attempt to break the blockade. And re-
turn of the number and description of British vosoda, if
any, that hare put into the port of Nassau, New Provi-
dence, sad other colonial porta, laden with articles °Gates-
head of war, and with supplies for the Confederate States,
and that have been permitted to refit and supply than-
Wyss with stores by the authorities in those PIA
in coat:aviation of the Queens peoclaintiou,M
of the neutrality which it is the expressed de-
sire of her Majesty's government to uphold. Ile
hoped her Majeety's goverommit would not refuse the
returns for which fie asked. Unless these returns were
produced, it would be impossible to discuss the questions
which were likely to 1111811 00 dm, unfortunate uouditiun of
affairs in America, where's their production would go a
loog way to enable them to form an equitable °patios on
may important point*, such all the efficiency or son-
. afficieucy of the blockade, the nationality of the diffstoot
veseela that ran the blockade, and as to whether her
Mojesty's government had faithfully endeavoured to
merry out that policy of neutrality to which they
were pledged by the terms of the Queen's pro•
clamation, and by their Own declarations on many occasions.
An hon. member had given notice of his intention to move
• rasolutiou to the effect that the blockade was a mere
paper blockade. If that resolution passed, it would be
tautamouut to a war with America ; but in the considers-
tam of that motion it was indispeumblo that the fullest
information, and from the most reliable sources, should be
iu pumices...a of the house. No doubt vessels hail run the
blockade, but the distress existing in Lancashire sod Lyon
showed that it was not a paper blockade,. and that vowels
bad left the Southern porta arose from the feet that the
Federal euverameut were not able to effect a physical im-
possibility, namely, the hermetical sealing of the purts
slaw 3,ialti miles of coast. The returns he asked for re-
ferred to Ltntish vowels, and for this reason, that from
general rumour and etetentente in the newspapers it would
appear that British vessels ouly had attempted to run the
blockade. It era., notorious that many persons in this
country were anxious that the South should be reeogoised,
and that British vessels had left this country and the port
of Nassau with mummies of war for the Coofederitee io de-
feated law an lof her Majesty's proclamation. Theatten-
lion of her Majesty'sgoronone to had been called to these Nets,
and they had not Woofers' to prevent their recurrence.
Ile trusted that so objection would be made to laying
on the table of the bows the return for which he moved.

Mr. LAY AHD said be regretted being nimble to give the
return required by the hou. member. He did not thiak
it would be eisansient to the house that be should
miter into • discussioo of the queetioe as to the blockade.
liotice Ind already bees gives that the subject would be
brought before the bone is • few days, sad probably tis-
11101TOW, but aertaialy es Moodav or Tuesday, papon
latiog to the blockade would he laid ors the table. He ai-
rline.; to give the returns moved for for two reasons--
Gust, because an govertiorot had cot got the
information ; and Best, they would oot feel justified ma
giving it if they bad. He (Mr. Layard) we. quite certain
that the hen. member was ale of the last persons who
would wish that the government should furnish a Bit of
wroog.disen and violators of the law of tattoos. The pagers
that would be laid oo the table of the house would/se doubt
be deemed sufficient by the boo. gentleman.
The SOLICITOR-OENERAL said that the boa. memedur
had totally mirsieceived the rustler of law to white he had
referred. Hie motion implied, and he bad stated la hit
speech, that °wines of British merchant vessels which bad
run the blockade with articles contraband of war had
been guilty of ißapl acts, and bad acted in violation
of her Majesty's proclamation, yet that the government bad
not interfered He had also suggested that the authorities
at the port of Nassau were seriously to blame far bar*
permitted ship to bison board articles antra/and of war ,
which, Ire seemed to think, her Priilsf"km bad
male Mega, and which, therefore. they meld mot be per-
mitted to carry without • violation of Neutrality. la all
then respects the ho.. postleinao bad totally minoseeived
the power of the government and of the law. Except se
far as her Majesty's government bad power by law to eintrol
the edit of British subjects they could oot interfere. The
only law which would warrant se interfere/me is my such
use wee lbe reesign Babetaant AM, the whole mope of

which was shortly espressed in ita title : " Au Act to pre-
vent the enlistment and engagement of bet Majesty's sub-
jects to serve in Rey foreign sarvice, and the fitting out rod
equippiok, in her Majesty • dominions vessels for warlike
purposes without permission of the government." That act
did not apply to vessels carrying articles contraband of war
from this country to any port, whether under blockade or
not, 111X1 the government of this country or of the colonial
possesaiins had not power to interfere to prevent it
It was perfectly true that in the Queen's pro-
, clamatioo there was contained a general warning at the end
' addremed to all the Queen's subject*, that they do not,
abet in violation of their duty to the Queen as subjects
of • arra sovereign, or in violation and contravention of
the law cif nations in that behalf, do variom things, one of
whir was to carry 'Aisles cantraband cif war ; and
the proclamation stated that, if they did, they
would incur the penalties provided by the law of nations, '
which were the seizure sad total confiscation of the
reneis and of the cargoes.. They were also by the law of
nations deprived of the right of looking to the government
ef their own country for protection. The hon. and learned
gentleman then quoted the opinions of eminent American
*ists for the purpose of proving that their view of the
power of government to interfere, and of the law of nations
being the only law operative in such cues as those referred
to, was identical with that which be bad Mated. He
thought the house would me that the government at home
sad in the colonies had taken the only course possible to
tree eassistantly with the law of the laud or the recognised
cram of nations and more especially the law of nations
r risterierd ia the United States.
The O'DONOONUJI rarer the motion. _ _

IE:LINI)SAY asked the trader Secretary of State for
lamp Affairs whether nay British ships had been seised
and destroyed is attempting to run the blockade, and if so
wader what circumstances? . _

Mr. LAYARI) said that if soy such had bees seised azod
dssseoysd it would appear by the papers which he would
lay apes the table of the house.