The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

461 71

631

1091
85 41
102
411 1
1091 10 9
971 8

112 i 12
[3l 30}

HER MAJESTY,

`Business done

104 i

Her Majesty's Journey to Scotland,

The Prince and Princess of Wales.
The Prince and Princess of Wales took a carriage
drive yesterday afternoon.
His Royal Highness visited the Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz at St. James's Palace.

His Excellency the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergno
entertained a distinguished party at dinner yesterday, at
Albert.gate House. The circle comprised his Excellency
the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Earl and Countess of Shaftes-
bury and Lady Victoria Ashley, Viscount and Viscountess
Bury, Lord and Lady Dufferin, Lady Molesworth, the
Right Hon. Sir Robert and Lady Emily Peel, Mr. Alfred
and Miss de Rothschild, the Marquis and Marchioness de
Cadore, Viscount de Contades, Viscount de Courval, Count
de Montmarin, and Count de Virel.
The Duke and Duchess of Athole contemplate a
long residence in Canada, where the noble duke is doing
duty with his battalion of the Guards.
The Duke and Duchess of Richmond have issued
cards for a grand dinner on the 27th inst.
The Duke of Newcastle is better. His grace of
late has derived much benefit from tranquil nights, and
has regained much of his lost strength.
The Marquis of Ailesbury is recovering from his
recent indisposition, whioh prevented his lordship attending
at Court.
The Marquis and Marchioness Trivulzio have
arrived at the Clarendon Hotel from Milan.
The Countess Dowager of Glasgow and Miss
Catherine Sinclair have arrived at 18, Chesham-place, for
the season.

Viscount Palmerston is much better. There is
no doubt but that the noble lord will be able in a few days
to resume his duties at his official residence.
The Baron and Baroness Beck-Friis have arrived
at the Queen's Hotel, Upper Norwood.
We understand that the marriage of Lady Con-
stance Villiers, eldest daughter of the Earl and
Countess of Clarendon, and Captain the Hon. Frederick
Stanley, youngest son of the Earl and Countess of Derby,
will take place at the end of this or early in the ensuing
month. The precise day is not yet fixed.
The nuptials of the Hon. Lucy Lyttelton, second
daughter of Lord Lyttelton, and Maid of Honour to the
Queen, with Lord Frederick Cavendish, second son of the
Duke of Cavendish, will take place next month,

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

THE FOX CHASE.
With respect to the "new and original comedy"
produced at the St. James's Theatre last night, we
991
give the following opinions of some of our contem-
poraries:—

(From Me limes.)
We confine ourselves at present to the record of
the fact that Mr. Dion Bouoicault's new p jeoe, to
" Fox Chase," was brought out last
night with
success.

The actors all did their work very well, (From the _Daily News.)
and suc-
ceeded in quieting the hisses of the pit; but that
d such a piece should have been compiled, bought,
paid for, produced, and tolerated, speaks badly for
that love of dramatic art of which we hear so much
and see so little.

(Prom the drorning Post.)
The plot has been elaborated with many addi-
tional complications which,
notwithstanding their
marvellous incredibility, found such favour with
the audience that the malcontents were gradually
silenced, and nothing but applause was heard on
the fall of the curtain.

LYCEUM THEATRE.,_Tho extraordinary prepara-
tions being made at this establishment•to give ade-
quate effect to the new and extensive scenery with which
.i Hamlet " will be illustrated, under Mr. Fechter's super•
vision, have compelled the postponement of its production
for a week, and Saturday, May 21, is now announced to
be the evening when the curiosity of the public will be
gratified.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.--Mr. Edmund Fal-
coner, whose claims upon the patronage of the pub-
lic are universally admitted, and who, in conjunction with
The
"Henryper-
Mr. Chatterton, has conducted the national theatre in a
manner that has given the fullest satisfaction to all play-
goers,formances will ypnlaeyxto.f
high ability will take part, and other attractive entertain-
isstbsonfefitht
1V.," a miscellaneous concert, in whioh many artists of
ments.
announceesonhei
• ,

