The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-05-07 00:00:00

proreenv in parliamtnt.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

- -
Yr. Cockburn asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs whether he was aware of the practice of the authorities
of the town of Charleston to seize Bntish subjects, being men
of colour on board British vessels in the port of Charleston,
and to imprison them during the time such vessels remain in
that port? and whether Her Majesty's Government had made
Any efforts with the Government of the United States to pre-
vent British subjects from being thus outraged?
Lord PALMERSTON regretted to say that the subject was one
which was for some years known to the Government, and in
1847 representations with respect to it were made to the
Government of the United States. In reply to these remon-
stances, Mr. Buchanan had verbally replied that the practice
was in accordance with a law of the State of Carolina, with
which the Federal Government could not interfere, and that
such law was applicable to citizens of the United States as well
as to foreigners. However this state of things might be re-
gretted, it was sufficiently well known, and those only who
Were prepared to submit to it should go to Charleston.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved for leave to
bring in a Bill for amending the law relating to savings banks,
and in doing so gave a history of savings banks from their first
commencement, some 40 years back, as private speculations,
until they swelled into such magnitude as to call for legislation.
At present the Trustees of savings banks received no emolu-
ment. He proposed that this should be remedied, and that the
Commissioners of the National Debt should have the power of
appointing the Treasurer, who would probably be a banker in
the locality of the savings bank, and who would send his clerk
on certain days in order to pay and likewise to receive
the monies, which should be immediately transmitted with
an account thereof to the Commissioners. He proposed
to repeal the Act of 1844, and thus to restore liability of the
Trustees, and he also proposed to give power to the Commis-
sioners to send down an Inspector, should they perceive any
necessity for doing so," to audit the accounts and compare
the pass-books with the accounts transmitted. He proposed
also to limit the amount of deposit to £lOO, at which sum in-
terest would cease to be paid, but power would be given to
enable them to invest that sum in the Funds free of expense.
The limitation would not apply, however, to existing depositors.
He further proposed to reduce the interest to be paid to
savings banks from £3 ss. to, and to reduce the amount to
be paid to depositors to £2 15s. With respect to Friendly
Societies, he proposed that no further money should be in-
vested by them with the Commissioners of the National Debt,
except what might be paid prior to the passing of the present
Bill, for in reference to the money already paid the parties had
entered into agreements to assure at a rate of interest consis-
tent with that paid by the saving's banks. It was proposed to
limit the power of trustee accounts to cases of infancy, lunacy,
or mental incapacity. He also proposed to extend the power
of granting annuities, and in order to accomplish this at the
lowest premiums he should propose that there should be no
return of the money to the relations in cases of death; but at
the same time he wind(' also propose that means should be
given to provide for the payment of a sum of money at death.
After the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman had un-
dergone the usual amount of criticism, leave was given to bring
in the Bill.

Sir G. GREY then moved the second reading of the Ecclesi-
astical Commission Bill, the provisions of which he explained
to the house, the principal feature of which was the disunion
Of the ecclesiastical and lay departments by the appointment
of a tribunal to be designated the Church Estates Committee,
which was to be invested with the management of lands, tithes,
and other hereditaments of the Church, and to report to the
Commission thereupon. This Estates Committee was to con-
sist of three persons, two to be appointed by the Crown, and
the third by the Archbishop of Canterbury, one of the former
and the latter to be paid commissioners. Two others might
be added, one of whom must be a layman. The decision of
the Committee would be practically conclusive from the weight
which would attach to it. There was an important clause in
the bill by which fixed, instead of fluctuating incomes, would
be given to the bishops and archbishops, and a clause was also
to be introduced to prevent deans from holding benefices be-
yond a certain distance from their cathedrals.

A debate ensued, in the course of which the following gentle.
men addressed the House, viz., Messrs. Ilorsinan, Goulburn,
E. Denison, Lord J. Russell, Mr. B. Osborne, Sir R. Inglis,
Sir B. Hall, (who moved the adjournment of the debate), Mr,
S. Herbert, Mr. P. Wood, and Mr. Cockburn.

Eventually the motion for adjournment was withdrawn, an,
the bill was read a second time.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TIIESDAY.

Sir B. HALL inquired whether it were true that the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury had appointed a relation of his own to
the sinecure office of Registrar in the Prerogative Court of his
Own diocese, worth between £ll,OOO and .7612,000 a year, an
office the late most excellent and venerated Archbishop had
informed the Government that, in the conscientious discharge
of his duties, he could not fill up.
Lord J. RUSSELL said, that a son of Dr. Sumner, Bishop of
Winchester, a young man in the Temple, and a nephew of
the Primate, had been named to the reversion of the offiee in
question, but that all ecclesiastical appointments were at pre-
sent under consideration by a committee, and that probably
either the office alluded to would be abolished, or its income
greatly reduced.

[lt turns out that it is a son of the Archbishop who has
received the appointment.]
Mr. HENLEY then moved that an address should be presented
to her Majesty, to request that she would be graciously pleased
to direct that a careful revision be made of the salaries and
wages paid in every department of the public service, with a
view to a just and adequate reduction thereof, due regard being
had to the efficient performance of the several duties.
A long and interesting debate ensued.
The speakers in support of the motion were, Mr. Newdegate,
Mr. Hume, Mr. Drummond, and Mr. Disraeli and opposed:by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Colonel Sibthorp, Mr. Roe-
buck, Sir R. Peel, Mr. Cobden, Mr. W. P. Wood, and Lord J.
Russell.

On a division it was negatived by a majority of 269 to 173

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY.

On the motion of Sir G. GREY, seconded by Sir R. INoms,
an address of congratulation to her Majesty on the birth of
another prince was unanimously agreed to.
The Landlord and Tenant Bill was read a second time.
Mr. RICARDO moved the second reading of the Railway
Traffic Bill, which was negatived without a division.
The Benefices in Plurality Bill then went through committee,
Mr. S. Herbert having carried by a majority of 162 to 16 a
proviso, that in case of two contiguous benefices held by one
person, the yearly value of one should be less than .t3lOO.