The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-11 00:00:00

I ZEPEWAL 2Alt, 1.4 I A Li' 4N t

HOUSE OF COMNIONS.—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 (Mock.
THE CATTLE PLAGUE.

Lord R. MONTAGUE niovedilleseco;d reading of the
Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill. He stated that
since the Lill Lad been into.lueed the Government
Lai brought in a Lill cf their own. He had no wish
to put his bill ill opposition to that of the Government,
and he did not think they would come into antagonism,
because they ware totally distinct and separate wee
sures, and did not trench upon the same ground. He
had suggested to the Government that the two bills
should bo read a second time, and referred to the
same committee, but the Government were anxious
before assenting to such a proposition that the subject
should undergo full discuss:oa in tha House. Ho
denied that he had introdne d the bill in the
interest of the cattle breeders of this country,. but
on the contrary the question at issue was one
that vitally affected all classes. At the same limo the
agricultural interest, from its extent and importance, de-
served full consideration. From the late return it appeared
that there were 451 million acres in the country either
under cultivation •or bearing stock, which at £4 per acre
—a very low average for the capital employed in agricul-
ture gave a total of £185,000,000 employed in apicul-
ture. He contended that any bill which dealt merely
with the movement of cattle i❑ England, without
giving security and making regulations to pre-
vent the access of a new disease, would be one-
sided, and ought not to be adopted. The only way to
guard against contagion was to prevent contact between
foreign and English cattle. If that were done, the trade in
foreign cattle might spread to any extent, and there would
be no danger to the cattle of this country. The bill pro-
posed that at all ports where foreign cattle were landed
markets should be established, that the cattle should be
t la ightered as soon as landed, and should only be allowed
to go inland as dead meat. All the ob)ections which had
been raised against this scheme might be summed up under
one head, namely,- that if separate markets were estab-
lished the price of meat would be artificially raised.
If that were really so he admitted that it would be
a fatal oojection, but he disputed the accuracy of the asser-
tion. During the cattle plague separate markets wore
established, on the 11th October, 1867, at Liverpool, Man-
chester, Birmingham, Southampton, and in the metropolis.
In 1863 the highos price of meat in Liverpool was 7fd perlb,
and the lowest sd. Meat then rose throughout the coun-
try, and was at its highest in the beginning of 1866, when
it began to fall again. The present bill would, he be-
lieved, have the effect of getting rid of the middleman and
his profits, by making theiwliolesale prices hi3her and the
retail prices lower. _ _

Mr. HEADLAM opposed the bill, and moved its re-
jection.

After a long debate the house divided, when there
appeared—
For the bill

Against it
Majority against the bill -56
UNIVERSITY TESTS BILL

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved the second read-
ing of this bill, the object of which was to remove cer-
tain religious tests required to be taken prior to
the candidate becoming qualified to take up degrees.in the
great universiiies. The hon. and learned gentleman said
the bill was identically to the same effect as that he intro-
duced last year.
Mr. MOWBRAY opposed ne motion, and moved that
the bill bo real a second time that day six mouths. lie
sail those on his side of the house were qu:t,-, ready to ac-
cept the Cambridge compromise, but they were not dis-
posed to go a step further.
Sir R. PALMER moved the adj mrnmentof the debate.

The oration was agreed to, and the resumption of the
debate was fixed for to-morrow, the hon. and learned
gcntl,lnau undertaking not to bring it on after half-past
ten o'clock.
The boos.) shortly afterwards adjourned.

AMERICA.

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(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

WASIIINGTON, March 10.
Pr( silent Grant has acc„>pted the resignation of
Mr. Stewart as Secretary of the l'reasury.
In to-day's sitting of the house of Representa-
tives Mr. Butler re-introduced the bill repealing the
Tenure.of-011ice Act, which was passed by 143 to
16 votes.

The Republicans have carried the elections in
New Hampshire. Mr. Stearns was elected Gover-
nor of the State, and the three members to Con-
gr, Si hive been re-elected by increased majorities.
The number of persons who vote I was not large.