The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-23 00:00:00

(LEFT SITTING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS—THIS EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at two o'clock.
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
In reply to Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
matters connected with the approaches to the new law
courts were still under consideration, and as a meeting of
the commission was to be held that day he would refrain
at present from stating what their intentions were.
SALE OF GIRLS IN INDIA.
In reply to Mr. BAILEY,
Sir S. .NORTHCOTE said he had received no informa-
tion as to the sale of girls within tire Burdwan Zillah, and
therefore he was not iu a position to give an answer whe-
ther such was the case or not.
THE MERMAID.
In reply to Mr. HEADLAM,
Lord STANLEY said no decision had yet been come
to, but the commission app Muted to inquire into the loss
of the vessel was making progress.
SHEERNESS DOCKYARD.
In reply to Mr. IiUGEsSEN,
Lord H. LEN NOS said there was no intention of
breaking up the dockyard at Sheerness.
ARTILLERY PRACTICE AT PORTSMOUTH.
In reply to Sergeant GASELEE,
Sir J. PAKINGTON said the parties who had been the
cause of the dangerous firing of artillery at Portsmouth
had been reprimanded, and orders had been given to dis-
continue firiug frem the Gosport side.
THE INDIAN BUDGET.
Sir S. NORT tICO'VE gave notice of his intention to
introduce trio Indian Budget on 3lon,lay next, and also
that he did not intend to proceed fur, her with the two
bills to improve the geverurnAit of India during the pre-
sent session.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
CORRUPT PRIC PICES AT EL EC ['IONS BILL.
The h mse thou proceeded to the further consideration
of this bill. Amendments were agreed to extending the
bill to Ireland.
Mr. LOW I'HER moved an addition to clause 43, to the
effect that if atter a previous conviction before an election
committee any canvasser or ageat shoed obtain such
employment at another election he should be deemed
gully of misderneauour.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL opposed the clause, as
he e ucidered it unjust aul too severe.
Sergeant GASE LEE did eot think that it was so.
There were p'enty of those fellows always pro erling about
to get hold of innocent candidates. (Laughter.) Young
men fresh from Oxford, who no doubt thought tiny would
one day hecomo Prime Minister, went ieuec t ) con-
test au elect on ; they were got hold of by one of thoso fel-
lows, and consequently were to be disqualified foe 7 years
from sitting iu that house, whilst the oilier party got off
free. H dal not believe the amendment was ujust, be-
cause every time ;% person comautted an ()levee, he WAS
liable to punish in nt of an increased s eterity, au l v .ry
properly so. (Laughter.) He hoped the house would dis-
agree aseth the opinion of the Solicitor-General and adopt
the amendment.
The house divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment 92
Against it
Majority against the amendment —l3
Mr. I'AWCETI then moved that the following words
be added to the clause he had succeeded iu inserting in the
bill throwing the expenses of the returning officer on the
ratepayers: "That it chill not be lawful for any person
to be nominated as a candidate at any such election, unless
he or some person iu his behalf shall have paid to the re-
turning officer the sum of £lOO, to be applied in the
following manner (that is to say): where a poll shall take
place at any such election, the returning officer shall apply
the moneys so paid to him by any such candidate who
shall not, at the close of the poll, have received a number
of votes equal at least to oae-fifth part of the votes received
by the successful candidate, if oaly one, or by such one of
the successful candidates if there shall be more than one,
as shall have received the smallest number of votes, in and
towards defraying the lawful expenses of the returning
officer relating to such election ; and after any such election
the returning officer shall forthwith repay to any such
candidate who shall have been declared elected without a
poll, or who, whether declared elected or not, shall have
received a number of votes equal at least to such fifth
part, the moneys so paid by or for him as aforesaid."
,fe said the house having on a former occasion accepted
his proposal of making the ratep tyers liable for the ex-
penses of the returning officer, he thought that it was
but right that some guarantee should be taken that no
candidate not having a prospect of being elected should
come forward merely for a party purpose. He was not at
all indisposed to alter the amount of money to be depo-
sited or to the sum to be deducted from the deposit fur

austings exp-nst.s.
Sir M. LOPES thought the sum to be deposited alto-
gether too small ' • he, proposed that the sum to bu deposited
Oe for counties £3OO, and £l5O for boroughs.
Mr. BEAUMONT moved, as an arumidinent to Mr.

