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Leader (1850-1860), 18th July 1857, Edition 2 of 2, Page 6, a~a THB LEAB1K [STcn 382; Juily 1%. 185f...

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      ¦ — I 4kperial Parliament. —?—- 3fondny,...

      diture which t £ i & House was asked to make good * So much for' thesuceessful war with Persia / He must support the present motion , though gr ieved ; to do anythingwhich might embarrass the Government . —Viscount Bury would , for that r . easpn , oppose the motion , though * disapproving of the Persian war . —Mr . Dauby Sisy-M < j 0 E also opposed the motion ,, and defended the war . — Mr . "WifctOffOHBY thought the present was not the time for arraigning' the Government .- —Sir W . F . Wii ^ iamsobserved that , withiu his . personal knowledge , the

      designs of Russia upon India , were the theme of eonversa * - tion throughout the East . Under these circumstances , the war with Persia * was politde and necessary . If the finger of Russia was visible at Herat , that of England was seen at Mohammerah . — Mr . Lygon ( who spoke for the first time ) reminded the House that it was wandering away from the real point at issue in discussing the abstract justice of the Persian war . The true question before the House was the great constitutional question whether wars should be made without its sanction . —Mr . Sheridan ' supported the motion .

      Lord John Russell said Mr . Roebuck Iiad raised two questions—viz ., as to the control of the House over grants of money , and as to the policy of tbe Persian war . The House had been in a great measure a consenting party to the war ; but he dfd not think the Government without blame in the matter , as they had carried their reserve so far as to say that they would not produce the papers in connexion with the war until the ratification of the peace . Still , the House would not be justified in coming to so strong a condemnatory resolution as Mr . Roebuck ' s . With respect to the war

      itself , he conceived that as good a convention might have been had without a war as that we had obtained by . hostilities . Ah agreement might have been come to oh the basis of the concessions made by Fc-rukh K . han at Constantinople , or by means of temperate diplomatic discussion . If Pe ; sia really was inclined to Russian influences , our wisest course would be to conciliate her j and indeed the only way to maintain peace is by endeavouring to smooth down quarrels , and by telling our agents that it is-not our interest or our wish to Inflame differences .

      Mr . Walpole agreed with Lord John Russell as regards the policy of the late war , but was disappointed with , his tone on the constitutional question of responsibility to the House . Parliament should have been called together as soon as expenditure was determined on ; but that was not done . He should vote for going into Committee of Supply , but on the distinct understanding that Governments are not to involve the country in the expenses of a war without the knowledge of the legislative body . — Colonel Sykes approved of the comae the Government had taken for securing the independence of Herat , the key of India . —Mr . Veknon

      Smith denied that it was constitutionally the duty of a Minister of the Crown to consuirParliament before going to war or making peace ; and he questioned , moreover , the policy of disclosing to the world our intentions when hostilities were contemplated . The calling Parliament together specially might have been prejudicial to the public interests * When Parliament did meet the papers were laid before it as soon as the negotiations were brought to a close . The same treaty could not have been obtained at Constantinople as had been concluded at Paris . The powers of Ferukh Khan , hi the first instance , were , defective , and the negotiations were broken off by him .

      Mr . Gladstone took an unfavourable viow of the policy of the Persian war . Ho was sceptical of the inir portance which was attached to the possession of Herat . Ho could attribute to other causes than intrigues against India by either Persia or Russia ,, the desire of Persia , with its ancient traditions , to obtain possession of that city . Tbe pvesent * question , however , was , whether the conduct of the Government in not informing t-ho House of the commencement of the l « to Persian war , was such as to deserve severe reprehension . Neitherreeentevonta in China or India ? nor the policy of the Persian war itself was fairly a pnrt of the question . Bat . this was apparent—that pence was concluded at Paris , alter the

      war * i »* terms less favourable than woro oft ' oroil at Constantinople boforo it . With regard to the constitutional question * ho contended that the power of Parliament ought not to bo curtailed by tlie doctrine that the action of the vast and powerful machinery of the Indian Government should be altogether independent of their authority ; { Cheers . ) The ilrst part of tho resolution , which merely rooitod faot ;>< , wa » the one which they were then called on to decide upon \ but with regard to the scoond part , though he did nut wi « h to ccnouru tho Govornmont , ho thought the Houao would not bo doing its duty if it passiid over without notice tho course which had ! been taken .

