The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-11 00:00:00

the suggestion of his hon. and learned friend the member
for Bath. He had no objection to take away the vote.
Lord J. RUSSELL said this clause,. as the hon. member
for. Liverpool had said, was not originally in the bill in
the shape it now was. All that ho proposed in the bill as
was originally brought forward was to prevent more
effectually than was now done by lasi the attorney or
agent from voting. The objection to the clause of the hon.
member was that he thought it could not be carried effec-
tually into practice. What the hon. member (Mr. Ather-
ton) said was true, that the candidate would contrive by
having the partner, or nephew, or clerk as his nominal
agent. He thought the best course would be to strike out
the clause as it now stood and to insert another clause at
end of the bill.
Mr. CRAUFURD thought that until they could put an
end to the employment of attorneys at. elections they
would never get rid of corruption. ,
Mr. WALPOLE was glad that the noble lord consented
to withdraw the clause. He thought the difficulty would
be got over by adopting the clause of the hon. member for
Liverpool.
Mr. V. SMITH did not- envy the gentleman who sued
an attorney at law for 50/. Depend upon it he would get
the worth of it. (Laughter.) :The object of the bon.
membei for Manchester in proposing the clause in commit-
tee was to get rid of the enormous influence of attorneys at
elections. At present they could engage attorneys as
agents and secure their votes. It was the onlylegalised
bribery there was.
Clause 10 waethen struck out.
On clause 11, which prohibits the giving of cockades,
Mr. HEADLAM moved an amendment, extending the
provisions of the clause to candidates as well as to mem-
bers, which was agreed to. _
On the question that the clause stand part of the bill,
Mr. LOOSER moved that the clause be struck out.
He thought the time had come when they should deter-
mine whether the elections should be popular or not.
Mr. AGLIONBY said his defieition of a popular elec-
tion was different from that of the hon. member. He con-
ceived that a popular election - was that which gave to
every man who had the power to vote the right to vote
without bribery and without corruption. He asked if it
was discussed in the select committee whether they should
get rid of those nuisances at elections, flags, banner, and
music ?
Mr. WALPOLE said it was before the committee, but
as the house had deliberately, upon two occasions, rejected
the proposition, they thought it was hardly within their
province to insert a clause.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the 7th and Bth
Gl3O. IV. was passed for the purpose of putting a stop to
the practice of giving ribbons and cockades to the electors.
It was found a very heavy expense, as they had not only
to give ribbons to the voters but to their wives, and to
many besides who were nonvoters.
The clause was then agreed to.
On clause 12, which provides that 'electors are not to be
compelled to serve as special constables, ,
Mr. SOTHERON asked what was the object of such a
provision.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought the object was that per-
sons should not be made special constables to prevent them
from voting.
Mr. MILES said that in many small boroughs all the
respectable inhabitants were voters, and they were the
only persons who could be called- on to quell riots. (Hear.)
Mr. WALPOLE dia not think it right that el dors,
who might have strong paitisan feelings, should be com-
pelled to act as special constables.
Mr. E. DENISON sail that if they had such strong
feelings they would willingly be sworn in.
The committee divided—
For the dame
Against

181
39
- -145

Majority
On clause 13,
Sir J. INAT:MSLEY moved to insert words to render
penalties imposed 'under the act recoverable in the county
court of the district.
Mr. PHINN • said that the committee lull considered
this question, and had rejected it—in his opinion wisely—
after mature consideration.
Mr. CRAUFURD supptrted the amendment.
Mr. WHITESIDE did not think it advisable to render
these penalties recoverable in county courts.
Mr. ATHERTON objected to the amendment, and
Mr. HADFIELD supported it..
Mr. FOX said that if county courts wore so little to he
trusted as some hon. members supposed, they ought not to
be trusted to decide Cases at all. He supported the amend-
ment.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that, except in some cases there
was no appeal from county courts, and he did not think
that a local tribunal should have the power of deciding
questions which involved political disqualifications. .
The amendment was negatived, and the clause was
agreed to.
On clause 14,
Mr. HENLEY asked whether the expenses of prosecu-
tion were to be paid out of the Treasury or out of the
county rates ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the intention was to pay
them out of the Consolidated Fund.
Clause agreed to.
Clause 13 was agreed to.
Oa clause 16,
Mr. WHITESIDE moved an amendment to limit the
time within which an action must be brought to six
months.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the amendment.
The clause was then agreed to.
On the motion of Mr. V. ScuLLY,
The CHAIRMAN reported progress.
Lord J. RUSSELL stating that he intended to resume
thacomtnittee on Thursday.
STAMP DUTIES BILL.
Oa the motion for going into committee,
Sir H.WILLOUGHBY asked if the hon_gentleman (Mr.
Wilson) would- object to lay en the table a comparative
table of the duties now levied and those proposed to be
levied.
Mr. WILSON said he would furnish -such a table. The
bilititielf was intended as a compromise to meet conflicting
interests, one of which was re, ,resented by the hon. member
for Sheffield (Mr. Hadfield) ; but if there were any decided
objection to the new scale of duties, he would not press
them.
• Oa the motion of Mr. HADFIELD the committee was
postponed.
The report of supply was brought up and received.
JAMAICA. LOAN.
In committee of the house a resolution granting a loan of
50,0013/. to the'island of Jamaica was agreed to.
STANDARD OF GOLD AND SILVER WARES
BILL.
The order of the day for the second reading of this bill
havitrg_been moved,
Mr. CARDWELL, in reply to Mr. HENLEY, said that
the object of the bill was to lower the standard of the gold
used in the making of watch-cases from 18 carats to 10
carats fine. The trade in the manufacture of watch-cases
of alower standard of gold was rapidly on the increase ;
and the manufacturers of this country loudly complained
that they were shut out from the advantages of that trade
by.the arbitrary rale with respect to,the standard of gold
to be used in the manufacture of those cases at present in
force.

