Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 11th June 1859, Edition 2 of 3, Page 4, 712 THE LEADER. [News and

Page 4
Page 4
4 of 24

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • e^v <v»v J&0tttft ~RL&U}B. ^v** *^ Qjp+p*, **. —
  • Text (3)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      712 The Leader. [News And

      712 THE LEADER . [ News and

      E^V ≪V»V J&0tttft ~Rl&U}B. ^V** *^ Qjp+P*, **. —

      Ipmit $% D * r '¦

      Imperial Parliament. Monday, June &. The...

      IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . Monday , June & . THE JEWISH MEMBERS . The House of Commons proceeded -with the administration of the oaths to newly returned members . .. ¦ . ¦¦¦ Baron Rothschild having presented himself at the table , and declined on conscientious grounds to take the oath with the customary affirmation , " the true faith of a Christian , " was directed to withdraw while the House took the question into consideration . —Lord John Russell then moved , in pursuance of the " standing order" established in the hist session ' with the view of carrying out the Act passed in 1858 , a resolution to the effect-that during the continuance of the present Parliament any member of the Jewish persuasion -who might be duly elected , should be allowed to omit from the oath the words to which he entertained a conscientious objection . — Mr . Newjdegate resisted the resolution , and exhorted the house to maintain its character as an exclusively Christian legislature . After a few words in reply from Lord J . Russell , the resolution was put and carried without a division .

      Baron Rothschild was then recalled and Sworn in according lo the appointed formula , as were subsequently Mr . Alderman Salomons and Baron Meyer Rothschild . Tuesday , June 7 ' . OPENING OF PARLIAMENT . Her Majesty formally opened Parliament in state this day in person . The Queen was accompanied bv the Prince Consort , and there was a very large assemblage of both Houses and of spectators . The royal party arrived at Westminster at half past two , and the Commons having been summoned to the House of Lords ^ Her Majesty delivered the following speech : — . My Lords and Gekilejiek , I avail myself with satisfaction , ; in the present anxious state of public affairs , of the advice of my Parliament , which I have summoned to meet with the Iea 3 t possible delay . I have directed that papers shall be laid before you , from which you will learn how earnest and unceasing have been my endeavours to preserve the peace of Europe .

      Those endeavours have unhappily failed ; and war has been declared between France and Sardinia on one side , and Austria oil the © then Receiving assurances of friendship from both the contending parties , I intend to maintain between them a strict and impartial neutrality ; and I hope , with God ' s assistance , to preserve to my people the blessing of continued peace . ¦ , Considering , however , the present state of Europe , I have deemed it necessary to the security of my dominions and the honour of my crown to increase my naval forces to an amount exceeding that which has been sanctioned by Parliament . .

      I rely with confidence on your cordial concurrence in this precautionary measure of defensive policy . The King of the two Sicilies having announced to me the death of the King his father , and his own accession , I have thought fit , in concert with the Emperor of the French , to renew my diplomatic intercourse with the Court of Naples , which had been suspended during the late reign . All my other foreign relations continue on a perfectly satisfactory footing . Gentlemen op tub House of Commons , The estimates for the year , for which provision has not been made by the late Parliament , will be immediately laid before you , togetilfcr with such supplementary estimates as present circumstances render indispensably necessary for the public service .

      My Lords and Gentlemen , I have directed a bill to be prepared for giving effect , so far as the aid of Parliament ; may be re * quired , to certain suggestions of the commissioners -whom I had appointed to inquire into the best jnodo of efficiently manning the royal navy j and I recommend this important subject to your immediate attention . Measures of legal and sooial improvement , the Parliament

      progress of which , in the late , was necessarily interrupted by the dissolution , will again be brought under your consideration . X should with pleasure give my sanction to any well-considered measure for the amendment of the laws which regulate the representation of my people in Parliament * and should you be of opinion that the necessity of giving your immediate attention to measures of urgency relating to the defence and financial condition of the country will not leave you sufficient time for legislating with due deliberation ,

