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Leader (1850-1860), 19th April 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 358, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      The discussion on the Assessed Taxes Act on Monday evening did not lead to anything . Several members expressed their hostility to a duty on houses , on various grounds , but no one seemed disposed to give any serious opposition to it , and the resolutions proposed by Sir Charles Wood were agreed to without alteration . The House then went into committee on the coffee and timber duties . In discussing the proposed reduction of the duties from 6 d . on foreign and 4 d . on colonial coffee , to a "uniform duty of 3 d . pet lb ., some remarks were made on the chicory question . Mr . T . Baring said he could not understand

      why the Chancellor of the Exchequer should encourage the adulteration of coffee any more than he would that of other articles of food . If excise prosecutions were to be instituted for adulterations in beer and pepper , why should the adulteration of coffee be sanctioned by the Treasury minute ? Sir Charles Wood did not think proper to explain : "He would reserve what he had to say on that subject until the motion of which the honourable gentleman had given notice was under discussion . " Mr . Hume believed coffee was so cheap as not to be worth the adulterating , and that Government was acting wisely in not sending an excise officer into every shop . His wish , was to see every excise officer

      removed , and he fancied the time was coining when such a removal would take place . Mr . Waklf / y thought it strange that Government should sanction a palpable fraud . How could they prosecute tradesmen for frauds of another description if the chicory fraud were passed over ? He contended that chicory ¦ was an unwholesome root , and that its constant consumption was attended with pernicious consequences . Sir Charles Wood said he did not believe chicory to be obnoxious . Mr . Wakley reiterated his former opinion . He recollected that Sir Charles Wood had suffered very much from ill health last year , and he had no doubt that it was owing to his having purchased coffee with too much chicory in it . The resolution for the reduction of the duties on coffee was

      then put and carried , as was also another for the reduction of the timber duties . The Kafir question was brought before the House of Commons on Tuesday evening by Mr . Adderley , who presented a petition signed by persons in London connected with the Cape , praying that the House ¦ would be pleased " to recommend to her Majesty the appointment of a commission of inquiry to proceed as speedily as possible to the Cape of Good Hope to inquire into , and report upon , the relations between this country and the native tribes on the frontier of her Majesty's possessions in Southern Africa . " Among other names appended to the petition was

      that ot the gentleman delegated to represent the grievances of the Cape to her Majesty on behalf of nine-tenths of the electoral body there . He went on to say that there was not a government at the Capo at present ; there was a governor , but not even a council , whilst a dangerous war raged upon the frontier , and our po icy with relation to the native tribes had utterly failed . He wished to see an end to this policy . The colony ought to have a representative government conceded to it , and it would then tuke upon itself the responsibility and task of its own administration . He objected to Lord John Russell ' s amendment in favour of a select committee

      ot inquiry , on the ground that it would only waste time and do nothing . lie reviewed the course ol policy pursued by Sir H : irry Smith , his military colonization , his system of < omrnissionerships , his mode of dealing with the des itution of the native chiefs , and with the influence of the wizards ; and he insisted that this policy had resulted in failure and disgrace , the existing war being waged , not against the colonists , but against the Government , to recover territory , und the authority of the chiefH , which ! Sir Hurry , at the iriBtance . of Lord Grey , had broken up . L >> rd John in moving , as an amendment , that a select committee be appointed to inquire into the

      relations between thia country and the Kafirs , traced the history of the eolony from its cession to us by the Dutch down to the late outbreak . After describing the various plans pursued towards the native tribes of Southern Alrica , he contended that th \ e policy of Sir Harry Smith vms bused upon that of hi « predecessors , and , ho far from his having been unjust to the chiefs , Sir Harry had been charged with aa excess of lenity towards them . The present war hud been kept uta distance from the colonists , which w « s H <> fa * good ; but further measures were requisite , which ought to be considered dispassionately . Tli « House could not Buy , he thought , " let the colonists have free iriHtitutious and take their own course At their own cost . " He feared in that ease ; this

