The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-07 00:00:00

lA/7 "14 fr 7

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Otock.

Speech,

INSURANCE COMPANIES.
1'17,11 lOn Thursday, the Secretary to the Treasury would
I ask leave to introduce A bill for the incorporation of
w I insurance and mett:al benefit companies.
Among-t the numerous notices given tonight, were
the following
ASSAULTS ON WOMEN.
Mr. DILWYN gave notice that he should on an early
day move for the repeal of the present act relative tJ ag-
gravated assaults on women and children, with a view
to its amendment.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Mr. HEADLAM gave notice that he rhould, on
Tuesday next, a,k leave to introduce a bill to amend
the medical profession.

THE REPRESENTATION OF TaE PEOPLE.
Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice that on this day fort-
night he should move a resolution that, i❑ the opinion
of this house, the representation of the house was not in
a satisfactory condition, and that therefore the attention
of Parliament on the first practicable opportunity ought
to be applied to the subject, to render the house a
correct representation of the feelings and interests of
the people. (Cheers.)
THE COUNTY FRANCHISE.
Mr. LOCKE KING gave notice that he should on
Tuesday week move for leave to brine in a bill to extend
the borough franchise to counties. (Cheers.)

FIE BALLOT.
Mr. 11. BERKELEY gave notice that he shoull,
on an early day, call the attention of the house to the
question of the ballot. (Cheers.),
VOTING AT ELECTIONS.
Lord R. CECIL gave notice that on an early day he
should move to introduce a bill, empowering the taking
of votes in counties and universities by vJting-papers.

THE ADDRESS.
The SPEAKER having read her Majesty's gracious

Mr. DODSON, in a maiden speech, proposed an ad-
dress to the Queen, in answer to her Most Gracious
Majesty's Speech. In the course of his address he
alluded to the various topics in the speech, which he said
were subjects for congratulation, and expressed a hope
that the house would ex ,el previous Parliaments
in the adoption of useful measures and
thereby maintain her position amongst the nations of
the earth. He thought this Parliament possessed
peculiar advantages for carrying out useful measures,
for he saw no symptoms of antagonistic classes iu
that house, or of a feeling of one part of the empire being
arrayed against another, and he expressed a hope that
the address would be unanimously agreed to, and that
as it was moved by the representative of an agricultural
county, and would be seconded •by a gentleman
connected a ith the trade and commerce of the country, it
would prove to be an indication of that unanimity that
ought to exist in that house on that occasion. (Hear.)
He concluded by moving the address, which was read

