The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAY.)
The Seaman took the chair at a quarter past 12 o'clock.
Mr. WHALLEY presented a number of petitions against
the Transubstantion, &c., Declaration Bill.
Mr. HADFIELD presented a petition from the Sheffield
Banking Company in favour of the Sale and Purchase of
Shares Bill.

Several other petitions were presented in favour of the
same bill, and one or two against.
TRANSUBSTANTIATION, Ac., DECLARATION

BILL.

Sir C. MOGHLEN, in moving the second reading of this
bill, said the object of the bill was to get rid of • very
offensive declaration, which dated from the reign of
Charles the Second, and which stigmatised some
of the most sacred ceremonies of the Roman catholio
church as superstitious and idolatrous. In 1859
the necessity for making the declaration was abolished
so far as regarded Roman catholic, but it was still required
to be taken by the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Chan-
cellor of Ireland, and in fact by every person who took an
office under the crown who was not • Roman catholic.
Mr. NEWDEGATS said he should not oppose the
second reading of the bill, but he had given notice of
an amendment in committee which was in effect to retain
the substance of the declaration, but that it should be made
in new terms. It appeared to him that Roman macho
gentlemen had become more sensitive than their fore.
fathers, and he therefore proposed that the declaration
should be in terms which would not be offensive.
The bill was then read a second time.
OFFICES AND OATHS BILL.

Sir C. O'LOGHLEN, in moving the second reading of
this bill, said the object of the bill was to open certain
offices to Roman catholic*. By the Roman Catholic
Emancipation Act the Roman catholies were excluded
from five offices, namely, Regent of the the
Lord Chancellor of England, the Lord Chancellor
of Ireland, the Lord Limitenant of Ireland, and
the representative of her Majesty who presided over
the Presbyterian Assembly at Edinburgh. With regard
to the first of these offices he did not ask the house to
interfere, nor with the office of president of the Presby
ri
tean Assembly at Edinburgh, but he proposed that the
other offices should be open to Roman catholic!.
There was no reason whatever why the Lord
Chancellorship of Ireland should not be open
to Homan catholic. He had no ecclesiastical patronage,
except that with four others he could appoint to two
livings in Dublin. Nor was there any reason why • Roman
catholic should not be eligible to the office of Lord Lieut..
Dant. The bill contained a provision that if he were a Itornsa
catholic the ecclesiastical patronage should be vested is
any person the Queen might appoint, or in lack of sp
pointment in the Archbishop of Armagh. The bill also
contained a clause abolishing the provision in the ea-
tholic Emancipation Act that the Homan catholic'
who held the office of Lord Mayor or any other
office should not attend any place of worship
but the established church in their robes of office. The
remaining portion of the bill related to oaths. Ey a bill of
last session a new oath was substituted for the former
oath required of Homan catholic*, and in this bill them
was a provision that that substituted oath should be taken
by all persons who held offices under the crown.
Mr. SCHREIBER opposed the bill. He said when the
catholic emancipation passed Sir Robert Peel " handicappt
the catholic., and be could not have carried it without, and
the catholic* ought to be satisfied with their position, and
to remember that in countries where they did the hindi.
capping they were not so particular about the weights. It
was no light thing to disturb • solemn parliamentary
settlement.

Mr. KER also opposed the measure, which be spoke of
as introducing the email edge of the wedge.
Mr. BAGM ELL asked it anybody considered that the
protestant religion or the protestant establishment in Ire-
land were strengthened by them restrictions.
Mr. ROEBUCK said he had always considered that an
the subjects of her Majesty should be equal before the
law. He ridiculed the idea that the maintenance of those
oaths did anything to support the protestant religion ce
the act of settlement.

Hr. iliiviliiiiiiE moved that the bill be real a second
time that day six months.
[Left speaking.]

LIST OP BOROUGHS RETURNING TWO MEM.
HERS, WITH A POPULATION OF LESS THAN
SEVEN THOUSAND.

