The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-06 00:00:00

TILE CHILTERN HUNDREDS.

Lord PALMERSTON then rose to move for " copies
of any correspondence which has taken place since the
Ist day of July last, between the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer and any Member of this House, upon the subject
of the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds." The
Noble Lord said he could not abstain from bringing
under the notice of the House a matter which seemed to
affect if not the privileges, at least the independent
action of its Members ; he alluded to the correspond-
ence which had taken place between the Right Hon.
Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lord
Chelsea. The Right Hon. Gentleman had been applied
to by Lord Chelsea for the Chiltern Hundreds. The
reply of the Right Honourable Gentleman to that
application was, that after the disclosures which
had taken place with respect to certain boroughs,
of which the borough of Reading was one, and after
the admission of the facts by the paities interested, he
considered that by lending his assistance to the fulfil-
ment of any engagements which might have been
entered into as arising out of such compromise, he
would in some sort make himself a party to transac-
tions of which he did not approve, and which
the House of Commons had condemned. He then
went on to say, "I feel, moreover, that by a refusal on
my part of the means by which alone such engagements
can be fulfilled, I afford the most effectual discourage.
ment to the entering into similar compromises, and thus
promote, as far as it is in my power, the intentions of
the House of Commons." Now his (Lord Palmer-
ston's) objection to this course was of a twofold
character. First, it appeared to him to be inconsistent
with the understanding upon which parties appeared
before the Committee; and, in the next place, he thought
it was inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution.
Now, it was a clear and distinct understanding that if the
parties whose proceedings were to be inquired into before
Mr. Roebuck's Committee should before that Committee
make a full disc:omre of what had taken place, and a
full admission of any facts in which they were
concerned, they should he completely indemnified,
and saved harmless from any injury which
might otherwise arise from the disclosure. The
refusal of the Chiltern Hundreds by the Right Hon.
Gentleman 'must have been considered as an incon-
venience or punishment to some one—either to the indi-
vidual to whom the stewardship was refused, or to the
individual who expected to come to the seat when it was
vacated by Lord Chelsea ; otherwise it should not have
been mentioned in the latter part of the letter, as a dis-
couragement of such :compromise in future. Now he
thought that by retaining any person in Parliament
who wished to go out of it, or by preventing
another person from coming into Parliament who
had an opportunity of so doing, he (the Right
Honourable Gentleman) was violating the understand-
ing upon which the Committtee had proceeded.
One result of that refusal would be, that in
consequence of the agreement entered into by
Lord Chelsea, lie would have to forfeit 2,0001.
Lord Chelsea might perhaps prefer forfeiting
his seat. Many persons would give 2,0001. (as they had
learned from those proceedings) to obtain, and others would
give the same to retain, a seat in that House. He, there-
fore, thought that there had been a departure from
the understanding upon which the Committee had
proceeded. The Right Hon. Gentleman had said that to
those compromises he would not make himself a party, as
they were objectionable; since they interposed a screen to
the investigation and punishment of the alleged bribery.
By the principle of the agreement on which the Com-
mittee was founded, that bribery of course could not be
gone into. The result of a refusal of the Chiltern Hun-
dreds was that a Member who was supposed by the Go-
vernment to have obtained his seat by bribery, and who
entered into a compromise for the purpose of prevent-
ing inq airy, was retained. Parliament and the electors were
deprived of the opportunity of electing another candidate.
The principle adopted in this case would equally apply
to the case of Harwich or Falmouth. But he begged to
draw the attention of the House to the general principle
of such refusal. By the practice of nearly
a century the Chiltern Hundreds had been con-
sidered a legitimate mode of vacating a seat.
The only two cases in which the office had been refused,
were the case of a person in a state of mental incapacity,
and the case of a party over whom certain proceedings
were hanging, as, for instance, a motion for his expul-
sion. If the Government had a right to inquire into the
motive s of Members, what would be the situation of an
Opposition Member who applied for the Chiltern Hun-
dreds, in order to enable another person to obtain a seat?
The effect might be to keep a party out of the House,
who would otherwise obtain a seat. He believed the Go-
vernment had, in this case, acted from a sense of duty,
but he was anxious to hear what they had to state in de-
fence of the course they had pursued.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER begged
to second the motion of the Noble Lord, and in doing so
to give the strongest possible proof in his power, that so
far from having any objection to the production of the
correspondence, it was but fulfilling his wish that it should
be made public. The Noble Lord would observe that he bad
made his letter to Lord Chelsea an official letter, for the
express purpose that it should he matter of record. That
the Noble Lord should ta'ie a different view from himself
was kot surprising, as the Noble Lord had expressed an
opinion that compromises of this nature were not im-
proper. The Noble Lord had overlooked the fact, that
he, as an individual applied to for this office, was not
bound to consider what was the situation of
the parties ; be had only to act upon his own judgment.
He had felt after what had passed, that it was his duty
to discourage such compromises, and he had thought
that the knowledge beforehand that such compromises
could not be carried out would be the most effectual
check to them. He agreed with the Noble Lord, that on or-
dinary occasions the Chiltern Hundreds 'Should be granted
without any inquiry into motives. In the course he
had pursued, he had only been influenced by a desire
to carry out the intentions of the House of Commons.
Mr. HUME entirely concurred in what had fallen
from the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and be thought if he had acted otherwise
than he had it would have been an insult to the House.
Ile could not consider that any injury had been done,
for he did not think the Chancellor of the Exchequer
was to be bound b.y any general understanding ; but of
this he was convinced, that he had taken a step that
would put a stop to the practice -that had hitherto taken
place. With respect to the compromise, he believed that
the Chancellor of the Exchequer had adopted that course
which he ought to have done, and it was deserving the
thanks of the House.

