The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-14 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF LORDS,—Tursnav, Aviiesr 13.
Is the Rouse of Loans yesterday, the D
Regulation (Ireland) Act (1865) Amendment B'
the Factory Acts Extension Bil!, the Courts of
Law (Fees, &c.) Bill, the Admiralty court,
(Ireland) Bill, the Justices of the Peace Disqualifi-
cation Removal Bill, the Sewage Bill, the Railways
t) and the Turnpike Trusts Continua-
enb,lirc., Bill were respectively read a third time
and passed.
The Earl of Suarwastrar inquired whether, after
the abortive attempt. to prosecute Mr. Eyre, the
government would undertake his defence in case
of public prosecution.
The Duke of BOOM/WRAY sail the government
felt that if there was any foundation for the charges
against Mr. Eyre they should be tested by a trial
in the ordinary course of law. That was the deci-
sion which they had come to, and it would be
carried out in reference to any future proceedings
which might be taken. When all the proceedings
against Mr. Eyre were terminated it might pos-
sibly be the duty of the government to take into
consideration the conduct of that gentleman.
Several bills were forwarded a stage, and their
lordships adjourned shortly before 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TIIISDAY, Acorn. 13.
IN the Hones of COMMONS, at the morning
sitting, Lord STANLEY stated, in reply to Mr. B.
COCHRAN., that he has not received any informa-
tion as to the decision the Spanish Council of State
bas arrived at in the case of tho Tornado, but be
had reason to believe that a satisfactory settlement
would be arrived at in the course of a short time.

Mr. M. TORKENA inquired whether it was true
that the negotiations for a commercial treaty with
Austria had failed.

Lord STANLZY said the negotiations that were
now going on with the government of Austria were
not for the conclusion of a commercial treaty, for
a treaty was concluded in 1865, but they related to
the tariff of duties, and were still going on.

The house went into commiitee ou- the Faris
Regulation Bill, and on the question that the pre-
amble be postponed,
Mr. P. A. TAYLOR moved that the chairman
leave the chair. This bill meant that the people
of London should no longer hold public meetings,
for they rendered open air meetings impossible if
they prevented them being held in the only
localities where the people could assemble in great
numbers. He believed the government had been
taking the advice of Lord Riche. They could not
have a worse adviser. His lordship only. wanted
to have those meetings declared illegal in order
that he and the volunteers might put them down ;
but he warned the house that the first rifle bullet
that was fired to disperse a public meeting would
put an end to the volunteer force.
Lord Ei.cno denied that he was ready, by means
of the volunteer force, to put down public meetings.
Safer from that, he had always opposed the employ-
ment of volunteers for such a purpose. He believed
the better portion of the working class were not in '
favour of this bill. He complained that an at-
tempt had been made to coerce the house in this
matter, citing an observation alleged to have been
sized by Mr. Beam, and he called on the house, as
it had always been jealous of coercion, to support
the government in this matter.
Mr. Nsara strongly supported the bill.
Mr. WHALLZY protested against the shutting up
of the parks against meetings for the discussion
of religion and politics.
Mr. OTHAY objected to this measure on two
grounds—first, because it was an infringement of
the right of the people of the metropolis to hold
public meetings ; and secondly, because the bill
was singularly ill-timed.
Mr. HARDY denied that there was any right on
the part of the public to hold meetings in the
parks. He admitted that the meetings which had
taken place had been peaceable, but these meetings
were apt to degenerate into turbulence ; they did
so in the Sunday Trading Bill meetings and the
Garibaldi meetings. The house had itself given
these powers to the Metropolitan Board of Works
in respect to the Finsbury and Southwark parks.
If they did not pass this bill Hyde-park would be
a constant place of meeting for every kind of
grievance.
Mr. M'Lsamt suggested that twenty acres might
be set apart in Hyde-park for the purpose of public
meetings, and that this bill should be postponed
till next session.

Mr. M. TOBAIINS complained of the misquota-
tion made by Lord Elcho of an observation in
the nature of a threat alleged to have been made
by Mr. Beale' at a conference held by the council
of tho League with some half-dozen members within
the precincts of the house.
Lord Etowo apologised, but quoted other words
used by Mr. Belles at a meeting in the Hanover-
square Rooms, of which Mr. Torten was the
chairman.

Mr. TOREENEI explained that by these words Mr.
Beales meant that if there were any doubt as to the
feeling of the people, he would take measures by
which they would ascertain beyond doubt what
their feelings were. He strongly opposed the
bill.

Mr. J. S. Mitt said what the people wanted was
that there should be some space for great public
meetings, but they had no objection to the inter-
diction of public meetings in those places which
were not fit. Hyde-park was the only place acces-
sible to the inhabitants of London in which it was
possible to hold a large open air meeting.
Mr. Lasorctigaz disapproved of the bill,
believing that the majority of the people of London
were opposed to laying down anything like a rule
that there should be no more political demonstra-
tions in London.

Mr. Fawetrr pointed out that it was impossible
to pass this bill without throwing out other bills
cif great importance.
Mr. W. E. Fonsran should vote for the amend-
ment, but did not wish by that to give an opinion
that there was or was not a right to bold public
meetings in Hyde-park. He suggested that the
bill should be withdrawn, and the matter referred
to a select committee next session.

Mr. HuoHas said the great objection generally
felt to this bill was that it had not been well consi-
dered. The bill was aimed at the mechanics of
London, but these were the men who were the
hardest men in the world to drive and the easiest
to lead. Re strongly urged the government to
withdraw the bill.

The debate was continued by Sir J. Cigar and
Mr. CowaN, and the latter was addressing the
house when, it being ten minutes to seven o'clock,
further progress with the bill was postponed.
The Appropriation Bill passed through com-
mittee.

The Courts of Referees Bill passed through com-
mittee.

The sitting was suspended et seven o'clock.

The house re-assembled at 9 o'clock.
Mr. O'Bsiass called attention to the unsatisfac-
tory state of the law with reference to merchant
shipping, and moved that it is necessary that those
laws should be revised, consolidated, and amended.
Mr. Csys said two bills had been introduced
during the session on this subject, one the Admi-
ralty Court Jurisdiction Bill, which had been re-
luctantly withdrawn, and the other a bill which had
rerboth houses, which made provision for the
t:cri ventilation of clips, and laid down other re-
gulations of a sanitary character. With regard to
the future, the Board of Trade had drawn up a
careful memorandum on the question of tonnage.
Their attention had also been directed to the in-
spection of steam-tug boilers, and they had made
inquiries into various other important subjects,
with a view to legislation next session.
The motion was withdrawn.
Major Awsos called attention to the great want
of rifled guns for our fortifications at home and
abroad, and moved that the experiments that have
been made with cast-iron guns lined with coiled
wrought-iron justify the belief that these guns may
be thus made available for the purposes of modern
warfare, and that a great saving of money may be
thus effected.

lirLPAKINOTON said this matter resolved itself
into a question of expense. With regard to the
large guns, the old 68-pounders, the converted gun