The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-28 00:00:00

BILL

The LORD CHANCELLOR, in moving the second
reading of thi4 bill, gave a short summary of its provi-
sions, which are now well known. The act of 1856,
which was thought to have furnished a complete security'
as to crossed cheques, had been put to the test at the
latter end of last year, when a cheque was stolen from
letter and the crossing obliterated. The courts then de
sided that the crossing was not a material part of the
cheque ; and thus the intentions of the Legislature were
entirely frustrated. Hence the necessity for the present
measure. The fourth clause had been introduced for the
protection of bankers, in cases where there was no trace
of the crossing of a cheque having been obliterated. ire
thought this a very reasonable and proper protection, as
the bill imposed additional responsibility on bankers. In
nice cases out of ten cheques got into improper hands
threugh the negligence of the drawer.
Lord OVERSTONE, who eplke with his back to the
gallery, was understood to express his approval of the
bill. He earnestly hoped that the Government would
not yield to the representations that had been made to
them awainst the protection which was given to bankers
by the fourth clause of the bill.
After a few words from the Earl of DONOUCIMORI
and Lord CRANWoRTH, the bill was read a second time.
MILITIA (SERVICE ABROAD) ACT CONTI-
NUANCE BILL.
The Earl of DERBY moved the second readin of tbie
bill, and briefly stated its of jest. He rtferred to the satis-
factery progress of recruiting for the regular army. In
the last ten months not less than 00,000 men had been
recruited ; and at the present time, notwithstanding the
season, they were recruiting at the rate of 3,000 a
month. As many of these recruits had not attained their
full strength it was not thought desirable to send them
at once on foreign service, where they would be exposed
to vicissitudes of climate ; the bi I therefore enabled the
War-office to sub-titute for them some of the more sea-
soned men now in tke militia.
The bill was then read a second time.
MILITIA ACT (No. 2) CONTINUANCE BILL.
This bill was then read a second time.
CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION ACT
CONTINUANCE BILL.

The Earl of HARDWICKE moved the second read-
ing i f the bill. The object, he said, was to give those
who had the franchise the power of enjoying it, by re-
quiring the candidate to convey the elector to the poll,
without making to him any money payment. This had
becerne a necessity, unless means could have been devised
ef lirieging polling places to the doors of the voters.
This bill was intended to remedy a great difficulty in
conducting an election, and there was nothing like en-
sonragernent to corruption in it.
Earl GRANVILLE thought that the noble earl had
not succeeded in giving their lordships a very clear ex-
planation of this measure. He wished to make an earnest
appeal to the noble earl at the head cf the Government
to reduce this to a mere continuance bill. It was now a
continuance bill, but with one or two amendments, and
one amendment was very important, its object being to
enact that that which bad been considered bribery for
many years should no longer be such. Of course the
matter would affect both sides equally, and therefore it
ought to be treated without any party feeling at all.
(Hear, hear.) He well recollected that when a very simi-
lsr clause was strenuously endeavoured to be introduced
into a meaenre four or five years ago it was rejected by an
overwhelming majority, and Lords Brougham and
Campbell took an active part in the matter, entirely con-
curring in their views. This matter bad been very much
canvassed in the House of Commons, and it now came
before their lordships on the last day when it was pos-
sible teat by the standing orders it could be read a second
time, so as to be passed this session. He did not wish
to go much into the matter of the amendment, but he
would say that there was no doubt some advantage in
conveying voters to the poll, especially in some consti-
tuencies, though there were, on the other hand, great
di•advantages. He knew net there was a provision
in the bill intended to obviate some of the inconve-
nience by providing that the voter might be offered
the means of c nveyance, but not the money to pay
for it. It was perfectly certain that under this
bill the experses of elections would be enormously in-
creased, if every voter thought that he bad a legal right
to be conveyed to the poll. Feeling that this was a sub-
ject which should be referred to a select committee, and
as a bill was to be introduced by the Government to
deal with the whole question next session, he trusted
that the noble earl would make this a mere continuance

