The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-01 00:00:00

THE CATTLE PLAGUE.

In answer to a gnestion from a noble lord,
The Duke of BUCKINGHAM said there had been some
reappearance of the cattle plague, and in the month of
March there had been 82 cases in the dairies of the
metropolie, particularly in the neighbourhood of Islington.
But he (the noble duke) had had a long and interesting
conversation with Sir J. Thwaitos, the chairman of the
Metropolitan Beard, and the result had been that most
stringent steps lied been taken to check the evil, and suc-
ces3fully so ; and ho was able now to report that there had
only boon two cases during the week. Itepce.-ts with re-
gard to the matter wore in progress, and would shortly bo
published.
The subject then dropped.
OFFICES AND OATHS BILL.
Lord KIMBERLEY said that in moving the second
reading of this bill he did not expect auy opposition, but
he had received that morning notice from a noble lord
that he intended to oppose the bill. It would have been
better if the noble lord had given notice of his motion, and
on this ground he should wish that it should be post-
poned. But in the event of this not being acceded to, he
should review the various reasons which had induced him
to bring in the bill. In Ireland, at the present moment,
two out of throe chief judges were Roman Catholics, and
seven out of the nine puisne judges were so likewise. The
Magiitrates and most eminent persans in Ireland were
Catholics. Therefore he contended that, as they were
thought of with the highest degree of respect,
and were most efficacious in the discharge of
their duties, he thought it only right that the
Lord Chancellor should have the same privilege, and by the
bill ho was now advocating he would do so. There was
hardly any Church property attached to the Chancellor-
ship, and what there was ho held only conjointly with the
Archbishop. He could see nothing in the office of Lord
Lieutenant which 'would not induce them to open
the office to Roman Catholics. High and important
functions could be as well performed by a Roman Catholic
as by a Protestant. By these concessions they were not
diminishing the supremacy of the Protestant church, nor
its security, and therefore he asked their lordships to do
away with these remnants of superstition, which were a
disgrace to the country.
Lord COURTOWN, objecting to the bill as a step to-
wards the recognition of the Roman Catholic Church,
moved that the second reading be deferred for six months.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH, although not offering any
specific objection to the Bill, yet opposed it as a departure
from the compact agreed to on the passing of the Emanci-

pation Act.
Lord LYVEDEN supported the bill, which
Lord DERBY advised should be read a second time
upon the understanding that the Committee should not be
taken until after the Oaths Commission had reported.

This suggestion having been adopted, the bill was read
a second time.
Thu Transubstantiation, &c., Declaration Abolition Bill
was also read a second time after a brief discussion upon
a similar understanding.
The Army Enlistment bill was read a second time, after
some critical remarks from Lord GREY.
The County Courts Acts Amendment Bill was also read
a second time.
The sitting was closed at 20 minutes past 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 2 o'clock.
ROYAL COMMISSION. _ _

The SPEAKER attended at the bar of the House of Peers
to hear the royal assent given to several public and private
bills.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:--
Ford and L)wiek R )ads, Gateshead Improvements, and
North W.-3atorn and C:taring-cross Rtilways.
IZEPRE3ENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL.