      country would foe responsible- for serious eoiiHequeneeH—a war of races , murder and rapine upon u hirgo scale . DismisBing this alternative , then , there were , first , the plan of Lord ( Henelg , of restricting ruther than extending the colonial frontier , and treaties with tho native tribes , which had and had failed ; secondly , the plan and his thre e predecessors , ol ' exto the Kei , which would afford tho moti < mB of the suvuK triho » > ireiiuu Smit

      establishing a line of potto as places of security . His opinion was that this system was the most consistent with safety and with humanity . At the same time it was a plan which involved military movements and expense ; and he thought it quite right that the House of Commons should delegate to a committee the task of obtaining information and repotting their opinion whether it wat a plan which the tSkyvernment ought to adopt . Mr . Vbrnon Smith ditsented from both motions . This was a question entirely for the Executive Government . The appointment of a commission in the colony would weaken the authority of the governor . Mr . Scott supported the amendment . He thought the sending a

      commission to the Cape would be highly prejudical to the Cape . Mr . Macxinnon said the contest in Caffraria was the inevitable result of a contact of civilization with utter barbarism . No amalgamation could take place ; the savage would retire farther and farther back until lie disappeared altogether . Mr . Gladstone said the philosophical theory of Mr . Mackinnon did not much help the inquiry ; the question was , were the incidents of that theory capable or not of being affected by prudent or impolitic conduct on our part ? It was impossible to decide on whom the blame rested

      for the past ; the future , however , was in our power . As to the appointment of a commission , he was not aware that anything could be done by a commission that could not be done by the governor . With respect to a select committee , that would hang up the question for two sessions , and it would be a bad instrument for such an inquiry . He thought the best Government for a colony was one in itself ; but if there was to be a colonial government in this country , let us have a Queen ' s Government . It was impossible to devise in this country the means of settling our relations with the Kafir tribes . The whole matter

      should be carried over aa speedily as possible to the colony itself . He protested against the doctrine that a colony was to be treated like an infant , and that it was necessary to prepare it for free institutions . This was a great practical and mischievous fallacy . Colonies should be founded in . freedom . Colonel Thompson argued that the best security against semibarbarou 8 tribes was to treat them with justice . Sir E . Buxton held the same doctrine . He prayed the House to return to the high principle laid down by Lord Glenelg , treat the natives as we should wish them to treat us , under similar circumstances . Mr . Roebuck ridiculed such a course . It was all

      pretence to talk of humanity , the principles of Christianity , and the Decalogue , in such a case . The black man must vanish before the white . We had no business in Kaffraria , except on the understanding that we were about to plant there a people of higher intelligence , and this could only be done by the gradual annihilation of the native population . They might oppose cunning and artifice to knowledge and force , but it would be vain . We must make up our minds as to theinevitableresult . Hestill said colonize ; he knew it cculd not bo done without great suffering by the native population ; he regretted this , but the end sanctioned it . How should it be accomplished ? Just as in the case of the North American colonies ,

      by telling the colonists , " We will protect you against great powers , but aguinst the aborigines you must defend yourselves . " Mr . Labotjchkre supported the amendment . Mr . Hume opposed the appointment of a committee , but he believed a commission sent out to the Cape would he of great service . Mr . J . Belt , protested against the doctrine laid down by Mr . Roehucjc , who had avowed the principle of doing evil th . it good might come . If a doctrine characterized by such a l ) loodthii > ty and rapacious spirit were to be acted on , where would the mischief end ? Who was to be the judge of which of two nations was the more civilized ? Lord John ' s amendment was carried by 128 against 60 . And the House soon after adjourned till Monday week .

