The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-15 00:00:00

EVENING, MARCH 15, 1854.

LANCASS, RE NEW
_LIGIIT7TEN PER

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

06NT. FOR EVER !

The English, as we are told on every side, are an
eminently sensible, practical, reasoning, and rather
dull people. They calculate when they are told to
believe. They detect an imposture at a glance,
and see through a superstition as they would a
trick at cards. How their ancestors ever came to
worship stocks and stones, to offer human holocausts
in vast wicker images, or to think the mistletoe of
the oak more sacred than that of the appletree,
passes comprehension. At all events John Bull,
even in fustian and shirt sleeves, is too wise for all
this now. He understands steam engine and looms,
can calculate percentages, strike an average, and
do a sum in Rule of Three. The day-school has
banished false religions to the bats and the owls,
and the only fear is, that with so much education
to be got for the asking, and so many substantial
comforts to be earned by common industry, reli-
gion of any kind should be voted a superfluity.
Nevertheless, it is in this England whereof to write
that Joanna Southcote and Thom were indigenous;
where mesmerism, table-turning, and spirit rap-
ping have spread to all classes ; whence tens of
thousands of Mormons are going off to the Salt
Valley; where almost anybody, if he give his mind
to it, can gain converts to anything. Fanaticism is
not to be eradicated by figures, and railways them-
selves subserve, in the pride of might, to the most
perVerted forms of the spiritual element. So we are
not surprised to see the growth of a new supersti-
tion, a new craftsman's idol. The operatives of
Lancashire have discovered a new religion, and are
performing pilgrimages worthy of Juggernaut or
the Holy Coat of Treves. Their spiritual zeal
carries them beyond the vulgar considerations
of comfort or economy. Monster trains con-
vey them to the places where this new-born piety
may be refreshed by the exhortations of suitable
preachers and the devotional hymns of the new
worship. Under the cold blue sky they listen
with edifying submission to the pious raptures of
inspired teachers. Fathers, mothers, children flock
to the festival. The aged forget their crutches and
the sick their pains in this holy ardour. And what
is this new Gospel which has illumined the dark-
ness of Lancashire, and made it the Galilee of this
land ? Prepare yourself, gentle reader, for this
new and astounding revelation of the Divine wis-
dom and mercy. The awful truth which has broken
through the darkness of the ages, which has pene-
trated every heart, and warmed every soul in the
industrious north, is the eternal and immutable
necessity of Ten per Cent. more wages.
It is a sober and a portentous fact. From all
Lancashire, by ordinary trains and b 7 special
trains, there assembled last Sunday, whica appears
to have been adopted by the new religicn for its
day of worship, such a congregation as never was ,
seen at Hoghton, we presume one of she high I
places of the Ten per Cent. divinity. They who
could not come had sent their Peter's pen3e in the
shape of more than two thousand pounds. Their
preachers proclaimed a new era, heralded by
myriads of conversions. Preston is the favoured
city of this new church, and it may alnost vie
with Rome or Nauvoo in the amount of contribu
tions poured in by the devout Lancastrians. "Let
thousands more be rolled in," exclaimed me pious
man, " for every man in this assembly mist know
the great fact, that money is the sinew cf war."
Certainly if Ten per Cent. more wages is r Gospel
from Heaven, the sinews of war may be consid-
ered a great fact. The creed is developirtg. But
why should it not embrace all Euglind, all
classes, all employments, and all relations? Who
does not want Ten per Cent. more wages? Who
will not acknowledge that money is the sinews of
war? The millowners themselves may embrace the
new faith, for they want Ten per Cent. mere pro-
fits. The clergy may sit under brothers Lawless
and Cowell, for they want Ten per Cent. mere rent-
charge and surplice fees. All the functonaries
of the State, all the Army and Navy, want Fen per
Cent. more pay. We fondly hope we have our-
selves been instrumental in procuring a boon to
the common soldier equivalent to about Pen per
Cent. Let us be enrolled among the apostles of
Ten per Centism. The doctrine is easy, he bur-
den is light. You have only to believe tlat your
soul is safer with 225. a-week than with 205., or
with 1101. a-year than with 1001., and that the
man who will not give you the larger sun instead
of the smaller is a son of Belial. The bead-,y of the
doctrine is its universality, for who is there who
does not want more money, more rent, more tithes,
more salary, more commission, more proft, more
allowances and pay in one form or another rs Master
and man can worship at the same altar, eves if their
prayers seem commercially incompatible. But let
Heaven settle that difficulty, and let the operative
on the one side pray for Ten per Cent. more wages,
and the master for Ten per Cent. more profits, out
otthe same "o`rcl er. -
711,
'But is there really no remedy for thig-delusion ?
Do we witness the veritable beginning of a new
religion, the only bond of which shall be a common
interest in an increase of pay ? Surely there are
gentlemen and there are clergymen in Lancashire
who can teach these poor dupes something better
than this, and inform them that to offer public
