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    No. 465, February 19, 1* 59.] THE LEADEB...

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    The Ballot Society.—The annual dinner to...

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  • 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.

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    Imperial Parliament. Monday, February 14...

    ^^ on Lfor the bill , 181 ; against it , 102 . It has racial reference to the execution of works at Liverpool and Birkenhedd to accommodate the steam and timber trade .. TIIK AFPOINT 3 IENT OF MR . HIGGINS . Mr Clivk , repeated a question he . had put on the nrevious day , respecting the appointment of Mr . W . F Higguis to the office of Master in Lunacy . —1 he Chaucellok of the Exchequer stated that Mr . Higeins had spontaneously resigned the office , adding that , in doing so , lie had , in liis opinion , acted with a due sense of self respect .

    LUNATICS . On a motion brought forward by Mr . Tile , a select committee was ordered to inquire into the operation of the laws relating to the care and treatment of lunatics , especially those so found , by a coroner ' s inquisition . — The Home Sucketarv explained the tenor of two bills , for the introduction of which he intended ito ask leave that evening , relating to the management of lunatic inmates in county and private asylums . ISSlltVKXCV

    BANKRUPTCY AXI ) .. Lord J . RLt = S £ LL ,, in moving for leave to bring in a bill to amend -ami consolidate the laws relating to bankruptcy and insolvency , adverted to the relations of traders to their creditors , the origin of the bankruptcy law , the proceedings under the old system , the changes introduced by Lord Brougham , and the institution of the Court of Bankruptcy . He considered the complaints made of the present system . The first was . the expense of the Court , 30 per cent , of the assets being consumed in the proceedings . He proposed to correct this evil by doing away with the necessity of resorting to the official-assignees , and by placing other expenses upon the Consolidated

    Fund . Pleproposed to abolish the distinction between traders and non-traders , and to make the law applicable to bankrujits and insolvents alike . A single Court would introduce much greater economy / and more uniformity of proceeding . lie proposed that creditors should have the option-of carrying . the case before a County Court . Another , evil was the- want of power to make voluntary settlements , and he proposed that when a majority of the creditors in number , their debts being four-fifths in value , agreed to a private ' . arrangement , it should be lawful so to

    adjust the settlement . Another complaint was the uncertainty of the punishment for fraud , and for this the Bill , provided a remedy . The bill was intended not only to amend-,-but to ' consolidate the lawof bankruptcy . —The Attoukey-Gkneual pointed out what he believed to be defects in what had just been proposed . He made reference to the measure of the Lord Chaxcklloi * , and advised the House not to be in a hurvy with Lord J . Russell ' s lull , seeing that they might have the other placed before them . —Mr . HEADtiUi and Mr . Moffat also made some

    observations , after which leave was granted . Mr . Alcociv was in the act of moving for a JRoyal Commission to report about ' . the Aboliijon of Tolls , when the House was counted out a little after eight o ' clock .

    Wednesday , February \ 6 . ¦ In the llorsi-: ojf Commons , after the presentation of a large number of petitions , the Tramways ( Ireland ) Bill was read a second time cm the motion oi Sir K . FcitcsirsoN , . MAUItlAGH LAW AMEXnMKXT . Lord Britv moved the second rending of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill . This measure ., which would render legal marriage with a deceased wife ' s sister , wns , he said , word for word the same as

    that introduced in mid passed by the House oi * Commons last session .- —The motion wits seconded by Mr . SciiNEiiijiH . —Mr . Hoi'ic , in moving to defer the second rending for six months , reiterated , the arguments ' lie had urged upon former occasions against the proposed uhunge of tho law , which , he contended , would open the door ito ulterior changes destructive of social purity . The decision of the other House , which had reject oil tho former bills , had been indorsed , he said , by the good sense and good feeling

    of the country . —Mr . Bali , supported tho bill , being unconvinced '" by the arguments of Sir . Hope-, based upon either religions or nodal grounds . — Mr . HrxTox likewise supported the fooohiI reading of the bill , urging tho inc-xpoiiivno-y of leaving the question in its present stale of suspense , — -Mr . J ) i « i ;> imoni » , in opposing tho bill , which would , in his opinion , il passed , give a sanction to incest , laid u stress upon the religious objection . — -Mr . Akuoyi ; and General Thompson HiKik ' u in favour of the measuro .-r-Mr .