On clause 9 being proposed,
Mr. LAING slid the portion of the bill with which they
were now about to proceed, viz., th; distribution of seats,
was as important as that which related to the settlement of
the franchise. The bill of the Government proposed to take
one member away from any borough with a population under
7,000, but he did not think that that provision was sufficient,
and therefore he moved as an amendment to the clause
that no borough with a less population than 10,000 at the
census of 1861 should return more than one member to
serve in Parliament. As a specimen that the bill of the
Government did not go far enough, he would point out that
Cockermoutla, where in the year 1866 the population had
fallen to 7,000, was left untouched by the measure, and it
would continue under the bill to return two members,
giving that place as great a return as Liverpool, where
the population amounted to 413,000. That was merely a
specimen of the provisions of thebill,and it was to remedy
that which he took the liberty of thinking an anomaly
that he proposed the amendment now before the
house. If his proposal was adopted it would give
52 seats for distribution, and they could bo dealt
with as follows : —ln all large boroughs where the '
population exceeded 150,000, he proposed for the future
they should send three instead of two members to Parlia•
went. This arrangement would take six out of the seats
obtained. Next, in all large towns with a population of
over 50,000, two members should be sent instead of one ;
this would take another four. He adopted the 12 new
boroughs proposed by the Government, and these with
the two additional members to the Tower Hamlets, and
the member to the London University, would amount to
25 seats. With respect to the counties, he proposed that
in all, where the population exceeded 150,000, three mem-
bers should bo elected instead of two. This arrangement
would take 26 of the additional seats, making, with those
enumerated, above 51, leaving a small margin of one seat
to be disposed of as might be thought best. The hon.
gentleman then proceeded to compare his proposal with
that of the bill of the Government, and contended that his
was by far the better arrangement of the two. With re-
spect to grouping, he believed the feeling of the house
was against it, generally speaking, and therefore he had
not adopted it to any very largo extent. He had only
made seven groups, viz., the Bodmin boroughs, consisting
of Bodmin and Launceston, returning one ; the Torquay
boroughs, consisting of Torquay, Dartmouth, and Ash-
burton, returning one ; the Honiton boroughs, consisting
of Honiton and Lyme Regis, retaining 1; the Eye
boroughs, consisting of Eye and Thetford, returning ono ;
Chichester boroughs, consisting of Chichester and Arun-
del, returning one ; the Chippenham boroughs, consisting
of Chippenham and Caine, returning one ; and the Rich-
mond boroughs, consisting of Richmond and Northaller-
ton, returning one. He thought the plan ho had laid be-
fore the house would, on examination, be found the best
that could be adopted, and therefore he confidently re-
commended it for the adoption of the House.
Mr. B. COCIIRANE said unfortunately Honiton always
stoodNo.l in schedule A. when disfranchisement was talked
about. (Laughter.) Ile had had to stand up for what he
called the forlorn hope ; but he was very much afraid that
their fate was now doomed. (A laugh.) However.
there was ono circumstance which had not been pressed
upon the right hon. gentleman, and he hoped he would
consider the matter. In most boroughs from which it
was proposed to take away one member territorial influ-
ence prevailed to a very large extent. The effect of the Go-
vernment proposal would bete leave the remaining repre-
sentation entirely in the hands of those possessing that
influence. The plan would leave 70,000 persons without
a vote, because they would not be able to exercise the
franchise for the counties.
Sergeant GASELEE said the hon. member for
Wick (Mr. Laing) had appropriated to
‘.himself the,
him
idea
be (Sergt. Gaselee) had put forth. He had
• jockeyed
out of his repose! solely by boing better acquainted with
the technicalities of the house than he was. (Laughter.)
When the Reform Bill was first introduced he (Serg.eant
G.tselee) gm notice of his intention to move precisely
that which the bon. gentleman had just detailed
to the house. He denied that the plan brought
forward by the honourable gentleman (Mr. Laing)
as his own part of the schema which he had put forth
with such a flourish of trumpest belonged to him (Ser-
geant Gazelee), part of it belonged to the Government,
and the other pt. t belonged, no doubt, to some-
body who would yet be found out. (Loud laughter.) He
had a plan for a distribution of seats, but ho had purposely
kept that a secret in order that the hon. member for (Vick
might not filch that from him. (Laughter.) He could not
but feel indignant when he heard the member for Wick
talk about " his" plan, when, in fact, he had no
claim whatever to the originality of the proposition. He
could not but admire the coolness with which the hou.
member for Wick gave advice to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer—(laughter)—but he felt the right hon. gentle-
man would estimate the advice at its proper value.
Mr. GOLDNEY thought the bill of the Government
wont far enough, and lie hoped the committee would pause
before it gave its assent to the proposal of the hon.
member for Wick.
Mr. SAMIJDA thought the Ministerial proposal much
the best and safest one fur the adoption of the house.
Mr. NEWDEGATE supported the amendment of Mr.
Laing, and expressed a hope that it would be adopted by
the house, as it was only a measure of justice to a great