worship and sing hymns for triumph in a
struggle for Ten per Cent. more wages is not one
jot better than falling down before a stock or a
stone. True, two shillings a-week more wa -es
may present itself in a more lovely form than
a grim figure, all eyes, mouth, and nose, with
dog's teeth and matted hair, like the dogs of tie
South Sea Islanders. Two shillings a-week may
stand for more bread, meat, and beer ; better
coats, shoes, and stockings, a larger house, and so
forth. But, nevertheless, comforts and luxuries
mount up into a very sorry idol. If operatives
may meet by tens of thousands on a heath aid
sing hymns for boiled beef on Sundays, then their
betters with equal piety may offer up anthems fir
turtle soup and iced punch. No one can say how
far devotees will go when they once place their
affections on creature comforts and a handsoms
percentage. Certainly all this spurious zeal looks ill
for the religion of the north, and for the influence of
those whose duty it was to set the example. Is it true
that Moloch has been worshipped so long and so ex-
elusively by his more fortunate followers that the
golden contagion has spread, and the money-
making
money-spending tnillowner, now finds him-
self crushed by the converts to his own faith
The Roman critic observed, that when Homer's
chiefs went mad, their followers suffered. Is there
no such madness, no exclusive worship of £. s. d.
in Lancashire, that has at least infected the silly
multitude, and sent them worshipping the god of
their betters ? We should be better satisfied of
the result if we saw something done by those who
alone can do it to strip this selfish agitation of
its fanatical guise. To ask for Ten per Cent. more
wages is allowable, and even laudable ; to insist
on it as a divine right, and to invoke the favour
of Heaven on the demand, is simply blasphemy.
Surely there are people in Lancashire whose sacred
profession, whose high social position, and whose
affectionate relations with those whom they em-
ploy, will enable them to address these fanatics
with effect. If there are none such, and the mul-
titude of Lancashire are really like sheep without
a shepherd, whose fault is it but theirs who, being
placed by Heaven in a place of high moral in-
fluence, have thought of little else but getting
their own Ten per Cent., their 100,0001. ?—Times.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
Earl GREY presented a petition from the Chamber
of Commerce, at Newcastle, in favour of improved postal
arrangements between London and the North. The noble
earl stated that, in consequence of letters for Newcastle
being sent round by_Tamworth and Derby, instead of the
direct route by the Great Northern Railway, a train which
started on this railway a quarter of an hour after the mail
left Euston Station reached Newcastle on an average
two hours and a half before the mail. And this delay
was not the only inconvenience to which the commer-
cial community was subject, for owing to the mail being
taken by the longer route, there was great irregularity in
its arrival. He understood that the Great Northern
Company had offered to run a mail train daily backwards
and forwards by their line for a sum under 7,0001. a
year, and such a comparatively paltry sum ought not to
~tand in the way of accepting that offer, considering the
importance of the districts which would be accommo-
dated, and the large sum which they contributed to the
revenue of the post-office.
Lord CANNING said a committee of the other house
had been appointed to take into consideration the whole
question of the postal arrangements in the country, and
he understood that the first subject which was to be
brought under their attention was that referred to in the
petition. The chief cause of the irregularities men-
tioned by the noble earl was to be attributed to the
Postmaster-General not being invested with powers to
force railway companies to carry out the terms of their
contracts, on the strict adherence to which punctuality
depended ; and he had stated on a former occasion that
if he could not succeed in inducing those companies, by
amicable settlement, to agree to some system for se-
curing punctuality, he should feel it his duty to apply
to Parliament for additional powers.
DISCLOSURE OF CABINET SECRETS.
The Earl of MALMESBURY referring to the ac-
cusation made by the Earl of Aberdeen last night, that
the Cabinet secrets which had been published in the
Times newspaper, had been communicated to that jour-
nal by a gentleman who had been appointed to a clerk-
ship in the Foreign-office by him (the Earl of Malmes-
bury), but who had since been discharged, said that
during the whole time he had been Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, he had only nominated four gentlemen to junior
clerkships, of whom three still held their situations.
The fourth must, therefore, be the individual against
whom the charge was made, but, instead of being dis-
missed, he found on inquiry that he had conducted him-
self to the satisfaction of his superiors, and had left in
consequence of his marriage with a lady of considerable
fortune. He had further to state that a noble viscount
had this day communicated with Mr. Delane, the editor
of the Times, who said that this gentleman had
never given to the newspaper any information of an
official character while at the Foreign-office, or since he
had left it. Under these circumstances, he trusted the
noble earl would retract the accusation which he had
made.