1. Andover
2. Bodmin
3. Cirencester
4. Devises
5. Dorchester 6,B•Zi ...... Divided.
6. Evesham
7. Harwich
8. Hertford
9. Honiton
10. Huntingdon ... 6,234
11. Knaresburough 5,402
12. Leominster
13. Lichfield
14. Ludlow
15. Lymington
16. Maldon
17. Marlborough
18. Marlow
19. Richmond
20. Ripon .
21. Tewkesbury ... 5,876
rz. Thetford
23. Wells
Divided
Returning Conservatives
Returning Liberals 3

REUTER'S TELEGRAM COMPAR Y.—(11113 DAY.)
This day the ordinary general meeting of share-
holders was held at the London Tavern, Col. HOLLAND is
the chair.

The report, which has already been published, having
been taken aa read,
The CHAIRMAN, In moving its ad aid said the report
spoke for itself, and showed what the rem position of the
company was. The reserve fund of 2,0001. was merged in
the general account as an act of justice to the original
ihareholilers, but a much larger reserve fund would be
formed in future years. The war in Germany was the sole
cause why they had not reaped all the advantages
from the oonmWon of the late King of Hanover to Nr.
Reuter, whose activity he could not too highly praise. It
was hoped that the line would be in full working order by
the end of next month, and from the arrangements made
with the Prussian government and the Electric Telegraph
Company, it was expected that the returns would
highly mitisfactory The directors might find it necessary
to make a call of St per share on the second issue at an
early period to enable the company to meet its com-
ments with the Hanoverian cable.

Sir J. HAY. M.P., seconded the adoption of the report,
including a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum,
which was adopted.
Colonel Holland was re-elected a director of the am.
Pan
Avote of thanks to Mr. Renter, moved by the CRATE.
MAN and seconded by Sir J. HAY, wee passed unanimously.
The auditors were re-elected, and with o vote of thanb
to the directors, the proceedingsvere brought to an end.

THE DESIGNS FM Ms NZ./ LAW COURTS—.
The exhibition of the designs for the New Courts it
Justice will, after this present month and until further
notice, be open to the public on Thursdays only, sod is
members of both houses of parliament and other wedsf
visitors on Saturdays only ; the remaining days being to*
quired for the work of the commission.
At the meeting of the Paris Exhibition Commis-
sioners on Saturday, it is said that the proposed esikusee
of the " executive " at Paris were very consider..bly car•
tailed.

The Cruardian of this morning states that Dr.
Cumming, whose name was put up at the Atbenaqun Club
on Monday evening, was blackballed by a large majority.

A bird, very rare as far south as the Danube
the Bombycilla garrets— Seidenschwaws --Waxwing-1M
visited Vienna in large flights, during the whiter, Kohl*
driven from more northerly regions by the unusually hay,
falls of snow. This beautiful creature is considered a bird
of ill-omen by the country people, who call it " pest," at
" todten-vogel "—plague or death bird, anal believe its V'
pea:once to forebode pestilence and famine and war.
THE MANCHESTER CONSERVATIVEs.—A TOT
noisy meeting, under the auspices of the constitutional
Association, was held last night in the Corn litchange,
Manchester. The object was to pass a vote of confidence
in the government ; and resolutions to this puiport were
carried, the chairman declaring it unnecessary to put than
in the negative. A few hundred opponents to the asso-
ciation were present, and many others. supposed to enter-
tain the same opinions, were ejected by policemen, OP the
charge of having obtained admission with forged tickets.
A counter demonstration was held outside.
THE FIRST ACT OF THE SESSION.—YCStCNISY the
first act of the session received the royal assent, and was
despatched to Ireland. It is to continue till the Ist June
next the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland.
MADAME TCSSACD.B.—A newly-executed portrait
model of the Queen, life-sise, has been just added to the
exhibition in Baker-street.
The annual festival in aid of the funds of
University College Hospital is to take place on Wising,.
day. March 27, at Willis's Rooms, King-street, St, James's.
Sir Francis Henry Goldsmid, Bart., M.P., the treasurer
of the hospital, is to take the chair.
DISPENSARY FOE SKIN DISEASES, 56, GREAT
MARLBOROUGH-WISE; RSOINF-STRISET, W.—Twohundreu
and eighteen patients were relieved at this dispense*
during the week ending February 51.