The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-29 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY OATHS BILL

HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 26.
The following is the list of the Majority on the Second
Reading of this Bill :
ARCIIBISLIOP. liaddington :
Canterbury Kianoull
DUKES. Longford
Buckingham Lansdale
Buccleuch Locals
Montrosa Mansfield
Newcastle Malmesbury
Wellington Munster
MARQUISES. Morton Abinger
Ailsa Nelson Bayning
Downshire Pomfret Boston
Drogheda Powis Bolton
Exeter Rosso Bray-brooke
Roden Colchester
Ely
Salisbury Romney Clarina
EARLS. Selkirk Crewe
Abergavenny Sheffield De Lisle
Aylesford Stradbroke De Ros
Aberdeen Shaftesbury Delamere
Bandon Talbot Farnham
Beauchamp Veralain Feversham
Cadogan 'Warwick Kenyon
Courtoun Wilton litimaine
Darnley Winchilsca Lilford
Dartmouth Waldegrave Folwarth
Desart viscousTS. Rayleigh
Egmont Combermere Redesdale
Ellenborough Bill Rolle
EgHilton, Middleton Sandys
Effingham Strangford Skelmersdale
almouth Sydney Sondes
Glengall BISUOTS. Southamptoll
Galloway Bath and Wells Stanley
Barewood Bangor Wynfori

Carlisle
Chichester
Exeter
Gloucester
Oxford
Rochester
Salisbury

BARONS.

ANNIVERSARY OF HER AIAJESTY'S CORONATION.
Yesterday, t-iiig the eleventh antiv!rsary of h,r M.
jests's coronation, the n uit salutes were fired from the
St. James's-park End Tower guns.
DETERMINED SUlClDE.—Yesterdaymorning,shortly
after twe!vo o'clock, a woman resicing in Bedford-court,
Covent-garden, committed suicide by hanging herself.
From what we gathered on the !pit, it appeared that the
deceased hid for some days past been getting inOxicated,
and yesterslay, having procured a small ball of string, the
went into her bedroom, and suspended herself to the bed-
post. On, of her ckiiidren, a little girl, noticing that
her mother was I,,nger r;pitetiN than a-nal, al d the
neighbours, who, upon repairing to the room, cut her
down, when, upon examination, life was found to be
extinct.