The Earl of ABERDEEN—I am very happy the noble
earl has made this statement to the house, for I am very
desirous that this matter should rest entirely on the most
accurate foundation. My lords, you will recollect that
the noble earl who introduced this subject last night
gave, in no very obscure terms, an intimation that he
imagined I was the source whence this information was
derived. Rejecting that insinuation in the most peremp-
tory manner I possibly could, I certainly did state that
it was probable—, but I did not make the assertion or ex-
press the belief—that the Times newspaper had derived
its information from the gentleman to whom I alluded.
What I had heard was this, and what I repeat is, that
that gentleman did talk of this correspondence, and of
his knowledge of the contents of this correspondence
which has been communicated to the Times. lam so
certain of this, and, though he certainly did not men-
tion it to me, I have heard it from so many different
quarters that I am quite satisfied to refer it to the gen-
tleman himself. If he says that he did not mention the
existence of this correspondence and the nature of this
correspondence, then I will confess that I have been
more deceived than man ever was. But I refer it en-
tirely to his own statement, and I am sure, because I have
ascertained from quarters that I cannot possibly doubt,
that it was mentioned with so little hesitation or con-
cealment, that the gentleman himself will avow that he
has referred to the correspondence in question. Now, I
never stated that the Times newspaper received it from
him, but in the heat of the moment, and in reference
to the insinuations of the noble earl, I certainly did
refer to a quarter from which it might possibly have
come. What was stated in one society might very well
be known in another ; and, after all, the noble earl
(Derby) stated last night that he was aware of the cor-
respondence at the beginning of the session. (Hear.)
How did he learn it (Hear.) Certainly not from me.
But I may say that I think it was an act of imprudence
on the part of this gentleman to talk in the way he did
about the contents of this correspondence, which he cer-
tainly had cognisance of confidentially; but, after all, I
made no charge, and I repeat that I believe the gentle-
man himself will not deny what I have stated. (Hear.)
The Earl of MAL MESBURY—The noble earl has
stated that, from his own knowledge, he feels certain
that this gentleman has divulged secrets which he ought
to have kept to himself ; hut I do not quite understand
the noble earl, because he says to-day he has heard this
from so many quarters that he can have no doubt upon
the subject. As to the gentleman referred to, from the
noble earl's own statement last night, it must have been
only to-day that the noble lord has learnt his name—
hear, hear)—because he distinctly told us last night,
when I asked his name, that he did not know. (Hear.)
' Now, the noble earl must have been completely ignorant
of the gentleman against whom the charge was made, as
he did not even know his name. All I shall say is, that
it is a most extraordinary thing that the noble earl
should have heard a statement of such importance as
that a clerk at the Foreign-office had divulged a State
secret, and yet that he should not have heard his name.
(Hear.) It is only to-day that he has discovered who the
gentleman is. [Lord Aberdeen here made an observa-
tion that was inaudible.] But the noble earl told me last
night he did not know the name of the gentleman who
had been a clerk at the Foreign-office. I cannot help
making the remark, that the way in which the noble
earl has brought forward this subject is not one that
does honour to your lordships' house. If any gentle-
man was guilty of a scandalous breach of duty, as charged
by the noble earl, he should have been dismissed at once
from his situation by his superiors in office (hear, hear),
and he ought not to have been shielded by any member
of the Government. I must say that the manner in
which the noble earl brought forward this subject, and
the manner in which he has closed it, is not an honour
to your lordships, or your lordships' house ; and I may
add, that this is the first time I have witnessed anything
of the kind since I became a member of your lordships'
house. (Hear.)
The subject then dropped.
SIR JAMES STEPHEN.
Earl GRANVILLE, before the order of the day was
read, wished to refer to a personal matter, but one of
such a nature a-4 could not excite discussion. In the
course of some few observations which he had made last
night, in reply to the observations of the noble lord on
the cross benches (Lord Monteagle), with reference to
the civil patronage, he referred, in order to weaken the
effect of so great an authority on these matters, to the
most competent persons in this country who had taken
a different view of the matter. Among these he men-
tioned Sir James Stephen, and that morning he had re-
ceived a letter from him, in which he said :