,
COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION.—At the 'usual
weekly meeting of the Executive Committee, held
on Tuesday last, a sample of good useful cotton grown on
urination. Clarence River,
A
letterN eww
party of emigrants
about to proceed to Queensland, with the intention of en-
tering upon the cultivation of cotton on a somewhat ex-
tended scale, and requesting to be supplied with informa-
tion, and a variety of seed suited to their purpose, which
were granted. Details were received of a plan for growing
cotton at Grenada, West Indies, where land suitable for its
cultivation can be obtained on easy terms, and where labour
is abundant and cheap. From the specimen produced of the
kind of cotton grown on the island, there can be no doubt
that well conducted efforts would be successful and rerun .
nerative. A letter was read stating that it is intended to
make experiments in cotton cultivation in the south of Spain
and requesting to be furnished with the necessary instruc-
tions, aad with such a variety of seeds as may be suitable
for that climate. A letter was received describing some of
the causes which have made the West Coast of Africa less
prolific as a source of cotton supply than was expected. The
increased production up to 1859, in which year 3,447 bales
were receive'], had excited sanguine hope that larger quan-
tities would eentinue to be received, but the imports have
since fallen off, and seem now to have entirely ceased. This
is attributable to the wars now raging:between neighbour-
ing tribes, which have been continuaetdlfobrbseeovkeurtaal, ytheaers,and
i n consequence of which trade with the interior has been
wholly obstructed. It is stated that thousands of bales of
useless
suffering with
muchoth e r Britishinjury property; are now lying
trans-
port of which is prevented not only by the interrupted com-
munication both by road and river between Abbeokuta
and the British colony of Lagos, but also by the stoppage
through the feuds of adjacent tribes, of the ancient road
from Ibadan to Ikorodu, and thence direct to Lagos. The
Rev. Samuel Crowther, now in this country, and others,
state that the Ibadans are anxious to trade direct with the
merchants of Lagos, and have a right of road to Ikorodu,
with which town the people of Lagos have also a similar
right of communication. It was resolved to present a me-
eplruedseendt
tlhocekedurepl
for the speedynsedw otherh
whichere;
ap
srio,
thphie
This
then
con-
cluded ua
ad-
journed-t
me-
morial to the Colonial .office, praying the Government to
take such steps as may be praoticable for the immediate
removal of the obstructions to trade which now exist, and
fora fortnight,
businesse aa at Abbeokuta release
bfo bf
theeto hk
aumt cottonae e andting e, al

urt 4":‘ll§Kag::44-stirtigar
Co *"-
0,14

The Marquis andTir May
yerlcOrn
arrived at the Castle yesterday, and had the hon-
IMNDasrcOhßion
our of dining with the Queen and royal family.
The Queen, Princess Helena, and Princess
CASTLE,eB
I
Louise went to London this morning, attended by
the Hon. Mrs. Bruce, Lord Alfred Paget, and
Colonel the Hon. A, Hlrdinge.
Soon efter the Queen's arrival at Buckingham
Palace Earl Russell had an audience of her MAjesty.
Prince Leopold went to Richmond Park, attended
by Mr. Buff.

