The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-14 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—LAsT EVENING.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
Lord ST. LEOPARDS presented a bill forbidding rail-
way companies to confine passengers to the carriages by
locking the doors on both sides. It was proper, he
thought, that carriages should be locked on one side that
passengers might not improperly leave them.
After some short discussion, the bill was read a first
time.

THE BIRTH OF A PRINCE.
Earl GRANVILLE moved that an humble address bo
presented to her Majesty, congratulating her upon the fact
that a prince had been born by her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales, and assuring her Majesty of the loyal
attachment of their lordships.
The Earl of MALMESBURY thought some expression
should come from that side of the house to show how deeply
they sympathised with the sentiments expressed by the
noble earl, and in the absence of the Earl of Derby he
offered such sentiments to their lordships.

The motion was then agreed to.
ABYSSINIA.
Lord CIIELMESFORD said that on a former evening
the noble earl at the head of the Foreign-office had stated
that Sir W. Coglan was of opinion that it was not desirable
to send a mission to Abyssinia with presents until the pri-
soners had been released from captivity. Thinking that
opinion a rather extraordinary one, he had got a relative of
Capt. Cameron to write to Sir W. Coglan on the subject. In
reply to that letter, Sir W. Coglan stated that what ho in-
tended to convey was, that a mission should be sent with
presents, and an answer to the King of Abyssinia's letter ;

but that that answer should contain no reference to the de-

tention of the prisoners ; that the ambassador should appear

to discover this for himself on his arrival in tho country,

and should then employ his best efforts to obtain their re-
lease, withholding for that purpose the delivery of the
Queen's letter and of the presents until the Englishmen in
captivity were liberated. But Sir W. Coglan stated that the
position of things had now been greatly changed in conse-
quence of the disagreements that had taken place, and that
he thought the Queen's letter should now refer distinctly
to the detention of her subjects. Sir William's opinion was
that the efforts of Mr. Rassam had failed, and that it would
be requisite to send out a mission from England, adding
that he would be willing to undertake the duty of envoy.
Earl RUSSELL said that he had communicated with Sir
W. Coglan through Mr. Layard, and it was probably in this
way that the misunderstanding had arisen.
The Earl of MALMESBURY asked whether it was true
that the fatal mistake of detaining the King of Abyssinia's
letter for some months did not originate in the Indian-
office. It seemed to him that both the Government and the
country had displayed great apathy with regard to the
treatment of our countrymen in Abyssinia.
Earl RUSSELL replied to the noble earl's question, but
in so low a tone as to be inaudible in the gallery. He also
pointed out that it was utterly impossible to bring force to
bear upon the King of Abyssinia, because, in order to do so,
it would be requisite to march 5,000 men for 200 miles
through a very hot and unhealthy climate.
The subject then dropped.
PUBLIC-HOUSE CLOSING ACT (1864) AMEND-
MENT BILL.

On the order of the day for going into committee on this
bill,

Lord KINNAIRD said that he thought to permit certain
licensed victuallers' houses to remain open within the pro-
hibited hours would do great injustice to the houses that
were compelled to close.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that the act of
last year was found to work great harm, and it was abso-
lutely necessary to relieve the cases of hardship which had
arisen under it.
Earl GRANVILLE thought that the act of 1864 was a
very useful one, but it had undoubtedly inflicted great in-
justice upon particular classes, and for that reason it was
necessary to amend it in the way proposed to be done by
this bill. Ho objected, however, to give the power of grant-
ing exceptional licenses to the magistrates, preferring that
it should be vested in the hands of the police.
Lord REDESDALE said that he did not think that this
bill was either necessary or would work satisfactorily. He
thought the means might readily be found to remedy all
the inconveniences complained of in the working of the
act of last session, without passing a bill of this kind.
The Earl of DONOUGHMORE asked how noble lords
would like to have the same measure meted out to them
that the act of 1864 meted out to the industrial classes who
were compelled to work during the night? (Hear, hear.)
What would they say if they were told, after leaving the
house after a late division, at 2 o'clock in the morning, that
they should have refreshment at their clubs ? (Hear, hear.)
Besides, even if they could not got refreshment at their
clubs they could get it from their own cellars ; but the
compositors and the people attending the markets could
not do this, and it was therefore all the more necessary that
public-houses should be open for their accommodation. He
thought it was most unjust to deprive of all refreshment
men who were compelled to pursue their avocations during
the night. He complained strongly of the conduct of Earl
Granville, who had, at the last moment, intimated his in-
tention to move amendments of which he had not given
notice. Ho thought that the bill should bo allowed to pass
through committee in its present form, and that then
amendments should be moved, after duo notice given, on
the third reading.
Earl de GREY and RIPON was quite willing to take