a more injurious effect than on York ; he was therefore
not surprised that, a petition should have been presented
to their lordships from that city. This petition, if he
understood it, proposed that their lordships should con-
tinue througlioul, the kingdom the system of district
registrars fo,- contentious as well as non-contentious
business. Were they to have district courts for con-
tentious business without an adequately learned and in-
telligent bar and judge, such a system would but lead
people into difficulties, and was one which he thought
no one ought to venture to propose. Lord Lyndhurst,
he thought, had made such a proposal, but, as it was
received with universal disapprobation, it was dropped.
The next was a petition presented by a noble lord
from many of the leading merchants of the city
of London, who did not propose, as in the first
petition, to continue, or merely to have a redistribu-
tion of the districts, bet they proposed an entire
alteration of the present system, and to have a
Court of Probate. 'He did not know whether the noble
lord was present when this matter was discussed ; it was
then thought that no more inconvenient mode of dis-
posing of the matter could be adopted than to constitute
a new court, which would be occupied for 60 days in the
year, and that further occupation should be tried to be
made for it by thrusting on it the decision of other mat-
ters which had no relation to the subject-matter of its
jurisdiction. The petition proceeded to state that put-
ting these matters in the Court of Chancery involved
them in those delays proverbial to that court. He might
be thought a silly person, but he believed that at this
moment in neither of the superior courts of Westminster
was business more speedily despached than by the Court
of Chancery. There were, of course, cases which could
not be so, such of those of complicated accounts or trusts
which from their nature were to endure for 20 or 30
years, and unless they lasted for this period the Court
would not be performing its duty. It seemed to him that
the apprehensions of these petitioners were founded on
the erroneous—he was going to say vulgar notion—that
everything was slow in the Court of Chancery. The con-
trary of this was, however, nearer the truth. Another
petition had been presented from the College of Advo-
cates, who founded their objections on the fact that, ac-
cording to the present constitution of their body, ques-
tions of international law were nearly exclusively confined
to them, and it was said that if this bill deprived them
of one branch of their profession, it would make it un-
profitable—drive them away—and then there would be
no body left devoted to the study of the international law.
He considered that there must be some fallacy in this—
for the international law could not be an exception to
everything else in the world ; if there was a demand for
it, this country would be able to produce those willing
to devote themselves to the study of it. The petition
presented by the right rev. prelate from various regis-
trars, objecting to certain details in the bill, would meet
with consideration in committee. His noble friend (the
Marquis of Clanricarde) had presented a petition from
the proctors, complaining that it would affect their in-
terests. With respect to this, he must repeat the ob-
servation he had already made—that in all legal reforms
there were necessarily some whose interests were af-
fected, and it was difficult to speak of giving compensa-
tion to practitioners, when their practice was affected
only because matters. were put on a better footing for

