The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-05-11 00:00:00

Air. WALPOLE, in answer to a question from Lord J.
Russell, said the report of the University of Oxford would
be laid before the house in a few days.
Mr. lionsmAN gave notice, that to-morrow he would
put a question to the government, as to the result of the
inquiry into the case of the Rev. Mr. Bennett, and the
parish of Frome.
The house went into committee upon the Militia Bill,
pro forma; and leave was granted to sit again, in order
to enable government to bring on a motion relative to the
disposal of the four vacant seats.

APPROPRIATION OF THE VACANT SEATS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER Bien moved for
leave to bring in a bill to appropriate the four seats now
vacant by the disfranchisement of Sudbury and St.
Albans. He commenced by stating he had all along,
since the accession to office of the present ministry, held
that, before the dissolution, measures would be proposed to
make up the constitutional number of representatives of
that house. He contended that it was the duty of govern-
ment to see that this number was complete; and he
declared that in doing so they had no wish to postpone or
Procrastinate the dissolution. The right hon. gentleman
then proceeded to examine the claims put forth on behalf
of the learned societies of London, the London University.
and the Inns of Court. The Government, after due de-
liberation, had come to the conclusion, that those bodies
did not contain the elements of a popular constituency.
He proposed, as a preferable scheme, to assign two of the
members to the West Riding of Yorkshire, and the re-
maining two to South Lancashire. In the former case
the division should be into the Northern Division, with
17,965 electors, and the Southern Division, with 18,755.
In the latter case, the natural division would be Salford,
in which the number of electors was about one thousand
two hundred, and West Derby, in which it was 9500. Mr.
Disraeli concluded by assuring the house that, in making
these proposals, Government was actuated only by a high
sense of public duty.
Mr. GLADSTONE argued that under the existing circum-
stances it was impolitic to take up and discuss so impor-
tant a subject. He should therefore meet the Ministerial
proposition, not by a negative, but by moving that the
house should pass to the orders of the day. It was the un-
derstanding that none but urgent business should be
brought forward, and this was certainly not a measure of
that character.

No member rising to prolong the discussion, the house
divided, when the numbers for Mr. Gladstone's amend•
ment were, 234 ; against it, 148 ; majority against Minis-
ters, 86.

The house then resumed the consideration of the
Militia Bill in committee.

Upon the question that clause seven stand part of the
bill, Mr. WAKLEY moved, as an amendment, that the
chairman report progress.

A lengthened discussion took place, Mr. IlumE, Mr.
BRIGHT, Mr. Fox, and other members, insisting that,
after their defeat this evening, the prospect of an early
dissolution, and in the absence of any apprehension of
immediate danger, Government ought to postpone the
measure until after an appeal had been made to the people.
Upon a division the amendment was negatived by 15G
to 85. The committee shortly afterwards divided upon
the principal question, which was affirmed by 169 to 82.
The Bth clause, after considerable discussion, and the
insertion of some verbal amendments, was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and obtained
leave to sit again on Friday.
The other orders were dispatched, and the house ad.
journed at half-past twelve.