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    _ JsTo L 4a2 ! J'x/LY 3, 18S8.] _. THE J...

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    Imperial' Parliament, Monday, June 2slh....

    of annuities to the extent oF 2 , 600 . 000 ? . The unpopularity of the ineome-tax had been much exaggerated ; and he believed that , among the be 9 t i-nformed of the community , the ineome-tax is popular . { " Hear , fear " and " Oh , " . ' ") He believed nothing would have been easier than for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to have retained this year the 2 d . which was to come off . What was to be done to meet our liabilities in 18 G 0 ? It is oar duty now , in time of peace , to provide for them , or some of . them ; and the Chancellor of the Exchequer , by his budget , ought to have made such provision . There is no more difficulty in providing for a sinking fund than for providing for the payment of . terminable annuities . It wight be said this could only be done out of surplus revenue . But this vear there would be none : on the

    contrary , be bc-lieved there would be a deficit , for the Minister at War had already encroached upon the estimated -surplus . Much was said about national defences , and their expense ; but those expenses are as nothing compared to the interest of our National Debt . Tbe national debt of Prance cost only 11 , 000 , 0007 . annually , against our 28 , 000 , 000 / . Owing to the development of our resources , consequent on the adoption of free-trade , and our advantages in science and art , Great Britain maintains her position positively ; but she does not niuintain itielatively to other ' countries . France , for instance , has increased her exports and imports in a vastly greater ratio than ourselves . " He conceived , therefore , that he was bound to bring the subject involved in bis resolution before the attention of the House .

    The Ciiancellou op the Exchequer observed that the resolution involved propositions of a ver } r questionable character , and that , if there was to be an inquiry into pur- finances next session , it miglit have -been as well had Mr . Wilson postponed liis motion until then . It was unwise for the House to bind itself by such a resolution . The great objection he had to an artificial sinking fund , created by imposing taxes ; was , that it is a mere theoretical arrangement that will not work . The real practical question was , would the House support the law of 1829 , which had fulfilled its purpose ? . . . We could not have the sinking fund of 1829 and the artificial sinking fund adopted during the war . The former could hot be given up except upon a

    demonstration that it had failed in its object , whereas it hail succeeded . —Mr . VfiiAAA jas denounced the bill as a breach of faith witli the public creditor , aud a repudiation of an important , financial engagement . —Sir . Gladstone : denied the justice of these strictures , and thought there was much truth in the remarks of Mr . " Wilson , lie could not , however , vote for the resolution , because he was sceptical as regards a sinking fund , and "because Mr . Wilson ' s views were prospective and theoretical . " Tlie course for the lion , gentleman to take ¦ would be to bring forward a direct motion , showing the defects in the Gnaucial scheme . The true' sinking fund lies in a policy of economy , and it was useless to talk of sinking funds when an extravagant public expenditure

    meets approbation . He could wish to have heard from the Chancellor of the Exchequer a more rigid doctrine in regard to surplus revenue .. In time of peace , it is the duty of Government to make provision for the reduction of the public debt , and he confessed that to his mind it ¦ was not a suuicient justification for a deficiency , that in one year there was a had harvest , or Zhat in another year there had been commercial distress . " Sir G . C . Lkwis said , he was not prepared to support the resolution on the ground of any contract with the public creditor . Ho admitted that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had put the question upon a fair issue , but he disputed the correctness of his theory respecting what he termed a natural sinking fund , resting only upon a surplus , and what ho called nu artificial sinking fund . He ( Sir George ) could not but think that a compulsory sinking fund , which is in coustanf application by the

    House for the extinction of debt , is a sound and wise principle . —Mr . Cakuwkll thought it would not lie wise to adopt the resolution , which would bo only a new prospective engagement for tlie reduction of our debt . Nothing js easier tliim to miiko such an engagement ; the dillioulty is to keep it Sir II . Will <> i : oiihy concurral with Mr . Gladstone that tlic true sinking fund is a rigid spirit of economy . — Lord John Russkll differed with Mr . Wilson with respect to the Act of 1820 . He believed that that net was founded on a sound principle , and ho did not regret that tlioy wcro going back to it . It was indiupcnsable , in the financial operations of the presont year , that there should bo a clear surplus rcvonuo ; and lie did not see that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had provided fur such surplus . —Mr . William Ewahv opposed the resolution . —The motion wuh then negatived , mid the bill wont through committee .

