The Express.
London, England, 1860-07-10 00:00:00

THE CENSUS AND THE PAPER DUTY.

Sir ifltilaiiiilf7esildnot help tiiniiniihat the
answer of the noble lord respecting the Census BM was not
respectful to his party. He took that opportunity sieving
notice that, on the first ,xossion of the motion for going into
a committee of supply or ways and means he would move
an amendment to the effect that the house ihould not go
into such committee until the question of the paper duty
should have been settled.

Mr. BAINES asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department whether, considering the advanced period of
the session, sad the great interest taken in the CORMS Bill
for England, he would fix annearly day for going into com-
mittee on that measure. "'

Mr. W. MARTIN sted the Secretary of State for the
Home Department what course he intended to. pursue re-
uppeting the Corrupt Practices Bill and Ecclesiastical Com-
mission Bill _ _

Sir G. C. LEins said that the Census Bill was already
fixed for an early day—viz., Wednesday, and he was in-
formed that the two orders which presseled it were aot
likely to occupy much time, so that there was every two-
bability of its earning on at an hour which would afford an
oppotitonafdor ample discussion. If the Census Bill wee
not with on that day he would fix another day
at wheat period the business of the house would admit
of. In reply to the question of the other hoe. member
(Mr. W. Martin), he had to state that he new no chance of
passing the bills he bad mentioned in the present sessioe.
Mr. B. OSBORNE observed that the right hon. baronet
had said that the two bills which preceded the Census Bill
on the orders of the day for Wednesday were not
likelto occupy much time. Now, the first bill was
the Public Charities Bill, and the second the Education
Bill ; and if the right hon. bert. thought that after the
discussion of such important measures there would be
ample time left for the consideration of the Census Bill at
the same sitting, he must have excessive powers of credi-
bility. The government, by their conduct on this question
of the MUMS, had caused much dissatisfaction amongst the
dissenters, who would otherwise have been their best sup-
porters, and the least that could be expected was that the
government should give • straightforward answer to a direct
question ; bat neither the reply of the noble lord nor that
of the right ham genoolllllll the Secretary of State was one
they could be eroded with. Did the right hon. gentlemen
intend to drop
ibis obnoxious form which he had put into
the Census BM? If so, no opposition would be given to
the bill, but if he Wended to go an with that form, let
him state his intentions at once. It would be convenient to
know whether the hill was to be taken on Wednesday, in
ease elf ha not beteg possible to bring it on beforeone o'clock.
Mr. W. EWAET also desired some information from the
goverment as to the course they would adopt on this im-
portant matter.
Mr. COLLINS asked the hon. gentleman the member
for Poole whether be intended to persevere with the second
reading of the Ecclesiastical Vestments Bill.
DANBY SEYMOUR replied that he did not mean to
go on with that bill until he had ascertained what were the
intentions of the government on that question, to which
he would call the attention of the house.
Mr. HADFIELD urged that an explicit reply should be
given to the Inquiries made about the Census Bill, on which
subject it was said • bargain had been made between the
noble lord and the leaders en the other side of the home.
Lord ENFIELD would out ask the government now whe-
ther they meant to adhere to that clause of the Census Bill
which bad excited so much discontent and apprehennou in
the country, but whether, us there were two orders of the
day before it on Wednesday, they would not postpone it to
some other day.
Sir G. C. LEWIS would state again the position in which
the bill stood. There was a rule of the house which pre-
vented any order being changed for a day earlier than that
which was originally fixed ; and it was therefore impos-
sible for the government now to place the Census
Bill earlier than the day for which it now stood.
It was also unusual to anticipate a debate by
making • statement to the house of the course
which the government proposed to pursue on any measure.
lie was informed that one of the orders which stood for
Wednesday was not likely to occupy any considerable time,
and the other not so much as to prevent the Census Bill
from coming on. But if this should torn out contrary to
his expectations, he would attempt to state on Wednesday
the course which the government would pursue.
The resolution for the adjournment was then negatived.