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Leader (1850-1860), 11th February 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 22, •• ¦¦" ¦' ¦ ' ¦ ' " ';; . PARLIAMENT. - ...

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      \46 Theleader Andsaturday'analyst. |Feb....

      \ 46 TheLeader andSaturday ' Analyst . | Feb . 11 ,. J 860 .

      •• ¦¦" ¦' ¦ ' ¦ ' " ';; . Parliament. - ...

      •• ¦¦ " ¦' ¦ ' ¦ ' " ';; . PARLIAMENT . - . ' . .. . ' . . . . ; ' ITJRJDAY night , by consent , is allowed to be the Ministerial night . * Important Government business is transacted ; important and sometimes inconvenient questions are either answered frankly oi * adroitly evaded . Friday last was an example of the latter proceeding-. Twenty-one questions were asked by twenty-one different members , each question embracing a new and a widely differing topic * The most important of the night was that put by Mr . Kinglake , relative to the rumours of continued naval and military preparations oil the part of the French Emperor . Lord J . Russekl explained the present relations between England and France , which were in the highest degree satisfactory , and saw no reason For feeling alarm or jealousy at the naval or military activity of the French Eniperor .

      Some explanations were elicited from Sir C . Wood relative to Indian affairs . The Newspaper Bill passed through Committee . On Monday the Lord Chancellor laid on the table a Bill relating to joint' stock companies > for the ostensible object of curing the glaring defects of the Winding-up Acts . From the few introductory " words , it is doubtful whether the noble and learned lord ' s Bill is likely to deal effectually with the winding-up scandal as it exists ; lawyers' Acts of Parliaments are proverbially inefficient for dealing with purelycommercial questions . Lord Beoxxoham , in making aproj & rmd motion relative to County Courts , took occasion to point out the admirable working of these tribunals , and threw out a suggestion for extending their jurisdiction to sums above £ 50 . In reply to a question , the Earl of Ripon referred to the patriotic p-ffer

      o the services of the volunteers , and expressed a hope that in time the new force would become a permanentinstitution of the country . The principle of the Volunteer movement was , that it should be selfsupporting , and independent of Government aid \ Any departure from this principle , by seeking Government assistance , would alter the character of the body , and impair its utility . The numbers were now . between seventy thousand and eighty thousand ^ increasing daily .- —Tuesday ' s discussions were of more than ordinary importance . Lord Lyndhuijst drew attention to the mass of Bills just introduced by the Lord CHANGEi . i'OE for the consolidation of tlie criminal law , and pointed but one case in which great carelessness was apparent in drawing at least one of the Bills . The Lord Chancellor was obliged to confess that he had iiot read the Bills

      fully , only partially , but would , look further into the matter . The Earl of Derby then brought on that endless scandal * the disturbances at St . . George ' s-in-the-East . After a severe censure on the author of these disturbances , the noble lord contended that scenes so disgraceful ., to religion could not be permitted to continue , and desired to be informed whether Government wag willing' to apply to Parliament for further powers to suppress them . Earl Geantix ^ e was in accord with Lord Derby in his censure on the clergyman on whom was to be charged these scandalous occurrences . He thought , however , the law was sufficiently strong , admnistered by magistrates , assisted by the police , to deal with offenders . Lord Brougham :, who appeared to sympathise more openly with the clerical than with tlie lay offender , hoped the Bishop

      would shut up the church if no other means were found sufficient to quell the Sunday , outrages . The Bishop of London intimated that this step had already been resorted to and found absolutely inefficient . His own notion of settling the question was for both parties to leave the matter in his hands , and to agree to abide by his decision . With this curious proposition the discussion , dropped . The Savoy question , which , is beginning to assume serious and important proportions , and to disclose hitherto unsuspected elements of European difficulty , was brought on by the Marquis of Normanby , who reviewed the unsatisfactory position of affairs , and the dubious conduct of France and Sardinia respecting Savoy and Nice . He called on the House to resist . the new and dangerous doctrine that " a people , on the

      ground of nationality and speaking the same language , should be entitled to transfer their allegiance from pne sovereign to another . " Eail Gbanville had no posjUive assurance to give that the French Emperor did not contemplate the absorption of Savoy and Nice . The presumption , however , was on the other side ; but assuming that France had a treaty with Sardinia for the surrender of a portion of her territories as a quid pro qua ( ox ; services rendered , then the French Emperor would stand disgraced before the world as a despiser of promises , and as one whose word was unworthy pf credit : * Earl Grey urged Government to ask the French Emperpr for a positive disavowal * of the designs imputed to him . The Earl of Sjxajftebbury considered the imputed designs of jbhe French Emperor so prognant with future danger to the pence and welfare , not of this country only , but of Europe , tljat he hoped both Houses of Parliament and the people of England wovjld with one voice announce their disapproval ; also that Sardinia would resist

      dismemberment by force of arms . This country had long Srctested against the traffic in human flesh j ifc was proper , iiereforo , that it should also protest against this now traffic iu human rights . The Duke of Newcastle threw oil on tl » o troubled waters , by deprecating the warmth of Lord ShaiptesntniY , which be said was calculated to defeat the peaceable solution of this difficult question . Government had done all it could do by representations to avert the threatened annexation , and would continue in . that course , without , however , contemplating a possible o < t 9 % < s helli . Lord Brougham was « s much opposed to tho' annexation as any noble lord , but ho hoped Lord Noiuianby ' s proposition , for an address to the Qujsen on the question of the assumed absorption of Savoy and Nice by Franco would not bo prosed to a division , as it might , from such a courso , appear tluvt there was a difference of opinion iu the house , wlierens every noble

      lord entertained the same view of . it . The Earl of Derby , with great force , remarked that if this alleged proceeding were carried outj the ' parties who would most suffer would be the French Emperor arid the King of Sardinia ; the iirst for haying belied all his protestations of disinterested views in his interference in the affairs of . Italy ,-and' the other for having made a venal bargain for selfish purposes . Lord Stuart de Eedchffe agreed with Lord Derby , and gave it as his opinion , if the absorption took place , that the basis of future war among European powers would have been laid . The Marquis of Nor makbt , satisfied with the expression of opinion that had been elicited , withdrew his motion . and

