The Express.
London, England, 1850-08-06 00:00:00

to take • calmer and more somprehensive view of
the one that the electors of the City of L-ulea
do, and is taking that algae sad Mee compthamia Aar
I arrive myself at resales musk more tameable to the ea-
lightened spirit of the commonalty sad to the temper aid
moderation of the legislate,* a this iimastre than wow
opinions that have bees expressed oat of this hew sail is
this house upon that subject. DAM, if Baglithasen pea
fuming the Jewish religion have little case of complaint of
the bigotry of the commoity in which they live, or the
want of Mention is the Writ of the age in which they
exist, hove • fair geareel with the conduct of the other
break el the tea whom conelset la this discussion
has bees arabieet to some criticism which, I think, upon a-
wl:Moe sad refiestioss, we seay deem not enly rash, but
usteal It k barely tares yearly* when, after • lector god
diesseelm is this holm is eiossequerce of the elation of en
Issileksaa protasis( the Jewish religion as member for the
of London, there wee passed, not by aa overwhelming,
bat. • numerous sad most re
us majority, a bill
removed the disability to prevent that gentleman
from taking his eat. Now, what was its reception that
year in the Route of Loris ? The bill received • so-
Imn and deliberate considerstime. It was not passed, it
was defeated by • highly respectable bat not an overwhelm.
log majority. Is there any one, on whatever si le of the
house hegira, who can qaestlon the full propriety of the House
of Lords under these circumstances ? A bid which suddenly
proposed
the
alterations, alterations which large num-
bers of the people of this misery might naturally
view with great heeitetion and perplezity; a bill of
that character, sad under these circumstance*, is
brought into the Rollie of Lords; it receives • full and
temperate discussion, and it is not
certainly carried, tut is thrown out
by • majority not startling in worst. Her
Majesty's government the next year proposed a measure
which, if not identical, was of • similar character. What
was its reception in the other branch of the !carders ? It
was discussed certainly I would say In • spirit of mitigated
hostility, it was relented by • majority less in number than
before. What was the conduct of the other branch of the
legislature to this point is the reception of the legislative
course of this house upon the subject ; what was there
which shall challenge the criticism or justify the
language which bar been so lavishly used in reprobation of
the constitutional coons of that house? New I admit that
after that event an incident canned of a very significant
character. The hon. member for the City of London ac.
emoted the Chiltern Hundreds. He appealed after that
verdict of the House of Lords to his omstitueets, and
he was returned after an ardeat contest lsy an over.
whohning and • triumphant majority. (Hear, h sr.)
Now I admit that this was an Incident, not one that might to
control, but which ought no doubt to influenee the opinion
of an suembly. It was an event not to be thrown out of the
calculation of wise and oolitic men, and if immediately after
such a circumstance the House of Lords had again pro-
nounced a decided *pinion upon this subject contrary to
these claims, I would admit that though you might not have
• legal, though yon would scarcely have a constitutional, yet
you might ground a politic objection to the coigne which
thus would be takes by the House of Lords. But allow me
to remind the house that the consequence of that step takes
by B iron Rothschild in thus appealing to his constituents
and obtaining is so mirked • mann tr a renewal
of their confidence has never yet as a daimon
been pot before the House of Lords. I am sure I
must say that 1 never bard with greater surprise, not us-
mingled with poin • gentleman so entitled to our respect as
the hon. and learned gentleman the member for Oxford, the
other day, in his able and welloassidered addrtse, n state
the can, that he conveyed to the cattail and to this house
OS impulsion that the second verdict of the House of Lords
sans SIONSVient is the second election for the City of
Loudest. When you attnert to make oar: • case evilest
the other branch of the legislature, by the fact of the asses-
ber for the City of London having been returned a second
time by • triumphant majority, if we were actuated by. a
spirit of justice and impartiality to that breach of the legis-
lature we should Dever omit the circumstance, that as far as
the machinery of the constitution is concerned, that incident
ham never been brought before the legislative could. ration
of the House of Lords. And therefore I say, t et this
natural impatience which is felt by the elector' of the City of
London has no foundation as agaicat the community, has no
foundation as against the House of Louis ; but if there be
any persons wh i ere responsible for the pillion in which
the cators for the City of London are placed, it is, and I
sty it with considerable , her Majesty's ministers
(Caen.) Toe cue which hes bees urged against the
House of Lorils, with reference to the election for London, is
not founded on fact, aid ell the odium that you can collect,
all the invidious circumstances and considerations le ith whicb
on cloud the debate as regards that assembly, may be palest.by without consideration, because they have no application
whatever to the case. I thought it my duty to make thew
observations upon the paints which the Rouse of Lords
occupies with reference to this queefos, because it I as struck
me throughout the discussion that the conluct of that breech
of the legislature his not been viewed in a 'pint of fairness
and justice. I could have said also on this subject, reenem
tiering the arguments of some gentlemen opposite OD.] a few
nights ego, that there appears to me no fallacy greater then
arguing the question as to the influence of the two
houses. An honourable gentleman told us the other
right, that the hereditary chamber were not all Solo-
mons, which I readily whew.; but if he can find me
an elective chamber, constituted all of Sol-mons, I sheeted
be much surprised. (Laughter.) That bon. gentleman
may rest assured that • morel and intellectual analysis of
the elements of either chamber would be very inconvenient,
and should not be eneoureged. Now, having ventured to make
these remarks, with the in luigence of the house I woul I
presume to state what will influence my cella* es to the vote
which I shell give upon the two resolutions before the house.
