The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-15 00:00:00

COLONEL KNOX AND MR. GLADSTONE.

Colonel KNOX said he had to stato that he had failed
in his endeavours to substantiate the statements he made
last night. He did not., he assured the house, think
when he was making the statement that he was doing that
which was not the fact, but having discovered he had
unintentionally committed a wrong, he begged to apologise
to the right Iwn. member for South Lancashire and the
house. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. GLADSTONE said he was perfectly satisfied that
the hon. gentleman had been misinformed when he origi-
nally- made the statement.

POSITION OF HER MAJESTY'S
MINISTERS.

Sergt. ARIISTRONG gave notice that on
Friday next he should move the following resolu-
tion :

" That, in the opinion of this house, the present
position of her Majesty's Ministers is opposed to the
principles of representative government, subversive
of constitutional precedeht, and incompatible with
the character and dignity of Parliament." (Loud
cheers from the Opposition.)

THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. BOVILL.
Mr. HAYTER asked Mr. Attorney General whether it
was true that the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
had appointed his son, Mr. W. Bovill, last year junior lieu-
tenant
in the 16th Lancers, to be Assize Clerk ou the Wes-
tern Circuit with a salary of £1,001) a year; audif it be true
whether there was any precedent to justify his appoint-
ment to such office; and whether any or what legal quali-
fications are regarded as necessary ter holding such ap-
pointment ?
The ATTORNRY-GENERAL said the office of lerk
of assize for the Western Circuit having fallen vacant by
the unexpected death of Mr. Chitty, and the appointment
being iu the gift of Sir William Bovill, he had conferred
it upon his son. The salary attached to the office is a fixed
one, besides which the clerk of assiz was assisted by a deputy
clerk, the clerk of tin arraigns, awl ot.ters, whose salaries
were paid out of the Consolidated Fund. (Oh, oh, and
loud laughter.) The duty of the officers was more
administrative than legal, and priucipalfy consi-ted
in correspondence with tsherifis with respect
to the arrangement of the time of holding
circuit, to act as an associate t.) the jadge presiding at
nisi prius, and to d other dutiaS. (11,0,e, hear, and
laughter.) With respect to the precedent for such
an appointment if the honourable member want, d
on 3 of a similar case in point, viz., the ap-
pointment of a lieutenant of the 16th Lancers to the
office, of course he could not give it (hear, hear)—but if
he wished to know if a judge had ever appointed his son to
such an office before, ho had to say that from the time
of Lord Tenterden down to the present the office had
always been filled either by a judge's son or relative.
(Oh, oh.) With respect to the appointment being
conferred on a barrister, he might be allowed
to say that the gentleman who had now received
the appointment was reading himself up and doing every-
thing to adopt the bar as a profession, although he would
be prevented from practising on the Western Circuit.
(Oh, oh, sad laughter.)
Mr. HAYTER thanked the hon. and learned gentleman
for the information he had given, but he should feel it his
duty to move a reduction of the estimates by the amount
paid for such a service. (Cheers.)
- -

RELIGIOUS LECTURES.
Mr. REARDEN asked the S,Tretary of State for the
Home Department whether it was his intention to intro-
duce a bill this session for the purpose of preventing
lectures upon the religious profession of faith of auy
of her Majesty's subjects in any part of the United
Kingdom, except in churches and chapels
licensed for that purpose, and during Divine
Service in such Churches and chapels, without
first submitting a copy of such- lecture for the ap-
proval, revision, and consent of the Secr,eary of Stat 3 for
the Home Department.
Mr. HARD Y said he had no intention of bringing in a
bill on the subject that would add such au additional and
onerous duty on the Home Secretary. (Laughter.)
A ROYAL RESIDENCE IN IRELAND.
Sir C. O.LOGHLEN called attention to the absence
of a permanent Royal residence in Ireland, and
moved an address to her Majesty humbly repre-
senting to her Majesty that it would conduce
to the advantage of the Crown and the good govern-
ment of Ireland, and tend to allay jealousy and discontent
in that country if her Majesty had a periu went residence
iu Ireland, and that this house, feeling deep!y its import-
ance, will cordially co-operate with her Majesty iu any
steps she may be graeieusly pleased to take" to carry out
so desirable an object. He thought the arrangement would
do more to consolidate tranquillity thau all cue soldiering
that might be sent to the country. It had been said as
one of the objections to the course he proposed that the
lives of the royal family would not be safe in
that country. Lie denied such an assertion as a
scurrulous libel on the whole peopl,, and felt certain
that the lives of the family of the Sovereign
would be as safe in Ireland as they were in
this country. It might be urged that it would now
be highly inconvenient for her Majesty to be con-
stantly crossing the Channel—he did not say it would
but then it might please his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales to represent his Royal rareut, and reside
for some time in Ireland during each year as
her representative. Such an arrangement would
give the greatest satisfaction to a large nation of loyal and
devoted subjects. It might be urged that such a proceed-
ing would entail an additioualoutlay on the part of his Royal
Highness, but Parliament had never baea parsimonious in
granting allowances to the Royal Family, and if it should
' be found for such a purpose the allowance of his Royal
Highness should be increased the house would rea-
dily grant the money. • Ho contended tint as Ireland was
a separate nation, and would always continua so, a Royal
residence there for the Sovereign who governed it was a
matter of justice quite as much as of favour. He had not
the least intention of saying one word in the slightest de-
gree disgraceful, and with the sincere desire that the
object he had in view would be accomplished, •he begged
to move the address.

