The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-16 00:00:00

FRIDAY _EV'ENYiNsti, JUNE 16, .1866.

tunity ought to be given to the house for that purpose.
The noble lord stated several objections to the bill, and
amongst them that it would completely alter the character
and functions of the Board of Audit. He also argued from
several instances which he cited, that the Comptrollership
of the Exchequer was a bona fine and useful check upon the
issue by the Treasury of the public money. Being of opinion
that it would be better to leave the matter to be dealt with
in the new Parliament, he moved as an amendment that the
bill be read a second time that day three months.
The amendment was seconded by Sir G. BOWYER.
Sir F. BARING said ,the contemplated saving was a
matter of secondary importance, and that if the proposed
consolidation of offices was intended to be permanent and
not tentative, he could not give his assent to it. He had
objection, however, to the second reading, with a view of
going into committee and introducing a provision to make
the suggested arrangement a temporary one.
Sir S. NORTHCOTE was decidedly in favour of the
principle of the bill, and prepared to vote for the second
reading. But if the arrangement was to be final it ought to
be more fully considered, and a bill should be brought in
next session not merely reconstructing the Exchequer, and
if -necesssary the Audit-office, but dealing with those ques-
tions which affect the superintendence of the appropriation
of public moneys and which required solution. It would be
unfortunate if the bill were rejected, because in the event
of a vacancy in the office of comptroller-general without an
alteration of the law it would be the duty of Government to
appoint a new comptroller. Under these circumstances not
only would the gentleman so appointed take a position in-
volving considerable expense if the office were afterwards
abolished, but the house would be sanctioning the continu-
ance of an office the retention of which was at least doubt-
ful. He hoped that in committee the Chancellor of the
Exchequer would consent to limit the bill to the impending
vacancy, and introduce a proviso that any person holding
the office should do so subject to such alteration as Parlia-
ment might hereafter make with regard to salary and
duties.

After some observations from Sir M. FARQUHAR and Mr.
HENLEY,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was
not intended to abolish the duties appertaining to the
comptrollership. On the contrary, the intention was that
all the duties of the Exchequer should continue to be
performed precisely as at present until Parliament should
have had ample opportunity of considering the larger
question. The right hon. gentleman also expressed his
willingness to adopt the suggestions made by Sir S.
North cote.

Upon receiving this assurance Lord R. MONTAGU with-
drew his amendment, and the bill was read a second time.
The Inland Revenue Bill was recommitted, and ordered
to be reported, with amendments, to the house.
In committee on the Law of Evidence Bill, a proviso
moved to clause 1, that no action for breach of promise of
marriage should be brought unless there was evidence of
promise in writing under the hands of the parties, was
agreed to ; but on the motion of Mr. LONGFIELD the whole
clause was struck out by 86 to 27.
Mr. SELWYN then moved the omission of clause 2,
which provides that a husband or wife might be at liberty
to give evidence in case of suits for divorce or judicial
separation, and after debate this clause, too, was negatived,
but without division.

Under these circumstances, as the very essence of the
measure was destroyed, Sir F. KELLY was determined to
withdraw it, and the order was discharged accordingly.

The Constabulary Force (Ireland) Bill was read a third
time and passed.

The adjourned debate, on the motion of Sir R. PEEL, to
bring in a bill to continue for a further period the Peace
Preservation (Ireland) Act was resumed, and the Irish
members delivered a series of short, sharp, and characteris-
tic speeches with the rapidity of file firing.
Mr. HENLEY remarked upon the flippant manner in
which the measure had been introduced by the Chief Se-
cretary for Ireland, who seemed to treat this subject as if
it were of no more importance than the simple act of
"blowing one's nose." He thought they had better trust
for the preservation of peace in Ireland to the operation of
the ordinary law of the land.
Mr. ROEBUCK reminded the house that when the late
Sir R. Peel brought in this measure the Whigs, who now
proposed it, made it the ground upon which to drive the
right hon. baronet from power.
The house having divided, the motion for leave was car-
ried by 135 to 43.

