The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-23 00:00:00

IMPERIAL

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at the usual hour.
THE GREAT TASMANIA.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH asked a question of
the noble lord the First Lord of the Admiralty relative to
stores on board the Great Tasmania transport ; he should
also like to know whether stores had been sent to India for
the troops going to China.
The Duke of SOMERSET said the Admiralty were no
way responsible for the stores on board the Great 'Tasmania.
With respect to the stores for the troops g6ing from India
to China, there was great difficulty in providing stores that
would stand so long a voyage. There was, however, a large
store of provisions at Hong Kong that would supply the
troops up to October next. The Government were sending
out stores every month, and, from the steps the Govern •
meat had taken he assured the noble earl there was no
need of anxiety.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said the noble lord had
not stated the number of troops for which stores had been
calculated;
The Duke of SOMERSET said about 10,000,
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the Eau Brink
Drainage Bill was read a third time and passed.

TILE EASTER HOLIDAYS.

The Earl of DERBY begged to ask the noble duke the
question he had given notice of, with respect to the ad-
journment of the house for the Easter holidays.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said it had been found that
it would be absolutely necessary for their lordships to sit for
the first two days of Passion week, on account of two
important money bills coming down from the other house,
hut after Tuesday he proposed that the house should adjourn
until Tuesday, the 17th of April.
QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE ABOLITION
BILL.
Lord TEYNHAM moved the second reading of this bill,
which proposed to do away with the declaration at present
enforced upon persons about to enter the public ser-
vice and corporation office. The declaration at pre-
sent required was to the effect that " I, A B, in the`
presence of God, do solemnly profess, testify, and declare,
on the true faith of a Christian, that I will do nothing in
the office of to injure the Protestant Church, as
established by law in England." By this declaration a
person holding office, however much he might wish for the
abolition of church rates, which were thought by some
likely to weaken the Church,was not at liberty consisteitly
to sign a petition with such a prayer.
Lord CHELMSFORD opposed the bill. It had been
observed that the bill had passed the House of Commons
without opposition, but he should say it had rather slipped
through the house unobserved. Several hon. members
with whom he was acquainted were totally ignorant of
the nature of the measure. The declaration had been in-
troduced by the late Sir R. Peel, when Secretary of State
for the Home Department, and the object of it was to ob•
tain from every Dissenter taking office a formal recognition
of the predominance of the Church of England. The
declaration had been introduced into the Test and
Corporation Act, and it was the opinion at that
time that, had it not been done, there would have
been an overpowering majority against it. He objected to
this bill on three grounds ; first, that it disturb a
settled question; secondly, that the noble lord had not
pointed out any grievance that required a remedy ; and
thirdly, that it would remove a stumblingblock out of
the way of certain dissenters who wished to injure
the Church of England as by law established. He moved
that the bill be read a second time that day six months.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE supported the bill, as the
law was in a most confused and anomalous state at the pre
sent moment. At present numbers of persons entering the
public service did not make this declaration, but with re.
spect to corporate offices it-was different, because each can-
didate was compelled to go before a magistrate
and make the required declaration. The mode of making
the declaration was most irreverent, and he thought that
the time had come for its abolition.

The Earl of DERBY said it was intended by the declara-
tion, introduced at the time of the repeal of the Test and
Corporation Acts, that there should be on the part of per-
sons taking office under the Crown -a recognition of the
Established Church being a national institution. He thought
the proposed alterations should not .be lightly or carelessly
made. The annual act of indemnity only applied to some
of these offices, and to others only under certain circum-
stances. His objection was this, that this was one of a
aeries of measures industriously brought forward by parties
anxious to destroy the power and influence of the Church,
and to place the Establishment upon the same footing as
dissenting sects. He hoped their lordships would never
smell= such a measure by their authority. (Hear.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR thought that all oaths and
declarations that were, unnecessary ought to be repealed.
So far from there being more hostility to the Church of
England than formerly, he believed that it never stood
higher in the hearts and affections of 'the people of Eng-
land, and that was accounted for by the greater liberality of
the Church at the present day, and the expressed desire of
eminent and distinguished Churchmen to free Dissenters
from all civil and religious disabilities. He wished to return
to ancient times, when no oath was required but the oath of
allegiance. He thought the object of this bill was commen-
dable, and trusted it would have their lordships' support.
After a few words from Lord REDESDALE,
Lord TEYNHAM briefly replied. He called upon their
lordships as patriots to free them from this declaration, and
pass the bill.

Their lordships then divided, when the numbers were—
Content
Not Content
Majority
The bill was accordingly rejected.
The Medical Acts Amendment Bill was read a third
time.

