The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-28 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS-THIS DAY.

Tho SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICES ABOLITION BILL
Mr. HADFIELD moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which was to abolish the oath required to be
taken by persons taking office. Every person who
assumed municipal office, like those called to some of the
higher offices of the State, were required to subscribe an
oath on the true faith of a Christian that he would not
exercise any power of which he might become possessed
of by virtue of the office he was about to take to injure the
Protestant Church of England as by law established.
There were many persons amongst the Non-Conformist
body who felt that such a declaration was highly objec-
tionable, and one great reason why the declaration should
be abolished was that it was not taken by those
of the very highest offices in the state, but that an
annual bill of indemnification was brought in to relieve
them of the consequences of not subscribing the declara-
tion. This was the sixth time he had brought the matter
forward, and he did hope he should succeed in getting his
bill made law.

Mr. NEWDEGATE opposed the motion. He looked
upon the bill as an attempt to abolish the declaration in-
serted in the Test and Corporation Act in place of the
sacramental test. He greatly preferred the declaration tc
the test which was removed, because that was objec-
tionably used as was then required. He knew that
the declaration now sought to be removed was of
itself not of very groat importance, but he looked
upon it like the bolt in a ship. Remove one of these bolts,
and where was the safety of the crew ? He objected to the
bill, because it might be one of those small causes which
would lead to great and important political changes, and
therefore moved as an amendment that the bill be read a
second time that day six months.

Mr. BAXTER was surprised that a gentleman should
get up in his place in Parliament and defend an obsolete
Aet of Parliament, which was not of the slightest use to
the Church of England. The keeping up such miserable,
absurd, and irritating tests as that now proposed to be got
rid of, only tended to keep up sectarian animosities which
it was of the last importance should be avoided. He should
vote for the second reading of the bill.
Mr. HUNT said, having been engaged in a committee
up stairs, he had not had the advantage of hearing the
arguments of his hon. friend on that occasion, but he sup-
posed they were the same as he had favoured the house
with on several occasions against his bill, notwithstanding
that he hoped his hon. friend would not divide the house
on his amendment.

Sir G. GREY said ho had on former occasions expressed
his approval of the bill, and therefore he did not think there
was any necessity for him to repeat his views. The oppo-
sition benches showed that there was no desire to reject
tho bill, and therefore he hoped the lion. gentleman would
not press his motion to a division.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said he felt it his duty to press his
amendment to a division.

The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 176
Against it
Majority —l2l
The bill was then read a second time and ordered to be
committed ma Friday.
FELLOWS OF COLLEGES DECLARATION BILL.

Mr. BOUVERIE moved the second reading of this bill.
the object of which was to relieve graduates who were
eligible for fellowships from the necessity of making a de-
claration that they would adhere in all particulars to the
Liturgy of the Church of England. The list was found in
an out-of-the-way corner in the Act of Uniformity, and he
therefore proposed the present bill for the purpose of get-
ting rid of it.
Mr. NEATE suggested that the hon. gentleman should
confer with the hon. member for Exeter, who had a bill of
a similar nature; in order that a good general bill might
be proposed applicable to both Oxford and Cambridge.

Mr. SELWYN intimated that his hon. friend (Mr. Wal-
pole) would, on the motion for going into committee,
move that the bill be committed that day six months. He
should not, under those circumstances, disturb the arrange-
ment that had been come to relative to tho discussion of
this bill by objecting to its passing a second reading.

The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be
committed on the 18th of April.
JAMAICA GOVERNMENT BILL.

On the motion for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. CAVE made a few observations relative to the state
of labour in Jamaica.

Mr. MILLS hoped that something would be done to
reform the present state of ecclesiastical endowments.

Mr. CARDWELL thought it would be premature to
state the alteration which it was proposed to effect in the
state of matters in the island. They were now laying the
foundation of a new state of things, and he hoped at pre-
sent that they would confine themselves to that step, in
order that they might build upon an edifice of future pro-
sperity.

,The bill was then read a third time and passed.

THE CATTLE DISEASES BILL.

The report of amendments on this bill was read, and
the bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.

PRINCESS HELENA'S ANNUITY BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
PRINCE ALFRED'S ANNUITY BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. HADFIELD hoped that the annuity would be
made inalienable, and fixed for his royal highness's enjoy-
ment.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
money voted by the bill was a grant to the Crown, and
not to Prince Alfred. The bill left it to her Majesty to
decide upon the form in which it was to be conferred. He,
however, was of opinion that the annuity could not stand
as assignable property.
The bill was then read a second time.
The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-LAST EVENING.
THE CATTLE PLAGUE BILL.

