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    Politics.] THE LEADER, 713

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    LAW, POLICE, AND CASUALTIES. An inquest ...

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

    J . Russell , and asked why the present Ministers should be less qualified to deal with it than that noble lord , whose bill exhibited so many shortcomings , or than Lord Palmerston , who had shrunk from it altogether . Adverting to the two main topics in the Royal Speech , he said , with respect to the first , the Government had endeavoured by all the means in their power to preserve peace , and he was ready to vindicate them on this head . He retained the opinion he had formerly expressed , that the vote at which the House had arrived upon Lord J . Russell ' s resolution had a serious influence upon the negotiations ; but still the representations of the Government , backed by public opinion , had been had since

    listened to with respect ; they adopted the principle of a strict and impartial neutrality , and endeavoured to act in the spirit of that principle . With regard to the other subject , that of Parliamentary Reform , he said at once that it was the opinion of the Government that that great question could not be satisfactorily dealt with during this session . If that was a fair ground foi a censure of the Government , they were ready to meet the issue . At the same time they did not desire to shrink from the responsibility of dealing with this question , which ought not to be monopolised by any person or party , He reviewed some of the elements of this question , maintaining that

    the present Government were perfectly free to deal with it without being bound or hampered by their proposition in the last Parliament . Treating the question raised by the amendment as really one of personal sufficiency , which he admitted was a fair ground for a vote of want of confidence * he met it upon that ground ; and he skilfully seized the opportunity of indulging his vein of sarcasm upon the personal claims of some of those who expected to succeed the present Government . He acknowledged that the area of selection for the public service was limited ; but the Conservative party was not a federation of great families ; and he hoped that the House would not hastily adopt an atnendr

    ment which came from a limited and exclusive party . - ^ -Lord Bdrx , Mr , Mellor , Mr . K . Huoessen , and Mr . Laing supported the amendment .- — Sir C . Napier said he did not rise to speak for or against the ^ amendment , but upon the defence of the country . He gave the present Government credit for putting the navy into a better condition than that in which it had been left by their predecessors . —Mr . Wilson spoke in support of the amendment , resting his vote hot on the mere question of the dissolution , of which he complained , nor only upon English , but upon European grounds ; and upon the management of the various departments of the Government . —Mr . Digby Seymour protested

    against the time of the House being oocupied with irrelavent questions , and asked why independent members should be called upon to follow certain leaders of parties , like sheep , and to turnout the Government of Lord Derby without trial . He should vote against the amendment , —Lord Palmerston , referring to the silence of the opposite party , asked how the House could place confidence in those who had no confidence in themselves ? It was a most extraordinary spectacle , he observed , that a Government charged in the face of the House with being unworthy of the confidence of Parliament and the country should sit silent under such a charge . Upon every ground their mistakes in their

    in domestic legislation , the errors foreign policy , and the course they had pursued in regard to the dissolution , —upon all these grounds the House , in his opinion , was justified in withholding its confidence from the Government . He dwelt upon their failures in domestic legislation , contending that they justified the House in refusing to place confidence in them upon that ground , as well us upon the ground of their dissolution of Parliament , which deprived the country of the benefit of its advice in a groat crisis . Having shown themselves unequal to deal with domestic affairs , the Government had evinced incompetenoy to manage our foreign relations , the course they hud pursued haviner , in his opinion , brought on war . They had

    manifested an ignorance of the real state of affairs , having believed that the danger of war was imminent on the part of France and Sardinia and not on that of Austria , whereas the reverse was the fact j otherwise they would have hold a different language to Austria , which might have prevented hostilities . The Government , therefore , were not entitled to the confidence of tho House , in regard to our foreign relations ; and in inviting tho House to express thia want of confidence in such a Government , which existed only upon sufferance , tho Liberal party had pursued a straightforward course , and they would have ahrunk from their duty had they rofusod to take it . —On tho motion of Mr . Sorjoant Duasv the debate waa adjourned until Thursday , The House adjourned at half-past twelve o ' clock . Thursday , Juno 9 . In the IIouhm of Louds . — -The Earl of

    Shaftesburt inquired whether it was the intention of hei Majesty ' s Ministers to grant a charter to the Roman Catholic University of Dublin . —The Earl of Derby stated that no such grant was at . present contemplated . The subject was , however , still under consideration ' . . . . Their lordships adjourned at twenty minutes to six o ' clock .

