Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-23 00:00:00

THE DAY'S NEWS

In the House of Lords last night, in answer to
a question by Lord Ravensworth, Lord Panmure
stated that it was not the intention of sending out
to China the large gun manufactured at Liverpool
for service in the Crimea, as the expense would be
enormous. Six guns manufactured in the United
States had been made at his request, and
imported into this country. The Lord
Chancellor drew attention to the third
report of the Statute Law Commission,
and made seme explanations thereon. It was
hoped that the whole of the statutes might be re-
duced to 40 or 50 volumes, and he thought it would
be of great advantage to the profession and the
public if they could be reduced to eight or ten.
The Ministers' Money (Ireland) Bill passed
through committee after some energetic opposition,
and Lord Clancarthy gave notice that on the mo-
tion for the second reading of the Bill he should
move that it be read a second day that day six
months.
In the House of Commons Colonel French com-
plained of the exclusion of members of the House
from the committee appointed to sift the Rochdale
Election Petition Bribery case, partly heard at the
bar of the House on Friday. The Speaker said
that the committee had no right or authority to
exclude other members of the House not on the
committee from their deliberations. On the
motion of Mr. S. Fitzgerald, a clause was
inserted in the Oaths Bill; which effectually
prevent Jews from holding the offices of Lord
High Chancellor, Lord Keeper, or Lords Com-
missioners of the Great Seal of Great Britaiu or
Ireland, Lord Lieutenant, or Deputy, or other
Governor of Ireland, or any office in the
Ecclesiastical Courts in England or Ireland,
or Courts of Appeal. Lord Palmerston had
not intended to insert such a clause, but
if it would facilitate the passing of the
measure he would not object to its inser-
tion Ultimately, this was agreed to, and
the bill, as amended, was agreed to. The house
then went into committee of supply, and a large
number of votes were agreed to, including £102,361
for the new Houses of Parliament, and £87,957 for
salaries and expenses connected with the same
establishment; £46,146 for Board of Trade
salaries; £217,420 for Poor-Law Board; £6,064 for
officers in Scotland ; and £6,431 for the establish-
ment of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

The local news this morning is of a very meagre
description. At the police court yesterday, ono or
two stabbing cases again came before the magis
trates, but in each case a discharge took place.
The steamer Niagara, of the American Navy,
arrived here yesterday, for the purpose of em-
barking a portion of the Atlantic Telegraph cable,
manufactured at Birkenhead.

Of domestic news, this morning, there is a
variety, but it is not of much importance.
Mary White, housekeeper to Mr. and Mrs
Small, of Chiliingford Hatch, Essex, was, on
Sunday, brutally murdered, during their absence
at church. The deceased was an aged woman,
and was left alone in charge of the house. The
murder was discovered by her neice who arrived
b e t ween eleven and twelve o'clock.

In the case of the Royal British Bulk we learn
that Cameron's son has been arrested. 01 t
Cameron was taken at Lausanne, having made his
escape from Paris on Sunday week last. Mr.
Simpson, Field's assistant, will bring him to Eng-
land to-day, if all goes well. The Camerons are
in the custody of the French police on the infor-
mation received from Field, and are to be sent to
England, as before stated. Esdaile, up to the
present time, has eluded pursuit. Alderman
Kennedy has just arrived in London, via Rotter-
dam, in custody of Inspector Field, who appre-
hended him as before stated.

Prince Albert inaugurated the new Educational
Conference, yesterday afternoon, at Willis's Rooms,
London. The proceedings, which excited great
interest, were attended by deputations from all
parts of the country.
The committees for the Mayo County, Cambridge,
and Rochdale election petitions were struck
yesterday by the General Committee of Selection
The committees will sit on Thursday. Strangers
were yesterday admitted to the room of the com-
mittee appointed on Friday night to inquire into
the alleged offer of £5O to a witness in the Roch-
dale petition. Yesterday morning were published
copies of correspondence with Sir John Bowring,

on the subject of his application for a vote from
parliament to defray the expenses of measures
of precaution and defence at Hong Kong, re-
quired by the state of affairs in China. It
appears that two despatches, respectively dated
28th January, 1857, and 12th March, 1857, were
addressed by Sir John Bowring to the Rt. Hon.
H. Labouchere, requesting two separate grants of
X 1.0,000 for the above purposes. In reply, Mr.
Labouchere states that the government will ask
parliament for a vote of credit for £lO,OOO for
Hong Kong, but that the second application cannot
be complied with without a more satisfactory ex-
planation of the precise objects towards which the
aid is to be applied.
A return ‘‘ of all Marriages which heve taken
place under the provisions of the Act 6 and 7 Will
IV., c. 85, sec. 21, since the passing of the said act
up to the 31st December, 1855," was issued yester-
day. The numbers specified during the last six
years included in the return are as follows :—For the
year ending 31st December, 1850, 6,207 ; 1851,
6,813; 1852. 7,100; 1853, 7,508; 1854, 7,593; 1855,
7,441.

