The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-30 00:00:00

tion was one of the most important upon which they could
go to the country. It was one which would affect the whole
tone, tenour, and character of the Administration. Before
Parliament could ask the people to assent to such a mea-
sure, it was incumbent thoroughly to sit the mode in which
the present resources of the country were used. The prin-
ciple which guided him on this question was expressed
in this avowal, that he would rather see 10,000 efficient
regulars added to the army, than that 100,000 in-
dustrious artisans should be converted into a militia force.
He therefore appealed to the Right Hon. Gentleman whe-
ther it was his intention to decide upon this matter without
going to the country? Having determined 'not to decide
upon one important question, concerning which it was well
known the country had come to a thoroughly unanimous
opinion, without referring it to the people, and this notwith-
standing the subject had been sifted for many years, he ear-
nEstly asked the Government whether they considered it
wise or politic to cail upon the House of Commons imme-
diately to decide upon a question which had not been sifted.
and which was not thoroughly well known and understood
by the country.—(" Question, question !")
Mr. OSBORNE wished the Bill to be laid on the table
that the opinion of the country might be taken upon it.
Mr. WALPOLE reminded the House that the motion for
leave to bring in the Bill had already been agreed to; and
the object of the present motion was to authorise certstin in-
dividuals o bring in the Bill in obedience to that decision.
Should the House accede to the motion, it was not his inten-
tion to propose the second reading till after Easter. •
The motion was then agreed to.
The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up,
and the resolutions were agreed to.
EXCHEQUER-BILLS.
Upon the report of the Committee of Ways and Means,
being a vote for 17,742,8001. Exchequer-bills,
Mr. W. WILLIAMS asked when these bills would be re-
deemed, and what was the rate of interest?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said they
would be redeemed next June, and until next June it was
not possible to say the amount of interest.
possible
ty to
bargainwatcfhor the
Mr. HUME said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer
should take the opinion of the House before settling the
market,pric
eofanEdxethoemquakere-bthilels.
chletapweast
s his
public.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the
present object was merely to complete an arrangement which
had been commenced in January last.. The rate of interest
was settled then, and it was not m the power of the Ho
or the Minister to alter the contract. Next Jane it would be
open to them to propose a new arrangement.
Mr. GLYN thought that the Right Hon. Gentleman was
under some mistake. as the bills of January had to be re-
newed in March. What they were now voting would apply
to June. He believed there was no instance within the last
century in which the interest on Exchequer-bills had been
lower than at present, but there never was a time when there
was so much money lying unemployed in the Bank of Eng-
land as at the present time.. He thought it was the
bounden duty of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to go
into the money-market and make the best arrangement he
could, always taking care that the rate he fixed on was not
so low as to bring the bills into disrepute.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER assured the
Hon. Gentleman who last addressed the House that he en-
tirely agreed with the principles which he had laid down
respecting Exchequer-bills. He was perfectly aware that
any rate which had been paid in former times did not apply
to the time in which we live. Bat he only rose to correct
the Hon. Gentleman in saying that the rate of interest on
Exchequer-bills had not rested with the present Government,
since they had been in office, but that the arrangement was
made by their predecessors.
Mr. WILLIAMS said the rate was settled in March, and
the Exchequer-bills were exchanged in June. He thought
they ought not to allow the Chancellor of the Exchequer to
have this vote without a distinct understanding what
the rate of interest was to be. The present rate of interest
was 21. Os. 7id. per annum, which was more than n per
cent. The Bank of England was now lending money at 2
per cent., and he was informed that bills were now dis-
counted in the City at as low a rate as 1 per
cent. • and bills which had even six months to run at 2 percent
He did not see why Government Bills should not be consi-
sidered as good as private bills; and, indeed, it was, for the
premium on Exchequer Bills amounted to a year and a
half's interest. He thought that interest at the rate of Id.
per day would be quite sufficient. He considered that the
late Chancellor of the Exchequer was guilty of a great job
in giving so much more interest than was requisite.
Mr. MASTERMAN said, what they were now doing was
merely to authorise the substitution of one set of Exche-
quer Bills for another. It had nothing to do with the rate
of interest.

Mr. HUME said this was a vote to renew the Bills, but
he was not aware whether it was to renew the Bills due in
March or June, and he thought this was the time to fix the
rate of interest.