Mr. PIM seconded the motion.
Sir F. HEYGATE thought the adoption of the proposi-
tion of the hon. baronet for Clare would be one of general
good, and he had the greatest pleasure in uniting with the
hon. and learned gentleman opposite iu order that he might
not have all the honour on his side of the house. (Hear,
hear, and cheers.) The presence of at lea-t one member
of the Royal Family would go far to soften
the asperities that had most unhappily so long existed.
He had uo doubt that the lives of the persons of the Royal
family in Ireland would be held as .sacred as they were in
this country. The funds of the Irish Church, as they
wore to be taken away to so:no extent, tuight very well be
expended in the purchase of a new royal residence in Ire-
land.

(LEFT BITTING)

UOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
BOUNDARY 1311,r,.
On the motion for g.,ing lute cont:n!ttee on the Boundary
Bill,
Mr. GLA )STONE drew attention to the various pro-
visions of this bill, and the numberless difficulties that
would have to be enc iunterod, more especially wish respect
to the primary question of boundary. Ho thought the par-
liamentary boundary ought to he the niunicipal boundary,
and he very,much dispaired of getting through with the
bill before the 10th of June, which it w ts necessary to do
in order to render it available for tbo present year.
Mr. DISRAELI said he thousht many of tho difficul-
ties found out by the right hou. gentlemen were ground-
legs, but he doubted /10t t 11949 difficulties if they were eon-

sidered with patience and temps could be snr-
mounted in a manner satisfactory to the house, and he
hoped of the country. He did not consider the bill
at all a party measure, as he should consider
every member sitting on his side of the house
perfectly free to express their opinions as far as justice
required. He did not anticipate any of the difficulties as
insurmountable, but, if it became necessary, they could
resort to morning sittings, and if the necessity should arise
that reference to a select committee rhould be requisite or a
remission of the bill to the commissioners for reconsidera-
tion, he thought still they would be enabled to get through
the bill in time to accomplish the purpose desired. (Hear,
hear.) No spirit of party would be evinced on his side
of the' house, and the Government would do all in its
power to secure the considei ation of the bill in a perfectly
open in:Trier.

Mr. HII)BERT said after the statement of the right
hon. gonilennto lieshould feel it his duty to parsevere with
the motion which stood in his name.

Mr. BASS thought it would expedite business in the
I,,ug ru❑ if the bal was referred to a small select com-

inittee

Mr. 13:1IGHT said the whole of the difficulty arose in
consequ -nee of Parliament not giving the power to tke
Bowl Lary Commissioners to contract ; all they were to do
was to increase, or, in other words,to drag 400,000 voters from
the couuty to the borough constituencies. (Hear, hear.)
That was exaetiy what it was doing, although net so set
forth. 11 th..mg it, if it was the desire of both parties, ir-
respecdve of party tactics, the difficuPy in the Boun lary
Bill might be got rid of in two or three days at the must.
Mr. RUSSELL GURNEY, as one of the Boundary
Nintnissioners, explaiaeJ that he and his colleagues hat
acted strictly upon the instructions which they had re-
ceived from the house. Parliament was quite at liberty to
take other matters into. consideration to which their at-
tention had not been directed. He had consulted Lis
brother commissioners, and they agreed with him that. the
House of Commons was best calculatel to arrive at a satis-
factory conclusion. One course only they would object
to, and that was that the matter should be referred back
to them. It would be more satisfactory, they thought, to
refer it to another tribunal, but they would limit the 'in-
quiry. InsteA of going into cases of the whole 81 lgoroughs
the boundaries of which it was proposed to enlarge, the
investigation should be restricted to cases on which peti-
tions had been presented to the House or notices given by
members.

Sir F. CROSSLEY, another commissioner, expressed
his concurrence iu the views stated by Mr. R. Gurney.
Mr. DISRAELI, having heard the declarations of the
two commissioners who had just spoken, and received an,
assurance that a considerable majority of their colleagues
held the same 7iews, was ready to propose on the part of
the Government that a committee of five should be ap-
pointed by the Committee of Selection, such committee to
sit day by day, but to limit the investigation to the peti-
tions already received. He also proposed that they
should have power to confer with the Boundary Com-
mitsioners, and that the evidence should bo purely docu-
mentary.

