The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-03 00:00:00

THE. CONDUCT OF TIIE IIOU3E.

The Earl of M LMESI3UIIY sail that he rose with
rel dime to the conduct of the noble lords opposite is leav-
ing the house as they did last night. He did no!
think th.tt there was in the recollection of th,
oldest member of the house a similar scene.
lie would not say that it was disrespectful to the Govern-
ment but to the House, and it was not discussing the met
t-r with thatequanimity which ought to distinguish them.
Why, after admittingthe amendment of Government on th,
Scotch bill on Tuesday, should the question be brought et.
again last night ? Why should the Opposition memberr
leave the hous in the way they did? Ile said it as solemn])
as he conld, bo• h before and after the noble lords kft the house,
that the Government did not iutend to deceive the house
at all. He would read thorn a letter from the Prime Mi-
nister, in which he stated that ho read with astonishment
the scene which tookplace in the 'louse of Lords last night.
lie asserted that his statement was distorted, and that all
he thought to express was, that he thought that, in re-
viewing the business of the house he had done
with the two points in discussion. He would now
explain what the Government iutentled to do. They have
put off the Boundary Bill and the Scotch Reform Bill till
Monday next, and they must ask their noble friends
not to in ist on the amendments of which
they had given notice. They had been long
taunted with a desire to remain in office from vulgar and
mercenary motives; therefore, they wished to have a
general election as soon as passible, and they had so
managed matters that it could take place in November
next. They must remember that the registration must
under the Reform Bill take place by the 20th of this
month, and that four day's clear notice must be given.
Therafcro the Boundary and Scotch Bills must be passed
and receive the Royal assent by Friday next, and there-
fore they must resist all amendments to them. (Heart
hear.)
Earl RUSSELL said that their only complaint was
against the Ministers of the Crown, and that the conduct
of the'Opposition was justified by the unusual conduct of
the Government, who might have proposed an adjourn-
ment to ascertain what in reality the First Minister of the
Crown did say.

Earl BEAUCHAMP said that the OppDsition peers had
left the House because they considered that the Govern-
ment had been guilty of a breach of faith. Now he must de-
precate the fact that no rotractation was made. They had
not thought fit to withdraw the imputation on the prin-
ciple, he supposed, that if one threw mud enough some of
it would stick. He animadverted upon the fuss that had
been made by the noble lords opposite as to Reform, and
the little that they had done. (Ironical cheers.)

The Duke of MONTROSE said that ho did not think
for one moment that there had been any breach of faith,
and if ho had he should not have brought any
amendment forward. The accusation appeared to him so
unfounded that he wondered how they could sit there and
not acknowledge it.

The Marquis of SALISBURY said that they were endea-
vouring to decide a question which the House of Com-
mons ought to decide. if Mr. Disraeli had given a pledge
perhaps his followers were ignorant of it. He thought
it was quite a question for the House of Commons.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that the greatest se-
dative that the house could have was, that when an angry
discussion arose for one side of the house to walk out.

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF CONIMONS.—This DAT.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at two o'clock.
GOVERNMENT OF INpIA. ACT AMENDMEN T

BILL.

Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that as this bill stood for
committee after the Metropolitan Foreign Cattle Market
Bill, and as the principle of the bill had already been dis-
cussed, ho suggested that the bill should go through com-
mittee without further opposition, and the new clauses
might be proposed upon bringing up the report.

METROPOLITAN FOREIGN CATTLE MARKET
BILL.

On the motion forgoing into committee on this bill, the
object of which, it will be recollected, was to establish a
foreign cattle market at the river side, near B irking, at
which foreign cattle alone were to be sell and slaughtered
and thence conveyed to the metropolis,
Mr. CORRA.NOE rose to rep'y to the speech of Mr. M.
Gibson, and denial that ho W.t9 inflaenced by anything
but the future good in supporting the measure. fie thought
that if they ware to wait until a general law imposing
legal restrictions on foreign cattle were passed they would
have to wait long enough. He denied that the passing
of the measure would stop the supply of beef, which
which was now by no moans so common in Salford,
Manchester, and Birmingham as the right hon. gentle-
man (Mr. M. Gibson) had pointed out. He fully agreel
that the interest of the consumers ought to be consi-
dered, as those consumers had to pay fur restrictions of
all kinds.

