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Leader (1850-1860), 16th April 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 4

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      484 The Le Adee. [No. 473, April 16, 185...

      484 THE LE ADEE . [ No . 473 , April 16 , 1859 .

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      Imperial Parliament. Monday, April 11. T...

      IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . Monday , April 11 . THE LAW COURTS . Isr the House of Lords Lord Redesdale moved that there be laid before the House a plan of the ground proposed to be appropriated by the Hon . Society of Lincoln ' s-inn to the courts and other buildings for the transaction of the business of the Court of Chancery , aridplans of the buildings . He considered it would be an improvement and a convenience if the newcourts were erected at Westminster . —Lord St . Leosards thought that the courts had better remain where they now are , in-Lincoln " s-inn . —The Lord Chancellor thought that this motion ought not to have been made . —After a few words from Lords Campbell and Cranworth , the motion was agreed to . .

      THE IEISII 3 IA . ILS , Lord Moxieagle inquired in what mode , and under what authority , it was proposed to give effect to the contract respecting the acceleration of the Irish mails now on the table of the House . He objected to the way in which contracts of . this kind were entered into to the amount of 1 , 000 , 000 / . a year , without Parliament exercising any control over the matter , especially as the next year Parliament may be asked for a vote of that sum to carry out these contracts . —The Karl of Derhy maintained that the contract was perfectly legal . It . , he added , founded on railway , acts passed with the sanction of preceding administrations .

      Mundy , £ ir T . Herbert and Admiral Bruce , even with the bribe of succession to his vacant post at the board . Finally , it was stated that Sir H . Leeke , after rinding his chance hopeless at Devonport , where he had attempted to bias the electors by promising them a share in the official patronage now monopolised by Portsmouth , had consented to become a candidate for Dover , and was in consequence nominated a Lord of the Admiratly . In urging his inquiry into the truth of these statements , birU . Hall observed that , if well founded , they showed that the whole service of tlie navy was thrown into confusion , on the possible eve of a war , because the iunior members of the Admiralty board would not obey Lord issued with sole regard

      speeches , which were to have been delivered upon the late motion of Mr . Wyld , and declined to discuss the subject at length in the then state of the Houses of Parliament ; and on the part of the Government said he should meet the proposition by a direct negative . —Sir R . Bethell suported the motion and replied to objections offered to the ballpt . Tlie argument of Lord J . llussell and Lord Palnierston he observed , was that the elective franchise was a trust , and that those for whose benefit it was held had a right to know how the trust was performed . There was no greater source of error than arguing from a false or imperfect analogy , if the elector was a trustee , in the sense of a trust in lawfor whom he

      , was a trustee ? He supposed it would be said , for the non-electorsthen , according to the analogy , the right to the franchise vested in them , and not in the elector . Lord J . Ku ^ skjx contended that publicity was the presiding . principle throughout the judicial , the administrative , and the political system of the country . He resisted the motion , bat confessed that some of the objections he had once felt against the mcehanicnl contrivance fur secret voting hud become considerably modified , and lie did not aiiprcheml any serious injury , either to tlie political organisation or the social character of the nation froni adopting the ballot . —Lord Palmkkstox , on tlie other hand , felt his objections increased rather than . diminished . Persons might be trustees for the benefit of the nation who did not come within the technicalities

      of the Court of Chancery . Mr . Berkeley proposed to make secret voting compulsory , and'he agreed with Lord J . Itusscll that the people of England would not submit to such tyranny ; they would disobey and rebel against such a law . What , he asked , was to lie the penalty for divulging the secret ? Was it to be line or imprisonment ? It was trifling with Parliament and the . country to propose such a law , which , whatever machinery might be employed , would encourage fraud , falsehood , and corruption . Publicity was an essential element of tlie British Constitution ; whatever public function was exercised by a man for the benefit of the nation should be exercised subject to responsibility . If thc . pro-. tection of secrecy was to be thrown around electors , upon what possible' analogy could the same protection be refused to members of Parliament ? He believed that the system would not work , and that if it could be enforced it would be tyrannical and inconsistent with the principles of the British Constitution !—Mr . A . Mills having spoken against the motion , and- Mr . Co . vixgham in its support , Mr . Bekkei . kv , in replying , described Lord Palmerston ' s spcccli as " flagrant and audacious rubbish . " On a division there appeared , for leave to bring in the bill , 99 . —Against , 10 : 2 . —Majority 3 . The House adjourned at ten minutc ' 3 to ten o ' clock . - Wednesday , ' April IQth . In the Hol-sh of Commons the Exchequer-bills Bill , the Consolitlnted Fund ( Appropriution ) liil , and the Convict Prisons Abroad Bill passed through committee . The Sale of Grain Bill was read a second time . The ICcclesiastical Courts and Kujyis truss ( Ireland ) Bill , the Vexatious Indictments Bill , ttio Conveyance . of Voters Bill , the Admiralty Court Bill , and the Weights and Measures Act Amendment Bill were withdrawn . The House adjourned at five mumtes to . one o ' clock . Thursday , April 14 . STATK OP FOJIKJdX Alfl'AUlS .