Mr. V. SMITH believed that the Right Hon. Gentle-
man had pursued a proper course, but he thought tl.e
sooner they got rid of such a system the better.—(Hear,
hear.) He thought they ought to be much obliged to
the Ncble Lord for bringing the motion forward; he was
afraid, however, that .the Chancellor of the Exchequer
by the course he had adopted had not defeated the com-
promise.
Sir R. PEEL admitted that the act of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer was that of the Government. He con-
sidered that he had acted most, wisely. The decision he
had come towas irrespective of the case of Lord Chelsea.
He agreed that in ordinary cases the Chancellor of the
Exchequer ought not to exercise a discretionary power,
but in the present instance he thought he had adopted
a wise course in withholding the appointment.
Mr. P. YORKE said le agreed with the Right Hon.
Gentleman, that they should watch with great vigilance
the Power which was vested in the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, stspecting the granting of the Chiltern
Hundreds. But in the present instance he thought he
had acted properly,
Captain PLUMRIDGF said that he had a- letter at
that moment in his pocket, containing an application
for the Chiltern Hundreds, but he had been advised by
some friends not to send it. And now, after what had
taken place, he thought it would be in the worst taste if
he sent it.—(Hear.)—The motion was then agreed to.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS.

Sir J. GRAHAM gave notice, that on Tuesday next
he would move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the
law for the regulation of the registration of Parlia-
mentary electors in England and Wales.—(A kugh.)
On the motion of Sir R. PEEL, the House was ad-
journed, till twelve o'clock on Monday, at a Quarter,past
Five.

The Impartial de la Meurthe states that, a few
days back, a man, named Stephanoli, residing at Goudre-
vale, in a fit of irritation drew his razor across the
throat of his wife, and the moment after did the same to
himself. The life of neither, however, is in danger.
He immediately insisted that the gendarmerie should-be
sent for, to take him into custody. He was accordingly
arrested and transferred to Toul. The man was evi-
dently insane.