the-public. He considered, however, as the bill would
allow proctors, under certain advantages, to enter into
partnership with solicitors, that this would mitigate the
evils which they complained of. These were the only
petitions against the bill, and, under these circumstances,
he did not think he was anticipating too much when he
ventured to hope that their lordships would give it a
second reading. Should they do so, he intended imme
diately to have it referred to a select committee, for, as
he had been obliged to draw up the bill in a very short
time, he thought there were several of its details which
might be altered, and clauses that should be added to it
in committee. Their lordships would have an opportu-
nity, also, of considering in committee whether this mea-
sure should apply to both personal and real property, as
recommended, and in his opinion wisely so, by the com-
missioners. (Hear, hear.) His lordship concluded by
moving the second reading of the bill.
Lord BROUGHAM said that, about 20 years ago, a
measure, in some respect similar to the present one, had
been submitted to the consideration of their lordships,
one of the objects of such measure being the transfer of
testamentary jurisdiction. Since that period, and espe-
cially of late years, he was happy to say that the Court
of Chancery had greatly improved, owing not only to the
measures which had been introduced to reform its abuses
and extend its usefulness, and to the increase of the
number of the courts that were opened, but also, in a
great measure, to the orders which had been drawn up
and promulgated by his noble and learned friend (Lord
St. Leonard's). He confessed, however, that he had some
difficulties in seeing how in the Court of Chancery suffi-
cient time could be spared for and devoted to the effec-
tual carrying out of the extra amount of labour which
this bill would entail, and he hoped, at any rate, that in
order to lighten such labour oral evidence would be sub-
stituted in the place of written. (Hear.) As a proof of
the amount of time that was necessarily required for the
consideration of business of this nature, he might adduce
the opinion of a very learned authority upon the subject
(Sir J. Nicholl), who had stated that ho was employed
60 days out of the year in the hearing of the cases in
court, and ISO days out of the year in the consideration
of the same cases out of court, and at his own house ;
making in all 240 days, or, in fact, the whole legal year,
that, hN had found it. ns'ossary to devote to the conside-
ration of these cases. He hoped, also, that some pro-
vision would be suggested anti carried out for the safety
and protection of wills, many of which were now lost
and destroyed, he would not say by fraud, but simply
by accident, and many were almost necessarily deposited
with persons who had no interest to keep them safe and
produce them when necessary, and might have probably,
on the contrary, every inducement to let them be lost, or
at any rate take no trouble to produce them. (Hear.)
He could relate hundreds of cases, in which wills had
been lost through accident or carelessness, but he would
content himself with stating two instances in which
wills, supposed to have been lost, or not to be existing,
afterwards came to light ; and the chances of destruc-
tion that these wills had incurred would illustrate, he
hoped, his meaning as to a safe place of deposit being
required for such documents. The first case was one in
which one of his noble friends, as heir-at-law, lost, and
another of his noble friends, as devisee, gained 30,0001.
a-year, and how the first lost it, and the last gained
it, was by a will being found in an old rusty box in an
old travelling carriage, and which, therefore, might
have been lost by accident or destroyed from ignorance ;
and yet upon which so large an amount of property de-
pended. The second case was one, also, in which some
of his noble friends were concerned, and the sum in ques-
tion was no less than 160,000/. ; which sum would have
been entirely lost to the purposes for which it was in-
tended, it the inquiries relative to the existence of a will
with respect to it had been instituted in the winter in-
stead of in the summer. The will was searched for
everywhere, but could nowhere he found, until, at last,
it was discovered in a grate, and stuffed like a piece of
waste paper through the bars, so, that, as he said before,
if it had been winter instead of summer, in all probability,
when the fire had been lighted it would have been de-
stroyed. He could produce many such cases, but he
thought that he had stated sufficient to show their lord-
ships the necessity for some place of safety for the de-
posit of wills. (Hear, hear.) There was one consequence
attendant upon this measure, which could not be too
deeply deplored or too sincerely regretted, and that was,
the loss and injury it would inevitably entail on proctors
and advocates—a class of men who had earned by indus-
try and zeal the honourable position which they held,
and who were in every way deserving of the deepest con-

