The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-22 00:00:00

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BILL,

On the order for the third reading of this bill,
The Marquis of SALISBURY made some objections
to the measure, and, after an animated conversation
across the table with the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, the
noble marquis, there being only 14 peers left in the house,
called for a division; on which
The numbers Were—
Content
No;l-content
Majority against the third reading..-2
Their lordships tben adjourned at ten minutes to two
o'clock.

• ,
HOUSE OF COMMONS.--(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con-
sidered and agreed to, and the bills were ordered. for third
reading .—Chard Railway, Midland Railway (Burton-
upon-Trent Branches and Deviations), Midland Railway
'(Rowsley and {Buxton Lines), Midland Railway (Station
in St. Pancras, &v.), and Widnes Gas and Water.
The following bills were read a third time :—Cilgwrgan,
Bettws, and Tregynon Road ; Moy River Navigation;
North and South Lanarkshire Roads.
The following bills were considered and ordered for third
reading :—Bedford and Cambridge Railway ; Blyth Har-
bour_ and Dock ; Grand Surrey Docks and Canal ; High-
bridge Markets and Gas ; Macclesfield Gas ; Torquay Gas ;
and Watford, Rickmansworth, and Uxbridge Railway,
The following bills were read a second time :—Letter-
kenny Railway; Royal Naval School; and Waterford and
Limerick Railway (No. 2).
EAST INDIA ARMY.
Sir C. WOOD moved an address for copies of report of
Mr. Hammach on comparative cost of line and local armies
in,lndia ; of report of political and military committee of
Council of India ; and, of other minutes and papers on the
same subject.—Ordered. -
THE DISPATCH OF THOUVENEL, &c.
Mr. KING LAKE gave notice that he would draw the
attention of the house to the recent despatch of M. Thou-
venel relating to the affairs of Italy.
REFORM OF PARLIAMENT.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved an address for copies of the
Reform of Parliament (England) Act, 2 and 3 Will. 4, c.
46, and of the several acts amending the said act.—Ordered.
FREIGHT MONEY.
Sir G. B. PECHELL asked the Secretary to the
Admiralty if any steps ,had , been taken (on the
recommendation of the late Naval Commission) to
abolish the present systemof sharing freight money for the*
conveyance of specie, jewels, or treasure, on board her
Majesty's ships ; one• fourth share being paid to the
admiral on the station, two-fourths to the captain
of the ship who signed the bill of lading or
receipt for the same, and the remaining one-
fourth share only being paid to Greenwich Hospital for the
use of the institution.
Lord C. PAGET said that the subject was still before
the commission, and was under the consideration of the
Government.
THE INSURRECTION IN SICILY.

Mr. KINGLAKE asked the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs a question of which he had given private notice, as
to whatviewwas entertained by the other Powers of Europe
in reference to the Sicilian insurrection, and particularly as
regarded France?
Lord J. RUSSELL said ho could not give the informa-
tion required by the hon. member, but he could state that
Austria and Spain were determined not to take any part
one way or the other.
REFRESHMENT HOUSES AND WINE LICENSES

BILL.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
that this bill be recommitted, in order to consider the
amendments.

After a few words from Mr. AYRTON, the bill was re-
committed, and several clauses agreed to.
Mr. HUNT moved, in clause 12 (as amended), line 39,
after "respectively," insert "or that the applicant has
within three years been convicted of any offence, or that
the applicant having within three years held a license to
keep a common inn, alehouse, or victualling house, has
been refused a renewal of such license." After proviso add :
--Provided also, that in- the event of any proceedings in
pur,uance of such summons being still pending, and the
said Lord Mayor, metropolitan police magistrate, or jus-
tices, being unable to dispose of the same within the time
limited for the making of objections as aforesaid, it shall
be lawful for the said Lord Mayor, metropolitan police
magistrate, or justices, to give notice to the
said supervisor that such proceedings are so pending ; and
the said license shall not be granted until the said super-
visor shall have had notice from the said lord mayor, me-
tropolitan police magistrate, or justices, that such proceed-
ings have been disposed of, which notice he or they, as the
case may be, is or are hereby required to give immediately
upon the termination of such proceedings.
The amendment was agreed to.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
an amendment, the object of which was to
give the police a more efficient control over the
houses having vine licenses. The right hon. gantleman
also p-oposed different other amendments, which were of a
mere verbal character.

On clause 13 some discussion arose, in the course of
which

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the object of the clause was to require from parties applying
for licenses every test as to character, and to supply the
magistrates with facilities for obtaining information of a
reliable description in respect to the same.
Mr. LYALL moved an amendment, the object of which
was to afford magistrates additional means of acquiring in-
formation as tobthe character of persona applying for
licenses.

Mr. AYRTON contended that the clause was completely
illusory, and that practically justices of the peace
should have no restrictions imposed on them in decid-
ing the character of persons applying for licenses.
(Hear, hear.) He believed that the Government
were quite aware of the illusory character of the bill, and
that it was intended to enable persons to obtain a licens3
for the sale of wino whether they had a good or bad cha-
racter.
Sir J. SHELLEY supported the clause.
Mr. BENTINCK said he believed the effect of the bill
would be to operate injuriously on the morality of the
country. He considered that there should be some check
on persons of bad character opening houses for the sale
of wine, and he thought that the tendency of the
clause was to afford such persons facilities for establishing
themselves in the wine business.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
believed the general opinion of the committee was, that the
clause would have an effect directly the reverse of that pre-
dicted by the last speaker.
After some further discussion the amendment was
agreed to.
The clauses to 20 inclusive were agreed to.
On clause 21, •
Mr. AYRTON said he believed the effect of the clause
instead of promoting a taste for foreign wine in this coun-
try would lead to the consumption of an injurious com-
pound, and entourage intemperance.
The clause was agreed te.
The remaining clauses were also agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN, after a few words from Mr. AltiTON
and Mr. NEWDEGATE, reported the bill to the house, and
the report is to be brought up this day.
The Bankruptcy and Insolvency (Salaries, 80.),
passed through committee.

BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL.
On the order of the day for going into committee on this
bill,
__

Mr. CRAWFORD presented a petitionlsigned by 12,000
merchants and inhabitants of the city of London, praying
that no unnecessary delay be given to the passing of so
important a bill.
Mr. VANCE objected to the extension given by the
bill to the jurisdiction of the County Courts, as, in his
opinion, it would bring many important claims before
judges not accustomed to adjudicate on such matters. The
denial of the right of appeal was also open to the gravest
objections.
the Court of BankruPtoY
theCreoeEsetehnogengrehot act of injustice would be corn
w unless
.
weretnihiellityteaßenßlS
adequately compensated.
d the omission of certain words
Mr. WALPOLE move
t h eAhftoeurs
ae
wfeewntwionrdtosefromommiMtter.e LonEstrevbaniii.d Colonel SYSiS
iets.
ought not to
oinf
Bclanaukseru2pretolyataiNne
The Arron
L
had never gdEitosyt
rtihi
Gee t
EfeuNot
muErmße
id
Asus
oienws e
oorsuif
.t
dh ea
agree
o oi srs
restrict
have t h
seiirr
deFumipi
eKI
so yEimmrAeptoyts
ed tot hto
nohue
themLh to nt
hd oe
which
commissionershd csht
they
con-
tracted to discharge.
After a few remarks from Mr. MllenLetLenorainßed,
3fMrr..IBVAOwLPyOELRE, wointhdorawusehi;: iro
ea strong protest against any new courts of justice with only one judge
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, on clause 13, in rep.ly •
thenlAtyhneiae4n:isom;eamtedefdeiescreuspeiusion
t.took place also
to Mr. HICNLRY, explained the reasons why the new judge
was to have £5,000 a year, and his deputy for three moritU
cne ras
sOufbtsheeci a ion an on the clause, as
subsequent clause, use, Mr. WdAPLensPOill:foprrothpeesreedtirinthagt
the Judge of Bankruptcy should be chosen from one of the
present Commissioners
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL could give no pledge on
the point as he was not consulted on such appointments.
A. division arose on Mr. BOUVERIE'S amendment of
clause 22, as to the expediency of reducing the salaries of
the successors of the present district Judges from £l,BOO
to £1,500 a year. The motion, however, was negatived,
the numbers being—Noes 69, Ayes 68.
Clause 22 was agreed to after a division, in which the
Ayes were 118, and the Noes 38.
Clause 23, on the transfer of the bankruptcy jurisdiction
to the County Courts, gave rise to much discussion on an
amendment of Mr. BOUVERIE, that the jurisdiction pro-
posed should not be extended to County Courts, which was,
however, ultimately negatived.
The Chairman then reported progress, and the how ,o
resumed.
The Consolidated Fund (49,500,000) Bill was read is Voird
time and passed.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of ; and the
house adjourned at a quarter to one o'clock.

THE SUN.

LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1860.

St Martin's Hall and the penny newspapers have
defeated themselves more completely than ever we
had anticipated. We felt little doubt that every
threat would call forth hostile votes in the House
of Lords, but we did not expect that the majority
would be nearly two to one against yielding to
intimidation. More than one of their lordships,
the most venerable of them all especially, adverted
to this meeting and its deputation, in a manner
which showed how little they felt disposed to bow
to its behests. And the similar tone of the " Man
chester school" all over the country had doubtless
no little influence on the division.

We must confess that, in regard to the constitu-
tional question, the Lords had much to say. They
freely conceded that, constitutionally, they had no
right to originate, to alter, or to amend a money
bill ; but they seem to have all authority, and some
precedents, also, in their favour, as to their right to
reject a bill of Supply as a whole. Not only
the books, but even the Commons themselves in
conferences with the Lords, had admitted that
"the Lords had a negative to the whole." Some,
perhaps, of Lord LYNDEIURST'S precedents could not
be fairly reckoned as such. For the House of Lords
to decline abolition "fees," and similar payments,
was altogether in keeping with the Conservative
character of that body, but there were other cases
mentioned by him and by Lord MONTEAGLE which
could not well be got rid of. That of 1811 espe-
cially, when it was proposed to lower the duties on
molasses, on account of the high price of malt—a
repeal of a duty of obvious advantage to distillers,
and to the consumers of their manufacture. Yet
the Lords refused, and the Government acquiesced,
and modified their measures accordingly. The
case also of refusal to assent to the bill for
lowering the duties on tallow in 1758—was not
met by Lord CRANWORTII, probably cannot be.
indeed, the result of the discussion is to leave it a
settled question that the Lords have not only a
technical but a constitutional right to reject any
money bill as a whole.
All, therefore, turned upon the prudence of doing
so in this special case. And we cannot doubt that
very many of the lords were strongly influenced by
the consideration pressed by Lord CHELMSFORD.
The right had been so questioned out of doors,
and such solemn warnings uttered, that "his
mble and learned friend seemed to consider
there was some evil impending over them
if they rejected this bill. He must say he
thought their lordships would incur a much greater
danger by refusing to take the course suggested to
them, because they would really show that they were
mere cyphers in the Constitution, and that they had
no power whatever upon any occasion when the
magical name of a money bill was mentioned, even
when the public were most deeply interestee.
If their lordships lost this opportunity of showing
that they had power, upon an occasion when they
qight do the greatest possible good to the public,
thtv would depose themselves—they would refuse to
exec •cise those important functions which belonged
to that as a part of the constitution, and they would
certain ly bring on themselves infinitely more mis.