The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-04 00:00:00

sons who will accept them, and consequently the only re-
source of a colonial secretary is to fall back upon men who
are not well-known, but who, he feels assured, from the
opportunity he has had of estimating their talents, will
hereafter be well known, and will discharge their duties
with propriety. This is no new doctrine. Who are the
men now most distinguished as governors of colonies ?
There may he rare cases—such as that of Sir Charles Met-
calfe, who, being one of the most heroic and disinterested
spirits that ever existed, disregarded all considerations of
personal advantage, and proceeded at once to the post
which he was invited to fill—in which we have the good
fortune to obtain well-known men for colonial governors,
but in the majority of instances the reverse is the case.
Sir W. Denison has been mentioned to-night as having
been appointed Governor of New South Wales. Was he
ever known in political life ? No ; he was an able engineer.
(Hear, from Sir J. Pakington.) Ido not know what the
right hon. gentleman means by that cheer ; but I think I
am justified in referring to the case when it is made a
charge against the Government that they have appointed
a governor of a colony who was totally inexperienced in
public affairs. Sir W. Denison is now well known, and
has earned his promotion. This is one case, and it repre-
sents the general rule. If you condemn the appoint-
ment of Mr. Lawley because he is inexperienced and
young, what do you say to the appointment of Lord
Elgin ? I refer to Lord Elgin because he is one of the most
distinguished and successful among colonial governors,
and has recently been engaged in negotiations of a most
difficult description, in the management of which he has
gained the highest honour. When he was appointed
Lord Elgin was, I believe, of precisely the same age as my
hon. friend Mr. Lawley. Now, compare the cases. Mr.
Lawley was appointed Governor of South Australia, with
a population of between 40,000 and 50,000 ; Lord Elgin
was appointed Governor of Jamaica, in the agonies of its
struggles consequent on the Emancipation Act, with a
population of between 400,000 and 500,000. Mr. Lawley
was appointed after two years of arduous service in the
Exchequer and this house ; Lord Elgin was appointed after
only six weeks' experience in this house, in the course of
which he undoubtedly had the opportunity of proving his
ability by a speech he made. (Hear, hear.) But then it
must be recollected that the ability of Mr. Lawley is not
called in question ; it is only his inexperience iu public
affairs which is obected to. Take the case of Lord Harris,
which has also been referred to. The hon. member who
made the reference spoke of his lordship in depreciatory
terms, saying that he was an amiable man in infirm health,
but totally inexperienced and unknown. Lord Harris
was in bad health ; he had gone to the West Indies
in the hope of recruiting it. It is true, also, that he
was inexperienced in public affairs, but my private
knowledge of him convinced me that he was ab:e to
serve his country with ability, and therefore I offered
him the appointment, which he accepted, and in which
he has covered hims3lf with honour. This is the view
of the case which I have felt it my duty to lay before the
House in justification not only to the present Govern-
meat, but all Governments, With respect to the pre-
sent case, I am bound to say, in justice to the Duke of
News:,stle and my right hon. friend the Secretary for the
Colonies, that, until within the last 24 hours, I saw uo
reason to regret having given my testimony that in most
respects Mr. Lawley was emieently and admirably qualified
for the post to which he was appointed. Again, I thank
the house for the kind manner in which this case has been
dealt with, and I hope that all who hear me share in the
opinion, that if Mr. Lawley is chargeable with great im-
prudence, not the slightest taint of pecuniary corruption
or serious error rests upon him. Under these circumstances,
I trust that the door of hope will not bo barred against
him, or his future career in life stopped. (Hear, hear.)
May the kindness of the house, evinced in the forbearance
and gentleness With which they have approached this
question, encourage my hon. friend to attempt to retrieve
his error by the studious performance of his duties, so
that, at some future period, he may re-establish his cha-
racter, not only for honour, but judgment. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. V. SMITH thought the reduction made in recent
years in the salaries of colonial governors was an injudi-
cious proceeding, but was of opinion that if persons well
known and competent, could not be persuaded to proceed
from this country to fill the office of Colonial governors,
those officers should be selected from among members of
the legislative councils in the colonies. Perhaps, too, it
would be worth while to try whether good colonial gover-
nors could not be obtained by establishing a system of pro-
motion, and raising governors from small to important
colonies.
The house then v.-•at into a
COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS.