The first is • resolution of this house declaratory of the law,
not an extremely coca itutienal procenling—(hear, bear)—
one which I venture to observe nothing but extreme neve.
sity should drive us to. The other is a resolution which
pledges the p licy of this house us a subsequent occa-
sion, and in a subsequent genies, not. I would
presume to observe, • very politic proceeding, and
certainly a proceeding which should not be had recourse
to except limier circumstances of extreme necessity. Then I
ask myself whence have thaw circumstances of extreme ne-
cessity orison, why we are called on suddenly, at the end at
the session, to come to a resolution declaratory of tho law I
and to another pledging the policy of this house at a period
comparatively 'peaking very distant? I ask, are we not le
consider what may have been the causes of calling on
the House of Commons to take so unusual, and even
eo violent, • course 1 Woe:ever may be the opinions of
gentlemen in this hcuee upon that subject no one can say
that there his been the spirit of intolerance, of prejudice, I
will not lay bigotry, that prevented • minister proceeding
with that course which he thought was a just end politic
coarse to remove the diabilities of Englishmen professing
the Jewish religioo. It is not the temper of the community
that has been the great hindrance. Well then,
sir, we come to the conclusion which I think no
me can deny, that it is the conduct of the govern-
seent—(cheers)—that bat now brought the Howe of Com-
thene, in August, to this position,—that to extricate govern-
meat from the extreme difficulty anti embarrassment that
they find themselves so, we, the House of Commons, are to
Mks • moat uoo'ual, tot to say unconstitutional course, and
one which nothing bat the gravest circumstances could
vindicate and justify. Now for myself, speaking only for
myself on this question, I decline to hies this course. I
shall not vote in favour of these resolutions. I leave the law
as I find it, and If it be neeemsry to change the law I call on
the government, who have expressed on more then one occa-
sion en unequivocal opinion upon it, to act as becomes every
man et policy and remedy the grievences they have acknow-
ledged to exist. I want t > know what is the excuse of govern-
ment for not having the moment parliament met iutro-
duced • bill on this subject If it were desirable
in 1848 and 1849, it was much mere desirable in 18.50, after
the *word election for the City of London. If the first re-
turn of Baron Rothschild produced such an effectl the
ministry that they thought the time was rife for
surely the second election rendered that course MOM
imperative, and clearly one which ought not to he pissed
over. (Hear, hear.) I am told there wile • seamMittse
formed to inquire into the nature of the oaths to be toke:tiall
members of parliament; and that government,
they received the result of the labours of that committee,
were not is a position to press parliament upon this pasties.
Does the government mess to say that for three years they
have been aetit g with imperfect information, and that ups
a subject of such importance, of such a Nadia nature sad
interest, they rushed into the House of Commons without I
due research and counselled their friends to legislate on the
subject? Is that the appeal of the government? Sir, if I
thought that anything that I could say could accomplish an
object dear to my heart and convictions my vote would not
have bale a silent vote ; beta Inasmuch as I believe my opi-
nions upon the subject la question are not shared by a
Wee member on either aide of the house, I thought it was
both good sew and pod taste that after once unequivocally
expressing the pomade on which my vote was given I should
have takes refuge in silence, which at least could not offend
the opiates and prejudices of any gentleman on either side
of the house. These opinions, however, I maintain. They
an anthangesble if it were not presumptuous to speak
of hams opinions being unchangeable. If, indeed,
this were a pagan country, I could easily conceive
a way la which the claim of English Jews might
be politically and in a certain degree with a show of reason
opposed. But, sir, because It Is • Christian country, because
that you, like all other eountries, owe this Christianity to the
agency end Ithaca of the house of fusel, I cannot agree
that the course which Is pursued at present by the legislature
Is a just or a wise course. (Cheers.) And, sir, though I
have no wish at any time to dilate upon feelings which may
not be prevalent in this house, I shall never relinquish them;
and even now, shrinking from offindisg the feelings of any
one, I will express my hope that fall and complete justice
will speedily bottom to the descendants of a race which you
acknowledge to be sacred, and to the peofessoes of a religion
which yea admit to be divine. (Chem.)
Sir R. INGLIS said his opinion, too, like those of the
has. member hr Bakinghamthire, be might my if it were
solipsessithsens, were en this euWeiS mnshangable. To
admit Jove to • seat is that lowan wield he Se alter that
whith Mahone for a thews* pass the peculiar chino.
Mk* tithe people of Ragkad. Oar legislature had never
emankkl, eusept under the saaseisa of ehristianity.
Wall lbw alma in the house who wadi not admit that a
"Asa etas lesalted by Wag ealled not • anted= ? The
▪ iheeden, ware not parallel. This was no question
'eems different soots of Christians, but between Chris-
flans militias who were not so. The effect of sub a ma-
ma ifee t proposed next anion, would be to
rste admit ati
ffithearasill for a Christian church and psoP le
whe were netsambers of the Christian community. (Hear.)
Mr. ROEBUCK had no doubt that the question would
be speedily settled, bat he wee much dissetished with the
mode In which that settlement would be *Sated. The house
was no longer in a judiaial position, but a queslioa of the
honour and stability of a ministry was before it. The cha-
racter of the present goverament wee sever teeters &difficulty,
but always to Arial', except la the fairest weather. Lag