" I have never written a word on the subject. I have sideration. He hoped, with respect to this class of gen-
never given an opinion respecting it. I have never been tlemen, that their lordships would not hesitate to consi-
asked for such an opinion, except in an informal and under what might be a fair and honourable compensation
official note from a personal friend of my own, which I
have omitted and declined to answer. Nor do I intend to to them ; and, in the consideration of the same, he had
every reason to believe that their lordships would not
write or to say what I think of the plan, unless I shall be
formally and officially required by her Majesty's Govern- allow these gentlemen to suffer an injustice out of any
ment to do so."
regard for what might be eonsidered, but which never
economy On the receipt of this letter he called on the gentleman
proved to be, an in such matters. (Hear.)
who had given his authority to use the name of Sir J. After a few words from the Bishop of ST. ASAPH,
Lord HARROWBY, and Lord FRVERSHAN,
Stephen, and he had stated that he had reason to believe
Lord ST. LEONARD'S said he was inclined to think
that Sir J. Stephen was in favour of this measure, but,
that it would be very desirable if the business to be trans-
on reflection, he considered that he was not authorised
to give, as he had done, the authority of his name. In ferred to the Court of Chancery could be kept together ;
these circumstances he had only to apologise to Sir J.
and that it would not be desirable, if it could be avoided,
Stephen and the house for the unintentional mistake he
to let every judge of the Court of Chancery have a por-
had committed. (Hear, hear.) At the present moment
tion of that business, just as it might happen. He sp-
it appeared that Sir James Stephen could not be quoted prehended, however, that it would be very easy to
on this subject as either for or against the plan of the make arrangements in the Court of Chancery which
might accomplssh all that was required. The judges of
Government. (Hear.)
TESTAMENTARY JURISDICTION. appeal did not appear to him to be very likely, for some
time to come to have any great pressure of business
Petitions were presented against the Testamentary upon them. ' The number of appeals at present was
Jurisdiction bill by the Earl of HARROWBY, from the very small, and there was no reason to suppose that it
College of Advocates ; by the Bishop of Sr. ASAPH,
from 17 or 18 registrars, who, he stated, did not object would increase. The great pressure which had hitherto
existed upon the Court of Chancery had been occasioned
to the bill in tote, but to certain of its details ; and by
the Marquis of CLANRICARDR, from a large body of by business
of a temporary nature. The Winding-up
proctors. Acts, for instance, and railway bills had occasioned a
very great resort to the Court of Chancery ; but that
The LORD CHANCELLOR, in rising to move the
was fast disappearing, and he believed it would be found
second reading of the Testamentary Jurisdiction bill, that the Court, as now constituted, had more judicial
said that when this bill was read for the first time he power than was necessary for the transaction of its ordi-
'
drew so largely on the attention of their lordships that nary business.isi Hisno
had stated thatble and learned friend,
in allu-
h
he did not now feel warranted in entering into detail as siioedn tthree dayslng inuished j
considering cases out of coeur°tenfour-
to the contents of the bill. On the first reading he en- every day that he was occupied in court. He (Lord St.
tered fully into the nature of the evils to be remedied, Leenards) could only say that every other judge with
le day afforded
and the attempts that successive Governments had made whom he was acquaintedo business,
had, whatever might
to effect this ; he had also laid before their lordships the days
recommendations of the last commission, and how far he him
ibueenaldhietiporuestsourethef
buthours of fhadtbetniiert out:l:the time as best he could frnooefmssithateinsfin:
coincided with or differed from those recommendations. for the consideration of cases out of court. n His noblen
Their lordships were pleased to receive the announce- and learned friend had likewise stated, that that excel-
ment of this bill, not only with kindness and attention, lent person, instead of hearing the evidence in court,
touosktibtehaomeisatnadkeread it there. He thought that there
but with very general approbation ; and his noble and
in that statement, because anything
learned friend, who objected to many portions of the must
repugnant to justice, or that could prove more
bill, therein differed also from the recommendations fatal to the suitor, he had never heard. (Hear, hear.)
of the majority of the commissioners. That which had It was most essential that the evidence should be heard
been received favourably by their lordships had not in open court and before the full bar ; and those persons
been received unfavourably by the country in gene- very much misunderstood the objects and duties of a
ral ' • but it could not be supposed that this subject, I bar who fancied that they had no weight and use beyond
amid the exciting events of the present time, would the addresses which they delivered to the court. He
arrest much public attention ; but there were persons should not enter into the details of the measure. As
whose attention was necessarily directed to it—he meant lat present advised, he was in favour of its principle and
those whose interests ware, or were supposed to be, of the transfer to the Court of Chancery ; but it must
affected by the proposed alterations. He might venture depend very much upon its state when it should come
to say that, had the bill not been regarded by them as out of the committee whether or not he should be able
entitled to the favourable reception of the Legislature, to support the details of the bill. He thought it was a
their lordships' table would have been covered with pe- I most unwise step to bring real estate within the opera-
titions against the measure. He had, however, kept his tion of the measure. He could not sit down without
attention alive to this, and was not aware, with the ex- expressing his regret at the necessity for breaking into
ception of the petitions of this night, that any others had the practice of very learned persons whose Whole lives
been presented to their lordships. Let them examine had been devoted to their profession. (Hear.) A case
into the nature of the objections of these petitions. In lof greater hardship could not be conceived, but at the
the first place, there was that presented by the noble i same time he thought it would be utterly impossible for
lord from York. All attempts to effect legal reform them to give advocates and barristers compensation in
must necessarily be attended with loss to those who had respect of changes in legislation which might lead to a
profited, not improperly, by the system which it was . loss of their practice. He would, however, suggest that
proposed to alter, and there was, perhaps, no place in some preference might be given to the present advocates
the kingdom on which the peasant measure would have by allowing them a right to preaudienoe in the Court of

Appeal with regard to testamentary matters ; but this
would be a subject for future consideration.
Lord WYNFORD, who spoke in a very inaudible
tone, said that he should have preferred the establish-
ment of a court expressly for this testamentary juris-
diction.