    MIMTAItY OIHi ANIZATIO > N . On tho motion for going into Comniittco of Supply , Captain Viviax called attention to tlu ; resolution relating to military organization which was adopted bv tlio Holme on Tuesday the 1 st of . Tune . Tho majority of tho House had supported thiu resolution Ixhwuiho they condemned the pre .-cnt system , and lie thought they had the Inllo . it evidence that , tlisit syslcin hud ik »| . worUeil well . Thnl . resolution isliotiltl have boon acted on by tlio Government , and eueotivo steps . should have been taken for the . promotion of military organ i But ion . — Tho

    Cha-nceijlor . op the Exchequer expressed his belief that the resolution was earned nnieli to the surprise of the House , (// ear , hear . " ) He contended that the course taken by the Government was in conformity with the practice of the House , and that they were " not necessarily bound to r . ct on the resolution . — Lord John Russell thought that the Government was not justified in refusing to act on a resolution of the House , even though that resolution was carried , by a bare majority . At any rate , if the Government did not intend to act on the resolution in question , they should move the House to rescind it . He did not think it desirable that the House should proceed with the subject in the present session ; but he hoped something ; would be done next session . —General Pkel denied that there was any divided responsibility iti the army . —Colonel North did not doubt that there was mismanagement in the Crimea ; hut it was owing to tbe interference of civilians with the military . { Oh , olif ) "Why , look at the green coffee that wjis sent out by Sir diaries Trevelyan 3 QA laugh . } The motion of the 1 st of June was a direct attack on the prerogative of the Crown . "—Sir Wimjam CoDit-iNGTONT could not reconcile the division of military authority with the fact that the head of the War Department should be a civilian . He "wished to see a limitation of- the authority of the Commander-in-Chief . —Mr . Ellice thought that the subject should be seriously taken up by the House next session . —Sir F . Smith said that great improvements are being carried out in the army departments . —The subject then dropped . SAILORS ASD aiARINES IN ' GREENWICH HOSPITAL . Sir Charles Nameu moved , " that it is the opinion of this House that the sailors and marines in Greenwich Hospital should ba allowed to receive their pensions for wounds and injuries , in the same manner that the officers do . " —Sir John Pakington suggested that the motion should be postponed to a future day . He admitted that the present system entails hardships which should not exist . But inquiry had been made into the system , and it is now under the consideration of the Admiralty . —Sir , George Pecheli . hoped that full justice would bo done to their old sailors , —The motion was then Withdrawn . THE riSSTIFERO US STATE OF THE THAMES . Mr . . llo ' UPEUj called the attention of the House to the noxious state of the Thames , and moved that the House considers it the duty of the Executive Government to take immediate measures for abating this dangerous nuisance . —Sir Joseph : Paxton seconded the motion . — Lord John Manners and the Chascellob of the Excuequkk . gave assurances to the effect that the Government were about to take measures on the subject ; and , after some further discussion , the motion was withdrawn . WEEDOrf ESTABLISHBIENX . Colonel Boli > eko moved " That an humble address be presented to her Majesty , praying that she will be graciously pleased to appoint a Royal commission to inquire into tho system upon . which the books and stock have been respectively kept at Weedou , as well as tho general mode in which the business of the establishment at Weedon lias been conducted , the result of such mode of conducting the business , and the state of the books and stock of stores . " He complained of groas mismanagement in this establishment , by which tho army and the interests of the public suffer , and appealed to the House to sanction the appointment of a . Royal commission to investigate the matter . —Mr . Gilpin seconded tho motion , and expressed his hope tluit no opposition would bo made to it by members of tho late Government , under whom ilua mismanagement had taken place . —Gonoral Peel said it was not his intention to resist the appointment of the commission , because lio believed it would have the effect of clearing thoao upon whom reflexions had been unjustly caat . Ultimately , the motion for going into supply was negatived , and tho address was ngreed to . rito <; uic 8 s of dukinksh . Tho Chief Jus-tick of JJojm * ay Hill , the Conitikmatiox of Exkcutoks , & c , Hill , and the Art Unionh A <; t Amendmknt Bilx , were respectively read u third lime , and paasod . Mr . Haicuv obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend tho laws concerning tho maintenance of pauper lunatics . The House adjourned nt a quarter past one o'clock . Tuentldij , Juuu 2 i ) th . POSTPO . NKMKNT OF HILLS . Tho . consideration in tho TIoiisk ov Louns of tho Victohlv Station and Pimwcio Railway Hilt- wuh adjourned , in order that the First ComnuHsiorier ol Public Worka should In : heard l > y cnnnsel against it . Tho . second raiding of tlio Tn'iu : i'icni > i : noe ok Paiiliamicnt Bill was postponed by Lord Bkoimuiam till next Monday .