      Lord PAtMBUtBTON asserted that it was a principla of tho constitution that the Ministry should huvo tho power of declaring war or concluding ; peace , but , at the aaine tima ,. he freely admit tod ( . hat it was their duty to take the earliest possible opportunity of oomniiniieating- to Parliament the course which tJiey Had folt it their , duty to puraue . 'JPW * oaae , howovmy w « e an exception to the general ' rule . For the reaaona et « tod ,. ii > would lmvttbeoa < inexpedient at the first ) expootnbion of war to call P < w * liamont together , and , often t \ m . declaration of wmy the ,

      earliest tsimer that Parliament could have been called together was the first or second week in January . It ; was- appointed to meet early in February ; but when it did meet , where were the members for the Oxford and Cambridge Universities ? Where were the great champions * of constitutional' privileges ? Silent as the grave ( Mem-. ') Those gentlemen who thought that Parliament should have been called ; hastily together a fortnight sooner , brooded over their indignation from February till July . ( Lauff 7 itePi and loud cheers . ) The member for Sheffield had contemplated the loss of the Indian , Empire , and other calamities , and , when hori . members cried , " No ,, no , " lie had saidr " Those are English noes . " { Hear , hear . ) He wished he could say that the hon member ' s speeches were English speeches ( cheers );

      but it was because they were not that his vote of censure recoiled upon himself and his supporters . The weakness of Persia by the side of India rendered it politic that Herat , the key of India , should not be in the hands of Persia ; and , the progress of events had shown that the evacuation c-f Herat could not have been obtained without resorting to hostilities . Upon this ground he contended that the war was justified *; and , with regard to the argument that sufficient had not been , gained by the treaty of peace , he thought the Government should be praised instead of censured for waiving objections in order to avoid the continuance of war . ( i 7 e «/ v ) He held that the policy of the Government * which was the policy of . Lord Malmesbury as well as of ? Lord Clarendon , could not but be beneficial to England ;

      and he therefore asked the House to proceed at once to the Committee of Supply . Mr . Biskaei . 1 thought , the resolutions possessed a constitutional principle in nervous , proper , and Parliamentary language , and he defended Mr . Roebuck from the- vitirperation which had been cast upon him . He was justified in calling attention to the subject ; but the premise * hardly justified the sweeping conclusions which were arrived at , aud therefore he ( Mr . Disraeli ) should vote for going into Committee . The House then divided , when there

      appeared—For going into Committee cf Supply 352 For Mr . Roebuck ' s resolution * ^ s • • ^ Majority ... ... ... —314 The announcement was received with laughter and Ministerial cheers . The House then -went into Committee of Supply , when the report was- brought up and agreed to . The routine business was disposed of , and the House adjourned shortly after one o ' clock .

      A~A Thb Leab1k [Stcn 382; Juily 1%. 185f...

      a ~ a THB LEAB 1 K [ STcn 382 ; Juily 1 % . 185 ft , O # O- ¦ , ¦ - - ¦ ,...- —¦ -. . ,.

      Election Committees. Gax,Way (Town.)—Som...

      ELECTION COMMITTEES . Gax , way ( Town . )—Some amusing evidence was given before this committee , last Saturday , by Edward Waldron , a butcher and a freeman . He said that an offer had been made to him of 47 . for his vote if he could get twenty other butchers to join him . He replied , that he would go as the rest of the trade went . The price waa afterwards raised to 5 / . a man . In cross-examination on behalf of the sitting member , Mr . O'Flaherty , Waldron 3 aid : — " He was the man who hud sworn at Galway that he drank a quart of whisky at a sitting . He drank his whisky neat—he did not know the meaning , of ' diluted . ' { Laughter . ) He had once voted for Mr . O'Flaherty without getting anything for his vote . There were forty-eight of his trade , and they all went together . At the last election , he received nothing for his vote for the town , but he did for his vote for the county . He had not mstde a bargain for the trade . They had neither received nor expected anything . They all voted for Colonel French . He hud beon promised nothing except by Miles Ward . Ho had made up hia mind to vote for French at tho time he waa drinking out Miles Word's money . When ho hnd drunk out Miles Ward ' s money , he began to drink on his own . Ho hud never made any arrangomejit with a man named Gill , but ho was once at Gill's house when one of tho trade suid that they would vote for 10 / . each . He said 51 . was enough . Some other man said that tho other trades got 10 / ., speaking of the tailors , and bo thought they ought to have an much .

      Hie money wna refused them ; and Mr . Blulto , who wus tho candidate at that time , withdrew . His retirement wae in consequenco of that couvuraation . They then tologruphcd for Colonel French to take , Mr . Bluke ' d pluco . Ho denied that they hud mudo an offer to Gill to vote for M . n-pieco . " On ro-oxnmiiiation , the witness said that in 1852 lie waa agent for the county election for a . few hours , and got Si . Ho then rooeivod 8 / . for voting foe tho town . —Mr . Anthony OMftaltartr-, tho flitting niembor , also < gave evidence , and denied that lie hnd bributi oc treated nny one . Ho placed in the hands of