After some discussion, in which Mr. OSBORNE passed
some severe remarks upon both the commissioners and
their report,

Lord HOT HAM appealed to the house not to throw
upon the Committee of Selection the onerous and invi-
dious task of nominating the committee, which, in his opi-
nion, ought to be appointed by the house itself.
Mr. HARDY conceived that the matter stood in this
position—that the majority of the house were favourable
to the appointment of a committee, to whom should ba
referred all cases as to which petitions had been presented
up -to this time, whether they concerned old or new
boroughs, together with all memorials which had been
presented to the House of Commons, and all cases re-
specting which there had alieady been notices placed on
the paper.

Mr. BRIGHT suggested that the select committee should
be formed of seven.

Eventually the house went into committee of supply, on
an understanding that a select committee should be ap -
pointed to inquire into the boundary report, the Govern-
ment undertaking to submit the names of such commtttee
on Monday next.
On the vote of £1,600,000 being introduced for the New
Courts of Justice,
Alderman LAWRENCE called attention to the narrow
and insufficient approaches to the New Palace of Justice
about to be erected iu the Strand.

Several votes of money were agreed to, amongst which
was one of £3,000,000 for the expenses of the Abyssin!aa
Expedition.

Considerable discussion ensued upon various votes,
which were eventually agreed to, and progress was re-
ported.

The house resumed its sitting at twelve o'clock, when
the Customs and Income Tax Bill and the Exchequer
Bonds (£1,600,000) Bill were real a third time and

passed.

After some pro forma business had been gone through,
Mr. Gla►.lstone vrai calla.' upon to introduce his Sus-
pensory Bill.

Colonel KNOX objected to the bill being introduced at
that late hour of the evening, and in justification of his
opposition quoted a speech said to be delivered by Mr.
Gladstone at a former period iu the House of Commons,
"in defence of the Irish Church against its recreant foe,
E.,rl Russell," iu which he stated that any measures of this
kind, if pass,,d in Parliament, would prove them a " recre-
ant senate and an apostate nation." He moved that the
bill be read that-day six mouths.

Mr. NEWDEGATE, iu seconding the motion, would
ask Mr. GhAditoue whether anything contained is his bill
would be contrary to the Coronation Oath or Act of Union ;
and ho further asked, after the principles of this bill were
introduced, when he would move for the second reading ?
Mr. GLADSTONE asked for references to a quotation
which he believed never proceeded from his mouth or his
pen. In answer to Mr. Newdegate, he said the principles
of his bill were explained in the resolutions he recently
introduced. It was merely to restrain any new appoint-
ments in the Irish Church until time had been given to
bring in a bill upon this subject which would deal with
the Church temporalities.

Mr. VANCE contended that the Irish Church as intro-
duc,•d was a mere political event, and that they would
never have heard of it had Mr. Gladstone been on the
Treasury bench, or even if Lord Derby had been Primo
Minister ; but, in his mind, it was an attempt to crush the
present First Lord of the Treasury.

Lord INGESTRE moved that the bill of Mr. Gladstone
be read by the clerk at the table, so that hon. members
might know what it contained.

This was overruled, when Mr. NEWDEGATE again
asked when the second reading would be introduced if the
first reading were agreed to.

Mr. GLADSTONE replied that tho bill was very short,
and he hoped to ba able to distribute copies to members
this day (Friday), and on the following Friday he pro-
posal to take the second reading.

_
Afxr some slight opposition tha introduction of Mr.
Giaistouu's bill was agreed to, and it was ordered to be
read a first time.

PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

Mr. GLADSTONE then obtained permission to make a
p,rsonal explanation, and spoke as follows : —Aided by my
friends, I have discovered a passage which bears a re-
markable resemblance to that which the hon. and gallant
member (Colonel S. Kuox) described as coming from me
in 1835. The passage is this :--

"By all that we see and know of the history of the
country, this is —and I glory In the thought—a Protestant
Stat••. What does that mean ? That while we respect
the antiquity and the authority of the Church, we also assert
the right of private judgment and vindicate the independ-
ence of the human mind. I trust that a Church which re-
tains the principles of a Christian Church, which teaches
the Scriptures and the unadulterated truths of the Church
of England, vll n-ver be overthrown by a British
llouse of Commons. (Loud Ministerial cheers.) It can-
not be destroyed eseqn by the vot3 of a recreant senate—
(renewed cheers)—aud an apostate nation."
(ti-ar, hear.) But upon running, up to the head of that
speed► I find it was delivered on the 10th of April, 1866,
and that the author of it was Mr. Whiteside. (Loud and
continued cheering from the Opposition.)

The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the house adjourned.