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    434 THE LEADER. [Saturday,

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    IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. MISMANAGEMENT OF TH...

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    J6 Rphe Proceedings Of The Vienna Confer...

    of Vienna . The endorsement was refused . M . DitotrrN » e Lhoys resigns , and disappears into retreat , almost in disgrace . This change is followed by others that have almost the emphasis of a new policy . Count Walewski—orte of the strong linlfs between France and England—becomes - the Fremsftii Minister for Foreign Affifies ^ snxi ' Count ¦ tx F & rsigny , one of Louis Napoleons earliest friend *—a fellow-exile , who almost acted as his messenger twenty years ago—a conspirator in the coup tfetat —a sharer in the splendours of the Empire and in its profits , who has-for sometime occupieda semiofficial position without office — P ersigny , the author of a pamphlet advocating the restoration of Poland , becomes the French Ambassador at the Court of London . It is just now that the Morning JPost , which receives officious lig hts from the French Embassy in London , puts forward a suggestion for enforcing against Prussia the principle of " the rule of 1756 " that neutrals shall not be allowed to engage in a trade with belligerents during war , when that trade bas not been allowed during peace . To what do these p henomena point ? It is just now , too , that Earl Grey announces in the House of Lords a motion to declare the regret of the peers at the failure of the Vienna negotiations , and their wish that the proposals of Russia should be accepted . This , of course , is a display of the Earl ' s eccentricity . He has condemned * he war because it is not effectual , and he now professes to accept the offers with which the enemy moclaour demands . Lord Eluenborough bas also announced a motion , which stands for Monday next , a week earlier than Earl Grey's — also condemning the inefficiency of the war ; and hinting that the House would support a more vigorous Government , and a more vigorous handling of the sword .. Should it pass , it will be a censure upon ~ our present Ministers , and it would almost point out Lord ELtBifBOBOUGH as , at least , one of the new Government to be placed in office , although of course the position of Ministers does not depend upon the . House of Lords . It depends upon the House of Commons ; and there they feel themselves secure , as members suffer themselves to be driven about with very little regard to the power that they ought to possess collectively . They will force a Sebastopol inquiry upon Government , without much care for the possible consequences ; but they cannot maintain a decidedly independent position . Possibly , if the Lords set them the example , they might become sturdier ; and perhaps Ministers foresaw that possibility when Lord Palmebston , who had refused a nig ht for Mr . LayXbd , now offered him Monday night , as if for the very purpose of preventing one House from acting upon the otlier . The reason why Mr . Layaud is slighted is evident . He has refused to identify himself with the Ministers , and has identified himself with the party throughout the country which , following up the initiatory movements in London , is gradually ¦ preparing to organise a national association . At the meeting on Saturday a committee was appointed for this purpose , and the committee is evidently making progress . Several provincial capitals had anticipated the movement , which is gaining ground in Derby , Norwich , Birmingham , Manchester , Liverpool , & e » The Association will act upon the conetitifencies , and if present members do not look after their conduct , they will have to account for their seats . This , no doubt , is one reason why some members virtually place their votes at the disposal of Government . They want to stave off a dissolution . They have shown this throughout , the week in a certain listleasness and a disposition to let anything pass which Government did not prohibit . Mr . Heywood ' s measure to permit the marriage with a deceased wife ' s sister has had its second redding ; and an act of justice makes that further step , because injustice has fallen into the state of listlessness ; But when Sir Ebskink Pbuby brings forward a well-considered motion for inquiry whether the Indian army , by being converted into a royal army , cannot bo rendered useful in the wars of the empire as well as Indian officers , Government resists the breach of routine , and the House S ives to Ministers 171 votes , where Sir Erskinm , » e Indian army , and the interests of the empire , can . only obtain 62 ; , The Sebastopol Committee , which early in the ' ^ e ~ eK fctirtiatericd to xuh wide of the dceftt , re-^

    covered the trail later ; and the evidence of Lord Hardinge * Mr , SedStet Herbert , and Admiral Dundas , admits us into the arcana of Ministerial proceeding ? . The official devil is not so black as he has been painted : there were great exertions ; and LowirTalmerston showed in the House last nighfctt & iit there have been real improvements in the ^ w ar administration . But what of otfier depautttients ? asked IVlajor Beed . The deponent sayeth not .. Tvfie happiest incident in tne week has been the perftrnwrace of the Amateur Actors at Drury Lane last night , in tfte presence of the Qween and the royal children , for the benefit of the Wellington College . A noble cause , the best of company , and the gayest and g raeefulest union of wit and charity—this is worth remembering , and worth recording . The occasion deserved all sympathy , and the quality of the performance justified its success .