this course.
Lord REDESDALE that it would be better to postpone
the committee.
Earl GREY concurred with the chairman of committees
on this point.
After a few words from Lord CHELMSFORD and Lord
REDESDALE, •
The House went into committee on the bill.
On clause 1,
Lord DENMAN expressed a strong objection to entrust-
ing the power of granting licences.
Clauses up to 5 were agreed to.
On clause 5,
Earl DE GREY and RIPON proposed to amend it by
taking from the magistrates and giving to the police the
power of granting licences to keep houses open during the
prohibited hours.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDF opposed the amend-
ment.

After a brief discussion the amendment was agreed to,
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE intimated his inten-
tion to move the restoration of the clause to its original
form on a future stage of the bill.
The clause as amended was then agreed to.
The bill passed through committee, and was reported.
PARTNERSHIP AMENDMENT BILL.

Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY presented a petition
in favour of the bill from the Law Amendment Society ; •
and he then moved the second reading of the measure.
Its object was simply to enable one person to lend money
to another on the terms of receiving a share of the profits ,
without thereby rendering himself liable as a partner.
The bill might be considered as a compliment to the
Limited Liability Acts, and he thought that it should be
passed as an act of justice to the private trader. It would
also enable a child or widow to take by bequest a share in
the trade of their deceased father or husband without
thereby being made a partner, while the remaining provi-
sion would give employers the power to pay their servants
by a share in the profits without making them partners.
Lord ST. LEONARDS believed that no more important
bill had ever been brought under their lordships' atten-
tion. By the law of England it was established that
those who shared in the profits should also share in the
losses of a business. He believed that the prosperity of
the country had mainly arisen from this state of the law,
and from the stimulus which it had given to industry and
commerce. If this bill passed men would be encouraged
to abstain from work, and to invest their money in other
men's businesses, of which they would take a largo share
of the profits. A great and mischievous encouragement
would thus be given to idleness. This bill was au attempt
to introduce a great change in our social system, and a
change too not in favour of any one who deserved consi-
deration. No man deserved consideration who would not
work, but sought to live by lending his money on terms
which would enable him to share the profits without being
liable to the losses of a business.
Lord CRAN WORTH said that all the bill did was to
leave borrowers and lenders to contract on the terms which
they might deem most advantageous to their interests.
The security of the creditors of a firm would not be im-
perilled by passing this bill ; and he hoped thereforo that
the house would not refuse their assent to it.
Lord 'WENSLEYDALE, who was perfectly inaudible
in the gallery,
Was understood to state a number of objec-
tions to the provisions of the bill.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that the bill would
relieve the law from the mischievous consequences of an
injurious decision pronounced a long time since, and since
followed by other decisions. Those decisions had had most
injurious results. There
was no reasonable ground for
saying that a person became a partner with another merely
because he lent him money on condition that he should be
paid interest in the shape of a share ofthejatreonfitstsh..e Thisthe
was most unjust, and it would have been
p,-;ople should have so long submitted to it, had it notgbeen
for the reverence of the English people for precedent.
The doctrine upon which ho was commenting was the
e child of the old prejudice against usury, and now that the
laws against usury had been got rid of, it was time that
this offshoot from them should follow. The noble and
learned lord then discussed at some length the case of
" Waugh v. Carver," and the decisions by which it had
been followed ; pointing ont at some length the absurd
conclusions to which they had been led, and the subtle
and refined distinctions they had introduced into the law
of partnership. This bill had been introduced to establish
the simple principle that men should be allowed to contract
en the terms they chose, and that no consequences should
be given to such contract but those which naturally re-
sultoi from it. Ife believed that this principle was sound
in itself, and that its establishment would be of great ad-
vantage to the trading community. lie believed that many
of the difficulties which arose between employers and em-
ployed might be removed by the operation of this measure,

which would enable a master to give his men an interest
in his business without making them partners.
The bill was then read a second time.
The house went into committee on the Mortgage De-
benture bill, but aftersome conversation the use resumed,
and the measure was referred to a selee, n ittee.
The Land Debenture Bill was read - cond time and
The Sewage Utilisation Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The Militia Ballots Suspension Bill and the Militia Pay
Bill were read a second time.