    THE ADJOURNED DEBATE . In the House of Commons , the adjourned debate on the amendment to the address was resumed by Mr . Serjeant Deasy , who contended that the acts of the executive appointed by the Derby administration in Ireland , the distribution of their patronage , and the legislative measures which they had introduced or promised , were not calculated to deserve the confidence of the Irish people . —Colonel Dickson , as an independent Irish member , expressed his readiness to givethepresentGovernmentafairand impartial trial . —Mr . G . Duff supported the amendment . —Mr . S . Fitzgerald , replying to the charge that the Government had failed in carrying their measures of

    domestic legislation , remarked that other administrations had proved equally unsuccessful . He denied that the Government had evinced any Austrian bias , or had used words of menace towards Italy . The charge of exasperating hostilities in Italy came , lie observed , with an ill grace from Lord Palmerston , to whom was primarily due the unfortunate outbreak and disastrous results of hostilities in that country in 1848 . Was the neutrality of the country likely to be preserved by a minister who had so eagerly advocated the cause and cultivated the friendship of one of the belligerent powers . —Mr . Bright said he was not about to defend Lord Palmerston , or retract a single sentiment he had ever expressed

    concerning him . He did hot support the amendment because Ministers had dissolved Parliament , or had been guilty of the corruption : or coercion top common on both sides , or because they had failed to keep the peace . But he wanted to know , first , whether the neutrality announced was real or only pretended ; and he complained that the Government gave reason to suspect it was the latter . The fleet in the Mediterranean , the bounty to seamen , and the rifle clubs , would mean only one-of two things—that we fear an attack from France , or intended ourselves to attack that Power . He did not charge the Government with this intention , but the result of these preparations had been to destroy

    decision to the simple issue whether the existing Government should retain power with the consent of a majority in that House ? The Chancellor of the . Exchequer , however , having thought fit , he said , to indulge in personal remarks upon him , he addressed himself in the first place to that matter , and Sir James entered into details relating to various allegations which he had made at Carlisle against the Government , to which Mr . Disraeli referred in his speech on Tuesday , complaining of the offensive terms in which Mr . Disraeli hadconveved one of his contradictions . He then proceeded to vindicate himself against the effect of Air . Seymer ' s remarks upon the dissensions among the Liberal party ; and , after slightly touching upon

    foreign affairs , and approving the policy of the Government in arming the people of this country , he expressed a strong condemnation of the late dissolution , pointing out the manner in which it had risked the national interests . Measures of vast importance , forestalling the decision of Parliament upon questions of the gravest kind , had been , he observed , adopted by the Government , during the interval upon their own responsibility with reference to the navy and the army . The course pursued by the Gj <* - vernment upon the subject of reform rendered it impossible for him , he said , to give them his support , and without hesitation l : e should vote for the amendment . —Mr . Whiteside admitted the principles of foreign policy contended for by Lord Hartington ,

    which were those of Mr . Fox ; he only disputed their application . He discussed the foreign policy of Lord Palmerston in 1848 , a summary of which , in condemnatory terms , he read in the words of Sir J . Graham . Those principles of non-intervention were right , and they had been violated by Lord Palmerston in almost every instance . Such being his policy , the Government should not be changed upon that ground . Mr . Whiteside then went over the charges against the Government brought by Sir J . Graham at Carlisle , denouncing them , particularly that relating to the Gal way contract , as destitute of tho slightest ; foundation . The charge of a . compact with the Catholics—who were always virtuous , he observed , when they , voted with the

    Whigs—he attributed to the jealousy and mortification of that party at the alteration in the sentiments of the people of Ireland . He denied for himself and the other members of the Irish Government that there had been any compact with the Roman Catholic party for the purpose of obtaining votes , and he asked whether it was worthy of Sir J . Graham to try to raise against the Government a religious cry in Ireland . Mr . Whiteside amused the House by reading , in conclusion , the characters which some of the Liberal leaders had given of each ot her , congratulating it upon the Ministry in prospect . —On the motion of Mr . M . Gibson the debate was again adjourned at twenty minutes to one o ' clock .