FUNERAL SERVICE FOR THE
• DUKE OF ORLEANS.
The funeral ceremony performed on Wednesday at
Notre Dame must rest without parallel for magnificence
and solemn pomp. The crowds which' visited Notre
Dame during the three last days were struck with the
rich solemnity of the scene ; but, the vague ideas com-
municated from the casual view obtained in a hasty visit
sink into insignificance compared with the deep impres-
sion left on the minds of the spectators by the splendour
and deep religious feelihg which pervaded the whole
ceremony of Wednesday.
So great was the anxiety to be well placed on this
solemn occasion, that as early as seven o'clock persons
had collected round the various entries of the cathedral,
and at half-past eight extensive queues had already been
formed. The crowd thus assembled was composed of
persons in deep mourning, and belonged to the more re-
' spectable ranks of society. At nine o'clock the doors
of the cathedral were opened, and the public
admitted. As each ticket specified the door
by which the holder was to enter, and the
gallery where his seat was reserved, nut the slightest
confusion arose. All the steps and sides of the various
staircases leading to the tribunes were covered with
black. The light of day had been so carefully excluded
freem every part of the interior of the church, that the
eve of the spectator could not at first distinguish more
than the leading features of the funeral decorations. By
degrees, as the gloom became more familiar, the details
gradually unfolded themselves, and it was universally
acknowledged that the effect sees in the highest degree
magnificent and solemn.
The immense body of the nave from the vaulted
ceiling to the ground was entirely covered with black,
decorated above with a frieze of Byzantine ornaments in
rich silver embroidery. The pillars were closely
enveloped with black as far as the capitals,' the ogives
however being left bare, and standing out in admirable
relief from the black hangings. Between the pillars,
banners of black and blue silk, embroidered with silver,
were suspended, bearing the words Oran, Coleah, Bli-
dab, Bouffarick, Douera, Mihab, and Bibans, where the
Prince fought at the head of the army in Africa. Huge
banners of black and blue silk, richly embroidered,
bearing the cipher F. P. 0., were also suspended from
the vaulted roof. Immense silver poles ran through the
upper part of them, with large silver ornaments at the
sides, and with immense silver tassels falling from the
lower corners. Two ranges of sepulchral silver halts
of exquisite form and workmanship, were sus-
pended from the roof at each side of the centre aisle,
and a third row went down the middle. These were
of great beauty, and each contained 3G burners.
The side aisles were lighted up in a similar manner. A
range of silver candelabra, of antique form, with urns
at the top to contain incense or other inflammable
matter, said to be designed by Isabey, ran down each
side of the church. Between the pillars galleries were
constructed for the public, and under the organ similar
structures were erected. Under the galleries ran a rich
frieze of silver embroidery, and high up on the side
aisles, below the groins of the root; a similar line of
ornament was placed. Silver lace of the richest descrip-
tion ran down the black hangings along the pillars, and
the black round the gothic arches was edged with the
same material.. Eight ranges of seats were erected at
each side down the whole length of the centre aisle,
rising one over_the other, and covered with black, the
lowest row on the ground, and the highest rising to mid-
distance between the plinth and capital of the pillars.
These extensive amphitheatres were destined. for the de-
putations of the National Guards and of the troops of
the Line. The transepts were entirely covered with
structures of seats rising one above the other to a con-
siderable height, where the Peers and Deputies took
their places. The upper part of the choir was decorated
like the nave, and the galleries of this part were orna-
mented with stars, Greek crosses, and cyphers. A
mosaic dazzling with embroidery, a frieze of the same
description, and ninety silver lamps ornamented the high
altar in front of the Cross.
In the centre of the church, at the Cross, rose the ca-
tafalque, which was one of the most splendid construc-
tions of the kind ever beheld. A large pedestal, 58 feet
on every side, served as a, platform for fourteen caria-
tides of silver, supporting with their colossal dimensions
the raised platform on which was placed the coffin. An
immense canopy, 106 feet high, of embroidered velvet
lined with ermine, descended from the top of the vaulted
ceiling on the sides of the catafalque. The curtains
were tied up to the pillars of the Cross by tri-coloured
flags. A flight of 25 steps, decorated with candelabra,
similar to those in the aisle, and urns for incense, as-
cended to a level- with the platform. All round the
body tapers were placed, amounting in number to 500.
In the upper part of the canopy a vast number of lights
were burning, thickened so as to form circles, and placed
in the centre in the form of a crown. In the aisle be-
yond the catafilque, rows of lights were also placed in
silver lamps, thus lighting up brilliantly all parts of the
building. The urns along the aisle and on the steps to
to the canopy contained spirits of wine, which were set
fire to immediately before the ceremony commenced,
and it may be mentioned, as a proof of the exact man-
' ner in which everything was calculated, that they ceased
burning only a few minutes after the termination of the
service.
In entering by the grand portal, when all this vast
number of lights were burning, the first appearance of
the church was absolutely dazzling. All the fires, dart-
ing forth their rays along the long black vault on so
much silver and embroidery, produced on the eye for a
moment the painful sensation of a hasty . glance at the
sun. When the first surprise was past, and the. eye
could steadily view the decorations,. the character of
mourning, though on a very magnificent scale, was so
clearly readied out in the general arrangements of the
cathedral, that the heart grew cold, as it thought of the
sad occasion of all this pomp. The grand object amidst
the whole was at once perceived to be the catafalque,
and the architect's object was evidently to make every
other decoration in the church subsidiary to the effect
which that construction sheald produce. The brilliant
