The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-16 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

Lord J. RUSSELL said—l stated the other day that,
before the prorogation of parliament, I would give the best
info•tnstion I could with regard to the present relations be-
tween Russia and Turkey, I shall therefore make a short
statement to-morrow upon the subject, and then move that
the house adjourn to Friday next. (Hear, hear.) I under-
stand that the house will meet to-morrow at three o'clock,
at which time I shall make the statement to which I have
referred.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL.
The house then proceeded to the consideration of the
Lords' amendments to this bill.
Upon the amendment, striking out the clause which refers
to the salt duty,
Sir J. FITZGERALD called upon the house to reject
this amendment. He spoke from esperience, which taught
him that the duty upon salt ought at once to be abolished.
The salt duty itself was bad enough, but the consequences
Bowing from it were such as no European who had not been
in India could conceive.
Mr. OREOSON, from his knowledge of the natives of
India, could speak to the injurious effects of the monopoly
in salt enjoyed by the Eut India Comm). Ile remem-
bered a representation upon the matter being made to him-
self by the natives when he was in India, strongly objecting
to the effects of the salt monopoly.
Sir C. WOOD thought that the last
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that Malta formid pot of , .re triginlons-of the crown, and r'n a when an iingthessna had ben poi ha jean to-rthi
which, if it was not checked, would bean eodlmi soared of referred to • repreentationmsdle—before the year 1833. At
TOZItiOO. that date the duty wee reduced. Although he (Sir C. Wood) that the crown being protestant eould not properly assent
Lord REDESDALE urged that a measure of this kind, supported the amendment of the other house, he was to a law which established the church of Rome. governor because, either by accident or design, he stud
Mr. KINNAIRD said he objected to the term " blue with his hat on during religious worship. Generally,
and involviag so great • principle, ought not to be premed quite ready to concur in any reduction of that duty,
at this period of the session, and he hoped the noble earl which could be safely made. He obj
ected. however, pbemy." throughout these articles, there wean Ounces of that which
Into be inserted—that the offense should be a wilful one.
would be induced to withdraw it. strongly
as to the clause, which the amendment in question Mr. F. PEEL said the hon. gentleman referred to the
law of Tuscany and the case of the Madiai, and created an Z2lear, hear.) At the same time, any gesture tending to
The Earl of HADDINGTON would agree to postpone rejected upon the same ground he had urged against itsinsult the religion of the majority of a country
the bill until another session, if he thought it probable that introduction, namely, that it was an attempt to legislate for impression that under this cods persons might be punished might be a fit subject to be taken cognisance
be would get anything as good in the next session. the details of Indian government. It should be remises. in Malta as the Media were punished. Now the Medial
of b
The Doke of ARGYLL presented a petition (on the part bend that the revenue of India, at the present moment, were punished for reading a protestant version of the Bible, y the police, in order to prevent disturb-
of • noble friend, who was absent) against the bill from the was barely sufficient to meet the expenses incidental to its and he would undertake to say there was no provision ance. All he said was that he thought the
code required further consideration. (Hear, hear.) If
gement assembly of the church of Scotland, but said he did government. In addition to this the opium duty was in a in this code under which persons could be punished for
upon sending to Malta the observations which occurred to
not erns either with the prayer of the petition or its all.- very douhful state, and the revolution in China might not, reading the Bible. And he would ask the house to bear
In mind that Malta was a Roman catholic country and the law officers of the crown, such amendments were made,
rak petitioners es. The petitione stated that the existing test was improbably, decrease the receipts under that head. He, and the articles framed in such a manner that the govern-
Nee than a declaration upon the part of the pw however, did not hesitate to say that as the East Indian under a legislative council,ts which Reiman catholic mem-
•meet could assent to them without objection, he thought
team be believed in the truths of the scripture. Bet government had already reduced the duty, so it would in aadonthhaat
after greatbeenderealtuomf defeats' si And wnwapparolvaedw which,
ofby
It woe mesh more, and in giving this general definition of future reduce it when that reduction could be made con-that the government, having the whole matter before
them, should have feel discretion to do so. They would be
the test he thought the general assembly betrayed the sistently with a due regard to the exigencies of government. them. The hon. gentleman said they were unnecessarily bound to lay 'any correspondence that might take place
weakness of the.. cue. He expeeted, adenittieg es they Sir DE L.:EVANS was glad that it was on so narrow and altering the act of 1837. The hon. gentleman had fallen before parliament at the beginning of the next session,and
did in this allegation the insufficiency of the test as a re- technical a ground that the right hon. gentleman (Mr. C. into some inaccuracy in this respect.