    Protestant- States . He urged the strange inconsistencies and anomalies into which such a change would plunge us , and that nothing could be so dangerous as to pass a law upon this subject for one part of the kingdom only ; and he asked , if the law were relaxed in Tegard to one case of affinity , what was to be done in other cases . He gave his hearty opposition to the second reading of the bill . —Lord J . Russell , said . he had satisfied himself that there was not any religious prohibition of these

    marriages . Upon the social part of the question , balancing the disadvantages on one side against the practical evils on the other , he was ready , he said , to forego his strong objections to an alteration of the law . But if Parliament agreed to this change , it could not stop there . He should give his vote , though with reluctance , for the second reading of the bill . —After a few remarks by Mr . Walter , and a brief reply by Lord Bury , the house divided , when the second reading was carried by 135 to 77 .

    BARON M . X > E ROTHSCHILD . During the course of this discussion Baron Meyer de Rothschild , recently elected member for Hythe , came to the table to be sworn . A resolution , in conformity with the act passed last session , for allowing him to take the parliamentary oath , omitting the words " on the true faith of a Christian , " was proposed by Mr . A . Smith , arid seconded by Lord J . Russell . After a short conversation this motion was agreed to , and the "lion , member duly took his seat . The house adjourned at three o ' clock .

    Thursday , February 17 . THE IONIAN ISLANDS . In the House of Lords Earl Grey asked whether the accounts in the newspapers of certain proposals for a change in the constitution of the Ionian Islands , recommended to , the Ionian Parliament by the Lord High Commissioner , Mr . Gladstone , were authentic ; and , if so , whether those proposals met with the approval of the Government ? Artel * also , whether there was any objection to lay the correspondence that had passed , oil the subject before the house ?—The Earl of Carnarvon , after explaining the nature of the mission which Mr . Gladstone had originally undertaken ,-and which had recently been exchanged

    for a temporary assumption of the High Camimssiohership in the Ionian Islands , stated that the propositions alluded'to were still under consideration by the-local legislature ; and it would , he submitted , be inexpedient to publish them until the determination of that assembly was known . —Earl Grey intimated his-intention of * returning to the question , arid challenging a full discussion upon it . —Lord Derby declined to discuss the question in its present state . In answer'to Lord Ellenborough , he explained that the consent of the Crown was necessary to any act of the Ionian Parliament . He deprecated any anticipation of a question about to be discussed in the Ionian Parliament as prejudicial to the public interests .

    which attended the present demise * of real property , and submitted his bill as constituting a much required combination . It did not interfere with , ¦ wills , but simply provided that in cases of intestacy landed estates would be apportioned among the natural heirs in the same manner as was already practised with regard to personality . —The Solicttok-Geneual abstained from offering any opposition to the first reading of the measure . There / were' however , he observed , innumerable difficulties surrounding

    the scheme , as outlined by the proposer , which he feared it would be found almost impossible to overcome . —Lord H . Vane was not convinced of the necessity or propriety of an alteration of the law , for which there was no demand on the part of the public . —Mr . MellOr supported the motion . The bill , he observed , would leave the action of a testator perfectly free ; it would merely , in the case of no will distribute the property equitably . —After a few words from Mr . Hadfielp , leave was given .

    RESTRICTIONS UPON THE PRESS . Mr . Ayrton moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal certain Acts and parts of Acts relating to newspapers , pamphlets , and other publications arid to printers , type-founders , and reading-rooms , He reviewed the history of the Acts in question , their origin and objects , contending that they were exceptional laws , suited to extraordinary times ; thai the restrictions they imposed were as unnecessary as they were obnoxious ; and he proposed to sweej away these ancient statutory provisions , and to IeaV € these publications to the general law . —The Solicitor-General o bserved that , as some of the enactments referred to were obsolete and never enforced he thought it was a sound principle not to allow them to remain upon the Statute _ -book . He should not , therefore , offer any opposition to the introduction of the bill . —Leave was given .

    EDUCATION ( sqOTLAND ) . Lord Melound moved by way of resolution that the vote of money for . education in Great Britain should be henceforth divided into two votes , one to be taken for Scotland and the other for England .- — Mr . Adderley maintained that the proposed division would result in increased complicity and expense in working the system of national education , without producing any corresponding advantage . — Mr . Buchanan , Mr . Blackburn , Mr . Black , Lord Duncan , and ^ s ?> me other members , hay ing spoken , the motion was negatived without a division . Mr . J . PiTGKRALD obtained leave to bring in a bill to consolidate and amend the laws relating to juries in Ireland . SCOTCH BIX . LS . Mr . Black moved for leave to bring in . a bill to abolish the Ministers' Money , or Annuity Tax , levied within the city of Edinburgh , the parish of Canongate , and the burgh of Montrose .- ^ -The Lord Advocate , not opposing , leave was given . Sir E . CoLEiJitooKE obtained leave to introduce a bill for the amendment of the law for the registration of county voters in Scotland . The Marriage Law Amendment Bill passed through Committee , and the House adjourned at 10 minutes past 7 o ' clock .