Earl GRANVILLE, in moving the second reading of
this bill: said that he regretted it was not one of those
measures which could receive the unqualified support of
the Government, as being calculated to arrest the progress
of the present epidemic which unfortunately prevailed.
The Government felt bound to object to the principle of
the bill, but without reflecting in the slightest degree on
the hon. gentleman who introduced the bill into the other
house, and who had bestowed EO much care and labour in
framing its provisions so as to meet the exigency of the time.
Notwithstanding the care bestowed on the preparation of
the bill, ho was satisfied that its provisions would nullify
the object proposed. The attempt to introduce a new
system, having uniformity in its object, which was to
effect a great alteration in the existing law, and to take
effect in three weeks, was a measure that re-
quired grave consideration. But apart from that,
as he had already stated, there were objections
in detail. The noble earl then went through
the different clauses of the bill, and said the course he pro-
posed was to refer the bill to a select committee, in accord-
ance with what he had stated last night. In order not to
throw any delay in the progress of the bill, he had con-
sulted with the noble earl opposite (Derby), and it was
considered advisable that the house, contrary to its usual
practice, should sit to-morrow. lie trusted that the house

would be in possession of the amendments proposed by 5
o'clock on Thursday evening.
Lord BERNERS supported the second reading of the
bill, but took exception to the stringent powers it proposed
to confer on inspectors, who would be empowered to
slaughter animals without giving the owners any compen-
sation. lie believed that such a course amounted to actual
robbery.

The Marquis of BATH also supported the bill, which
he considered contained some good clauses, and hoped that
it would be so amended as not to be a temporal measure.
(Hear, hear.) However, ho suggested that the prohibi-
tion of moving cattle from one part of the country to the
other should be left to the discretion of the local magis-
tracy, whose local knowledge would enable them to act
properly under the existing circumstances. Ho also ob-
jected to the qualifications of the inspectors; he did not
think they were the persons best suited to discharge
efficiently the important duty to be intrusted to them.
The Earl of WINCHILSEA objected to the bill with
tho exception of one clause, namely, that relatingto the im-
portation of cattle. He thought it was too late to endea-
vour to stamp out by legislative measures or to limit the
area of a disease that had talcen such deep root in the
country.

The Duke of MARLBOROUGH objected to indiscrimi-
nate slaughter of cattle, and hoped that some modifications
would be introduced. He also urged the necessity of ob-
taining accurate statistics of the cattle in the country,
which the Government should have power to demand.
After a few remarks from the Duke of BumrsoirAm and
Lord ROMNEY, the bill was read a second time, and was sub-
sequently referred to a select committee.
Lord STRATHEDEN moved for certain returns having
reference to the general elections of 1835 and 1865 ; but
Lord RUSSELL stated that some of the returns asked
for could not be made, and others had already been pre-
sented to the house.
The motion was withdrawn.

Lord AIRLIE, in moving for a copy of a memorial pre-
sented to the Privy Council, called attention to the increas-
ing proportion of recoveries of cattle attacked with finder-
pest, which he contended rendered it inexpedient to sanc-
tion the wholesale slaughter of animals at the discretion of
inspectors.
After a few words from Lord GRANTILLE the motion
was agreed to, and
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.
RAILWAY BRIDGES.

Mr. O'BEIRNE asked the President of the Board of
Trade whether his attention had been called to the danger
to the 'horse traffic of the metropolis which arose from the
exposed state of the railway bridges crossing many of the
leading streets ; and whether it was his intention to take
such steps as would insure the erection of screens upon
each of such bridges ?
Mr. M. GIBSON said his attention had been called to
the matter by one individual. When the local authorities
made representations to the Board of Trade they had the
power of ordering the, erecting of screens, but the Govern-
ment had no authority to act on the representation of a
private person.

THE CUSTOMS' CLERKS.

In reply to an liox. MEMBER,
Mr. CIIILDERS said the attention of the Govern-
ment had been directed to the addresses that had
been presented to the Treasury. An inquiry had
been made, and it had been determined to issue
a new scale of salaries in place of that ROW in use, and
which would be found referred to in the estimates.
The umber of classes would be reduced, and the
salaries re-arranged and augmented, by which means
promotion would be facilitated. The Government also
proposed to introduce into the service a large body of ser-
vants, to be called "writers," who would be quite a dis-
tinct body from those gentlemen now engaged as Govern-
ment clerks.