THE REPRESENTATION OF THE
CITY OF LONDON.
Ye- terday evcnine, at six o'clock, a meeting of the
central and district committees of the Liberal electors of
the city of London was held at the Hall of Commerce,
Thrsalnee clit3-strect, for the purpose of receiving and
bring a communication trom Baron Lionel
aiTio referencs to the Parliamentary Oaths Bill.
Among those present were—Mr. J. A. Smith, MX., Mr.
If. A. Agiionby, M.P., Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P. Mr. F.
Golilsmici, Mr. J J. Francis, Baron Rothschild, Sir A.
Rothschild, Mr. W. Pritchard, Mr. 11. Bennoch, Mr. H.
F. Atkinson, Mr. Somers Harford, Mr. R. Sslomons, Mr.
W. J. Hall, Dr. Simpson, Mr. D. W. Wire, Mr. W. Wil-
son, Mr. Effingham Wilson, &c.
The meeting was a very crowded, influential, and en-
thusisetic one ; and the proceedings throughout were
charecterised by the greatsst unanimity and harmony.
On the motion of Mr. HALL, Mr. J. A. Smith was
called to take ths chair.
Mr. J. A. SMITII then rose and said that he felt it a
very high honour to occupy the chair on that occasion,
not so much in reference to the particular object of the
present meeting—that of placing his valued friend Ba-
ron Lionel Rothschild in the House of Commons, as
representative of this great city, but because he
felt it must be an object worthy of the ambition of
any man to have his name connected with en
election, the result of which he did not believe himself
very sanguine in declaring, would be to overthrow,
wipe out, and destroy the last vestiges of religious
intolerance.—(Loud cheers) Ho should be ashamed of
himself if he could occupy them for a moment longer
with reference to himself, but he could not help thank-
ing them for the honour they had done him. They
were aware that the object of the meeting was to receive
a communication from Baton Rothschild; and when he
sat down he would call on him to state the reasons which
; had induced him to convene the meeting, his conduct
and motives during the past, and his intentions for the
future. But before the Baron rose he thought it right
to him, and due to the meeting, to trouble them very
shortly with the details of the various steps which had
marked the progress in their recent contest in Parlia-
ment. He did so, both that they might understand the
conduct of their late representative, and that they might
, know how prudently and cautiously, and at the same
time perseveringly and zealously, he had tried to carry
out their and his own wishes with reference to his seat
in Parliament.—(Cheers.) They were aware that last
year a Bill was introduced into Parliament to enable
gentlemen holding the Jewish faith to enter Parliament
without having tendered to them an oath which they
could not take if they were honest and conscientious
men.—(Hear.) They were also aware that it passed the
House of Commons, and was rejected in the House of
Lords. Upon that rejection Baron Rothschild called
his friends together, at a meeting held at the London
Tavern, at which he (Mr. Smith) had the honour to
preside as chairman. The Baron stated what had oc-
curred, and asked for advice and direc ions as to his
future proceedings. The result was a resolution which
be would take the liberty of reading. It was unani-
mously resolved,
" 'That this meeting is of opinion that Baron Rothschild,
M.P., should present himself to the House of Commons,
and demand to b 3 received as Member for the city of
London; and that he should take all constitutional means
for asserting his rights, privileges, and qualifications, as
.1 Member, and for vindicating the principles of civil and
religious liberty."
Subsequently Lord J. Russell, in his place, gave notice
of a ue e Bill in reference to Parliamentary oaths, and
this no- ice so given was considered by all the friends of
B iron Rothschild, without exception, as a conclusive
mason why he should not go to the table and demand to
be received as a Member, in the hope that such a step
would be successful. The Bill, however, was cut short
by the termination of the session, and proceedings were
in abeyance until shortly before the meeting o' Parlia-
ment this year, when Baron Rothschild again called his
friend, together and asked for instructions ; or rather,
he wrote a letter, stating that he had rec ived a draft
of the Bill intended to be introduced at the beginning of
the session, and asking for their opinion and advice. A
very large and influential meeting took place in conse-
quence on the 31st of January, at. which, owing to his
accidental detention in Paris, he (Mr. Smith) was unable
to be present, and at which resolutions were carried with
which they were all acquainted. Lord J. Russell, a few
days after the meeting of Parliament, introduued the best
of all the measures which had been proposed on the sub-
ject that he (Mr. Smith) tal yet seen. They had had
the satisfaction of seeing this Bill pass through the
House of Commons with increasing majorities—increas-
ing not only in numbers, but in the greater intelligence
of those who voted. In this respect there had been in
the House of Commons a remarkable advance; and he
must not forget to pay a tribute to that young man who
made the best first speech he ever heard in Parliament—
Mr. F. Peel—and who began that night a career which,
it he (Mr. Smith) was not greatly mistaken, would not
be second in usefulness or distinction to that run by his
most able father. There was one circumstance con-
nected with the debate this year which every one must
have observed—the weakness, the apathy, and the
worthlessness of the opposition which was offered to their
measure. There were many most excellent, worthy
men to be found in the minority, but he did not think
there ever was a great and important subject in which
the speeches of the Opposition werecharacterised by such
a contemptible want of argument. Not one new posi-
tion had been urged; the old stale arguments were ad-
duced, and the friends of the great cause of religious
liberty had every reason to be proud at the result of
those debates.—(Cheers.) The fate of the Bill, how-
ever, had not been the same in the House of Lords; and,
however deep his mortification and disappointment might
be at the course taken by that body in thus setting
themselves in deliberate opposition to the House of
Commons and the great mass of the people, he unequivo-
cally admitted that they had only exercised their con-
stitutional right in throwing out the Parliamentary
Oaths Bill. It was their place and in their power, it
they so chose, to interpose delay and obstacles to the
passing of measures which they disapproved; but it was
a constitutional right of the people, as indespensable
and as dear, to do what in them lay to compel by tempe-
rate but determined conduct the adoption of measures to
which they were attached.—(Loud cheers.) It was
with that view and that object they were there asserts
bled; and he believed he was giving utterance to the
feelings of the meeting, no less than to his own, when
he said that they intended to send back Baron
Rothschild to claim the rigbt of discharging those
duties in the House of Commons which they
thought him pre-eminently entitled to exercise.
—(Loud cheers.) He telt it right to explain the
temperate manner in which the Baron had acted, and to
show them that, attached as he was to the place in which
they bad put him—proud as he was of the honour they
had conferred on him—he had nevertheless resigned it
into their hands, because he felt he ought not, without
their deliberate and express decision, retain any longer
the representation of the city of London.—(Cheers.)
That Baron Rothschild was right in doing so no one
would deny; but he (Mr. Smith) was sure that they were
net the men to allow him to suff-r on account of that
delicacy of opinion which had guided his conduct, and
which brought him there again to go through the ordeat
of a City election.—(Cheers.) He had no doubt of the
result of that election, and that it would confirm him in
the affections of the electors of the city of London. His
belief a-as that, if Baron Rothschild went back again to
Parliament with the seal of their approbation upon him,
bigots as there might be in the House of Lords, there
were tew amoug them who would hesitate to admit that
the merest prudence would dictate to them in the next
session of Parliament an obedient concession to the
wishes of the city of London.—(Cheers.) Mr. Smith
concluded by calling on Baron Rothschild to address the