    434 The Leader. [Saturday,

    434 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

    Imperial Parliament. Mismanagement Of Th...

    IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . MISMANAGEMENT OF THE WAR . In the House of Lords , on Monday , the Earl of Ellenborough gave notice of moving , on Monday next , a series of resolutions with reference to the conduct of the war in the East , the general dissatisfaction and discontent occasioned by the inefficient manner in which it is prosecuted , and the detriment occasioned to the public service by not selecting public officers on the sole ground of merit and capacity . ARMY REFORM . Lord Paxmcbe gave notice that on Friday , the 18 th , he ^ -ould submit to the House a plan for the consolidation of the military departments . CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL . In answer to a question by Iiord St . Leonards , the Lokd Chancellor said that the delay in proceeding with the Charitable Trusts Bill is owing to the illness of the Lord President of the Council , who is at the head of the commissioners . SECOND READINGS . The Affirmation ( Scotland ) Bill , and the Incometax Bill , were read a second time . The first of these bills passed through eommitte on Thursday ; and the second was read a third time , and passed , by tlie Lords on the same night . An alteration was made in the first clause of the Affirmation Bill , confining its operation to courts of civil judicature . HOSPITAL HUTS FOR THE EAST . In the House of Commons , replying to Mr . Stafford , Mr . Frederick . Peel stated that , in addition to the hospital huts which had been sent to the Crimea , orders had been given for the construction of huts which were intended to be erected near Constantinople , and a number of huts , capable of accommodating 1000 persons , had already left this country . The gentleman who was placed at the head of the medical staff for that block of huts was already upon the spot , assisting in the preparation of the ground for the erection of the huts . An additional number of 2000 huts were in course of preparation , and would be sent out as soon as possible . NEWSPAPER STAMPS BILL . On the motion for the third reading of this bill , a discussion ensued on the subject of retransmission of newspapers through the post . —The Chancellor of the Exciiequku stated that , if the House did not think the limit proposed in the bill long enough , he would not object to . extending it from fifteen to thirty days . — -Mr . BniGirr disagreed with the principle of retransmission altogether , and thought that the question could only be settled by resorting to the ordinary mode of paying postage : an opinion which was concurred in by Mr . Kwaiit , but dissontod from by Mr . Caylby . —Mr . VansittaIit moved to defer the third reading of the bill for six months , which wa 8 supported by Mr . Wiiitebidk , who objected to tho withdrawal of the copyright clause , and to the limitation of weight . The amendment , however , was opposed by Mr . Laboccheue ; and , the Chancellor of the Exchequer having made a few observations in reply to Mr . Vy iuteside , Lord Palmei » 8 ton called attention to the indisposition of tho Speaker , and suggested that . the right hon . > gentleman should be enabled to leave the chair , when the Houae could go into Committee of Supply , and the chair could be filled at a later period of tlio niglit in a manner provided for by an order of the House . ConstiquOrttly , on tho motion of the Chanomllok gj ? Tnu Mxchmquer , the debuto was adjourned until Friday . BUTTLY . The Hoiiso then wortt into Committee of Supply ujpon the Civil Service Estimates and Civil Contingencies , whenaeveral votes were agreed to , and , in answer to Captain ScOnELL , Lord Palmkhston stated , with respect to tfio vote of 14 , 25071 fdr tho salaries of tho mixed commission for ttie BUppfetffllsian of the slave