Mr. GLADSTONE thought the pressing forward the
present bill at the end of the session Ills entering on an
endless controversy. The noble lord, in the course of his
speech, appeared to condemn the trade in foreign cattle
as at present carried on, and he could only say that he
thought the endeavour to pass sueh a law as that now
under the consideration of the house for London, without
passing statutory restrictions for the government of the
cattle trade at the other ports of the country, was of itself
quite sufficient to delay the consideration of the present
measure f..r an indefinite time. (Rear.) He thought
the attempt to prevent the reintroduction of the cattle
plague by such arrangements as the measure proposed
quite useless, and ho was also much opposed to the pre-
sent bill, as it appeared to him to be the desire of the noble
lord to set aside executive discretion in favour of statu-
tory. I ter. Another point that had been passed over by the
noble lord was that of the finance of the new market. It
had been statei that the outlay to establish the market
was put dowu at £300,000, but as it ha I been admitted
compensation would have to bo also considered, he thought
that the cost of the scheme would be more likely to
amount to half a million. If the public were to become
speculators in slaughter-houses, ha thought they ought to
know where the half million of meeey required was to
come from, and in what manner the revenue was
to be raised to pay the interest on the sum
required. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the noble lord would
explain that matter to them when he next addressed them.
It was said the Corporation of London might become the
parties to carry out the provisions of the bill, but suppos-
ing they declined then commissioners w be appointed
by the Crown, but that showed to him most strongly that
in the event of any deficiency it would have to bo made
up from the national resources. The ratepayers of
the metropolis had rightly or wrongly got it into their
heads that the passing of the bill would increase the price
of meat, and:it would require very strong arguments to
convince them them that such was not the case. (Hear,
hear.) Giving the Government every credit for a desire
to increase and cheapen the supply of good and whole-
some food to the public, rather than an attempt to revert
to protection, notwithstanding the little slips of the
tongue that now and then were ma le by hon. gentlemen
opposite, he hoped they would not persevere with this bill
before all matters of detail were clearly set forth and
settled.

Mr. HENLEY supported the bill. The right hon. gen-
tleman had carefully guarded himself from saying ono
word as to whether there ought,or ought not to be a sepa-
rate market —(hear, hoar)—and also why they should not
take a stop in the right direction —(hear, hear)—provided
the bill was a good one. He thought it a pity tha t
the difficulty of the matter should be increased by the
assertions made on the other side of the house that
the bill was brought forward for electioneering purposes.
(Hear, hear.) He thought the bill was calculated to effect
a great benefit by the establishm3nt of a separate market
for foreign cattle, and therefore he should give his vote for.
going into committee.
Mr LOWE said the groat question before the house was
whether there should b 3 a s3cond rant market for the
metropolis. (Hear, hear.) He did not think that the
question of finance ought to preclude them from proceeding
with the bill, because, if it was a good one, resources could
easily be discovered to carry it into effect. He for one
was not to be precluded from doing 30115 good because he
could not effect all, and he dil not agr3e with his right
hon. friend the member for Ashton in his wholesale con-
demnation of the. bill, beetusa it wis not what he (Mr.
Gibson) called a great and comprehensive measure.
With respect to the bill increasing the price of
meat, that was a subject he could not enter
upon; but this he knew that the butchers of the
metropolis had deluged ovary member of Parliament with
pamphlets, they had retained eminent counsel to oppose
the bill, and taken other expensive steps, and all for what?
Why, as they say, to cheapen the price of meat. (A
laugh.) He thought the bill only proposed to do that
which in itself seemed wise to do, and therefore he should
vote for its going into committee.
Mr. GOSOIIEN said that as the proposed market was
to be made at the expense of metropohtan consumers and
ratepayers, he should strenuously oppose the further pro-
gress of the bill.
Mr. READ supported the bill.
LEFT reZdalliCk.