The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-28 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIA MENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—Mo !4 nA , MAY 27.

IN the House of LOalm, yesterday, the Earl of
Lsnev, in reply to the Earl of Clarendon, stated
that, looking to the general p,:l;ii reeling on the
subject, the government had advised •.er Majesty
to exercise her prerogative of mercy on the Fenian
convict Burke, and his life would lie spared. At
the same time, he remarked, there were 110 palliat-
ing circumstances in the case. It was not the case
of a civil war, in which great principles were in-
volved, in which the passions and feelings of great
bodies of men were excited, and in which, there-
fore, both pArties were obliged to look with great
tenderness upon each other's faults or crimes. On
the contrary, it was a cue of violation by the con-
vict of the hospitality which he enjoyed in a
friendly country, where he was an organiser of a
conspiracy the criminality of which was only
equalled by its folly. For these reasons they were
of opinion on Wednesday that no circumstances
could justify them in preventing the law from
taking its course. But he was happy to say that
between Wednesday and Saturday they had re-
ceived such intimation that it was the universal feel-
ing of the country that the exercise of the royal
prerogative of mercy should not be withheld, that
they came to the conclusion that it was not neces-
sary for them to adhere to the conclusion at which
they had arrived with so much pain. Subse-
quently they received a letter from the Lord Lieu-
tenant of Ireland, saying that there was a strong
feeling in Ireland that mercy should be extended
to the criminal.

Alter a few words from the Earl of Iselin:KlN
the subject dropped.
The Loxn CHANCELLOR moved the third reading
of the ()nice of Judge in the Admiralty, Divorce,
and Probate Courts Bill. _ _ .

Lord eItANIVOILTH moved the rejection of the
bill. He admitted that it was necessary to make
arrangements for the better transaction of business
on the circuit, but he did not think this was the
bent way of attaining that object.
On a division the third reading was carried by
86 to 40. _ _

The Earl of Deasy moved the second reading of
the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Act Con-
tinuance Bill.
Earl RUSSELL said he bad no doubt that it was
necessary to continue the suspension of the Habeas
Corpus Act in Ireland, considering the extensive
character of the late conspiracy. He was glad to
hear that the government had advised that the life
of the convict Burke should be spared, but he
thought that the people of Ireland would never
become sincerely attached to this country until
many of the grievances of which they complained
were removed • and as a step in this direction, he
said he intended after the holidays to call atten-
tion to the question of the Irish Church establish-
ment.

After some observations from the Earl of Kim-
berley, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl of
Bandon, Earl Granville' and the Marquis of Bath,
The Earl of Deasy asked, if the Irish Church
was the grievance Earl Russell said it was, how it
was that during the last eighteen years out of the
twenty his lordship had been in office he had
taken no step to legislate on the subject.
The bill was then read a second time.

Several other bills were forwarded a stage, and
the house adjourned at a quarter before 8 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MoNnzr, MAT 27.
Ix the House of Commons, yesterday, Lord
*FAWLEY stated that her Majesty's representative
at the court of Brazil had made a careful examina-
tion of the pecuniary claims of British subjects,
and the Brazilian government had intimated that
there were counter claims on the government of
Great Britain which were of much larger amount,
and he apprehended there would be great difficulty
in getting the British claims acknowledged, unless
her Majesty's government were prepared to con-
sider those counter claims.

Lord R. MONTAGU stated, in reply to a question
from Mr. Cheethain, that the Privy Council had
come to the conclusion that it would not be wise at
present to remove any of the obstructions on the
removal or sale of cattle.

The CHANCELLOR of the EX,HEQUER, in reply to
a question from The O'Donoghne, as to whether
the royal clemency will be extended to the Fenian
convict Burke, now under sentence of death, stated
that the capital punishment will be remitted.

The Cusirmixou of the EXCHRQUER moved the
suspension of the standing orders of 1854 with re-
spect to morning sittings, and that until the house
shall otherwise order the house meet on Tuesdays
and Fridays during the present session at 2 o'clock,
and that the sitting be suspended at 7 until 9.
Mr. B. COCHRANE in%uired what arrangement
would be made for the discussion of the notices of
motion given by private members on those days.
The CHANCILLOR of the KtCHLQUER replied that
the arrangement would remain as at present, ex-
cept that the business would begin at 9 o'clock in-
stead of 6.

Mr. Boy vaaig moved, as an amendment, that
the arrangement should continue only until the end
of June.

This was acceded to by the CHANCELLOR of the
Exult EQU za;and the motion, with that amendment,
was adopted.
The house then went into committee on the Re-
presentation of the People Bill. Before any ques-
tion was put,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended
himself from the charge of breach of faith which
had been brought against him by certain parties,
who had alleged that the clauses which he had
brought up to carry out Mr. Hodgkinson's amend-
ment (for putting an end to the question as to
whether the compounder should have the franchise
by practically putting an end to compounding)
were intended to deceive, and, in fact, continued
the compounding system. He said that he had
scrupulously endeavoured to fulfil his engagement.
Mr. Hodgkinson's amendment enacted that " ex-
cept as hereinafter provided " no person shall be
rated in boroughs other than the occupier. Mr.
Ayrton asked what those words " hereinafter
provided " meant, and Mr. Hodgkinson replied
that other legislation would be necessary in re-
ference to compounding. Mr. Childers had an
amendment on the paper to allow a voluntary
system of compounding, and Mr. Gladstone said
that amendment was an improvement on the other.
He thought therefore that the clauses as they were
drawn did carry out the understanding, and that
he.was not amenable to the charge of breach of
faith which had been brought against him by the
lion, member for Westminster. Then, referring to
the county franchise, he said the government
wished to establish it on a broad and popular basis,
but that it should be a county franchise, and should
not lose its distinctive character. On this prin-
ciple the government could not accept Mr. King-
lake's amendment (repealing the enactments that
no person shall vote for a county in respect of a
house which would give a vote for a borough), but
they were disposed to accept the amendment of Sir
Edward Daring, reducing the county franchise from
151. to 121.

Mr. J. S, Mitt, said if a charge of deceiving the
house had been made against the Chancellor of the
Exchequer he had acquitted himself. The shot
with which he had transfixed them was taken from
their own quiver.
Mr. CHILDERS said he placed his amendment on
the paper with a view of assisting Mr. Hodgkinson
to carry his, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
in accepting the amendment, said it was merely
carrying out the original intention of the govern-
ment. The clauses to be brought up differed ma-
terially from the amendment he intended to have
proposed, and in fact enabled compounding to be
carried out in all parishes.
. . .

Mr. MODOKINSON said this was not the time for
the discussion of the clauses, but when that time
arrived he should show that they were inconsistent
with his amendment. He did not approve of Mr.
Childers's amendment.
Mr. GLAD/IRON/1 said he did not think the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer could be charged with
breach of faith. He hoped the right hon. gentle-
man would consent to a complete severance