Alderman THOMPSON said he supposed the Chancellor
of the Exchequer would advertise, at the proper time, to
renew the Bills, and he would then fix the rate of interest,
and he had no doubt he would exercise a proper discretion
upon it.
The motion was then agreed to.
MUTINY BILL.
The House then went into Committee on the Mutiny Bill
In reply to Mr. HUME,
Mr. BERESFORD stated that the vote for the Kafir war
would be taken on Friday.
Mr. A. HASTIE moved an amendment on the 61th clause
of the Bill, to relieve private families in Scotland from the
billeting of Soldiers.
Mr. BERESFORD said that in England there was a
large number of licensed victuallers, who were required to
receive soldiers upon billets. In Scotland, however, the
number of licensed victuallers was small ; and the practice
for 140 years had been to billet soldiers, when necessary,
upon the inhabitants. The subject had been referred to the
Judge Advocate, who expressed his opinion that any altera-
tion of the law would be a great hardship upon the licensed
victuallers, and that under the present system the grievance
of which the inhabitants complained was very slight.
Mr. HUME asked how private families in England would
like to have soldiers sent into their houses at any hour of the
day, some of them having female servants and little accom-
modation ?—(A laugh.)
After a few words from Mr. COWAN and Mr. DUNCAN,
the Committee were about to divide, but
Mr. P. HOWARD expressed a hope that the Government
would consent to consider the grievance complained of.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Go-
vernment was perfectly willing to consider every grievance,
but he could not think that at one o'clock in the morning the
Committee would be asked to divide upon this Bill.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL thought it would be better not to
press the case now.
The amendment was then withdrawn, and the Bill passed
through Committee.
The Marine Mutiny Bill also passed through Committee.
The - House having resumed, leave was given to Mr.
Bouverie to bring in a Bill to abolish the criminal jurisdic-
tion of the Ecclesiastical Courts in certain cases (the Hon.
Member referred to cases of brawling and defamation); to
Sir W. Jolliffe, to bring in a Bill to continue an Act of
the 12th year of her present Majesty, to prevent the spread-
ing of contagious or infectious disorders among sheep, cattle,
and other animals; to Lord Naas, to bring in a Bill to con-
tinue certain Acts relating to linen, hempen, and other ma-
nufactures in Ireland.
Mr. KERSHAW moved that the Select Committee on
Blanchester end Salford Education do consist of sixteen
Members, and that Mr. Pilkington be added to the
Committee.
Mr. WALPOLE objected to the constitution of the Com-
mittee being altered; it would prevent the report from being
satisfactory.
Sir W. CLAY said, that the Nonconformist party, who
had been such friends to popular education, were certainly
entitled to have more than one representative upon the
Committee. The Committee, as at present constituted, could
not give satisfaction to that body.
Mr. W. PATTEN agreed that the friends of the volun-
tary principle ought to have a voice in the Committee.
There was a majority
t:thvhi oeinenmf
gln.oourh
seufbr
resolution,
number
orhh feao tflHstlo
neerm.there
hbiMember
rMembersssgmhhuobptueeoblrfidiet
otortheahrnoeevcemomar Stock-
ports;
,nnotothllatsthe
there
littlewas
Com-
mittee who were hostile to the merits of the Bill that was
promoters of the
a nitbat
emepesubmitted
et amendment, thatteoen moving
chance Member
wtaos dot
there justice
in tot
thteh eB
opinioni ll beforeef
the
ee
everyßil lt that
inclinationustice wouldo withdraw be d o
it.n toH et
dhiedm
pos-
sible that the Bill, with a select committee containing so
many decided opponents, could have a fair chance in its
future
KERSHAW would not object to the committee
progress. Mr.
being increased to 17.

Arr.. M. GIBSON said that the friends of secular instruc-
tion complained of not being quite fairly represented in the
committee. He agreed with his lion. Friend tkat thossicho
represented voluntary views ought to have a fair number in
this committee. He was not, therefore, adverse to the
no-
mination of another Gentleman of their views; but, having
agreed agreed with the Home Secretary as to the committee
suited by not disturbing the present arrangement'
as
The House then divided, ▪
24
now proposed, the interests of all parties would be beat con-
when there aPP
For Mr. Kershaw's motion... *"" ▪
53
Agaiust it „.. „.. —29
Majority aBl 1 o'clock.
The House adjourned at 20 mint' P