The Earl of DONOTIGHMORE was of opinion that
this bill would inflict great injustice on two most de-
serving classes of men—viz., the advocates and the
proctors ; and he could not understand why this should
not be a fit case for compensation. He offered no
opinion with regard to the general scope of the measure ;
but, if this change was to be introduced for the purpose
of obtaining a great public advantage, the noble and
learned lord who proposed it was bound to see that he
did not inflict a private wrong by means of it.
Lord BROUGHAM observed that the patronage of
the Lord Chancellor had lately beers much diminished.
He had been deprived, for instance, of the appointments
to the offices of Masters in Chancery.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, in reply, said he agreed
with the noble earl that it this bill was unjust towards
the proctors it ought not to pass, because we ought not
for the purpose of obtaining any advantage to do that
which was an injustice, but the question was, whether
this was an injustice or not ? It was unjust by act of
Parliament to deprive persons holding an office of that
to which by law they were entitled. With regard to
the Rev. Mr. Moore, he should be glad if some of that
which it would be injustice to take from him could be
given to the proctors ' • but that could not be done, for
he had a right to his office, which could no more be
taken from him for the purpose of doing good to the
public than the noble earl's estate could be taken from
him for the purpose of being distributed among persons
to whom it might be thought convenient to give it.
With respect to the addition which this bill would make
to the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, he could only
say that nothing would give him greater pleasure than
not to have this additional patronage, but he thought it
ought to be given to the Lord Chancellor, because
when he was made responsible for selecting the best
persons to fill an office he was more likely than any one
else to do so. Patronage to these high places was
anything but patronage in the ordinary sense of the
word. The head of a department who had the power of
appointing clerks at 100/. a year, might have valuable
patronage at his disposal, but a Lord Chancellor would
be scouted and lose his character if he did not select
the persons who were the most fitted to fill the offices
of judges and of other high functionaries. The civil
patronage of the Lord Chancellor had now been reduced
almost to nothing, and during the year and a quarter
in which he held the seals he had always exercised his
patronage by selecting the best persons he could find to
fill the offices to which he had the appointment. What
he might call the comfortable patronage of the Lord
Chancellor—such as the appointment of the 70 Commis-
sioners in Bankruptcy and of the Masters in Chancery_
was gone ; but he made no complaint upon that point,
for he thought the changes which had been made had
been most beneficial ' • only he did not wish it to be
imagined that this bill would give him any of that kind
of patronage which produced influence. If the noble
earl could suggest any other plan which would be more
likely to lead to more satisfactory appointments being
made, he should be happy to adopt it.
Lord BROUGHAM remarked, with reference to a
statement which had been made by the noble and learned
lord (St. Leonard's) near him, that it used to be the
practice in these courts for the counsel to read the evi-
dence, and then to comment upon the leading parts of
it ; but some of the learned judges had since adopted the
plan of reading the evidence, upon which, however, the
counsel had still the liberty of commenting.
The bill was read a second time and ordered to be re-
ferred to a select committee.

CONSOLIDATED FUND (8,000,0001.) BILL.
On the motion of Earl GRANVILLE, this bill passed
through committee.
VENTILATION AND LIGHTING OF THE
HOUSE.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE movepd for the ap-
pointment of a select committee to inquire into the pos-
sibility of improving the ventilation and the lighting of
the house, and the contiguous chambers, galleries, and
passages.
The motion was agreed to, and the committee was
nominated by the noble marquis.

Their lordships then adjourned at 8 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.

PETITIONS.
Mr. B. HUGHES presented a petition from Conway
praying for the repeal of the duty upon fire insurance.
Mr. BROWN presented a petition from Liverpool
praying for the establishment of a bi-monthly mail to
Australia.

Mr. COWAN presented a petition from the Royal
College of Surgeons in Edinburgh against the Registra-
tion Bill.

Mr. BASS presented a petition from Derby praying
that all public houses may be closed on Sunday.
The Marquis of GRANBY presented a petition from
a place in Leicestershire against the Oaths' Bill.
EXCISE RETURNS.

