The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-12 00:00:00

be to move both houses to address the Crown to remove
them. From that responsibility the government would not
shrink ; but until such facts were laid before them it was
their duty to abstain from pronouncing any such general
opinion as was asked for.
Sir H. CAIRNS pointed out the great injury dons to
the administration of justice by irregular conversations
of this kind founded on mere anonymous newspaper
paragraphs. On the general question he admitted that it
might be desirable to lay down a limit, say 75 years,
beyond which a judge should not be allowed to remain on
the bench, and he mentioned various cases to show that
there was no falling off in the mental powers of the two
judges-
After some remarks from Mr. MAGUIRE, who main-
tained the entire unfitness of Lord Chief Justice Lefroy,
Sir G. GREY deprecated irregular criticisms of this
character, and Mr. WHITESIDE made an elaborate defence
of Chief Justice Lefroy, challenging his detractors to take
the constitutional course of moving Parliament for his dis-
missaL
The debate grew hotter when Sir R. Peel—who rose to
defend Lord Justice Blackburne—charged Mr. M •
with retailing gossip " which he knew to be unfounded."
He was called to order by the Speaker, and it was only
under very severe pressure that be consented to withdraw
the expression. But for Sir G. Bowyer, who told some
stories of octogenarian judges, the remainder would have
been a mere wrangle between the Irish lawyers, the
Solicitor-General for Ireland warmly attacking Mr. White-
side, and Mr. George and Mr. S. B. Miller replied.
The recent appointment of a committee on the Hythe
musketry system, with General Hay as a member, was
severely criticised by Sir C. Russell, Colonel L. Lindsay,
and Major Dickson, but defended by the Marquis of
Harlington, who explained that the duty of the com-
mittee was simply to collate and report to the War-office
the opinions contained in the reports of the various mus-
ketry instructors. General Hay was not, therefore, mem-
ber of a body appointed to sit in judgment upon the aye.
tem of which he was the originator ; and the committee,
whose duties would be altogether different from those of
a royal commission, would have been a very imperfect one
had he been omitted from it.
The house having gone into committee of supply, pro.
oeeded with the consideration of the civil service estimates
On the vote of 30,156/. to complete the sum of 41,1551. to
defray the expenses for nonconforming, seceding, and pro-
testant dissenting ministers in Ireland, popularly known
as the " Regium DROLLER," Mr. HADFIELD moved to reduce
the amount to 3661., that being the sum paid since 1804,
for the widows and orphan,' of ministers of synod of
Ulster. The ptoposal underwent the usual discussion, in
which the old familiar arguments for and against the
grant were once more used up; and upon a division Mr.
Hadfield was defeated by 130 to 24. The vote was there-
upon 'geed to, as were also the remainder of the items in
Clan 6, "superannuation, and retired allowances and gra-
tuities for charitable and other purposes," and those in
Class 7, for " miscellaneous, special, and temporary ob-
jects."
THE COMMERCIAL CRISIS.
Mr. BAZLEY—I wish to ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer whether he has consented to recommend any
peculiar facilities to be extended to the Bank of England
under the present monetary panic, and what may be the
nature of the indulgence he has arranged to meet the
wants of the mercantile public. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I stated at
the commencement of the evening that representations had
been made to me from quarters of great influence and
credit with regard to the extraordinary state of alarm and
distress prevailing in the City to-day. I stated that those
representations had conic to me from gentlemen represent-
ing the private banks of London in particular, and that I
had reason to expect that I should receive similar
representations from the joint stock banks. Shortly
afterwards I did receive a deputation of gentlemen con-
nected with the joint stock banks, and the representations
that I received from them were more earned and urgent
than I anticipated. I stated also at the time I had the
honour of addressing the house, that the effects of the day's
proceedings in the City had not become known to us
through the Bank of England. Since that time they have
become known, and we find that the Bank, with a just
desire to maintain the commerce of the country, and to
avert disaster, has extended its laws and discounts to-day
to a sum somewhat exceeding [four millions, and the
effect of that large accommodation was to reduce
the reserve of the Bank bya very large sum, indeed not very
short of three millions of money. Under these circum-
stances her Majesty's government have felt that the actual
reserves of the Bank as far as is known, because the pre-
cise state of the reserves throughout the country is not
known, yet the London reserve is known, and the estimate
is sufficiently accurate for all practical purposes—under
these circumstances we find that the Bank reserve being
reduced in a day from about six millions to a sum not
exceeding three millions, that is a state of things, com-
bined with the uneasiness of the mind of the public in
regard to monetary matters, which calls for the interven-
tion of the government. (Hear, hear.) I had the oppor-
tunity this evening, with my colleagues, of considering the
state of the facts, and we have determined to address a
letter to the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank
of England, substantially corresponding with the letters to
those officers in 1847 and 1857 ; that is to say, that if the
, Bank, proceeding on its usuel pnident rules of administration,
should find occasion, in order to meet the wants of legiti-
mate commerce, to grant such advances and discounts as
to require an issue of notes from the issue department
beyond the limits allowed by law, we recommend that
they should not hesitate to make that issue ; and we
undertake, in the event of the arrival of the contingency,
to make immediate application to parliament to sanction
that proceeding. (Cheers.) It is unnecessary now to
enter into points of detail, but that is the substance of
the letter which will be in the hands of the Governor and
Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England to-morrow
morning, and which we earnestly hope will have the effect
of allaying the uneasiness that prevails, and the
more so that we do not believe that the sen-
timent of uneasiness has reference to anything
unsound in the general business of the country—
(hear, hear)—but refers to matters of a definite and
specific character. In that respect we are able to draw a
favourable distinction between the present crisis and those
of former times. One of the points of the present crisis is
the astonishing rapidity with which it has come upon us,
and which has reduced the opportunity of deliberation
given to the government within very narrow limits indeed.
Of course we have endeavoured to act according to
the best of our power ; and we trust and believe that
the course we have pursued will meet with the approba-
tion of parliament. (Cheers.)
FISHERY, PIERS AND HARBOURS (IRELAND)
BILL
This bill pasted through committee.
SUPPLY.
The report of supply was brought up and agreed to.
LUNACY ACTS (SCOTLAND) AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
LIFE INSURANCE (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
THE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE (IRELAND) BILL
This bill was read a third time and pawed.
The Solicitor to the Treasury Bill was read a second
time.

