The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-15 00:00:00

rinrb M'bttion

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(This Evening.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at fivo o'clock.
Lord LANESBOROUGH presented a petition from
the Protestant Dissenters of Leicester in favour of legalis-
ing the marriage with a deceased wife's ester.
The Earl of DONOUGLIMORE presented similar
petitions from Trowbridge, Downton, Devizee, and
Limply Stoke.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL.
The Earl of A LBENIA.RLE gave notice of his in-
tention to move an amendment in the 56th clause of
the Government of India Bill.
The Esil of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition
from the East India Company, against the Go-
vernment of India Bill. The noble eat' said
he did not concur with the prayer of the petition.
Tne Earl of DERBY said, in risiug to wove the
second reading of this bill, it was a source of great
regret to him that the task had not devolved upon the
noble lord (Edeuborough) who eat below him, whose
great knowledge of the affairs of India so eminently
fitted him for the duty. But hie noble friend being no
ongsr a member of tne Government, it bad become his
duty to state, as shortly as possible, tee main principles
of the bill now oefore them. A. great deal
of the interest that at present attached to the
bill was no donut owing to the lengthy ditcussions which
had taken place upon the provisions of the measure in
its passage through the other house; and he regretted
teat it had come up at eo late a period of
the session to their lordship.' house. In the
first place be could not but think that the title of the
bill might be regarded as a misnomer, for, though it
proposed to provide for the better government of India,
yet it was evident that better government was to be
carried on in India itself. The bill did not
pretend to deal with all those different subjects,
which for some years to come must engage the atten-
tion of Parliament. It did not deal with the finances.,
the revenue, or the admission of the natives of India to
office, and other similar questions ; and although Parlia-
ment would doubtless feel it right to lay down principles
with regard to those important matters, still be was
convinced that the lees there was of interference on the
pact of Parliament, the letter it would be for the
happiness and tranquillity of India. (enema.) In the
c6inmenctuient of the present session of Parliament the
leteGovernment announced their intention to legislate for
India. His opinion then was that teat was not the time
for ouch a step, yet that opinion was overruled, the
House of Commons having decided that a bill should be
introduced. When the late Government vacated office
the present Ministry took up the question.
They nce,rdiegly brought in a 511!, and found,
upon inquiry, teat it would be more convenient
that: to mottle the previous bid in committee. Before,
however, that bill came to a second reading, they con-
sented, at the suggestion of Lord J. Russell, to submit
a series of reeuluttone. It was but justice to the HOUSE!
of Commons to say that the resolutions luid before them
had beets di.cus•ed with the greatest patience and temper
and with an entire abseitco of party feeling, and the re-
suit had been that a measure had been sent up which
it was the unanimous wish of all parties iu the House of
Commons should pas, their lordshipe.
[LEFT SPEAKING

HOUSE OF COMIVIONS.—(This Day.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

Tile Earl of Ef,s's EAa.te, 11,;Iroyd's Estate, and Sir
BerjAmiu Estate Bills were read a third time and
pas,eJ„

SUPPLY.
The house went iii:o supply. The following votes

were agreed to :-
432 9901. for the disembodied militia.
133,000/, for barrack accommotheikn. '
65,0001. fo • the survey cf the United Kingdom, and
f the tcpographical department.
10001. for the Itzeper of the registry of patents.
20,0001. for the expenses of the Wellington monu-
ment.
CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION Acr
CONTIN UANCE BILL,
Oa the motion for going into committee on this bill.
Mr. V. SMITH complained it was not merely a con-
tinuance bill, because it c :stained a clause sanctioning
the payments for the conveyance of voters to the poll.
He considered they ought only to pass a continuance
bill at that late period of the session, and not introduce