Fawcett's proposed new clause, to leave out all after
—that," sad insert " the proposer and seconder of every can-
didate whoshall not have polled one-fifth of the total number
of electors voting at any election for a county or a borough
hall be liable (in the same way as if this act had not passed)
for his share of the expenses lawfully incurred by the re-
turning officers for the provision of hustings, poll clerks,
polling booths or rooms, or any other requisites for the
conduct of the election, and the proposer and seconder o f
every absent candidate shall be liable fot the same as-
pen ses."
After a short discussion, Air. FAWCETT withdrew his
proviso in favour of the amendment of the hon. member
for Northumberland.
Mr. LOWTEIER thought that without they made the
proportion one-third instead of one-fifth of the votes, it
would be no guarantee that "straw" candidates would not
be started.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said the proposal was
utterly inoperative, as it woul t not in the least degree
prevent "straw" candidates going to the poll.
Mr. HARVEY LEWIS homait it hi,ity objectionable
that the exp,ns3s of ca,didates at elections for hustings,
should be put upon the ratepayers ; and he also
thought it wrong that a successful candidate should be
called upon to defray any of the expenses incurred by a
man coming forward without the slighest chance of being
elected.
Mr. LEEMAN thought the most correct way of correct-
ing the abuse anticipated was to call upon the candidate
or his proposer to deposit ou the instant a poll was de-
manded the sum of XlOO for a borough and .1200 for acounty,
and such money to be applied by the returning officer
to the expenses of the election, provided such candidate has
not polled one-fifth of the electors. He begged to move
an amendment to the amendment to that effect.
Mr.HEADLANI hoped the hou. member for York would
not persevere with his amendment, as it was precisely to
the same effect as that which the hon. member fur Brighton
had withdrawn.
Mr LEEMAN'S amendment having been withdrawn,
the house divided on that moved by Mr. Beaumont, when
there appeared--
For the amendment
Against it
Majority against —9
Viscount MILTON thou moved a proviso to the clause
setting forth the mode of levying the county rate where
the county was divided.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL objected to the pro-
posal.

The proviso having been agreed to without a division,
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then rose to move that
clause 53 D be expunged, the clause moved by Mr Faw-
cett throwing the expenses of the returning officer
on the ratepayers. The honourable and learned
gentleman said the question had been so fully discussed
and so well ventilated that he need do no more than move
that the clause be struck out of the bill, as it was most
objectionable that ratepayers should be called upon to pay
the expenses of parliamentary candidates.
Mr. FAWCE'Cr then proceeded, amidst evident marks
of impatience, to address the house in justification of the
course he had pursued, during which he strongly con-
demned the stratagems that had been used by the Govern-
ment to defeat him.

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

THE CIIARGe OF FENIANISSL

At Bow-street this afternoon the prisoner Cooke
was agAin brought before Mr. Vaughan, but as no
ad litional evidence was produced on the part of
the Crown he was discharged.

THE MARCH OF INTELLECT.—Heat expands
bodies, you say. I am reminded of the remark of a
learned little boy. The late Prince Consort once paid a
visit to a school, and heard the teacher make one of the
classes go through what is termed in the phrase-
ology of pedagogues an object lesson. " Now, can you
tell me anything about heat?" was one of the questions.
A bright little man held forth his hand, as much as to say
that he could. "Well, now, boy," said the teacher, " what
do you know ?" "Heat expands," said the boy, iu
the jerky style of delivery characteristic of his years
"Heat expands—cold contracts." The teacher looked
at the prince for approval ; the prince bowed his head and
smiled approbation. The teacher, eager for more such
smiles, went on. " Very good," ho said, " now give me
an example." "in summer the days are long ; in winter
the days aro short."— Once a Week.

BUIISING of A RAILWAY BRIDGE.-03. ruesthy
morning Vie wcodwork of a bridge carrying the Groat
Eastern R.,ilway over a roa I at Beecles, Suffolk, was de-
stroyed by fire. A spark ft-cm au engine is supposed to
have ignited parched grass along the line, and the flames
then spread to the bridge, which was rapidly destroyed.
Prompt uneuts were successfully made to prevent
any serious interruption of the traffic.

The Journal de Paris credits the news given by
the Correspondance du Nord Est respecting the close
alliance on the point of being formed between Aus-
tria and Pru:sia ; such alliance would be in accord-
ance with the speech recently pronounced by General
Moltke, and the ideas now expressed by the organ
of Baron Beust at Vienna.