On the motion of Mr. COWAN, the following re-
turns were ordered :—Returng of the number of officers
of excise under the rank of a supervisor employed in
England, Scotland, and Ireland respectively, in the year
1848, and subsequent years. Of the number of such
officers removed annually, since the beginning of the
year 1848 (in consequence of having been four years in
one station), from England, S'entland, and Ireland, dis-
tinguishing to which of these kingdoms they have been re-
spectively removed. And an account of expenses incurred
and paid to or on account of such officers, in consequence
of such removals ; distinguishing, as far as can be ascer-
tained, travelling expenses from any other items.
IRISH POST-OFFICE.

Mr. H. HERBERT gave notice that this day fort-
night he should call the attention of the house to the
evidence taken before the committee which sat last year
on the subject of postal communication with Ireland.
CONVENTS AND NUNNERIES.
Mr. T. CHAMBERS gave notice that, on the 20th
inst., he should nominate the committee on Conventual
Establishments.

RAILWAY TRAINS.
Mr. I. BUTT asked the President of the Board of
Trade, whether any steps have been taken to test the
new mode of effecting communication by electric signals
between the guards and drivers of railway trains ; and
whether, in the event of its proving successful, any mea-
sure will be adopted to secure the employment of some
such apparatus generally upon railways.
Mr. CARDWELL understood that a system of elec-
tric signals was now in use on the London and South-
Western Railway, and he had directed an engineering re
port to he made on the subject. With regard to the
latter part of the question, a committee had reported in
favour of the compulsory use of these signals. He
thought that was a judicious recommendation, but how
such a compulsory plan could be carried out remained
to be decided.

Mr. HUME presented a petition, very numerously
signed, from Stamford, in favour of a reform in the Par-
liamentary representation. The same hon. member also
presented a petition from Montrose in favour of a
decimal coinage ; also a petition from the medical prae-
tioners of Burton-on-Trent, complaining of the present
treatment of junior surgeons of the Navy.
Mr. BRIGHT gave notice that on Thursday he would
ask the noble lord at the head of the Home Department
a question relative to the water-supply for the metro-
polis.
Lord PALMERSTON said he could state now that
what passed between him and the deputation—that was,
that if the people of Wandsworth wanted their drainage
done they ought to pay for it.
JUVENILE REFORMATORIES.
Mr. ADDERLEY asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, when he will introduce his bill
for the promotion of juvenile reformatories.
Lord PALMERSTON said that he had a bill in pre-
paration on the subject, and would not lose sight of it.

FIREWORK MANUFACTORIES.
Mr. BOWYER rose to ask the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, with reference to the late loss
of life by a fire in a firework warehouse in the West-
minster-road, whether her Majesty's Government have
considered the propriety of forbidding establishments of
that dangerous nature in populous places.
Lord PALMERSTON said the subject had not yet
come under the consideration of her Majesty's Go-
vernment ; but he could assure the honourable
member and the house that there were locali-
ties in the metropolis where trades were carried on
infinitely more dangerous and destructive to human life
than anything that arose from fireworks. There were
knacker's-yards, bone-crushing establishments, and other
trades of that sort so destructive to life, that he had to
allow the officers of the Millbank Penitentiary to have
lodgings out from it at a certain period of the year, to
escape fatal attacks.
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER,
Mr. HEYWOOD moved an address to the Crown,
for copy of the alterations in the Book of Common Prayer,
proposed by the Royal Commissioners for the Revision
of the Liturgy,
in 1689, which were intended to be sub-
mitted to Convocation, and subsequently considered in
Parliament, and the original of which, in the hand-
writing of the Royal Commissioners, passed successively
into the charge of Bishop gibson the Dean of Arches,
and the Archbishop of Canterbury. He proposed to
omit all the words after the date 1689.
Lord PALMERSTON said there would be no objec-
tion to the motion in the amended form.
Mr. GOULBURN said this information was not ne-
cessary, as it had already been made the foundation of
the Protestant Church service in the United States.
Under these circumstances the house had no right to
demand this document from a private library.
Mr. HENLEY objected to the production of a private
document in the manner proposed, unless more public
good could be obtained from it.
Mr. LABOITCHERE doubted whether this was a
private library, but the Archbishop of Canterbury, who
was the proprietor of it. did not object to the motion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER saw no
objection to the motion, as it would be left to the
Home-office to decide how the motion should be carried
out.
Mr. KER SEYMER hoped it was not intended to
use this document for the purpose of causing a schism in
the Church. (Oh, oh.)
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the motion 132
Against it B3-49
The motion was accordingly agreed to.
SUBSTITUTION OF DECLARATIONS FOR