a new prlnciple.
Mr. WALPOLE said there were many conflicting de-

visions in law respecting the legality of such payment 3,
and he thought it right that advantage should be tatsen
of the bill to settle many doubtful points, such as dtfiu-
ing what was a member at an election ; secondly, to alter
the remuneration to be paid to tee ejection auditor : at
pteseut it was by poundage on the firet 1/. spent, and he
proposed to pay him 101. up to 2001. expended, and a
poundage aher ; and thirdly, to [settle the question of
conveying voters to the pull.
After some further remarks in which Col. French,
Mr. Rebow, Mr. B.oitieck, Lord H. Vane, and Mr.
elibson took part,
The house went into committee on the bill.
On clause 1, V. hicia related to the payment of the tra-
velling expenses of voters,
Mr. D. GRIFFITHS moved an amendment prohi-
biting the payment of such expenses. It would open
the door to wholesale bribery.
Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD supported the clause.
Mr. A YRTON considered the law made it illegal to
pay voters' travelling expense:, but not to provide
ease, yances, and he thought such a clause as this would
meet the difficulty :--‘• Teat it shall be lawful for any
person to provide conveyance for any voter for the pur-
pose of an election, but it shall not be lawful to pay any
money cr give any valuable consideration to a voter for
or iu respect of his travelling expenses for snob
purpose."
Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE said the clause legalised
travelling expenses, but tee decision in " Cooper v.
Slade" laid is down that if the expenses weie paid to the
voter on condition that he voted in a particular manner
it would be bribery. It was, therefore, necessary to
avoid future dillieulty, that the clauses should go further
and specify that such a payment should not be con-
sidered telbery.
Mr. WALPOLE proposed to alter the clause to the
effect that it should be lawful fnr any candidate to pay
the cost of conveyance bona fide incurred in taking a
voter to the poi:, and that eucu payment should not be
deemed bribery. He should oppose the amendment be-
fore the c ,mmittee.
Mr. GREER. considered it woud be better to omit
the clause altogether. The difficulty might be got over
by multiplying the poliivg places.
After some remarks from Mr. H. BAILLIE relative to
the conveyance of voters to the pull iu the Orkneys,
Mr. V. SMITH contended this clause would open a
wide door to bribery. They had declared a 53. dinner
ticket to a man who gentrally expended only ls. for
his dinner bribery, and there would be as much bribery
in the excitement of a Mali riding in a first-class car-
riage who elways rode in a third class carriage, or a
man's riding in a carriage that always rode iu a cart,
as in the dinner ticket. He contended the principle ot
paying travelling expenses was a very important one,
and ought not to have been introduced into a mere con-
tinuance
Alter some further discussion, in which Mr. Brady,*
Mr. Lowe, Mr. Whiteside, and Mr. Byng took part,
Lord H. VANE urged that conveyances should be
provided for voters, otherwise pour voters would, in a
rnsjoriey of instances, be virtually disfranchised. He
thought the suggestion of the hon, member for the
Tower Hamlets would meet the d,fficulties of the case.
(I-fear, bear.)
After Borne futther discussion
Tne committee divided. The numbers were—
For the amendment
Against it 165
Majority —95
The amendment was lost.
Mr. STAPLETON then reoved an amendment that
it should be lawful to convey electors to the poll in coun-
ties, but not in boroughs.
Mr. WALPOLE opposed the amendment. If it was
necessary for counties, it was in many boroughs, and he
knew of no place where cabs and omnibuses were so
much (mph)) ed for conveying voters to the poll as in
the metropolitan boroughs. (Hear, hear.)
After some discussion the amendment was negatived.
Mr. AYRTON moved an amendment in accordance
with his suggestion at an early period of the discussion,
as given above. His object was to make the rich seek
Liter the pour.
Mr. KNATCHBULL-LIUGESSEN moved in clause
1, line 15, to leave out all alter " pay," and insert
" travelling expenses to voters resident anove one mile
from their place ot polling : Provided always, that such
payments shall Lot exceed one shilling per mile
to every such voter for any distance less than
10 miles, and sixpence per mile for every additional
mile : provided also, that if the distance to be travelled
by any such voter exceed ten miles, and there be avail-
able railway accommodation, the payments for travelling
expenses shall not exceed the maximum rate of fare
chargeable on such railway for such distance."
' Mr. WALPOLE considered that it they imposed
any limits, as proposed by the second amendment,
they would only increase the difficulty of the case, and
con,idering the amendment of the bon. and learued
member fur the Tower Hamlets to be better than his
own provision and that of the second amendment, ho
had no hesitation in adopting it. (Hear, hear.)
After come discu3eion, in which various hon. members
tcok part,
Mr. CRA.UFURD opposed the clause. He was pre.
pared to defeat the bat by every means iu his puwer,
refoBr,,arasndofthetieeh
houseo ee
eedn.
until be was stopped at 10 Em-
end continued speaking
posed of, and the house Etl6-
titlttS tO foUratrioLeceplrooscrk,weedbryeptrdhoig:
the T C
I,eh
,itrhuel
etroled its sitting at 4 o'eloc,ie.
(LEFT SITTING.)
The betide resumed at 6 o clock, and was

SALE OF THE PROPERTY OF MR, TOWNSEND, M.P.—
Yesterday Mi. Bowes, t'f the fires of Bowed and Bd1;
itngharn, put up to aucLion, at the Mart. the property
ill bankruptcy f Mr. Townsend, ty direction of the
~►a-
signe•P. The property, which cuioplised various free-
hold aid lta,thold houses, wad all sold, with tbe_txoep-
tiou of one lot withdraw u.