The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-14 00:00:00

was legitimately connected. There was no disfranchisement I
of 40s. freeholders in the bill which I brought forward,
though that there was is a charge generally made in this
house when there are these debates, and lam sorry to say
the bringing forward of that charge is not confined to gen-
tlemen opposite. Tho bill of course not being allowed to be
read a second time is liable to misrepresentation. (Hear, and
laughter.) We looked upon the 40s. franchise as one of the
most valuable and constitutional in the country. What we
proposed in a large scheme, consisting of so many fran-
chises, was that the elector should vote in the locality in
which he was interested. But is that all ? Why, we have
heard to-day of the great mischief that would accrue if this
bill were carried, by swamping, as the phrase is, the natural
constituencies of the counties, those who own the landed
property, and those whose occupation is that which con-
stitutes the prime industry of the counties. Why, did we
not provide against that; did we not secure in our bill the
reformation of borough boundaries ? What would occur if
the bill of the hon. member for East Surrey were carried is
that Manchester or Birmingham, or fifty other great towns,
might overwhelm the natural constituency of the counties
by a population which is really homogeneous with the
population of those large towns. What was the instance
mentioned by my hon. friend the member for Cheshire
just now ? lie is naturally afraid of being overwhelmed
with the town population in his county—that of Staley-
bridge for example. By our bill that could not have hap-
pened, because Staleybridge would have been represented
by a member for the borough. In our bill we endeavoured
to secure to the landed interest that predominance which is
necessary to public liberty, and that was the object
and the only object which, with regard to the land, we
wished to attain. We recognised the fact that in the due
preponderance of that interest in the constitutional scheme
there was the best, the oldest, and the most valuable secu-
rity for good government and for public liberty. I will not
trespass for a roomen't, more on the house, because the hour
has come when we ought to divide. I have not completely,
but I have sincerely, indicated the course we took when we
introduced our bill to extend the franchise and to provide
for the due representation of the people. I may remind the
house that in that bill with regard to the county franchise
we worked out a self-acting registration and a multiplication
of polling places, and we proposed that all expenses should
be illegal, which alone would have been a better security
than any other for purity of election. I believe that there
are many provisions in that bill which will be found most
valuable on future occasions; but after the attack which
the noble lord has made on the bill, I can only say that,
though it was not successful, I am at least as proud of having
been the organ for bringing it before the notice of Parliament
as the noble lord can Do of having obtained office by carry-
ing a resolution implying a promise to extend the franchise
which he has not had the power of fulfilling. (Cheers.)
The "previous question" having been moved by way of
amendment, the house divided upon the point, " That the
question be now put"—
Ayes 220
Noes
Majority —2B

The cheers of the Conservative party were of the most
boisterous character, when the numbers were announced
by the tellers, the bill being virtually lost.

AFFIRMATIONS BILL.

Sir J. TRELAWNY moved the second reading of this
bill, substituting affirmations in lieu of oaths in certain
cases.

Mr. HARDY said the real question was whether oaths
were to be administered in courts of justice. Believing
that it made a great difference to people whether they were
sworn or not, he opposed the motion, He moved as an
amendment that the bill be read a second time this day six

months.
Mr. MALINS seconded the amendment.

Sir G. C. LEWIS confessed that he hardly ever knew a
bill so extensive in its operation which had been founded
on so narrow a basis. He was of opinion that the plaister
proposed by his hon. friend was a great deal too large to
cover a wound so small. Tho effect of the bill would be to
abolish all oaths. He would not now enter into a moral or
religious discussion on the effect of oaths ; but he believed
that the administration of oaths in eliciting truth in courts
of justice was very generally recognised, and judges and
barristers were generally impressed with the importance of
the obligation. He did not think the house had any proof
that could justify them in abolishing oaths. The bill of
his hon. friend was so drawn as to render it unnecessary for
any person to take an oath. It was not proposed to abolish
oaths upon any religious grounds ; but simply on the ground
of objection to them. The hon. baronet's case, however,
did not rest upon that. It rested on a case which occurred
lately in the North of England, and which was brought
recently under the notice of the house. It was the case
of an old woman who said she did not believe in rewards
and punishments in a future world. The proper course
would be, in his opinion, to bring in a bill asking persons,
before being sworn, whether they had any religious belief,
and if they said " No," then not to administer the oath.
In the case of the old woman referred to by the hon.
baronet, she said she had no religious belief whatever, and
therefore she was not a competent witness. Therefore,
with regard to the bill which the hon. baronet had brought
under the consideration of the house, he could not give his
vote in favour of the second reading.
Mr. E. H. CRAUFORD, amid impatient cries of
" Divide," moved the adjournment of the debate.
The house divided. The Lumbers were—
For the adjournment of the debate 5O
Against it
htajonty .. --133