with applause.
Mr. BUCHANAN seconded the address. He did so
with much pleasure, and should have abstained from
making any lengthened remarks were it not
that he believed the representatives of large
constituencies ehould report to the house their
feelings on the questions of the day. By the
recent elections the foreign policy of the Government
bad been confirmed—(cheers)—and that no man, how-
ever eloquent and talented, could remain at the head of
affairs against the convictions of the people on questions
,f home and foreign policy ; and he illustrated it by
referring to the learned and mystified arguments of the
non. member (Mr. Gladstone) on a late occasion, not
being able to shield him from their censure and condem-
nation. (Hear and laughter.) After adverting to the
particulars of the Chinese affair he said that the broad
basis of our relations with China was of more conse-
quence than discussing technicalities, as was the case in
the last Pateiament, and the country had given vent to
their free expression in regard to it, and in support of
the interests of the country. After referring to the
difficulties of our obtaining the treaty of Nankin,
and the state of China at that time, he said it had been
resisted from that day, and had never been fulfiiled,
amid from that day there had been an increasing
eosolity expressed by the Chinese against the
English. Under these circumstances, and knowing
that by it a free access was to be guaranteed, and likely
to be insisted on, was it likely that the representatives of
England in that country could stand quietly by and see
the British flag insulted 4 Had they done so, the arro-
dance of that people would have been beyond a]l bounds,
and negotiations would have been impossible. It was
necessary we should make a show of independence
against the Chinese, seeing the great nueabs-r there were
in and about the Chinese waters and adjoining coasts, in
order to protect our commerce and keep up our
influence in those ports. It was entirely by
our prestige that we maintained our influence
in India, and the same applied to China. He
congratulated the country. on Lord Elgin having been
sent out to negotiate with the Chinese, and he augured
great benefits would result from it. He took the oppor-
tunity of saeing that the state of Southern Europe was
A question of great importance at this time, and he"called
the attention of the house to the abhorrence experienced
by the country against the acts perpetrated in Italy. In
the name of peace and humanity they should loudly
protest against the abuses of power in Southernltaly and
the lonian States. The present was looked upon as
auspicious for many reforms, which ha hoped woull be
carried out, and one of them was the extension of the
suffrage. (Cheers.) The question was not one of expe-
diency, bat to extend the franchise to those entitled to
political power within the limits of the constitution.
Education must be increased, and he had no doubt
shortly a national system of education would be adopted
by the house. He participated in the views of congra-
tulation of prosperity expressed in the Royal Speech, bat
there were symptoms of doubt of its continuance, and one
was the excessive dearness of money, which cat out the
very vitals of trade, and he rejoiced that the committee
on banking was about to re-assemble, and he expressed a
lope they would not meet with foregone conclusions.
At all events, it was to be hoped the interest of no
monopoly would prevent a full and rigid iuvest;gation
into this matter. After some further remarks, he cop.
eluded by seconding the address.
The question having been put from the chair,
General P. THOMPSON entered a protest against
what had been said on the China question on the part
of the defunct House of Paliament. The party in the
possent house who sympathised with those who were
xtluded were determined to bring the question again
before the country for reconsideration. He considered
there was a party in the country who would not be satis-
fied till a further investigation of the question had taken
rlice. (Laughter.)
Lord R. GROSVENOR said he considered the vote
of the la e Parliament on China was in reference to our
pot policy, and on this occasion he thought this ques-
ought not to have been introduced, and he should there-
fore abstain from entering on it. (Hear, hear.) He
thought, in fairness to the Government, that, having
just returned from the embraces of their constituencies,
the mernben should express to the Government the
feelings and wants of those constituencies, and it was for
that purpose he addressed the home on that occasion.
One of the subjects that interested his constituents was
a reform of Parliament, or; as it was stated at the hus-
tings, an extension of the suffrage. (Hear.) He agreed
with Mr. Cobden that as a matter of expediency a case
for the enlargement of the franchise could not be made
cut, and at the same time he did not think it was a ques-
tion of enfranchisement as between the rich and the
poor. Another subject occupying the public mind was
the annoyance of having so many reform bills—(hear)—
and it would be a very good thing if the noble lard at
the head of the Government would devise a moreelestic and
self-acting reform bill than that under which they were
elscted, so as to make a little more equality of members.
He deprecated any attempt to introduce a y alnter f
relative to the franchise or the ballot, believing the Go-
veenment would introduce an ample measure of reform
next year, and give the house time to consider it well.
(Hear, hear,) There were practices adopted at elections
highly inconvenient ; and, after referring to his intro-
duction of confining county voting to one day, and abo-
lishing drinking, he said it was his intention at an early-
period to introduee a bill to the house, prohibiting the
conveyance of electors to the poll, at the expense of the
candidate, and also to remedy the absurd and anomalous
practice that existed of making candidates pay for the
ex lenses of the hustiogs. (Hear.) Pas&ug to the Church
rates ; after expressing his regret at the exclusion of Sir
VV. Clay, who had made the subject his own
so that he (Lord R. Grosvenor), if the Government did
not do it, should move on an early day to in-
troduce a measure on the subject. (Rear, bear.)
Reverting to Pailiatnentary reform, heesuggested that
Chelsea, Kennington, Hammersmith, should be formed
into an independent borough. (Hear.) Toe equalisa
tion of the poor rates throughout the metropolis was an
important question that would require the immediate
attention of the house. (Hear, hear.) He conceived
the address was so couched that all could concur in it.
Mr. W. EWART alluded to the question of the ne-
cessity of the adoption of a Minister of Justice, and re-
gretted that amongst the law reforms mentioned in the
speech, no allusion bad been made to it. He thought