    < jiiui «; ir , msaiM . iNM ; and si : <> UKHTn . ATioN . s . T . ord St . Lkonauds uakod tlio Archbishop of Canterbury whether hu intended to introduce a bill for iinproving-the law of si !( iU ()> t , ralJt ) iiH with a view to deter iiKumbcntrt from getting into debt or obtaining advance * of money on tho credit of their livings , and oompclling and enabling thoin to reside and perform tlv « iri duties although their livings aio under . scqucstrntioii .

    —The Archbishop of Canterbury- stated that a measure , intended . ' to remedy the defects of tho present law , had been prepared , bur , as there was litflo chance of such an act being passed this year , it Lad been postponed until the next session . The bill enacts that , where the clergyman is necessarily absent from his duty , a much larger stipend would be paiil to the curate , and that the curate should be put in possession of the parsonage-house . Further than this , the authorities of the Church thought it was not within their powers to go . Their Lordships then adjourned .

    GAI . W . VY FXEEMEH UISFUANCHISEMENT MU . At the morning sitting of the House op Commons , the-committee-on this bill was proceeded with , and tlio first clause was agreed to . An attempt by Mr . Butt ( in which the Government joined ) to get rid of the b'ill was defeated by 107 to 90 . —Mr . Wiuteside then moved an amendment on the first clause , the effect of which was to confine the disfranchisement of voters -who have been proved before the commissioners to have Riven or -taken bribes in the last and previous election for Galway . —This was ultimately agreed to , after a good deal of debate ; the Chairman was ordered to report progress ; and the sit tin ^ was suspended till tlio evening .

    BUSINESS Ol' THE SESSION . In the evening , the Cha-nckllor of the Exchequer rose to move that next Tuesday , and every succeeding Tuesday during the session , Government orders should 'have precedence of notices of motion . He was always reluctant to interfere-with tho privileges of lion , members , and he should not have pluced this motion . on the paper -had he not felt that it was the general wish of the House that the business of the session should not be retarded . Still , ho would not insist on the proposal if

    he found it opposed to the wishes of any considerable number of tlio- House . He proposed that the House should avail itself of the convenience of-. morning sittings as much as possible . There were several bills , including the India Bill , the Transfer of Land ( Ireland ) Bill , and the Scotch Universities Bill , which it was for the public interest should be passed into law in the present session ; but he could at present give no further information as to what were the intentions of the Government invregurd to the measures on the paper . —The motion was agreed to .