    The Law of Property and Trustees Relief Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed . EXCUANISE OF ADVOWSONS . Lord Derby introduced a bill to regulate the exchange of church patronage between the Crown and her Majesty ' s subjects . The bill was read a first time . Their L ordships adjourned at a few minutes past six o ' clock .

    NEW MEMBERS . r n the House of Commons , Mr . Lever took the oaths and his seat for Galway , and Alderman Salomons for Greenwich , under the resolution proposed on Wednesday ; and Mr . Duncomue gave notice of a motion to place that resolution among the standing orders . A new writ was ordered for Marylebone . A number of petitions were presented for the repeal of tho paper duties , and from dissenters praying an alteration of the law as to tho trusteeship of endowed schools . Colonel Sykks asked several questions about India , to the most important of which—whether the maintenance of a standing army there , independent of ( he Mutiny Act , is not imoons ( itulional ^ -Lprd Stanley declined to give an immediate answer .

    Mr . 'Bland asked whether Ireland is to have a Hcform Bill , and Mr . Disraeli declined to answer any question of the kind till the 28 th . THE BALLOT . Mr . Dillwv . n asked whethor a bill establishing tho ballot at elections in tho colony of New South Wales had been passed by the colonial legislature , and had received tho royal assent . — Sir K . B . Lvtton stated that a bill of that nature had been transmitted from tho colony , after parsing tho local assembly , but was still under consideration by the Government .

    St-uuaut deduced uu argument against tliu bill from its non-tixtentiion to Scotland and Ireland , —Sir U . Lewis , approving the principle of thu bill , suggested to hi . s opponents why they should not relax their opposition , uml whether they could expect to induce the country permanently to submit to a state \ r ' i ' ' ' ' uGH 11 ot cxiat * iu any oilier count ry ~ Mr . Wali'olw observed that this ' was a question <> J altering tho relations of the hwiitIhkc Mute conirnry to tho law , not only of this country , but , unless it were curried further , to the law of other

    KNAL K 8 TATIB . INTESTACY . Mr . L , Kino inovod for leave to bring in a bill for the bettor settling tho real estates of intoRtatcB . Ho romarkod upon tho anomalies and inconvenience

    No. 465, February 19, 1* 59.] The Leadeb...

    No . 465 , February 19 , 1 * 59 . ] THE LEADEB . 229

    The Ballot Society.—The Annual Dinner To...

    The Ballot Society . —The annual dinner took place at the Albion Tavern , on Wednesday . The President , Mr . Berkeley , took the chair , and was surrounded by an influential company , which included more than a dozen members of Parliament . The question of a permissive Ballot , said to be likely to be proposed by the Government , was alluded to . and the chairman remarked that lie would advise its acceptance , upon condition that the way of

    ascertaining whether a constituency wanted tho Ballot should bo by Die Ballot itself . The toast of " The Army and " Navy , " gave General Thompson and Admiral Napier an opportunity of explaining their views about tho defences of the country ; both these gallant officers * agreed that the country wns in a most defenceless condition , both as regards the navy and the army . Before tho meeting broke up one of the speakers shrewdly remarked that many . members of Parliament ave not in earnest on this question . Tim TjiETOTALLiins . —A great meeting in support of tho principles of the United Kingdom Alliance , was held in Kxoter Hull on Wednesday night . Tho chair was taken' bv Sir Walter Trovelyan , who lias identified himself with thu movement from tho outset . Tho principal speakers wvro Profossor Newman and Mr . Pope , both of whom advocated the permissive ohmno of thu Prohibitory Liquor Law , with great ability . The ' nieoling was full and enthusiastic . Taxks on , Knowlhuue . —Tho Anti-Taxes on Knowledge- Society 'nwo addressed a very timely letter to the Soiioilor-Guuorai , urging him to voto for tho repeal of tho obnoxious enactments in question , him ! hu has confuted . ( Jlkkical . ^ -hTIio Kuv . Ilunry White , Curate of St . James , Dover , has been appointed by the Chancellor of tho 4 ) uohy of Lancaster , to tho incMtriboncj' of tho Savoy Church , in tho Strand .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 19, 1859, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19021859/page/5/