      In the llouaw or Lonus , the Eurlot M . u . Miwnu ^ said it would bo conducive to the public service r postpone the expected Government statement uu Monday . VOTE' OJP THANKS TO T 1 IH OOVlsnNQK-01 iN'U" -VI- A >"» TKi : Alt . MV IN INDIA . Lord DKiinv , in moving that a vote of i \ mn 1 " f given to tlio tfovornov-Gcnoral of Intlln , th 0 . / - ' , ' , mtinder-in-Chiof , and the othor o * IIcc 7 ' <¦ ' )! ,, military , ai . nl to the non-domnusBionwl ofllcois nnu mon , both'European and native , of the Inn » ui « ] Jj [ said ho rejoiced to inlbrm tlio llouso tint t ho > uw lion was completely crushed , and the time luil " come to thank those who , under 1 ' rovnlunca . >< first to ^ hmn

      contributed to this result . The person ho would propose a vote of thanks w « s tlioi itovu nop-aenornl , Lord Cunning . Ho culogifloa in no highost terms tlio ability and energy wI '" ' "" nobloman had displayed during the Mo oniwf n 0 ; In consideration of his distinguished bqv \ Itc % ««» Mnjosty had conferred on Lord Cnn « lnff J » < "S nity of a British Earl . Lord Derby onl o » to eulogise tho service * of Lord W » f ^ { liso Governor of Bombay , as only second to iiojj of Lord Canning . Ho expressed hfc > ^ f u ff . of tho ~ courage , dauntless resolution , a " ^ noes with which Sir J . Lnwrenuo had » n ' " ° , revolt in a newly-conquered country , and laiita aaslstanco to tho central Government , l o jui . ¦«¦»

      tiie behests of the First to the electioneering interests of the Government . — Sir J . Pakixotox- said , so far as . . he ' was concerned , he had not only no objection to answer the inquiry , but was very glad of an opportunity to do so . lt was usual , and highly expedient , that members of the Board of Admiralty of the naval profession should have seats in that House . Discussions . frequently occurred upon naval subjects , and he had painfully felt the sreat disadvantage under which he laboured , as a civilian , in contending with naval members upon such subjects ; and it had been his wish to avail himselfof the first opportunity to redress this evil . Captain Carnegie had been asked to accept the vacant

      scat at the Board of Admiralty , with the understandin " that he was to enter the House of Commons when required to ' do so , and accepted the seat , upon those terms . When , the ... Government decided upon a dissolution ,: he ( Sir John ) reminded Captain Carnegie of tlio undertaking , and . mentioned three places where he had a fair chance . To his surprise , Captain Carnegie showed hesitation and vacillation , and ultimately said he did riot mean to fulfil the condition , offering his resignation , which he ( Sir John ) at once accepted , and he professed himself unable to reconcile'this , course-with the honourable engagement he had undertaken . : ' With regard to Sir 11 . Dundas , in a conversation with him , he ( Sir John ) had menwhichit

      tioned to him two or three seats , to one of , was likely he might be . elected ; but he expressed lus unwillingness to enter Parliament for cither . It was accordingly his ( Sir John ' s ) -intention , though with regret , to accept his resignation ; but , a fe \ r days ago , circumstances unconnected with party politics or election matters , rendered it very desirable that the Board should not lose , his services , and Sir Richard acceded to his wish to remain . The place at the Board vacated by Captain Carnegie was filled by Sir II . Leeke , with whom , up to that moment , he ( Sir John ) had not had one word of communication , and whatever Sir Henry had said , or whatever premises he had made , at Devonport , he ( Sir John ) deto do

      clared , upon his honour , that he had nothing with the matter . With respect to Admiral Martin , it was true that ho had expressed an intention of resigning ; but this had nothing to do with a seat in Parliament ; it was founded upon considerations of a personal nature which ho did not feel at liberty to state , and he had revoked his intention , —Admiral DuncoaniK made a statement as to the reasons which had induced him to decline the offer of a scat at the Board of Admiralty . —Mr . B . Os » onK . n commented upon tho scene of political jobbery at the Admiralty which those incidents had disclosed . Tho House , he was convinced , would not siuTer the afiair to pass without a searching inquiry , or much longer leave tho Board unreformed . —The CnANCisixon of the Exciu :-