The Local Government Supplemental (No. 3) Bill passed
through committee, and the Local Government Supple-
mental (No. 4) bill was read a second time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.

The SPEAKER took the chair at half-past 12 o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills wore road a third time and passed :
Bromley Gas; Enniskillen, Rundoran, and Sligo Railway;
Furness and Lancaster and Carlisle Union Railway ; Old-
ham Borough Improvement ; Sirhowy Railway ; South
Eastern Railway ; Stapenhill and Burton-upon-Trent
Bridge ; Wigtownshiro Roads ; and Worcester, Dean
Forest, and Monmouth Railway.

PRISONS BILL.

Sir G. GREY moved the third reading of this bill.

Mr. NEATE opposed the bill as ono of undue severity.
The continental Governments were doing all in their
power to improve the prison discipline, while we were, on
the contrary, acting in entirely the opposite direction.
_ _ .

- ,
The bill was read a third time.
RECORD OF TITLES (IRELAND.)

In committee of the whole house, a resolution was agreed
to for making provision for the payment of the stamp duty
in connection with the records of titles in Ireland.
GREENWICH HOSPITAL BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.
Clauses up to 14 were agreed to.

On clause 15,
Mr. AYRTON moved the insertion of certain words to
extend the benefits of the hospital to merchant seamen as
well as those of the royal navy.
After a few words from Mr. CHILDERS and Admiral
WALCOT, the amendment was withdrawn, and the clause
agreed to.
Clause 21 to 43 were agreed to without discussion.
On clause 44,

Mr. LIDDELL took occasion to correct a misunder-
standing which had attached to some words which had
fallen from him. He never meant to cast any imputation
on the manner in which the naval chaplains were ap-
pointed.
The clause was agreed to, as were the several clauses
following.
On clause 51,
Mr. LIDDELL moved an amendment which amounted
to an entire remodelling of the clause.
Mr. CHILDERS defended the clause, remarking that it
was the object of the bill to induce pensioners to leave the
hospital.
Sir L. PALK did not think it was right on the part of
the Government to use the funds of the hospital as they
proposed. The captains of the hospital had presented a
petition praying that they might not be deprived of their
position on the active list,which they would have occupied
had they not accepted the appointments they had in the
hospital, and hoped their wishes would not be disre-
garded.
Mr. CORRY said he thought the present governor of the
hospital ought to be restored to the list, in order that he
might be enabled to fulfil the office of Admiral of the Fleet,
if appointed.
Mr. CIIILDERS said the Governor and Deputy-Gover-
nor of the Hospital, after the passing of the bill, retain their
titles and the full pay appertaining to them, and also their
residence, if they felt so disposed. .

The clause was then agreed to, as were the remaining
clauses in the bill.

Mr. CHILDERS said he had now to move the
insertion of an additional clause. There had been
discussion on a former occasion, and the Government had
felt it incumbent on them not altogether to disregard it
By the clause he now proposed the present governor would
be retained in his office, but on his death the Government
proposed to take power to appoint an officer who would be
termed a visitor. The office would be worth £l,OOO per
annum, and would be conferred when vacant as a reward
for meritorious services. (Hear, hear.)
A short discussion ensued, during which some members
expressed their approval of the course of the Government,
and Mr. Henley, on the contrary, thought it highly ohjec-

tionable that such a clauso should have been brought for-
ward and carried at a morning sitting, without the slightest

notice.

The clause was then agreed to, the house resumed, and
the chairman reported progress.
NAVY AND MARINE BILLS.

These two bills for amending the law with respect to
wills and the property of deceased members of the two
services, passed through committee.

NAVAL AND MARINE PAY AND PENSIONS BILL,
This bill passed through committee without amend-
ment.

COLONIAL LAWS VALIDITY BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill ; the whole
of the clauses were agreed to without amendment, and the
bill was reported.

COLONIAL MAPRIAGES VALIDITY BILL.

This bill also passed through committee.
The sitting of the house was then suspended.
The house resumed at G o'clock.
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

Sir L. PALK gave notice that in going into committee
of supply on Friday be should put a question to the Pre-
sident of the Board of Trade relative to the power pos-
sessed by that department to enforce precautions for the
safety of railway travellers.