    RIKJJSS . In reply to Colonel Sticks , General Picel said that the attention of two committees is beiog- directed , to the arming of troops—the small arms committee , which has to test the nverits of all descriptions of arms , and a separate committee to test the relative merits of the Wlutworth . and Enfield rifles . Some delay had occurred in the «; xperiments of the latter committee , owing to tlie requtWHl Whitworth rifles not having- been sent in to Le tasted . Experiment * are going on , which he believed would leal to the employment of an improved description of cartridge . ' ItKTIUKMIiST OV BISHOPS .

    In reply to Air . J . bTUAiw Woktley , Mr . Walpole said that during the present session it was not intended to introduce any general measure to facilitate the retirement of bishops . disabled by inlirtnlty or old age . With regard to a future session , the question is one of such dimculty that he must decline to give any pledge ou the Eubjeet .

    UOIU'OHATIOIS' UK LONDON BILL . Replying to Me . Laboi / cheke , Mr . Walpoxk said he saw no prospect of the Corporation Dill passing thin aeasion . —Jn answer to Mr . Wortlky , tho Home ( Secretary stated that tho Government had received a communication from tlie City of London , unanimously agreed to by the Common Council , praying that tlio bill might be proceeded with ; but , he added , " within two hours I havo received a memorial from tho liberty of London praying me not to proceed witli the bill . " ( A l < mtf / h . ' )

    AUSTUIA AND TURKBY . Mr . DirFi- ' inquired whether tho Government had bcou informed of , or believed in , the existence of any agreement , written or verbal , between Austria nnd tho Porte , whereby tho former Power engaged to give assistance to tho lattev in enso of an outbreak in Kuropean TuTkcy . — Mr . Sbtmoiii : I ^ it / iciicuali ) observed that tho question was n . conipivhcnsivo and un nnpreeodtnted one , and he ( doubted wIh'IImm' any advantagu could be derived by the House or tlio country from questions so vague and o < such a roving cluir actor . No information of tho nature described h ; ul bwii ivceived l > y the ( Jovcrnment .

    1 IATNAUI . T ALLOTMHNT . Mr . ¦ Caiimj culled tlie attention of tho TTauso to the expenditure incui'r . 'd in the Pepartmont of Wood . s and Forests on tho down allotment of Ilninaull , and moved " That it ii t . lic opinion of this Houno that tho costs ol mnnngoin"nl mi tli . j ( Jrown Allotmont of Hninuult , Hincc tho ( Intii of i ho Ai-f , under which it was disirflforestotl , havo bi'nn s-xct'r . ^' u-c , and that the nmnagomontgenerally has not- 1 , ( . 'p . n ^ . ili-M ' -iftory , " Tlio sanie iniflinnnngnniQiiC

    which ex ' h ! s ii : ll . iinuult is found to prevail ol . sowhcroin Sus «' . \ , lv * : i ' . 'c , l > iiicoln , ami ottici * coiinlie . H . —Mr . llAAin / ro . v (] ii >; . ; td ; i variutj' ol ' detail .-i , and read Hovornl ldtturn , Id p :-ovii th . it tlw dmiua ^ n niul other works jji UuinaulL h .-. d !»¦ ' -u inosl , ^ u < : « u « sl ' ully carried out . Th ' . \>\' .: n . sd lurgu as . Mr . CJuinl luul rojjro-HeutuJ , und ih . 'il . ;;( jiiliiinun was inourruct in some of lii ^ HgurcH . llvi I im ,: iril , Jhuroforo , that tho House wouM not nyrco to th i roisolution . —After Homo « linuuHsion , tho qucHtiuii \ v « m 1 'iit iiw \ nogrttivud without a division .

    _ Jsto L 4a2 ! J'X/Ly 3, 18s8.] _. The J...

    _ JsTo 4 a 2 J ' x / LY 3 , 18 S 8 . ] _ . THE JL E A 1 > E ' R . 027

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 3, 1858, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03071858/page/3/