    trade , that Brazil has succeeded in putting down the importati on of slaves , and that the capital formerly eniplo { 7 es & 'i * Hit 3 » a . t traffic is now applied to internal improvements . Cuba still continues to import a few slawes clandestinely ; but the present governor is determine & to use all his endeavours to suppress the trade . —On thfewote of 157 , 705 / ., to defray the expenses of . consular establishments abroad , Mr . Wise made certain oojections with reference" to the greater expense of the consuls in the Levant than in anyother place ; and observed , on the authority of a Turkish , gentleman , that those consuls resort to unwo * thy pVaetifetos for the sake of getting money . Lord P ! ai . me « S'Son , in reply , said that the Levant consuls Jiave to . perform judicial as well as commercial duties-, and therefore require greater remuneration . With respect to the charge of corruption , he discredited it . —The vote was agreed to . The Chairman having reported progress , Sir Denis le Marchant , the chief clerk of the House , read a letter from the Speaker , stating that his indisposition compelled him to remain absent ; upon which , Lord Palmerston moved that the resolution of the House on the 1 st of August , 1853 , be read , which directed that , in the unavoidable absence of the Speaker , the chair should be taken for that day by the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means . This was accordingly done , and Mr . Fitzeoy took the Speaker's chair . SPIRIT DUTIES BILL , The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that , as the Spirit Duties Bill then stood , it proposed to extend the drawback on malt spirits to England and Ireland , as well as Scotland . The present state of the law with respect to the drawback on spirits had given rise to considerable dissatisfaction ; and accordingly he had tinder consideration a plan for permitting the distillation of spirits from malt , the effect of which would be that , instead of the duty being paid in the first instance , and a drawback of a certain amount allowed , no duty would be charged on the malt , but the spirit would be distilled without the previous imposition of the duty upon the premises of the distiller . In order to carry out this plan , however , it would be necessary to make a small addition to the existing duty , there being , according to the present arrangement , an allowance of 2 d . from the duty on malt used in all the stages of distillation . It would not be possible to introduce these changes into the bill before the House ; but , if the House gave its assent to that bill , he should be disposed , in the course of the session , to introduce a bill embodying these changes , so as to make this more extensive alteration of the law take effect as early as possible . HOUSE DRAINAGE . Viscount Ebrington , after moving for reports of the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers , and complaining that , owing to the present state of the law , no connexion in many cases exists between the main drains and the house drains , the latter being made at the expense of the householder or landlord , moved for leave to bring in a bill to empower the Commissioners of Sewers to expend on house drainage a certain sum out of the moneys borrowed by them on the security of the rates . —Leave was granted . The Intestacy ( Scotland ) Bill was read a third time and passed ; and the Burial Grounds ( Scotland ) Bill went through committee . VIENNA CONFERENCES . " in the House of Lords , on Tuesday , tho Earl of Clarendon laid on the table papers connected with the negotiations for peace . A little routine business having been settled , their lordships adjourned . NO HOUSE . Only nine members being present in the House ot Commons at four o ' clock , when tho Speaker took the chair , the House adjourned to the following day , when tho Speaker explained that the scanty attend- ' ance was owing to his indisposition , and expressed hia regret that any member should have been put to inconvenience . MARRIAGES ( SCOTLAND ) JUI . L . I The second reading of this bill was on Wednesday J lost in tho House of Commons , by a majority oi iuj i In favour of Mr . Elliot's motion thai , it bo read a / second time that day six months . Mr . IIkaih . aw , / who had charge of the bill , stated that its objocl was / to give effect to the principles of Scotch law so . s / to repress nn evil which is fast deteriorating the / morality of the northern counties orEng land , m / present , marrjnges can bo celebrated in t >«> t . aiid / by tho consent of parties given in tho I' ™ """ , witnesses ; and tho consequence is , that luinois iina others cross the Border nnd get married without uit slightest inquiry as to tho position ot " . l MU % l " j They are often drunk when they get murrio . l , in inny have only known each other a few bourn , ami u too frequently happens that the woman ifl s " " ! - " qnently abandoned by her husband . Mr . IIe «« mini therefore proponed to do away with this n do * marriage , and to indict increased penultws < I ° violation of tho other modes of mamago »>^ ' [" lV ,-The bill was supported by Lord Lovainic , m [; j top , Mr . H < ywA «» , Mr . Inomam , awl W- '

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 12, 1855, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12051855/page/2/