The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-06 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

I

HOUSE OF LORDS.—Ttlaviv, JVfl

Their lordships met at 5 o'clock. • .
RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
'the Marquis of CLANRICARDR gave notice; thaiau
Thursday he should move for returns in reference to the
Mending orders relating to legislation on railways and
public works.
THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR stated that in consequence
of the amendments made by their lordships in this bill, he
should on Thursday to go into committee on the
hill pro forme, in order the amendments might be
printed.
THE EARL OF CLARENDON AND THE CONGRESS
OF PARIS.—PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
The Earl of CLARENDON—My lords, I have to ask
your indulgence on a matter personal to myself. I know
it is very irregular, and ought not to be permitted, that
:allusion should be made to anything that passes in another
place ; but your lordships will have probably seen in the
newspapers that several charges were made against me last
night in a spirit and tone which 1 do not think were
deed for, and which I expect your lordships will condemn.
These statements must be manifestly incorrect to all
persons who are acquainted with the subject to which they
reter,and my inclination would have been to have passed them
by altogether without notice ; but there is one of them
that I am not disposed to allow to peas without notice,
because I think my personal character is involved in a
direct manner. I read in the newspaper this morning a
statement that I was said at the congress of 1856, to have
metered into a conspiracy to put down the free press of
Swope. Now, my lords, if I know myself at all, I think
I may affirm that I am not likely to enter into a conspiracy
of any kind—(hear, hear)—still leas to enter into
a conspiracy against the press, of whose essential
benefit and absolute necessity I defy any man
to have a stronger appreciation than myself. I
should hope, therefore, that my simple but unqualified
denial of the charge would be sufficient to satisfy your
lordships of the groundlessness of it. (Hear, hear.) But
I have other evidence than that on which I rely. The
question of thepress was mentioned once, and once only, at
the Congress of Paris. It was mentioned by the president
et the congress, Count Walewski, who stated, after all the
business of the congress was over, that the press in Bel-
gium had created some danger to the friendly relations be-
tween France and that country. It was not of the press
edited and established by Belgian subjects, and for the use
of the Belgian people, that he complained, but it was of
of certain papers that were published in Belgium by French
esilee for the purpose of being smuggled into France, and
which was disseminated among the lower dames sad the
army of France, preaching, not only revolution, but the
assassination of the Emperor ; and Count Walewski
thought—l really do not know why—that some expres-
sion on the part of the plenipotentiaries there assembled
would strengthen the bands of the Belgian government
la putting an end to a state of things which endangered
the relations of the two countries. My reply to this state-
ment of the president of the congress is reported in the
protocol of the day, which, with your lordships' permission,
I will read. It is as follows :—" As regards the observa-
tions offered by Count Walewski on the excesses of the
Belgian press and the danger that may result therefrom
far the adjoining countries, the plenipotentiaries of Eng-
land admit their importance, but as the representatives
eta country in which a free and independent press is, so
to say, one of the fundamental institutions, they cannot
associate themselves to measures of coercion against the
press of another state. The first plenipotentiary of Great
Britain, while deploring the violence in which certain
organs of the Belgian press indulge, does not hesi-
tate to declare that the authors of the execrable
dpctrine to which Count Walewski alludes, the men who
preach assassination as the means of attaining political
objects, are undeserving of the protection whichguarantees
to the press its liberty and its independence." I think if
the right hon. gentleman who made the charge bad been
present on that occasion he would not have held different
language. Of this lam sure, there is not one of your lord-
ships here present who would not disapprove in the
strongest manner of the doctrine of assassination. The
right bon. gentleman either knew of the protocol or be did
not If he did know of the protocol, I should be prepared
to characterise the charge as it deserves ; if he did not
know of it, if he ,lid not know of what I said on that ocoa-
aion, this explanation may be necessary.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS BILL.

On going into committee on the Public Schools Bill,
Lord HOUGHTON urged the advisability of adding
representatives of art and science to the special commis-
ion.
In committee on the bill,
The Earl of ELLENBOROITGH objected to the nomi•
Nation to scholarships being throw', open to competition,
shad moved an amendment against that provision.
The amendment, on a division, was rejected by 58 to 38.
A proposal of Lord HocuirroN, to add Lord Wrottesley
to the special commission, was, on a division, lost by 44
to 39.
The bill passed through committee with some verbal
amendments.
THE MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS MARY OF
CAMBRIDGE.

The LORD CHANCELLOR read the following message
from the Crown :
" VICTORIA R.
" Her Majesty having agreed to a marriage proposed
between her Royal Highness the Princess Mary Adelaide
Wilhelmina Elizabeth, youngest daughter of his late
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and his Serene High-
ness Francis Paul Charles Louis Alexander Prince of Teck,
has thought fit to communicate it to the House of Lords.
The many proofs which the House of Lords have
afforded of their affectionate attachment to her Majesty's
person and family leave her Majesty no doubt of their
readiness to concur in enabling her Majesty to make a
further provision for her royal highness."
The Pensions Bill went through committee after tome
remarks from Lords Rom ILLT and Ctinmeronn, who took
exception to certain clauses affecting Chancery officials.
The house adjourned at 25 minutes to 8 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TCEBDAY, JuNs 5.
The SPEAKER took the chair about ten minutes before
4 o'clock.

PRIVATE BIJSINIM

The Hemel Hempsted and London and North-Western
Railway Bill, and the South Staffordshire Railway Bill,
were read a third time and passed.
Mr. 11. CARTER took the waths and his seat on his re-
election for Winchester.
THE BALLOT.

Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that he should move a
resolution upon the subject of the ballot either at the end
of this month or the commencement of the next. (Hear,
and a laugh.)

FORGED COMMUNICATIONS TO NEWSPAPERS,
Mr. 1). GRIFFITH asked the Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs whether he had obtained any clue to
the person who lately forged a communication from him-
self to the Afornino Post ; and whether the person who
some time back forged a letter from the private secretary
of Lord Clarendon to the Times had been discovered and
punished.
Mr. LAYARD replied that there was remain to believe
that these foolish and mischievous forgeries had proceeded
from the same hand. At present he could not inform the
ton. gentleman who was the guilty party, but inquiries
were being made which he trusted would lead to his dis-
covery.