Mr. WILSON moved the following resolutions :
" 1. That towards making good the supply granted to
her Majesty, the sum of 500,0001., or part of the sum in
the Exchequer of the United Kingdom of Groat Britain
and Ireland, or remaining to be raised on the sth of July,
1854, to complete the aids granted by Parliament for the
service of the years 1852 and 1853 be applied to the service
of the year 1854.
"2. That, towards making good the supply granted to
her Majesty, the sum of 2.2,322,743/. 9s. 11d. be granted
out of the Consolidated Fund. _ _ .

" 3. That, towards making good the supply granted to
her Majesty, there be issued and applied to the service of
the year 1854 the sum of 149,3421. 15s. ld., being the sur-
plus of ways and means granted for the service of preced-
ing years."
Mr. HUME understood the noble lord the member for the
city of London, when asking the house to grant 3,000,0001.
for the prosecution of the war, to have stated that part of
the money would be employe' in subsidising our allies the
Turk's. This proved to be a mischievous course when
adopted in the last war, and he warned the Government
against resorting to it now.
Mr. KINNAIItD could not coincide with the hon.
member for Montrose, and hoped the Government would
adopt what he believed to be a very valuable suggestion—
namely, that of employing the natives in a climate ad-
mitted to be unhealthy, and commanded by British officers.
Mr. HUME contended that the return he had moved
for would fully substantiate his statements.
Lord D. STUART approved of the plan suggested of
employing native troops, and instanced the creditable and
efficient service which the native troops of India had ren-
dered in similar circumstances. He hoped they were not
going to increase their own army largely. If the war was
likely to be protracted, he hoped they would employ the
natives of Turkey, believing that the cheapest and most
economical way would be to employ native troops in all
cases officered by British officers.
The house then resumed, and the resolutions were
brought up and reported. •
The Militia (Scotland) Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The house then went into committee on the Public Re-
venue and Consolidated Fund Charges (No. 2) Bill, Mr.
BOUVERIE in the chair.

The clauses were agreed to, without observation.
On schedule B being proposed,
MAYNOOTH GRANT.