Some most valuable papers relating to the his-
tory and practice of vaccination have been issued
by the General Board of Health in the form
of a blue book. It contains a large col-
lection of evidence upon the effects of vac-
cination, a variety of statistics from many
countries, with the (pinion of several learned
bodies abroad, in reference to this interesting
subject.
Two very singular letters, extracted from a
London cotemporary of yesterday, will be found
elsewhere. They allude to the alleged forcible
opening of letters by Sir James Graham, while
that gentleman was Postmaster-General.
Our Continental news is interesting. The
French Elections commenced on Sunday, and the
ballot boxes would be closed at four o'clock yester-
day evening. The result will be made known on
Thursday. The working classes had taken out a
far larger portion of voting tickets than usual. It
is said that the Pope had eipressed a wish that the
clergy should vote for the Government candidates.
The g,,veremeat papers assert that the rash to the
poll throughout the capital has been admirable ;
that three-quarters of the inscribed electors have
already deposited their vote 3 This is a manifest
exaggeration, and it can hardly be anticipated that
three-quarters of the inscribed voters will take part
in the proceedings. The Moniteur describes an
interview which has taken place between the Em-
peror and a deputation from the solicitors of
France, who have been menaced with a reduction
of their fees. Unhappily for the public, these
gentlemen may now sleep in peace, for the -Emperor
assured them that no such measure should be
adopted.
The Neufchatel question is now nearly at an
end. The government of that canton has published
a notice that sixty-six persons implicated in the
affair of September are permitted to return home
and take part in public affairs.
In the Turin Chamber of Deputies, on the 17th
instant, the subject of discussion was the military
force of Sardinia. Count Revel complained that
the army was too large. M. Pallivicina said that
every good Italian must desire the war of indepen-
dence. The antipathies between Piedmont and
Austria was on the increase, and diplomatic notes
might be suspended. Would Piedmont then rely
on France ? No !—the only thing to be done was
to have a powerful army ready. Well done,
Piedmont !

The Austrian Lloyds' Company is about to
establish a steam-packet service between Trieste
and Marseilles, calling at intermediate ports.
A telegraphic despatch from Berlin announces
that the Thorn steamer, belonging to the Vistula
Navigation Company, blew up on the l Tth near
Wiszogrod. All the persons on board were either
killed or wounded.

Le Nord announces that the Porte had sent the
Belgian Minister his passports ; but the objection
of the Turkish government is personal, and the
Secretary of the Belgian Legation would romain.
The Sultan left Constantinople previous to the
6th inst., for Ismed, in a steamer, accompanied by
three of his ministers

Letters from Rome describe the very bad feeling
existing between the French soldiers and the Papal
troops, which has betrayed itself in numerous and
serious street fights. On a recent occasion five
Frenchmen were wounded, and as many of their
antagonists. At Civita Vecchia similar distur-
bances have taken place.

THE House of Commons presented not only a
singular, but most exciting, scene on Friday
night. It exhibited a deplorable picture of the
purity of election, and of the arts and subter-
fuges which are resorted to, in order to evade
the election laws now in force. General
THOMPSON. the member for Rochdale, presented
a petition from Mr. JOHN NEWALL, parliamentary
agent for the petitioners, against the return of
Sir ALEXANDER RAMSAY. the present colleague of
General THOMPSON. The purport of Mr.
NEWALL'S petition was a complaint that efforts
were being made by a person named PETER
JOHNSTON, to get an important witness,
ABRAHAM R )THWELL, out of the way, by
offering to pay him 501. to go to New Orleans.
On the petition being presented, hon. members
manifested a singular alacrity to act upon the
matter. We do not blame them for this. because
it was their duty so to do, but would simply
remark, that we should be pleased if every other
petition presented met with the same attention
and determination, with the view of determining
the validity of their prayers, and acting there-
upon. Seldom, indeed, do we hear of a person
being called to the bar of the House, and
subjected to the scouting inquiries not only of
the Speaker, but every one of the other 654
members who chooses to make an inquiry of
the unfortunate individual, who happens to be
escorted into the Speaker's presence, with all
the pompous ceremonies set apart for such an
occasion. The mace—that symb-)1 of popular
power—was carried by the Sergeant-at-Arms,
and with this official trophy he brought forward
the witness to the bar of the House, and then
immediately began the scene to which we have
referred. At present we shall not attach
implicit reliance on all that has been said by
the celebrated JOHN LORD, because the other
side, that is, PETER JOHNSTON, has to be heard,
and the Select Committtee appointed to investi-
gate the matter have to make their report
thereon ; nevertheless, there is sufficient in the
case showing, as it does, the mode in which not
only election contests, but election petitions, are
managed.

On reading the proceedings connected with
this unusual affair, and the bribery and corrup-
tion which is alleged to have taken place at the
last Rochdale Election, and that too for the
purpose of unseating a gentleman, Mr. MIALL,
who has been acknowledged to be a most useful
member, and one whose vote was always on
behalf of the people and their cause, we cannot
help deploring the fact that, there should be any