Mr.. T. RA NKEY said that the gold manufacturers of
the City of London entirely disapproved of the bill. They
were of opinion that it would ruin the trade in England if
watch-cases were allowed to be manufactured of which only
one-third should be gold, and would drive the manufac-
turers to Geneva.
Mr. ELLICE thought the hon. member was stating the
wishes of those manufacturers who enjoyed, and wished to
enjoy, the monopoly in the trade. On behalf of his consti-
tuents he should beg to express his approval of the bill.
The fact was that under the present system the manufac-
turers in this country were obliged to send the works of
watches out to America to be put there either into French
or American cases. He did not desire that the public •
should be deluded with respect to the value of a watch. It
was simply sought that the cases should be stamped accord-
ing to their fineness, so that the purchasers should not,
under the operation of the bill, be in any way defraud() i.
The whole object-of the bill was to enable the watchmakers
throughout England to extend their trade, and upon that
ground it merited the support.af the house.
The bill was then read a second time.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILL.
The bill was read a second time. •
The Militia (No. 2) Bill was read a second time, and the
committee fixed Tor Thursday morning.

MERCHANT SHIPPING ACTS REPEAL BILL.
Mr. CARDWELL moved the committee on this bill.
Mr. DEEDES objected to proceeding witht it at that
late hour.
Mr. CARDWELL pressed that it might be permitted to
go into committee.
The bill wont through committee ; the third reading
was fixed for Thursday.
REGISTRATION OF BILLS OF SALE (IRELAND)
BILL. .
This bill went through committee.
THE GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL.
On the order of the day for the committal of this bill
being read amidst cries of " oh, oh," and "postpone,
postpone."
Mr. WISE moved that a select committee bs appointed
to consider the provisional orders.
Sir W. MOLES WORTH consented for this session to
withdraw the orders for the places which did not object
to the bill.
Mr. WISE—I am satisfied. (Laughter.)
Sir G. PECHELL said the hon. member was easily
satisfied. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Were the towns
which had not objected to it satisfied ? and if they were,
were they at all aware of its nature ? If so, seeing that no
one ventured to defend the iniquities of the board, any
approval of the measure should be sent to.the British
Museum.
Lord PALMERSTON said that the object of the bill
was to constitute in a number of towns local boards of
health. He hoped that the house would not punish 100,000
People.from any feeling of hostility that might be enter-
tained to member of the General Board of
a particular
,‘„,l.Ol*T-13T0elc.
Health,
The hill then a through committee, Hanley and
much .„„ . passe-
sevethee.ootto. n having been struck out of its clauses and
On the circler f?
This bill Was read
x. secondTHia:Bwto
rNuaLaytAe.aßNStha
RATES
El n(iTsSEeCi.n:::::::::AoLT
jnNt.i.DoN:Dm) BILL.oBviILgL
in.
POOR-LAW
coMmittee that t°l.6
bolonel DUNN
The bill was the:
aecond ti
second reading of this bill,
two years. "intinuation of the bill be limited to
cußoinTditime without discussion.
HERITABLE
Ib
TillAwßasLEreaSdEa se°
This bill was read a second ts
TTURnistNsPAIKE TRUSTS.
(SCOTLAND) BILL.
Arrangements,
doa second time.
nee.s,alad Turnpike Acts
The Turnpike
STLAND
of the
Continuance Bills, were severally
RO En Ft
hO
eR
OMx
derA T Of
oRr Yic . iSn CI; H
intoo O L
) BILL.
Mr. MAGUIRE opposed the furthe committee,
p se
ecobmillm.
committee
bill pending the delay of the Governmpeeritja- roe°r- measure.
no Mr. , DUNI,4OP hoped that at that
no attempt would be made further to delay thill'3. session
Mr. MAGUIRE persisted and moved that the
should report progress.
Mr. LUCAS supported the amendment.
After a few words from the LORD ADVOCATE',
Mr. LUCAS contended that this bill was 'part of a,
great system of aggression upon the Roman Catholic reli-
gion directed in this case as it had been in the Middlesex
Industrial Schools Bill, and the Youthful Offenders Bill,
against the poorest and most helpless part of the popula.
tion. (Cries of "Divide.")
Mr. J. O'CONNELL supported the motion for reporting
progress. (Divide, divide.)
After some conversation,
Mr. DUNLOP, seeing there was a determination to ob-
struct the progress of the bill, consented to allow the mo-
tion to pass without a division.
The Chairman accordingly reported progress, and ob-
tained ietiYQ to oit again on Wednesday, the 19th intrb.