meeting.
Baron ROTHSCHILD, who was received in the most en-
thu,iastic manner. said—Gentlemen, I thank you sin-
cerely for this kind reception, and for hiving responded
so kindly to the invitation to meet me here to-day. My
friend Nlr. Smith, your chairman, ba3 entered at some
length into the details of my proceedings.—(Loud
cheers.) You must excuse me, gentlemen, if lam rather
excited, after receiving from such a number of friends, as
I have to-day, so many marks of attention and kindness.
—(Cheers.) It is very natural that I should feel more
agitated, under the circumstances, than if I were address-
ing you in an ordinary election, or than, perhaps, as the
repre:,entative of so great a city. I ought to do. I, how-
ever. throw myself on your kindness.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. Smith has entered into a lengthened explanation of
our affairs, and he has stated them so fully that it will
be only necessary for me to make a few remarks to you.
As he has already told you, on the 31st of January last
I had the honour of addressing a great many whose faces
I now have the pleasure of seeing before me. It was then
agreed that a committee should be appointed to take the
lead, and guide my steps as to the representation of this
great city. We then discussed that question fully. We
have thought of the consequences of every step
which might have been taken under the circum-
stances. We have well weighed the importance and the
duty that exist as to the manner in which you first re-
commended me to proceed—namely, to present myself at
the table of the House of Commons. We have well
weighed the consequences of that advice, and to the step
which I have now taken; and without entering into de-
tails, my friends, as well as the friends of civil and reli-
gious liberty, which we are now advocating, are unani-
mously of opinion that I ought to adopt the course that
I have now taken.—(Cheers.) It was their advice, as it
was my own opinion, that without loss of time I ought
to resign the trust which you had reposed in me.—
(Cheers.) If I had not been so fully aware of your kind
feeling towards ma., I should not have been so bold as to
have done this without first consulting you; but I was
aware that this cause of civil and religious liberty which
we have advocated for own interests, was not the prin •
cipal reason of your supporting me, but that you are
now called on to decide if you are to be dictated to in the
choice of the person who is to be your representative.—
(Loud cheers.) I was fully aware that everything which
regarded the political state of the Jews was at stake, but
I relied on the assistance which we were certain to re-
ceive from you. who also have at the present moment, I
will not say so large a stake as ours, but, nevertheless,
a very great stake. The decision you came to at the
let election has been confirmed now twice by the House
of Commons by very large majorities; and, I may say has
been supported on every occasion by men who had not
voted on former divisions.—(Hear, hear.) In looking
throush the list you will find we have considerably
gained in talent as well as in numbers ; and if (though
I will not attribute it to the fault of any one that it was
so) we had been more fortunate we should have had a
largor
—(Hear, heir.) But it is sufficient that our Bill has
division than we actually had on the last occasion.
passed the Hote,e of Commone in two consecutive ses-
sious. The House of Lords, as our chairman observed,
are entitled to express their opinions,
and to throw out
this Bill if they think proper. They
-ord.ug Constitution, have only acted
ne
as they have done on snore
ieiperzant eecaeiorie lure now, for it is only when fully
mate acquainted with
public opinion that they yield.—
(Hear, hear.) The
Members of the House of Lords are