The necessary railway arrangements have now
bc en concluded for her Majesty's trip to Scotland,
and the Queen and the royal family, attended by
the various members of the Court, will leave
Windsor Castle fur Balmoral tomorrow evening,
at a quarter to seven o'clock. The royal train,
consisting of London and North Western carriages,
will leave the Windsor station of the Great Western
Railway at 6.50 p.m,
and travel via the latter line,
passing Oxford at 8.12 p.m., and Leamington at
9.28, arriving at the Bush bury Junction of the Lon-
don and North Western Railway at 10.45 p.m.,
having performed a distance of 1279 miles. Whit-
more, 155 k miles,
will be reached at 11.40 p.m.;
Preston, 196 k miles, at 12.54 a.m. ; Carlisle, 308
miles (whence the train passes along the Caledonian
line), at 4.12 a.m.; and Perth,
4599 miles, on
Saturday morning, at 8.40 a.m. Here the royal
train will stop an hour, and resume the journey at
9.40, along the Scottish North Eastern Railway to
Aberdeen, 5491,- miles, which will be reached at 12.21
p.m. From the latter place the route lies over the
Deeside Railway to Aboyne, 582 miles from
Windsor, where her Majesty will arrive at 1.32
p.m. The rest of the journey to Balmoral will be
performed by road. The journey throughout from
Windsor to Balmoral, upwards of 600 miles, w;'
only occupy about 20 hours.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Yesterday,
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:—
Liverpool Improvement—Liverpool Sanitary—London and
North Western Railway (Traffic Arrangements)—Metro-
politan Railway (Additional Powers)—and Stockport and
Ashton Roads.
The Great Northern and Western (of Ireland) Railway
(No. 2) Bill was read a second time.
INCOME AND PROPERTY TAX.
Lord R. MONTAGU moved for a return showing the
annual value of all real property (including railways and
canals) rated under schedule A of the income and property
tax act for the year ending March 31, 1862, in all parlia-
mentary cities and boroughs in the United Kingdom, and
in all counties or parliamentary divisions of counties exclu-
sive of cities and boroughs; and also for a similar return fc.,r
the earliest year subsequent to the imposition of the income
tax in 1842 for which the return can be given,
The return was ordered.
BOROUGH FRANCHISE BILL.
Mr E. BAINES moved the second reading of this bill.
In doing so he asked the forbearance of the house, which
was considered to be an aristocratic assembly, while he
brought forward a measure which sought to confer a benefit
on the working classes, the great bulk of whom were totally
unrepresented in the house. His bill differed essentially
from that of the hon. member for Surrey, because that
measure only sought to extend the sphere of representation,
whilst his object was to extend the range of representation,
and so take in, not an excessive number, those who were
now practically excluded from the exercise of the elective
franchise—viz., the working classes. He argued that this
was a suitable time for introducing such a measure, inas-
much as it being a time of political quietness, it would be
better for the house to act at such a time than under a state
of great excitement. It had been said that the people were
careless on the subject of parliamentary reform ; but if that
were true, it was not morally impossible that they could
long continue in that state. The spirit of the age was in
favour of reform, representative institutions were spreading
all over the world, and he did not think it was wise on the
part of our legislators to resist that spirit of liberty at home,
which they so much condemned in others. The hon. gen-
tleman having quoted the opinions of a large number of
Conservative members, who had declared in favour of an ,
extension of a borough franchise, said he thought those
gentlemen ought to support his bill, which conferred a S 6
franchise on boroughs. The hon. member proceeded t•
refer to the rapid advances which had been made in
mechanics and general literary institutions during the last
few years as a proof of the necessity of an exten-
sion of the franchise. He would not Weary the
house by again going through those details. Re-
ferring to the great argument supplied in favour of an
extension of the franchise by the increased circulation of
the newspaper press, he remarked that in 1831 there was a
circulation of 38 millions, whereas in 1864 the total was
676 millions. All sorts of useful literary magazines had
also greatly increased, while the free-thinking publications
had decreased. Those results had been most satisfactory.
It had been argued that sweeping away the taxes of know-
ledge would bring on the country a flood of immoral litera-
ture, but the contrary had been the case; and, instead of a
flood of immorality, there had been a flood of useful
publications, while immoral publications had decreased.
So it would, he believed, be with an extension of
the franchise, and instead of evil results flowing from it, it
would be productive of the greatest possible advantage to
the working classes. The hon. gentleman read extracts
from a letter by Mr, Guest, a publisher, of Birmingham,
bearing on that point, and also from a letter by Mr. Alder-
man Heywood, of Manchester. Both those gentlemen
showed that every advantage conceded to the working
classes tended to their benefit, and that as a body
they entirely appreciated every privilege, political
or otherwise, which was extended to them. He
(Mr Baines) believed that the more Parliament trusted
the people, the more it would be proved they deserved to be
trusted. It had been said that if the franchise had been
extended the working classes would be dependent upon
their masters, but he believed there was no ground for such
an apprehension. A more independent set of men than the
working classes never existed, while a master who
should endeavour to coerce his workmen, would become
the scorn of his fellow-men. The bill would create
728,309 additional borough voters, and the result
was this, that whereas only one in five in boroughs was now
represented, under this measure one in three would have
the franchise. By the extension into counties only one in
five or six out of those who were unrepresented would be
added to the electoral body. He believed that if the pro-
posal he made were adopted, England would add to her
strength in war and her prosperity in peace, and that by it
the constitution would lengthen her cords and strengthen
her stakes. (Cheers.) He moved the second reading of the
bill.