      qukh called the , attention of tho House to a question involving ono of tho most important principles of the Constitution , —whether the Board of Admiralty ought to be represented in that House or riot . When questions regarding the administration of tho navy cokio before tho llouso , tho prgsent Board , represented only by civilians , were unfairly opposed by professional critics , and ho did not thing that any ono could bo surprised that her Majesty ' s Government should take the earliest opportunity of remedying a defect that was injurious to tho public sorvioo . He could substantiate the statement of Sir J . Pakinuton regarding Captain Carnegie . —After eomo further discussion upon this and other topics , tho Bijl was read a second time , as well as tho Exohoquor-bills

      Bill . TIIJ 3 HALT , OT * Mr . II . Bkrkelkv . moved for leave to introduce a bill to cause tho votes of- tho parliamentary doctors of Groat Britain and Ireland to be takon by way of ballot . In support of this motion tho hon . member adduced a multitude of instances exhibiting tho oxtont to which corruption , intimidation , and other impi'ppor influences , were carried under tho existing system . Every legislative attempt to put clown thoao practices had uttorly failed , nnd no void protection could bo aflbrded to tho electors oxcopt by tho ballot , which they had long petitioned , 1 ' or ns a favour , but which hereafter thoy might exact as a right .-r-Tho motion was sccondod by Sir J , V . SniojcUoY . — The Hontu SicomoTAitY followed , observing thnt he supposed tho speeches of the mover and socondcr wove to bo looked upon as dropped

      Some discussion ensued , in which various comments were passed upon the extension of the contract system by the Duke of Argyll , the Earl of Hardwicke , the Marquis of Clanricarde , and other peers . rOKEIGJr AFFAIRS . Lord Hakdwicke informed the House that Lord Malmesbuev hoped to make a statement on the present condition of foreign affairs on Friday . Their lordshitis adjourned at a quarter to eight o ' clock .

      THE I > ISSOTVCTIO ; f . ' In the House of Commons , the report of the Committee of Ways and Means was brought iip and agreed to . ,-, In reply to Lord Palmeiistox , . the Chancellor of the Exchequer fixed Friday for his state m regarding our foreign relations , and stated that the prorogation might take place on Tuesday next ; but lie declined to name a day for the dissolution * though urged to do sp , insisting that no person in his position had been or ought to be called upon to fix a precise day . _ ¦ _ . ¦ ¦ ¦ , _ . „ _ , Government Billand

      The Local Supplemental , the , Confinr . aticn and Probate A * Amendment Bill passed through -committed The Pauper Maintenance A ^ t Continuance Bill , and the Naval Medical Supplemental Ifund Society Annuities , & c , Act Continuance Bill were read a third time and passed . The House having gone into committee on the Kailway Tickets Transfer Bill some opposition was raised respecting the exorbitant powers which tho measure conferred oh the railway companies . After a brief discussion , on the motion of Lord Lovaixe , he Chairman was ordered to leave the chair , and the bill was thus practically abandoned for the present session . The Convict Prison Abroad Bill was read a second time . .

      a ? he House adjourned at twenty-fire minutes to six o ' clock . Tuesday % April 12 . In the Hot-sb of Louds , after a ldrig discussion , the Waterman : nncl Lighterman Bill , tho Superannuation Bill , and the Public Offices Extension Bill were read a second time on the motion of Lox'd Donouoii-MOBB . Tho Indemnity Bill was road a third thno and passed . Tho Municipal Elections Bill was read a scdond time . Their lordships then adjourned . TUP I-OltJDS OJi THE ADMIBAI-l'V . In the House of Commons , on tho order for tho second reading of the Consolidated Ifund ( Appronriation ) Bill , Sir B . Ham , who had given notice of Lord ot tno

      Ixis intention to ask tho tfirst Admiralty whether lie had any objection to state the causos ot tho late changes in tho Board , and proceeded to set forth certain allegations as to the conduct of the First Lord toward some of tho Naval Lords—namely , that ho had desirod Sir K . Dundas to stand for n particular borough ( he believed Dover ) , which Sir Riclmrd declined to do , ami upon boinff urged tendered his resignation , while Captain Carnegie , on a eimlllftr reaucat being made to him , had tondorod his resignation as one of the junior Lords of the Admiralty rather than undertake j and whlah had boon successively i > vor > asod in vain to Sir "VV . Hoste , Capt .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 16, 1859, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16041859/page/4/