Mr. SPOONER rose to move the amendment of which
he had given notice; it was not his intention to go into
any details on the question of May nooth. His views were
already well known. If they viewed it in any other light.
they were only blinding and deceiving themselves. If
the Government thought they were right in continuing
this grant let them prove their sincerity by bringing it
before Parliament annually. The hon. gentleman con-
cluded by moving that "in case the house shall sanction
the principle of removing any charge from the Consolidated
Fund now placed upon it by Act of Parliament, to add to
schedule B:—` the president, vice-president, and students
of Maynooth College, and the expenses of the establish-
ment, enacted by 8 and 9 Vic. c. 25.""
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said his
hon. friend had promised not to enter into the the ques-
tion of the Maynooth grant, but he had been rather more
liberal than his promise.
Mr. SPOONER—OnIy a quarter of an hour.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had
watched the clock more closely ; and agreeable as his hon.
friend always was, his speech had certainly been in this
case the length of an ordinary sermon. (A. laugh.) In the
present case they were merely exercising a reasonable vin-
dication of the privilege of the house in a case which the
House of Lords had altered a financial bill. It was im-
portant, therefore, that they should send up the now mea-
sure in the same form as the one that had preceded it. It
was important when they discussed the question of whether
the grant should be on the Consolidated Fund or on the
cvlountessiatnhc!ests twhheyichshowuohuilddosibtoiwn
daume aruesuPerctanted thuen (fleeerlicnigrs-
of the people of Ireland. There were other grants for re-
ligious purposes—grants. for the Church of England and
the Church of Scotland, and fie /hit it to the house whether
the Maynooth grant was not at least entitled to their seri-
ous consideration es a substantive proposition ; whether it
should hot be editslioted en the geslsr.il principles and not
dealt with by a side blow on a financial mersente from
which they had carefully excluded everything on which
political question could be raised. For these reasons he
hoped the house would seternetily reject the motion.
(Hear, hear.) The measure was introduced as one of fiscal
reform, and as such he hoped the house would pass it.
Mr: DISRAII.I.-=-1 Platted oti the paper certain amend-
itieuti the Dili now under consideration, and it is "14-
iaiuly my own faith that I *as not present to move them,
but it ie owing te the marvellotie rapidity With which
the business is transacted. I understand, however, that
.1 shall have an opportunity of introducing them at an-
other stage. There are the amendments which I pro's:see.
It is in my opinion most important that the house ,hould
adopt them, and by so doing they would not, as far as I can
learn, interfere with the passing of the bill by the other house.
I have not been an inattentive observer of what, has taken
place in reference to the -question in the present or the
last session of Parliament. The motion of the hon. gentle-
Male was itself made for the second time. I gave a silent
vote on a previous occaeion, but I am not prepared to con-
tinue to give a silent vote on questions of that nature. All
these
.questions were brought forward by independent
members of Parliament sitting on different sides of the
house and holding different political opinion's. Was it
wise for a minister of the Crown to get up and sa7i with
regard to such questions, " This qtiestion must be sum-
marily dismissed ; it is August, Parlianient will not be
sitting for six months, and we cannot now enteetaitt
question which has, ipi a thousand forms, worried and per-
plexed us before?" hoe Ohio to quite a different con-
clusion to that of the right 'Lica gentleman. Well, as the
question is before us, I think we are boillid tairlty to meet
'it. I lo not vent to, e press anS, individuat oplbion,
thnnst4 (mufti's; that ciPorSisd the motion of Sir
1.
Peel with regard to the permanent endowthent of May-
Whit I *eel seemprees the,house is, that it
cannot bo ibleritted, With any regard for the public safety,
that !session after session the important qdneti.cin of Ore re.;
lations which exist between their Roman Catholic feline?.
subjects and the Protestant constitution of this country
should be left in doubt—that it should remain a question
//hich every member of Parliament, whatever might be
his politicel opinions, might raise to excite the public
mind, and perplex the Whole course of public business.
(Hear, hear.) I look hpen what is called the Protestant
eonstitntion of the country to be a guarantee for civil and
religieris liberty, and it is because I feel convinced that if
the Go'iarimient neglect their duty, if isolated and frag-
mentary parts of the question, under these various shapes
end aspects, are brought perpetually forward for public dis-
pelaeicni ,sietd ferliasepsOary debate, the result will be a
heavy mow' and great aiket'aOttiett 10 of Pit
and religious
liberty—because I see the danger abeau 1047 //,°°"36
ono" WIN Lcst ;e7i; nyeid a course that would lead ti, iticli
congegnence, thatpl csa--11 upon the Government, not in haste
and precipitation, not in a hurry, not to tell them in
August what exactly they would do—but I call on the
noble lord, in whom on this subject I at least have great
' confidence--I call on him to come forward and say that, on
the part of the administration of this country, he will, at
the
eare-I;est opportunity--notwithstandingt e smiles and
whispers of the Chancellor of the Exchequer—(laughter)—
that he will come forward and say, on the part of the Go-
vernment, that they will propose measures that will be
satisfactory to the public mind.
Lord J..RUSSELL—I was certainly somewhat alarmed
till WI i arrived towards the end of the right hon. gentle-
niall'a speech, because until he said that it was not a ques-
tion t. o be considered in the month of Anoint, I Viee
ho w, .cs pmposing that in, the month of August the Grovel u-i
merit, should introduce a measure to define the Whole bear-
-4135 td the Protestant constitution, and how far the privi.