      had not heard any reference to any paragraph in the Royal Speech . He had heard much nonsense of the efforts made by the Government to influence the late elections . In regard to Ireland they had heard the denial of Lord Eglintoun , and he for himself denied a 3 strongly that any compact existed between him and Cardinal Wiseman . Proceeding to the charges of Sir J . Graham , he showed that the increase of the billeting money was in accordance with the recommendation of a Parliamentary committee at the beginning of the year . If he could see any chance of a strong Government he would gladly lity down the responsibility he had assumed , but , considering the state of foreign affairs he

      thought it was his duty to his Sovereign still to remain at his post . He had accepted office with the intention of appealing to the country in Case of a defeat in the House of Commons . He denied the analogy which had been drawn between the prorogations pf 1841 and 1859 ; and , although he must admit the Government were in a minority , at the same time he was convinced that no Government could be formed so strong and united as the one in office . In allowing the forbearance which had been exercised in foreign affairs by the Opposition , he thought their abstinence on other subjects had been as much due to their discretion as to their justice or moderation . The dissolution

      was not to discover whether the country approved the Reform BilF , but whether it approved the mode of proceeding adopted by its opponents . Whatever our feelings on the present struggle in Italy , we were bo-mid by treaties not to give ; way to them . He thought this war had been undertaken on false pretences , at the Instance of Sardinia , but neither on one side nor the other was there any ground for quarrel which might not have been arranged by diplomacy . It was for this country to maintain a strict neutrality between all parties . But the position of a neutral was most delicate and difficult , and it would be madness in a statesman , however sincerely desirous of neutrality , not adequately to provide for the defence of the country , as the only neutrality to be respected must be an armed

      neutrality . He entertained no fear of any proximate invasion , but when he saw the increasing armaments of other nations it became the duty of the Government to place theJiavy of the country on a strong footing . In the present state of things he believed no demand for the defence of the kingdom would l > e refused by the House of Goihmons . If it should be proved that her Majesty ' s Government does not possess the confidence of the country , and that another party does , he could only say that he should lay down with greater pleasure than he had taken up the responsibility of office . Should , however , as he expected , a contrary decision be ai'rived at , he hailed with pleasure the promise of Lord Granville that no factious opposition would be offered to the Government of the country .

      Their lordships adjourned at half-past eleven . In the Holse of Commons , on re-assembling in the evening , the Address , in reply to the Speech from the Throne , was moved by Mr . A . Egkrto . n , and seconded by Sir J . Elphinstonb . — The Marquis of Hartinoton then proposed his amendment , in the shape of an additional clause to be appended to the Address , declaring that the present Ministry did not possess the confidence of that House . — Lhe amendment was seconded by Mr . Hanbury .- — Ine Chanckllor of the Excheo . ukr said he found no fault with the course taken by Lord Hortmgton and

      his friends , but he denied that there was any analogy between the present case and that of 1841 . It was of great advantage that itshould be known whether the advisers of the Crown possessed the confidence of the House . It was desirable that this question should be decided without delay , « nd he hoped the House -would be able to divide that night , lie proceeded to discuss the grounds assigned for the vote of want of confidence . He insisted that the failure of the Government measures in the last Pai-Uamenc was not a fair ground upon which to ' rest such a vote in the present . He justified the dissolution , and congratulated Lord Jlartington upon his having from certain uhbu iii »«

      abstained repeating y »«« »« -- > had , during the recess , been the subject of charges aaainBtthe Government out of doors . Upon this nenu Mr . Disraeli spoke in terms of severo reprehension of tho nllcgfttions made by Sir J- Graham at Carlisle , to which ho gave an indignant denial . A no supposed compact with the H ° » Catholics ho utterly repudiated . Tho manner in which our fore gn negotiations had been conducted wns another ground for tho vote of want of confluence ; but ho contended that it was neither just nor conformable to tho nraotiuo of tho Houso to docido this question in