Mr, CAVE, in moving as an amendment " the previous
question," said he had no hostility to the general principle
that working men should have some share in
the representation of the country, but he thought the pre-
sent was not a convenient time to introduce such a measure,
He contended that all previous prophecies on this question
had failed, and there had been no indignation meetings to
protest against the rejection of previous reform bills. There
had been great mass meetings of late in this country, but
one of these had been for the innocent purpose of planting
an oak to the memory of Shakspere, while another could
find no other object than regretting the premature departure
of an illustrious stranger from the shores of England.
(Hear, hear.) He had seen the house on one
occasion act like an infuriated mob, and with
much more violence than any meeting of the
working classes. (Laughter and cheers.) He would
not trust the preponderance of power to any class, and he
thought that in the present state of things the balance was
very carefully and judiciously preserved. The hon, gentle-
man proceeded at some length to quote from writers on the
reform question, contending that their arguments were falla-
cious and that they had no faith in their own principles.
He thought England should remember the epitaph on a
country tombstone—" I was well, I wanted to be better,
and here I am," (Laughter.)
Mr. MARSH seconded the amendment. He thought
the bill was only popular in that house, and as far as he was
concerned he had constituents enough.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said Mr.
Cave's speech was directed against the franchise generally,
and not against the motion now before the house. He thought
that all parties were agreed that this was not a time when
the Government should introduce a bill ; but the hon. gen-
tleman had exercised his owa discretion in bringing the mat-
ter under the discussion of the house. He thought that the
effect of discussions on the matter might gradually bring
home to the public mind the tact that Parliament had not
been so keenly alive to the matter as it ought to have been;
and that it would be for the interests of the country that
the question should be settled. At present it was not a
party question—how soon it might be so he could not say;
but, at all events, they could now discuss it totally
apart from party associations. He should support the bill
of his hon. friend (Mr. Baines) without pledging himself to
the precise form or figure of the measure. What he under-
stood his hon friend to mean was, that a considerable but
not excessive addition should be made to the constituencies,
and to that proposition he gave his most cordial assent.
(Hear.) The burden of proof was on the other side, and
it was for them to show that the working classes
would abuse the privilege of the franchise if it were ac-
corded them. They had been told that the working
clasees had not agitated for reform. He asked whether
it was desirable that they should wait for that agitation, on
the contrary, such an agitation should be anticipated by
wise and prudent legislation. Not long since ho received
a deputation of working men on the subject of the
Annuities Bill, and he had incidentally asked them a ques-
tion on the subject of parliamentary reform. They told
him that since the passing of the corn laws they had not
taken any part in legislation, having trusted the House of
Commons. They added that they had preferred devoting
their spare time to the improvement of their minds, and
that it was not fair to turn round upon them and say that
they felt no interest in the question of reform. It
had been objected to the working classes, that they were in
the habit of indulging in strikes; but there was the evi-
dence of employers to show that those strikes were more and
more losing their character of violence, and giving way to
friendly strife in the labour market. (Hear, hear,) He
contended that every man, not incepacitated by crime
or unfitness, was morally entitled to come within
the pale of the constitution. (Loud and long continued
cheering.) The present theory of the franchise was to draw
a line between the lower middle classes and the upper lower
classes, with some exception on either side. There was
neither reason nor justice in such arrangements, for it would
not be contended that there was anything in the lower
middle class in any way superior to the upper lower
classes. It was all very well to have armies, fleets, and
fortifications, but it was of more importance to have hearts
bound together, and he believed that such a modification of
the franchise as was proposed would tend to the binding
and knitting together of hearts which would tend more than
anything else to the strengthening of the institutions of the
country.
After a few words from Mr. WMITESIDE,
Mr. W. E. FORSTER, said there was great perplexity
among the people of his part of the country in reference to
what was to be done in the matter of reform, and they would
not be satisfied unless it was speedily settled.
Mr. NE WDEGATE objected to the bill because it was
partia

Mr. BASS supported the bill.
Lord FERMOY spoke strongly in favour of the bill. He
denied that Lord Derby's party were at any time sincere
reformers. He thought the time had come when a large
number of the working classes might be added to the elec-
tive body.

Mr. S. BEAUMONT said he was surprised to hear the
speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who had struck
hie colours, and handed over the Liberal party to the sta-
tistical championship of the hon. member for Leeds. Ha
should therefore vote against the second reading of the bill.
Lord H. SCOTT opposed the bill.
Mr. wAYKINs, although a new member, met with a