      The disappointment on Monday was great general , in consequence of the indisposition of the Chancellor of the Exchequer rendering it necessary to postpone his Financial Statement until Friday . In reply to * Mr . Byng , who . wished to know whether Government intended to take further steps to suppress tlie Sunday rioting at St . George ' s in the East—Sir G . C Lewis did not consider the disturbances as outrages , and significantly added that he regretted the rector , Bryan King , should persist in questionable ceremonies and acts which were , in truth , the ' origin of the existing * dissatisfaction and disturbances . The Police Commissioners , he considered , had made suitable arrangements calculated to prevent a positive breach of the peace . Several bills were moved a stage , and the House broke up at an early hour . —On Tuesday , Lord J .

      Russell , ; in reply to a question , detailed the plan submitted by the English Government to France and Austria for thesettlement of the Italian difficulty . As the answers of all the great Powers had not yet been received , it woxild not be expedient to lay the papers at that moment on the table . His Lordship , however , felt great hopes that the settlement of the difficulty was not far distant . Lord J . Mannees asked leave to bring in a Bill to close the Divorce Courts to the public , on the ground that the prurient disclosures affected public morality . Mr . E . James opposed the Bill , on the ground that the question had already beeri entertained and decided in the negative * Mr . Roebuck pungenily remarked that he agreed with Sivift in thinking that the " nicest persons had always the nastiest ideas . " He should oppose the motion mainly

      on- the- ' ground that if the Court was closed the people would be shut out from a great theatre , where morality was taught . Lord R . Cecil was on the side of Lord J . Manners , Mr . Malins and Mr . Macaulay on the other . Sir G . C . Lewis would oppose the Bill because it selected a particular Court , and was not sufficiently general in its application . The Bill was lostjon a division , by 268 to 83 . Several Bills were introduced . —Wednesday was remarkable for being the first " field day , " on which both parties mustered nearly their ¦ respeetive strengths . It was not , however , openly stated that the question was , to be a party affair , though it was covertly understood , as the "ins" took one side and the " outs " the other , that it was as closely to approximate to a " pitched " battle as could be effected without being really of that significant

      character . The question was the -Abolition of Church Rates . A large number of petitions heralded the introduction of the Bill by Sir John Trelawny . The main argument of the hon . baronet was , that the rate had been generally condemned not only by dissenters , but by members of the Church of England , as was evidenced by the number of petitions on the siibject . The voluntai'y principle would he an efficient substitute for a compulsory rate , and by its adoption a great cause of strife would be abolished ; Lord Robert Montague , by way of throwing out the Bill , moved that it be read that day six months . The question , he contended , was no longer one of conscience . The . dissenters had thrown off the mask , and now openly declared that this Bill was another step toward ejecting the severance of Church and State . Sir G . C . Lewis would vote in favour of the Bill , Public opinion had changed , and this was tbe best excuse which could be alleged for change of opinion ou the part of public men . P , e \ v rents were a

      kind of Church rates , and a proper substitute tor them . JMr . "Ivee Seymour believed that the majority of the Church of England supporters were opposed to the abolition of Church rates , and especially to the substitution of pew rents for the impost . ^ Mr . Disraeli objected to the measure on the ground of its centralizing character . It was another blow at local government , and another addition to that central power to which legislation of late years appeared to tend . He did not think that the opposition to Church ra , tes was based on conscientious scruplps . He believed the Bill was calculated to strike it blow at a constitutional institution , and to substitute a mere speculative theory . The real question , though not then before the House , was whether there should be an Established ( Ohnrch at all . Lord Fbrmoy , with somewhat of Hibernian warifath of imagination , declared that if Church rates were abolished , it would get rid of contests and heartburnings in England , just as it had done in Ireland . Mr . Packe and Mr , Hubbarw were against , Mr . Thomson for the Bill , and on a division it was ordered to bo

      read a second time , by 208 to 234 ; " On Thursday night Lord Palmebstqn said that ho hoped if his right hon , friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer had not mifficiently recovered his strength to bo enabled to enter on his finauoial statement , which must necessarily be of considerable length , to-morrow evening , that the House would indulge him ^ by allowing Its postponement until Monday . , Howover , if * the 'Chancellor of tho Exchequer was not able to b ' ring the budget forward to-morrow evenings hw noble friend tho Secretary for Foreign Affairs would lay on the table the commercial treaty with Franco . Wo have just room to notice also , that Sir F . Kelly moved for leave to bring ; »» » . » " * for the prevention of bribery , and to amend tho Corrupt Practices Prevention Acts , 185 < t .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 11, 1860, page 22, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_11021860/page/22/