      during the present session , on a subject at once so difficult and so extensive , I trust that at the commencement of the next session your earnest attention will be given to . a question of which an early and satisfactory settlement would be greatly to the public advantage . ; I feel assured that you will enter with" zeal and diligence on the discharge of your parliamentary duties , and I pray that the result of your deliberations may tend to secure to the country the continuance of peace abroad and progressive improvement at home . At the termination of the speech , the Queen retired With the usual formalities . THE ADDRESS . In the House of Lords the address in reply to the speech from the throne was moved by the Earl of Powis , and seconded by Lord Lifford . — Earl Granville regretted that , in spite of the result of the elections , it was the intention of the Ministry to carry on the Government with a minority . One of the principal errors of the Conservative party was that it endeavoured to please everybody . Her Majesty ' s Government had asserted that they had no opinion at all on the Reform question , but would be obliged for the guidance of the House of Commons . Passing to the suspicions which had been incurred by the Government during the Irish

      elections , he thought it would have been better to make concessions to the Roman Catholics at a time when no political movements were going forward . It gave him much pleasure to hear that our foreign relations were in a favourable condition ; but he could not help regretting that no effort had been made to induce Russia to co-operate with us to preserve the peace of Europe , The subject , however , required greater skill and greater firmness than her Majesty's Government had yet shown . It was not his intention to move any amendment to the Address . The Government had appealed to the country , and the result of that appeal would be declared in the other House . —Lord Malmesbury stated his intention of

      laying before the House the whole of the correspondence relating to the war and to the efforts which had been made by the Government to secure peace . He would not in the absence of papers go further into this , matter , and referred Lord Granville to the Italian papers of 1848 , requesting him to compare them to those of 1859 , when he should , he thought , have no reason to fear the attacks which Lord Granvillle was going to make upon him — Lord HotVDEN stated it as his opinion that if France established herself in Italy , this country would be ultimately drawn into the war . He had reason to believe that some agreement had been concluded between France and Russia within the last

      three weeks . —LordNORMAxuY unveiled the intrigues of Sardinia and France , and especially of Russia , in extending her influence in the Mediterranean Sea . Condemning the sympathy which Lord Palmerston had expressed for the Italians , he concluded by exhorting the Government to resist any attempt at universal domination . —Lord Carlisle was glad to observe the unanimity among the leading statesmen to adhere strictly to neutrality , and drew the attention of the House to the strange coalition which had taken place between the Roman Catholics and the Conservatives . —Lord Eolintoun contradicted the reports in tho newspapers of some compact between himself and Cardinal Wiseman . In the most unequivocal manner he denied that any understanding had been come to between the Roman Catholic party and the Irish Government . —Lord Brougham thought that

      hostilities had been begun without a shadow of pretence , except the false pretence of favouring tho cause of liberty . Tho origin of this war was due to Sardinia . It v / as an old maxim of a Roman judge , when he could not discover the author of a crime to ask tho question cuibono ? For whose profit ? and he wished to apply this test to the present war- — Who gains by it ? No one was more eagerthan himself to see the Austrians driven from Italy , hut not merely to hand them over from one master to another . Such a course , guaranteed as these provinces were to Austria by treaty , would be nothing but plunder . To disregard such a right to possessions wotild bo contrary to the soundest principles of intornanational law . If Lombardy , however , could be erected into an independent kingdom , it would be a positive benefit to Austria by the certain relief it would afford to her finances . Wo . had no

      reason , he thought , to distrust tho Emperor of the French , yet , considering his position , we ought to bo , not mistrustful , but on our guard . To increase our navy , and to establish and stimulate the enrolling of volunteer rifle corps in every part of tho country , Avould bo the best means for gaining that object . — Lord Ellenuoroucih cordially concurred with Lord Brougham , and , said that what was wanted in the present crisis was a strong Government . Ho expressed his conviction that this result had not been gained , by tho dissolution . —Lord Derby said that although t-ho debate had been highly important , ho

      the absonco of the necessary documents , lojjt ground for tho vote was tho failure of the moasuro of reform proposed by tho Government , ana tljojr insufficiency to deal with tho quostion of lwj'tt " montary Reform . He compared that measure wit the lttst WU upon this subject Introduced by Lora

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 11, 1859, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_11061859/page/4/