they would be liable to any opinion which the house might
ligious test, so far as the doctrines and discipline of the Wood) acquiesced in this amendment made by the other The hon. gentleman was here interrupted by the appear- think tit to express. He assured the house that it would
established religion of Scotland were coneernaethev would branch of the legislature. He entirely concurred in the ance of Mr. Pulman, the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod, be the objeet of the government to give to the people of
have proposed soothe ; but instead of that they declared statement which the honourable member for Lancaster who summoned the house to the House of Lords, to hear Malta the fullest security for the exercise of their religion,
that the general assembly could not consent to take up any (Mr. Gregson) had put forward in favour of this clause. her Majesty's assent given to a number of bills (for which consistent with the principles of religious liberty and tolera-
grated but that of uncompromising hostility to any bill There was no necessity what, vet for taxing the food of the see Lords' rePort)• tion, as held in this country. (Hear, hear.)
that infringed the rights and privileges of the peo;le in India if the East India Company would only Mr. PEEL resuming, then proceeded to say that the code Mr. SPOONER said that what: had fallen from
church of Scotland. But so far from the test abstain from resorting to external wars, and he hoped that of 1837, which both the hon. gentlemen had eulogised beperfectly • f There
e° the noble lord must salts actory.
base confined to a declaration of a belief in fact would not be lost sight of by the right hon. gentleman highly, bad been the law of Malta, and was moreover were many things
the truths of the Scriptures, it required the person sub- who had just addressed them. by no means a liberal one; for it only protected the churches
altered and
scribing to it to declare that he adhered to the West. Mr. HADFIELD *roomed against the exclusion of this of Rome and England. By the present code the offence crown ' amended before it received the sanction of the
• and after what had been said by the noble lord
seamier Confession of Faith, and to promise that he would clause. The East India Company might just as well tax the of stealing the pyx containing the host was punishable in his h de in the full fi
he would leave the matter an , con -
oeaserns. in all rupees, to the worship and discipline of the milk as the salt used in India, and he trusted the house only by imprisonment from four to six months; whereas .such sanction till the
deuce that it would not receive
eetablished church of Scotland. Now, every one most see would not permit the injustice to continue. (Hear.) by the code of 1847 the penalty was transportation for 14 amendments required were made. lie admitted that they
that it was intended by this that every person filling any The lords' amendments were then agreed to without • years. In codifying the law of Malta, every attempt give the Maltese fullprotection •
one of the professoriat chairs should be a member Of that division. had been made to assimilate it as far es possible with the the
were bound by treaty to
church. That wad the state of the law at present, and if PETERBOROUGH ELECTION. mild spirit which had of late years pervaded the laws of exercise of their religion' and that should be done,
but at the same time it should be recollected that there
that law was strictly and literally earned out, those who Mr. GASKELL brought up the report of the Peterbo. England. Originally the church of Rome were styled the were •
protestant soldiers and sailors and other residents
were sn.nnbens of that church any could fill these offices. rough election committee, declaring Mr. Whalley to have " dominant church; but the government objected to that - there, whom the legislature was bound to protect in Malta
Bat the altered state of society in Scotland bad reedited been unduly returned, and stating that Mr. Thomson Ilea. on the ground that they would not admit the domination of
that impracticable, and the result was that in the Univers key, jun., the other candidate, was entitled to the seat. the church of Rome within these realms ; and the legisla- as well as in their own country.
eityof Ediutturgli the test was in abeyance, and in tbeUnivcr- Subsequently the Clerk of the Crown attended at the five council had therefore with great difficulty been Mr. HADFIELD expressed his thanks to the hon. mem-
same of Glaegow, Aberdeen. and St. Andrews, episcopal table to amend the return, after which Mr. Thomson induced to alter the phrase to " the church of bee (Mr. Kinnaird) for bringing the subject forward, and
professors 4thecriesed to the test without having any norms flukey took the oaths and his seat for Peterborough. The the country," which was notoriously Roman catbo- also to the noble lord for the latter pert of his speech.