'l' be Earl of DERBY was afraid that he could not
accede to the proposition made to him. His noble friend
wits well aware that this matter had occupied the atten-
tion of the House of Commons for a considerable time,
and had been much discussed there. It certainly was
the intention of the Home Secretary to bring in a much
more extensive measure, embracing the whole question,
and invo!vin4, points upon which there was touch more
d,ffetence of opinion than upon this. Toe present bill,
however, settled a pint of lair upon which there had
been for a long time very much doubt, and he believed
there had beep conflicting decisions in two courts ; and in
one case the judgment had been rev( lewd by a superior
court. There was censiderable difficulty among the highest
authorities as to whether or not it WAS legal to carry a voter
to the poll,;‘nd it was a question of very coneid rable im-
portance. This bill proceeded in the most equitable manner.
Though there might be an incres..,e of expense in some
cases by allowing voters to be carried to the poll,yet if they
were nut allowed to be conveyed there would be a prac-
tical disfranchisement of a large portion of some consti-
I tuenc'es. Thera were many voters who bad not the
means to defray the expense of travelling a long distance.
His noble friend said that this would be giving a legal
right to be carried to the poll, but that was not the fact ;
the bill only gave, the ca..didate power, if he saw fit, of
conveying the voter to the poll. It would be carrying
the doctrine of bribery a very long way to make that
curie within it. Ile thought that this was a question
which it was desirable should bo settled, and he believed
that the House of Commons had settled it consistently
with equity and sound policy, and he did not propose to
abandon the deci•ion to which they bad come.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE thenglit that his Dale
friend was quite wrong in calling this a settlement of the
question. (Hear.) Tee Home Secretary, in the House
Commons, sxpresely stated that it was no settlement
at all, and he said more than once that in next session it
was his intention to bring in another bill, and to refer the
subject to a committee. He thought it was impossible
that at this period of the session they could do better
than pass a mere continuance bill. What took place four
or five years ago 12::d been referred On that occasion
the metier earns before the house a week or two before
the close of the session ; and he felt so strongly in refe-
rence to introducing a similar clause to this that he moved
its omission, and that notion was carried by a majority
of 34 to 4. There bad been many instances of bribery
through the hiring of conveyances ; and another inconve-
nience front this clause might be, that the candidate who
was in the field first, having a ler, e amount of money,
would hire the whole conveyances existing in the locality
and so prevent his opponent getting his voters to the
poll. His noble friend spoke of this as a satisfactory ad-
justment of the questiou ; but how was it such an adjust-
ment. It tri,ght be an adjustment of the question in
reference to vot-rs near the polling place ; but bow co
they provide conveyance for a voter at a di7staHnc
His great
with-
out having an agent there for the purpose
there
the carrying of voters at all. It was true.
obji ction to the bill, however, was that itwtohualtd.lfeglise
might disfranchise some
they
to the expense or
vw.atuso
who
he uocwh
oau
idot provision
pu
tt
trout le of going to the poll. Was there any harm in
dis'ranchising those persons I They should inculcate on
the voter, he moral duty i f exercising his trust by voting.
The Duke of SOMERSET thought it undesirable
that the candidate should pay the expense of carrying
voters to the poll, and that at ail events this matter
should net be settled without there having been an in-
quiry. It was said, on the other hand, that they might
disbanehise voters, but it would be a still greater evil
to bribe a man to vote by carrying him to the poll. Tbis
system of conveyance would be a groat means of bribery.
Men would go on journeys to see their friends when they
knew that an election was coming on, and so be brought
back at the expense of the candidate. He hoped that
the noble earl would postpone this clause, and allow i% to
be considered next year.
Lord EBURY also earnestly entreated the noble earl
to make th a a mere continuance bill. The clause as to
• .nveyance of voters was called a settlement of the TIM.
tion ; but he hoped it never would be settled in this way;
This way of settling it would lead to great demoralisa-
tion, and there were many constituencies where almost
every voter would apply for a conveyance. He would
ask the question, why should a candidate be saddled
with the pereonal expenses of the voter ? The voter
should pay his own personal expenses, and the remainder
of the expense should be defrayed by the borough or
county. If this clause passed many voters would ask for
conveyance who would not before have done so, because
there was a legal right to have conveyance, and every
one of those voters would demoralise themselves.
The hill was then read a second time.

The Earl of DERBY proposed that the bill should go
into committee tt •morrow (Wednesday).
After some discu,sion, however, it was arranged that
this stage of the measure should be postponed until
for-day, with the understanding that the report should
be broue,ht up the same day, and the discussion be pro-
cef ded with immediately.
The Civil Bills, &c., (Ireland) Aot Amendment Bi ll
wag reed a second time.

The Judgments (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill was
read a second time.

The New Write Bill was read a second time.

Their lordships aeji,orned at a qnarter past 9.

HOUSE OF COM. MUIN 6—( YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER to )k the obair at 12 o'clock.
NEW WRITS.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE moved for new w
Devon and Nu vacant
for
rit
rth Cheshire, the former J. Y.
“o..tr,
bSyoutbthe
.cceptance of the Coiltern Hundreds by Sir
.1.2:0ta-uciel
of,
~.d the latter e
ler ly the appointment to a similar
\lr. W. T. Egerton.
UthSelSl'ioEnSthS.
The Lerda' Wales Railway
The motion wa. agreed to. ,
&c ) bill and the Vale of Towy Railway
oery railway, •
d
nll, r,erc considered and agreed to,
~o
,
PRIVATE
Colonel WILSON PATTEN called attention to the
amendmentstilo
,rovemcntß.Ho adverted particularly to the thiliculties
)
tanding orders of
railwaythechoponieurrnsme with
iattneee:it aavuidewr
chairmen.etcoo iniom
Hetne en
bad
:
di ;d.
a
unicatione with gentlemen of experience in
e hoowayuappointment
sm
and he was happy to say that three moat
if ,ad the
o 03e of
offive
.xperienced chairmen had agreed to serve.
Lord It CECIL concurred in the view expressed Ey
, Jolonel Patten, and considered that the majority of
ciecah3ra were unfit for such committee dutieeimi were
- 121EatduP4 thtc.. With regard to privoto -Dills muck