Mr. MONSELL moved the third reading of the Roman
Catholic Oath Bill, in a speech in which he laboured to
prove that the oath taken by Roman Catholic members was
a real and not a speculative grievance. Replying to the ob-
servations made by Mr. Disraeli in the debate on the second
reading, the hon. member was called to order by several
members of the Opposition, but the Speaker remained im-
passive, and permitted him to proceed uninterrupted and
unrebuked to the end of the chapter.
Mr. WILITESLDE and Mr. NEWDEGATE took part in the
short discussion that followed, and the bill was read a
third time and passed.

The Record of Title (Ireland) Bill was committed. Other
bills were also forwarded a stage; and the house was counted
out at a quarter to 2 o'clock.

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

-0-

BODAIIN.

Lord Ranelagh, one of the three Conservative
candidates whp offer themselves for the representa-
tion of Bodmin, addressed a large meeting of the
(
electors in the Guildhall on Tuesday evening. lie
said he was not one of those old-fashioned cut-and-
dry Tories, only fit to be stuck in a museum, but an
independent man, as liberal as most men, and a
great deal more liberal than a great many. He
would preserve the Churcl4 and State invulnerable,
would support our colonies, and uphold the prin-
ciple of non-intervention except where the honour
of the country was concerned. He would support
the principle of extending the suffrage, but not that
of lowering it. The ballot he hated. He would
vote for any measure which would settle the church-
rate question to the satisfaction of all parties, but
he would never vote for the total abolition of the
race. Lord Ranelagh then explained that Mr. Heri-
tage, with whom he was associated in the Conser-
vative interest, had been detained in London by
pressing business, but would shortly address the
electors; and, as for Mr. Locock Webb (the third
Conservative candidate), he had never consulted the
whipper-in
he orthe Conservative party,
Ranelagh) and Mr. Heritage
ane
.came forward under the auspices of the Carlton
Club they knew nothingof Mr. Webb's candidature.
the(Lerd leadersßa of
Mr. Webb had refused to settle the matter amicably,
and therefore they were determined to fight him to
the last.

The meeting broke up in a somewhat disorderly
manner, without expressing any opinion on the
merits of Lord Ranelagh.

The two Liberal members (the Hon. Leveson
Gower and Mr. Wyld) are expected here next week.
Their seats arc considered safe.

BOSTON.

In response to an invitation from a small section of
the Liberal party, Mr. Sergeant Pulling, of the Inner
Temple, addressed a crowded meeting of electors
and non-electors at the Town-hall on Tuesday even-
ing. He avowed himself an ardent reformer, an ad-
vocate of religious liberty and freedom of commerce,
an opponent of church-rates, and opposed to ' the
ballot. A resolution to the effect that he was a fit
And proper person to represent the borough in Par-
liament was carried by an immense majority, and
he expressed himself willing to proceed with his can-
vass and do battle to the last, provided a requisition,
started at a private meeting the previous evening,
was signed by a sufficient number of electors to war-
rant his doing so. On Wednesday, at the solicitation
of another section of the Liberals, Mr. Thos. Parry,
chairman of the Boston, Sleaford, and Nottingham
Railway, issued an address announcing himself a
candidate in the Liberal interest. The supportors of
Mr. Staniland, however, do not appear to be at all
uneasy, and speak of his re-election as being but
little less than a certainty.

that the result of the first contest must determine
-whether Liberalism or Toryism shall be represented
on behalf of Coventry in the next Parliament.
There can be no doubt of the fact that the popular
voice is no longer with Mr. Treherne, The present
member. Mr. Mason Jones is universally regarded
as the people's candidate, and as such all classes of
Liberals are now favourably disposed towards him.
The Tories are busily engaged in making a canvass
on behalf of Mr. H. W. Eaton, who, it is expected,
will arrive here to-night, and who, like Mr. Tre-
herne, lays his chief claim to popular supriort on
the ground of his opposition to the Frencb. Treaty.
The anti. Free Trade cry, however, is now finally
set at rest, a deputation of weavers to London
having just discovered that the Custoni-house au-
thorities do not make an accurate return of the
quantity of ribands imported, now the duty is no
longer paid. The returns are based merely on the
rough guessing of the Custom-house officials, who
are so deceived by the packing in which it is now
the fashion to send ribands to the market that they
are frequently out in their estimates to the extent
of nearly 90 per cent. This fact the weavers' de-
putation haS now clearly established, and the
weavers consequently have at last arrived at the
conviction that the treaty is doing them no harm.