The Packet Service (Transfer of Contracts) Bill and the
Consolidated Fund (£4,500,000) Bill were severally read a
third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

' HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.
Sir W. HEATHCOTE took the oaths and his seat for the
University of Oxford.
-PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:—
Cheshire Midland Railway; Glossop and Marple Bridge
Road • London and North-Western Railway (No. 1) ;
MarpleNewMills and Hayfield Junction Railway; Midland
Railway (Burton-upon-Trent Branches and Deviations ;
Midland Railway (Rowsley and Buxton lines) ; Mirfield
Gas; North British and Peebles and Jedburgh Railway
Companies ; Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton,
Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford, and Worcester and
Hereford Railways; Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhamp-
- ton and Severn Valley Railways; Stockport and Woodley
Junction Railway.
The Bourton on the Water Railway, the Scottish Drain-
age and Improvement Company, and the Manchester and
Buxton Road Bills were read a second time.
Mr. FORSTER moved that the minutes of the 'evidence
taken before the committee on the Chester and Holyhead
Railway Bill in session 1844, and the -reports of the Ad-
miralty, including tho report of Mr. Rendel, their engineer,
on that bill, b 3 referred to the committee on the Vale of
Clwyd Extension Bill.—Agreed to:
PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS.
Mr. BO WYER gave notice that on Thursday next he
would move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the law
relating to privileged communications in certain cases.
THE INDIAN ARMY.
Colonel SYKES gave notice that he would ask the Sec-
retary of State for India whether it was intended to abolish
the regular army in India ; and that ho would also ask for
certain returns in respect to the Indian army.
SHIP BUILDING.
Mr. JACKSON inquired if the Government would lay
on the table the report of the commission on the subject of
ship building for the navy and in the dockyards?
Lord C. PAGET stated that he was prepared to lay on
the table the report in question.
THE FRANCHISE. -
.• Mr. GRIFFTH asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, whether it was intended that the voters at £6 rent
and upwards, whose rates are now compounded for by
their landlords, should have the opportunity at the next
registration of qualifying themselves as voters, by taking
on themselves the payment of rates for the past year, or
otherwise as may be arranged to effect such object ?
• Lord J. RUSSELL said he would consider whether a
clause to meet the views of the hon. member could not be
introduced into the-Reform Bill.

PAUPER REMOVALS.
Mr. LANIGAN asked the President of the Poor-law
Board whether, he had any objection to produce (and, if
not, when he would lay upon the table of the house) copies
of the order .of removal made, and the examinations taken
by the magiatiate; and of the notice served or sent by the
poor-law officials of St. -Pancras to the Thurles Board of
Guardians previous to the removal of the poor woman
Mary Carter to Ireland ?
Mr. VILLIERS said that the matter did not properly
come within his province. He had no official report on the
subject, and was obliged to rely on the accounts which ap-
peared in the newspapers ; but, acting on these, he com
municated with the Poor-law authorities of St. Pancras, and
it appeared that the ease alluded to was of a very unusual.
kind. A commission had been directed to proceed to the
place where the unfortunate woman resided, and it appeared
that she made the same statement that she had previously
done. He had called on the Poer-law authorities to make
an official statement, and the ,hon. member could inspect
the documents relating to the matter. ; or, if he preferred,
he would be furnished with copies of the same.
STAMPS ON NEWSPAPERS.
Mr. WESTERN asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether ',le proposal to abolish the stamps on newspapers
would apply to newspapers to be sent abroad ; and, if so,
whether such newspaper can be sent with a penny adhesive
stamp, or would be liable to the book rate of fourpence ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
on Monday next he would make a statement on the subject.
THE TIMBER DUTIES.
Mt. ADAM asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether, in consequence of the repeal of the timber duties,
any drawback would be allowed on ships in the builders'
hands, either finished or in process of building ? And, fur-
ther,whether any drawback would be allowed on timber
whiekt had paid the duty but had not yet passed into con-
Fonption ?
The-CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied in
the negative.

SAVINGS' BANKS.
Mr. S. ESTCOURT asked the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer whenhaend observed
to bring in the bill respecting
savings banks, that the subject was one that
excited much interest the minds of a large portion of
the community.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
bill in question would not
to
ari)jueght before the house
without due notice being
given
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, members,.
- Mr. PAULL moved that Government orders of the day
shall take precedence of notices of motions upon Thursdays
instead of Fridays.
Mr. BOUVERIE strongly objected to the motion, and
expressed a hope that the hon. member would not press his
motion to a division._

After some discussion,
Mr. PAULL said that ho would yield, though reluc-
tantly, to the opinion of the house, and not press his
notion.

Lord PALMERSTON said that neither on the Minis-
terial nor on the other side of the house was there any de-
sire but to promote the progress of public business. He
would suggest that any motion on this subject should be
confined to the session in. which it was made. He agreed
With those who thought it would be unjust to
Aterfere with the right of bon, members to bring forward