      Mr . Bernard O'Fluhorty , a relative , tho sum of 050 / ., but that was towards the payment of the necessary expenses . He alao placed 50 / . in the hands of a person named John Oliver , for tho purpose of hiring a room aud engaging street nioaaeirgers ;¦ but h , o never gave him or any other person monoy for an improper or corrupt purpoBO . A previous olection hcnl coat hint 1500 / ., though be waa promised that lie should be returned free of xponao . The present inquiry has resulted in tho unsofttlag of Mr Anthony O'Flnliorty . Ma . to . ~~ Tb « committee hayo given in thoir report ,

      the-upshot of which is the unseating Mr . Moore , on the ground of tho intimidation exercised by the priests . IiAMBBTH , — -The petition in this case- is- against the return-of Mr . Roupelly one of the Liberal candidates on tho ground of bribery . A great many agents appear to have been engaged , and ? an ' unnessary number of publichouses hired for committee-rooms and for placarding . Mr . W . Buckland , an estate agent and collector of the rents of some hundred tenants in Camberwell and Walworfch , said he was chairman of the committee at the Duke of Suffolk in Walworttu In cross-examination , he stated : " Nothing to drink was allowed in ; his committee-room , which-so disgusted file members that they signed a round robin to the central committee asking for

      an allowance of drink , but the central committee- veryproper ty refused the application . " ( Lauy hfcr . ) Mr . jftfanniug , asurgeon , who had been employed to ascertain tho relative positions of certain public-houses in tbe borough , gave evidence as to some which had been omployedas committee-rooms by Mr . Roupell . They were at a-very short distance from each other . Mr . Truman , who had acted under a Kir . Barton , stated that he was present at tho general committee when it was decided that the publichouses- should be opened . " He had signed cheques in conjunction with the treasurer . On the 16 th of March , he signed a cheque for 10 GO / ., and on the 20 th one for 1000 / ., on the 27 th one for 1272 / ., and on the 2 nd of April one for 1400 / ., making , with an entry of caeii

      drawn from the bank on the 6 th of April , a total of 4822 / ., of which there was a small balance remaining at the end of the election . He signed f-n-ty-four or fortyfive pay-sheets , biit could not tell the number of publichouses or beershops w hich had been engaged as placarding houses . There might have been a dozen ,, but he certainly bad not paid fifty . He believed the word ' canvasser' had been substituted for ' chairman' on tfae pay-sheets , because the central committee only acknowledged and engaged them as canvassers . In every case they refused to acknowledge paid conimitteemen . Not a single cQinmitteeman was paid as a committeeman . Thev were only paid as canvassers . The word ' chairman' might have been printed on the pay-sheet , but no payments were made to any one as chairman . Some of

      the forty-four houses were houses of call , where there was a respectable man as clerk to receive the canvassers and pay the money" The report of . the committee declares that the objections to MrT Roupell ' s return arefrivolous . There appear to have been some very discreditable attempts on the part of the promoters of the petition to bargain with Mr . Koupell for its withdrawal , provided he would consent not to proceed against them for costs , and to use his influence as a member of the House to obtain the passing of an act for embodying a certain railway company in which the petitioners were interested , and of which , in that case , Mr . Roupell should be created a director . The hon . gentleman stated in his evidence that he felt strongly moved to kick the person who made tlie proposal to him .

      Buitv St . Edmund ' s . —This committee has declared the sitting member , Mr . Hardcastle , to be duly elected . Wkymoutii and Haldon . —These committees have been sitting in the coux-so of the week . The allegations against the present members are bribery , treating ,, and undue influence .

      Mr. Gladstone On Classical Education. Th...

      MR . GLADSTONE ON CLASSICAL EDUCATION . The annual examination of the pupils of Trinity Col-Inge , Glenalmoiul , Perthshire—an institution connected with the Scotch Episcopal Church—took place on Thursday week , A large and brilliant company did honour to the occasion . After the examination , the visitors and the chief persons of tho College met at luncheon , and Mr . Gladstone , in giving tho toast of ' The Parents , * made a long speech . After a few preliminary remarks , lie undertook tho somewhat unnecessary trouble of eulogizing Scotch genus , skill , and energy—a task which our nortliorn neighbours are not slow in performing for themselves . Ho observed : — " Thoro is iu > population on

      tho fuco of tho earth , at least in my knowledge , wluoh has produced in proportion to its numbers so large a company of eminent men , so vn . st an amount of moral energy , such a masculine tono of thought , so that the numo of a Scotch man is provcrbiul fur prudence , sagacity , and self-ivllance—of almost every quality on which man ' s success in lifo depends . No doubt wo ( hid the source of these results in tlio character of tho people , and also in the institutions of tho country ; but if there id one weak place in those institutions , it ' in in connexion with that department of knowloilyo which , is tho object of your energetic and valuable labours—that particular

      department of high mind culturo which U derived from tho fountains of Grooco and Rome , to which , in a groat dogroo , ia due tho civilization of ISuropo , and which poasosaos a power almost greater than any other in contributing to innko man groat . If tho want of this lifts boon neroQptlblo in Scotland , I am glad to think that the supply of tlmt defect in tlie outaet hits boon tliu main and specific object of the foundation of Trinity College . Not that I would epenlt as if the- cultivation of the mental ponrers worn the liwpiring- idea . It is Trinity College tat which we- stand , and it ia tho glory of God that ia tho ' and of this foumlntion . " ( Ajiplawe . )

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 18, 1857, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_18071857/page/6/