of biedieg themselves either to the worship or discipline of hon. gen'leman was introduced by Col. Boyle and Lord lie. He supposed that the honourable gentleman (Hear.) The discussion was sure to do good. The time
the established church of Scotland, and to enforce that test Edward Howard.eye of the law all persuasions must
would not object to the principle of having a chapter in the was come, when, in the •
literally v ould be to exclude from the professorial chain REGISTRAR OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL BILL. the boast of this country that a slave
code on offences against religion ; and the chapter which °e equa'• " '•••
the most eminent professor of the day. He regretted that the This bill was read a third time aod
,passed. had been passed by the Council of Malta was at least per. could not put his foot on any British territory, but the best
bill had come up to their lordships at so late a period of the
LIBERATED AFRICANS (SIERRA LEONE) BILL. featly impartial. All religious functions and ceremonies and the sweetest of ghtest gem of
liberty, '
which ldenable
the crown, was religious won a man
tossing, but the delay had been consequent upon the efforts
This bill was read a third time and passed. were equally protected, whether they were performed
to worship his maker according to the dictates of his
which hail been made to secure the assent of the Scotch within places a worship or out of tad. m. There was in-
PASSENGERS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. own conscience. (Hear, hear.) He respected the
members in the other house, and be rejoiced to say that at deed one chapter that might seem to con.radict this aver-This bill was read • third time and passed.with his
rights of the Roman eatholics equally own,
a private parliament of those members the assent of all, he . tion—namely, that against the profanation of objects of
believed, except one, had been given to the measure. Under CANT ERBL RY ELECTION. worship ; but the contradiction was only an asp- he asked nothing for himself
.ent that he would not concede to
these circumstances be trusted their lordships would con- Mr. CRAUFURD moved an address to the throne for parent one, for it was obvious that protestants 'merits he hoped they would
them. Having these
eider that the time had arrived when the existing oath es• the Preducti,ll of a paper referred to in the minutes of evi- could have no such objects. He would admit hose of reason, ture seri and truth.
use no weapons but tP e
acted from professors of the Scotch Universities should be dente taken by the commission,ne appointed to inquire into that the code was severe. He should have been glad, for (Hear,
hear.)
abolished, and a simple declaration enbetitukol. the existence of corrupt practices :n the city of Canterbury, instance, if the provision against blaspheming the saints had Mr. K INNAIRD tendered his thanks to the noble lord
The house then went into committee. described by them (Question 11,2121 to be " a paper con- been omitted; but the hon. gentleman had very much ex- for the remarks he made on this subject, and they formed a
'a in it
Clauses I and 2 were agreed to; some amendments pro- misting of extracts from papers, whie`h Mr. Henry Coare aggerated the severity of the proposed laws. It was a min. complete justification to him for tin g g forward.
posed by the Earl of HAD•INGIoN having been put and , Kingsford handed in," but not printed with their report; take, for example, to suppose Oat a person could be (Hear, hear) Ile thouabt the noble lord had answered the
negatived. end also for the production of certain other pai'ers severally punished for not taking off his bat while a procession was observations of the hon. gentleman the Secretary for the
On claws 3. described bthem as "Paper B," "Draft minutes of ea co
m- passing. Nothing wee punishable except acts of m- Colonies with entire impartiality. (" Hear, hear," and a
'the Earl of HADDINGTON proposed to insert words I deuce," "Minutes of evidence," " 11th Januate•, 18-53. mission ; nor could a penalty be inflicted for laugh.) The hon. gentleman had accused him of showing
leakiest the declaration more stringent in regard to the minutes," and " Voindomed paper," or " Leaf of Proof." awe committed without any intention to insult bitterness in his speech ; but if the hon. gentlemen would
protecting' afforded by it to the church of Scotland. and referred to respectively in questions 10,288, or profane. On the whole, then, he (Mr. Peel) could not read that speech in the neseepapers to-morrow, he would
The Doke of ARGYLL said the amendment was evi- 10,292, 10,297, 10,302, 10,303, 10,3,16, 10,307, and agree to the motion, because it would render it necessary to not find a word in it calculated to wound the feelings of any
tu directed against sha members of the free church, and 10,308, but not printed with their report. Tile postpone the ratification of the code till next session; and one. (Laughter.) After what had been said by the noble
t say writing oe speaking adversely hon. and learned gentleman insisted that it was the the codification of the laws of Malta, was a pressing and lord, he would not press the motion.
011ie dasfsirse dielpline of the establi•hat shunts, duty of the house to require the prodeatioa of these papas, lose felt newesity. The motion was then withdrawn.

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