The SPEAKER.—The house has expressed a wish that
the debate should not be adjourned, but by the superior
order of the house—adjourning debates on 'Wednesday sit-
tings at a quarter to six o'clock—the debate stands now ad-
journed.

EXEMPTION OF VOLUNTEERS FROM TOLLS.
Mr.,BRISTOW obtained leave to bring in a bill to
exempt the Volunteer forces of Great Britain from the
payment of tolls. The Bill was brought in and read a first
time.
COLONIAL MILITARY EXPENDITURE.
On the motion of Mr...ARTHUR MILLS the select
committee on Colonial Expenditure was nominated, and
comprised the following members, namely :—General Peel,
Mr. Ellice, Sir George Grey, Lord, Stanley, Mr. Roebuck,
Mr. Childers, Mr. Chichester Fortescue, Mr. Thomas
George Baring, Mr. Adderly, Lord Robert Cecil, Mr.
Baxter, Mr. Marsh, Mr. Fitzgerald, Sir James Fergusson,
and Mr. Arthur Mills :—Power to send for persons, papers,
and records ; Five to be the quorum.
The house then adjourned.

THE NORTHUMBERLAND AND
DURHAM DISTRICT BANK.

The official liquidators of the Northumberland
and Durham District Banki3g Company have pre-
sented a further report to the Court of Chancery,
detailing the progress of the liquidation from the
time of the last report, the 26th of November,
1859, to the 16th of February last. At the date
of the former report the assets were estimated at
£1,110,597, and the liabilities having been reduced
to £974,437, there appeared to be a surplus of
£136,160. The liquidators, when they made that
report, anticipated that £481,521 of the assets would
have been realised by the end of 1860. The
amount realised up to Febrtary 16 in the present
year, however, has only been £299,671, £181,850 less
than the amount anticipated, The difference between
the amounts expected and realised arises princi-
pally from the non-receipt cc' one of the instalments
for the sale of Messrs. Carr' collates, of some pro-
missory notes relating to tke Derwent Ironworks,
of the amount to be received from the executors of
Mr. C. W. Bigge, of the mortgage debts due from
the Messrs. Grainger, and the non-sale of portions
of the Elswick Estate. Tho only head under which
the assets realised have exceeded the amount esti-
mated is that of "shareholders," who have paid
£52,420, £24,420 over the amount estimated. The
total amount received on the estimate was £21,420,
or £6,580 less than the estimate ; but the share-
holders who subsequently associated together for
obtaining their release by a payment of £85,250,
paid £31,000, thus giving the excess of £25,420.
Assets still outstanding are no less than £1,088,515.
Of the £299,671 received by the liquidators since
they made their last report, £103,855 has been
applied in repayment of loan to the Bank of Eng-
land, £4,330 has been advanced on account of
securities held from various debtors, and £112,814
has been paid to secured creditors ; law charges
have absorbed £10,093; "liquidators on account of
remuneration and liquidation charges," £6,642 ;
and salaries and office charges, £1,486. The amount
now in hand is £59,€02. The liabilities which in
1859 were £974,437 have been reduced by £72,426.
The liquidators state that from the very great dis-
appointment they have experienced in realising the
assets they feel they ought not to attempt any pre-
diction of the period' at which the remainder may
be collected. They add, however, that there ougbt
to be in the autumn a sum of £300,000 from pro-
perties, and debts arranged for, for a dividend upon
£1,800,000. The liquidators, in conclusion, state
that the payment of futuro dividends will depend
on the fulfilment of the arrangements under which
payments are to be made by instalments, and which
cannot be anticipated by the creditor. The report
is not deemed very satisfactory in Newcastle-on-
Tyne and the neighbouring towns.

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cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, flatulency, diarrhoea,
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