THE EXPREgg, SATURDAY

NOTINGHAM ELECTION.

The sheriff made an official announcement of the
poll yesterday morning in front of the Exchange. The
numbers were—Osborne, 2,518 ; Amberley, 2,491 i Jenkin- ,
son, 2,411 ; Cossham, 2,307 •, Faulkner, 3. Lady Amber's),
and other ladiee were on the hustings, and party colours ,
were again displayed. As the sheriff proclaimed the state
of the poD there was a good deal of cheering and uproar.
The numbers given to Mr. Dorsal Osborne were received
with great applause, and MIMI the hen. gentleman came.
forward to address the thousands who had assembled, he
was received with tremendous cheering and some groans.
Mr. OSBORNE, in the course of his address, saiethe
working men had a right to the franchise, and were as well
to be trusted as the middle classes. (Cheers.) The best
reform bill, however, was the bed " passable" hill, and be
should support the present bill in parliament—(clieen)—
and also the bill for the redistribution of seats.
Lord AsBERLEY was received with cheers and hisses. He
rejoiced so far in the result of the election, but he con-
fessed that he was sorry that they had not joined with him
a gentleman who would have been a zealous and earnest
supporter of the liberal cause. (Cheers and groans.)
He acknowledged the conservatives had obtained •
partial victory, yet it was a victory of a very doubt-
ful character. They had strained every nerve in this
election, and what had been the result of their exertions ?
They had succeeded in obtaining the return of a liberal.
He was very sorry he could not hear all the speech just
made by Mr. Osborne, but one thing be heard was, that
he was an independent liberal. That was his (Lord
Amberley's) own position. (Cheers.) He was also an
independent liberal, and although they had not stood
together in this contest, he believed they would both sup-
port liberal measures in parliament, and he hoped also
they should be able to work together in everything that
concerned the interests of Nottingham and the country
at large.
Sir G. JmlarNsoN said he did not like to leave Notting-
ham without stating that he was proud of the manner in
which the election fight had been conducted by the inde-
pendent men of the borough. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. HANDEL COBHAM( thought that the 2,307 votes
which he had received had fully justified him in coming
forward forNottingiuun. The fact that not one man had been
paid was an answer to the calumny that he came there to
disturb the liberal party, and although defeated he was not
disgraced. (Cheers.) He wished to pour oil on the troubled
waters, and hoped that all differences would be settled.
If be felt any regret at the issue of the contest, it was not
because he was not their member, but it was that, in his
prson, liberalism had been, to some extent, defeated.
(Cheers.)
Mr. FAULKNER also spoke amidst ironical cheers, and a
vote of thanks to the sheriff concluded the proceedings.