mass of light with which it was surrounded, the profit-
sion of silver embroidery which decorated it, and which
went on increasing in splendour from the lowest step of
the pedestal to the top—the Ducal crown -by which the
whole was surmounted, nll contributed to make it the
dominant object in the church.
The tribunes were filled in a short time after the doors
were opened, about half of the congregation being ladies.
At half-past ten o'clock the various great bodies of the
State and the schools began to arrive, and the seats be-
low began to fill. The heat at this period was excessive,
from the vast number of lights, and the female part of
the congregation suffered severely. The crowd increased
by degre: s, as the different deputations arrived, and at a
quarter to eleven the whole aisle was one moving mass
of uniforms, embroidery, and costumes of various bodies,
as General and Staff-officers, Ambassadors, the Mem-
bers of the Council of the Chambers, moved on to take
their seats. The hum of voices and the sound of feet,
necessarily consequent on the entrance and arrangement
of so many thousand persons, gradually increased until
within five minutes before eleven, when it reached its
height. At that moment a slight " Hush " was heard,
and instantly the voices became silent, and the order and
solemnity suitable to the occasion were restored. The
huge bell of Notre Dame, which had from time to time
throughout the morning set forth a melancholy toll, now
sounded continuously, and amidst its mournful peal the
clergy moved forward in grand procession towards the
Grand Portal, to receive the Princes.
On the side seats might also be seen the heads of the
Civil List, the Prefect of the Seine at the head of the
Municipal Councils of Paris and the banlien, the Aca-
demy of Medicine, the Tribunal of Commerce, the Juges
de Paix, the Royal Council of Public Instruction, the
Mines et Chaussees, the Jewish and Protestant Consis-
tories, the Chamber of Notaries and Avoues, and other
public bodies. The Chamber of Peers took their places
in the right transept, with the Chancellor and Grand
Refendary at their head, and at their right were placed
the Ambassadors and their several employes. Amongst
them was seen Lord Clanricarde, formerly Ambassador
at the Court of Russia, who had come from-London to
attend this ceremony, the Duke of Orleans having
honoured him with his friendship. The Clamber of De-
puties sat opposite to the Peers, in the other transept.
In the part of the church reserved to the choir, the 1
.Archbishop of Paris took his place, surrounded by the
suffragan Bishops of his diocese, the chapter of Notre
Dame, the Cures of all the parishes of Paris, the Cure
of Neuillyi and the chaplains of the civil and military
establishments, amounting in all to nearly 300 clergy-
' men. The Bishop of .the Holy Land and the Chevalier
Bandini del Pitti, in his dress as belonging to the order
of Jerusalem, were present.
The upper galleries near the choir were occupied by
the Ladies of Honour of the Queen and of the Princesses,
the ladies of the Ambassadors, the wives and relations of
the Ministers, and other persons of high rank.
Precisely at eleven a salvo of twenty-one guns, fired
from behind the Cathedral, announced the arrival of
the Duke de Nemours, the Prince de Joinville, the
Duke d'Aumale, and the Duke de Montpensier. The
Princes, who were attended by the officers of the King's
household, as well as their own, were met at the porch
by the Archbishop and his clergy. They wore long
mourning-cloaks over their uniforms, and took their
seats on the chairs placed for them at the foot of the
catafalque. Their countenances were exceedingly sad,
and their whole bearing was very much cast down. The
Duke de Nemours and the Prince de Joinville sat in
the centre, the Duke d'Aumale on the right, and the
Duke de Montpensier on the left. On the right of the
Princes, a little behind, sat the Ministers, and on the
left the Marshals, in full uniform. As soon as the Princes
had taken their places, the funeral service immediately
commenced. The "De Profundis " was chaunted in
the choir behind the catafalque, low at first, but, when
the choristers joined in, gradually swelling into a
rich and mournthl harmony. The mass for the dead
was given in full choir, in which the whole of the clergy
joined, their voices rolling through the whole space, and
rising to the vault, at once solemn and affecting. The_
moment of the elevation of the Host was announced to
those outside the cathedral by the firing of a cannon, and
to the troops by the rolling of the drums.
Another discharge of. artillery and the tolling of the
bell announced the Absolution, which Was pronounced
by the Archbishop of Chalcedonic, the Archbishop of
Aix, the Bishop of Nancy, and the Bishop of Anglers,
who ascended the steps of the pedestal on which the
catafalque was raised, and were assisted by the Vicars-
performed
the
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waterside attended
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Princes.
who ascended one after the other, and, having received ,
it at his hands, sprinkled with it the last receptacle of
their beloved brother. After the Princes, Marshal
Soult as President of the Council, the Chancellor
as representative of the Chamber of Peers, M. Laffitte
in the name of the Chamber of Deputies, and the
Count d'Appony as the oldest resident foreign Am-
bassador, performed the same sad office., This
was, without exception, the'lmblftevliiig Plitt Of -the
day's proceedings, and made a profound impression on
all present. It was impossible to behold theyoung Princes,

pale with emotion, and borne down with grief, descend-
ing slowly and sadly from the catafalque, after having.
bid a last farewell to him who, scarcely a fortnight before,
full of life and promise, was considered certain of reign-
ing over so great a nation, without being deeply touched.
The mind too recurred to those mourners who were
abSent, and imagination pictured the affliction of the
sorrowing group at Neuilly, as they offered up prayers
for him they had lost. It was a painful moment, and
left after it a deep and sad impression.
The-Princes immediately afterwards retired, and were
followed at once by the vast congregation. The service
lasted two hours and twenty minutes, and the number of
persons present may be imagined, when we state that
about three quarters of an hour elapsed before the church
was cleared. No accident occurred during the day.