    confidence in the maintenance of peace by England . They were always told something dreadful would follow a change of Government , but he had no fear to look those dangers in the face . He warned Lord Palmerston against any intimate personal alliance between English ministers and the Court of France . As to the home question , Mr . Disraeli had imposed , silence upon his followers , but only childlike simplicity could believe that he would bring in an honest Reform Bill . He protested against pushing over the question till nextyear . Let them get such a bill through the second reading , and pass it in a winter session . He assumed that Lord John Russell would adhere to the scheme propounded

    before the dissolution , which would be a substantial , though very moderate , extension of the suffrage . Unless they had deceived their constituents , and tho election had been mere sport , there was some difference between the two aides ; and it would only be a joke to support ministers . The hon . gentleman concluded with a declaration that he should give an independent support to a Ministry that would faithfully represent the ancient principles of the Liberal party . — Lord Ashley spoke briefly in favour of tho amendment . —Mr . Palic supported the original motion . —Mr . Baxter , with some reluctance and regretfelt himself obliged to support the

    amend-, ment . —Mr . Liddkll opposed the amendment . —Mr . H . Gurney also expressed his intention to vote for tho government administration . —Mr . F . Ckosbley believed that by tho union of Liberals a strong , united and vigorous Government might bo formed . ' — Mr . Spoonbr disclaimed all belief in the rumoured compact between Lord Derby and Cardinal Wiseman . Tho report , ho was assured , had been propagated only for electioneering purposos .-r-Mr . Hoitsman argued that the continued existence of a ministry in a minority was anomalous , unconstitutional , and dangerous j but , in displacing such

    a Government , it wasincumbdnt upon the opposition to adopt some basis which should command the sympathy of tho country . On this principle ho should have wished to challenge the present Administration upon some point relating to their foreign policy , with which ho found much fault , instead of merely proposing an amendment on . tho Address . That stop had , however , boon takon ; and as tho Ministers themselves had accepted tho issuo , ho was forced to decide upon the question as it stood , and should therefore support tho arnondment .- —Mr . K . SrcvMun briefly vindicated tho Government . — -Sir <) . Graham reduced tho question then pending lor

    Politics.] The Leader, 713

    Politics . ] THE LEADER , 713

    Law, Police, And Casualties. An Inquest ...

    LAW , POLICE , AND CASUALTIES . An inquest has been held on the bodies of tlie sufferers by the explosion on board the ship Eastern Monarch off Spithead . Seven persons are known to have perished , and but for the courage and coolness of the captain , officers and passengers , the loss of life must have been fearfully great . The verdict returned was " Accidental Death . " The prosecution for the sale of army commissions , which has been removed by certiorarl into the Court of Queen ' s Bench , will bo tried on the 17 th or l & th instant , by a spe cial jury , before Lord Campbell at Westminster . _ . . Thu

    In the Court of Common Pleas , on rsday , the judges unanimously decided that the Earl of Shrewsbury had made good his claim to the Shrewsbury estates , which have been the subject of so mud * litigation . ,,.,,, The Juno general sessions for Middlesex commenced this week at tho Guildhall , Westminster . In consequence of tho lamented death of Mr . Pasliley , Q . C ., the assistant judge , Mr . Pownall , chairman ol the bench , presided , and expressed himself in very feeling terms respecting tho loss the court had sustained by the decease of Mr . Pashloy , upon whom ho passed a high eulogiuin . lie also announced the elevation of Mr . Bodkin as assistant judge . In tho Court of Bankruptcy tho choice of assignees was arranged under tho bankruptcy of Freeman uu . Char for , the late proprietors of tho Commercial Restaurant , 73 , ChcapHido ; and a second-class corti-Sowasffnuited to Josep h Robins , a corn dealer and ! market gardener , of Darttord . Foiwrics of bills to rather a largo amount have just been brought to light . Tho person Implicated , hamacl John Lockhart Morton , whh formerly onmurad in business as a civil engineer in I ' arliamontstrcot and is now desoribod as rnorehant and billbroltor , of Flneh-lano . Ho appears to have hod transactions lately in tho timber tnulo , and also to hnvo inado consignments to Australia . His connexions are highly respectable , and his attainments

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 11, 1859, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_11061859/page/5/