The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-15 00:00:00

lIVIPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THIS EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

PETITION.

Lord LIFFORD presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of Derry, in the county Down, in Ireland, against the
sale of spirituous liquors on the Sabbath.

TURKEY AND SERVIA.

Lard DERBY said that us he saw that there was a notice
on the paper relative to the question between the Porte
and Servia, he thought that he could save all trouble
in the matter by laying upon the table of their
lordships' house the particulars of the arrangement which
had been maddbetween the POrte and Servia. The Porte
had consented to make over to the Servians the privileges
which they required, and that the Serviau flag should in
future be respected, and that the Ottoman Government
would in future do away with the distinction between
them and the Servians —that in future they should enjoy
the same privileges. In a telegram received this day it
was stated. that throe servians had been elected members
of the Legislative Assembly, and that other important
appointments had been made. The greatest enthusiasm
with regard to the arrangements prevailed in Servia.
(Hear, hAar.)
Lord RUSSELL was very much gratified to hear of
these concessions, and considered that it would be the in-
troduction to still greater advantages. (Hear, hear.)
Lord DERBY, in reply, stated that this would involve
no loss of suzerainty of the Porte.
The subject then dropped.
THE QUESTION OF REFORM.

Lord GREY having presented a petition on this sub-
ject, said there wore many anomalies which it was neces-
sary on the introduction of any bill to take special
notice of. The Universities ought to be properly repre-
sented, and particular regard ought to be had to the fact
that members of the legal profession should have the op-
portunity of sending to Parliament those persons whom
they thought most competent to perform functions of the
law officers of the Crown. Another point was the present
system in great municipal constituencies. In the petition
before their lordships there was a clause relative to the ad-
mission of the educated class to the franchise, now he
thought that there ought to be special constituencies
to meet that neces.ity. There was a point against which,
in granting an extension of the franchise, it was most
important to guard against, that was the giving au exten-
sion without, at the same time, giving a preponderance.
The persons who were to be enfranchised were so
much alike in their relation of life that any
measure must include the whole number, which con-
stitute a very prominent class. Now, there two objec-
tions. On the one hand they might be sacrificing those
who were local ; thus: on the other, they might be doing
an injustice to the other. It was perfectly apparent that
the present period was one of crisis, and that the question
between the employer and employed was becoming of
of most vital importance, and it was necessary that some
step in the direction of an adjustment in these matters
shauld take place. He (Lord Grey) believed that so
divided were the people of the county into the two great
parties of Tory and Liberal that it would be that the mem-
bers who were elected under an extension Of the franchise
world be much the same as they were now. He had no
sympathy with that measure, which would involve penal
prescription upon those who voted under the influence of a
bribe. He believed that there would always be a class
of such venal partisans who would gradually spread such
a system.
(LEFT SPEAKING.]

ROUSE OF COMMONS.—Tms EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'cloJk.
NEW MEMBERS.

. -
Lord HERBERT and Sir J. PAKINGTos took th© oath
and their seats for North Shropshir,i and Moitwich.
APPOINTMENT TO THE MAGISTRACY.

Mr. TAYLOR asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department, whether the Mr. Churchward who had lately
been nominated to the Magistracy at Dov.r, wits the same
gentleman of whom a committee of that house remarked
in their report
_in. 1859, that he had "resmted to corrupt
expedients- affecting injuriously the character of the re-
presentation of the peopleliniParliamont ;" and of whom
like wis9 it was reported by a select committee of this house,
in 1853, that lie had been guilty of bribery.
Mr. WALPOLE said since the notice had been placed
on the paper he had communicated with the Lord Chan-
cellor, and he had also made himself familiar with the re-
ports of the committees referred to. It was not fair to say
that Mr. Churchward had been charged with bribery in the
sense implied in the question. The most thatcould be said
was that Mr. Churchward, in conjunction with Mr. Mare,
at an election which took place at Plymouth promised to
obtain a situation in the excise for a voter, not knowing
at the time it was illegal to make such a promise. lie had
received a communication from the Lord Chancellor, who
stated that Mr. Churchward was an entire stranger to him,
that he had been recommended to him for the appointment
by gentlemen on whom he could rely, and that when the
appointment was made he never knew that Mr. Church-
ward was over suspected of being concerned in any illegal
practices at elections.
Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE would like to know whether,
now that such a circumstance was known, there was any
intention of rescinding the appointment ?
Mr. WALPOLE could not answer such a question
without notice.
Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE informed the right lion. gen-
tleman that ho should repeat the question on Monday next.