      Untitled Article

      ELECTION AFFAIRS . The final scene of the St . Alban ' s Election Committee , and its appearance on the floor of the House report in hand , has been the most amusing Parliamcntiiry episode of the week . In despair , after a series of adjournments over a fortnight , after being completely baffled by the recalcitrant witnesses who had been kept away by the man Ed wards , the committee resolved to order him into custody , and finally to report , declaring that the borough ot St . Alban ' a was corrupted during the last el ( ction , that Mr . Bell was

      duly fleeted , but that Mr . Boll did not have any hand in tho work of corruption . The committee made two reports . In the first , they specified the contempt Kdwardu had been gu lty of in giving money to keep away witnesses , and in the second they stated that he had been perfectly successful . After a lively debate in the House , ii was decided that the report should bo received and entered on tho journals , und that Edwartln , who had so neatly beaten tho committee , should ho Hont to Newgate . There is some talk of a . Parliamentary commission to cleanse tho botough from Its moral impurities . The election of a member to represent the borough of Enniskillen in Parliament has closed with tho return of James Whiteside , Ksq , Q . C . The polling commenced at eight o ' clock on 1 ' riday morning , und ,

      althe * gh the booth * "were kept open in legal form until five te the evening , the election was virtually over in t * o houw -after they opened . The numbers at the close of the poll were—for Mr . Whiteside , 8 / 5 ; Mr . Cullum , 68 : majority for Mr . White 3 ide , 17 . An evening paper states that the tenant farmers of Oxfordshire are bent upon returning one of their own body , Mr . Joseph Roberts , of Waterperry , near Oxford , at the next election . It is stated that there are three hundred freeholders willing to subscribe £ 10 each towards the return of Mr . Roberts , who is a strong Protectionist , and a tenant of Mr . Henley , one of the present Members for the county . The Conservative gentry , however , have held a meeting and intend to propose Colonel North as a successor to Lord Norreys . __ .. _ „

      The death of the Honourable Dudley Pelham brings Mr . Alderman Wire again into the field for the representation of Boston , and it is thought he will " walkover . " Mr . Moncreiff , the new Lord Advocate , has been elected for the Leith district of boroughs . Mr . Moncreiff succeeds to Mr . Rutherford . At Plymouth , Mr . Collier , Freetrader—prepared to extend the suffrage , shorten Parliaments , abolish the property qualifications of Members of Parliament , and to support vote by ballot—is to be put in nomination with Lord Ebrington . The Liberals tried an extreme man , Henry Vincent , with a limited constituency , and let in a Tory , Roundell Palmer . They won ' t do it again . This is not principle , but expediency .

      Some of the good Conservatives of Colchester , alarmed at the " Tractarian tendencies " of Lord John Manners , have resolved to withdraw their support from him—forty-four electors having signed a kind of Round Robin , and severed from the main body . They require a pledge such as no Tractarian could conscientiously give—and indeed no friend to civil and religious freedom . The Longford election has not terminated on the nomination day . Mr . Sleator , High Sheriff of Cavan , proposed his son , who was seconded by his brother .

      Mr . Sleator was very indignant at the opposition . " Is it come to this pass , " he cried , " -that my tenant , the priest of this town , should propose a candidate in opposition to his own landlord ? Did not I , " he continued , addressing the Reverend Mr . Duffy , " treat you with kindness when you were going to Rome , and did not Mrs . Sleator pay your way , sir ? " Mr . Duffy replied with true Irish emphasis that " he was supported in Rome by the industry of his own family , and every word Mr . Sleator had uttered was a lie and a calumny . " The showof hands "was in favour of Mr . O'Ferrall . The election came off on Thursday . Mr . W . Fagan has resigned his post as representative of Cork ; and Serjeant Murphy , who expresses deep disgust" at the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill , is in the field .

      Untitled Article

      PUBLIC MEETINGS . The Reformers of Manchester had a demonstration in the Free Trade-hall , on Thursday evening , where an immense crowd assembled to hear Mr . Milner Gibson and Mr . Bright . Mr . George Wilson , President of the Manchester Parliamentary and Financial Reform Association , having briefly addressed the meeting on the urgent necessity for Parliamentary Reform , Mr . Milner Gibson came forward amidst loud and long continued cheering . He commenced by alluding to the late Ministerial crisis , and gave Lord John Russell credit for having acted very cleverly in forcing the Protectionist party to confess their weakness . In reference to the promised Reform Bill , he said he viewed that question in much the same light as the Duke of Wellington had done in speaking of war . The duke said this country could not have a little war , and he ( Mr . Gibson ) would add that it would not do with a little reform . If the people were to move in this question at all they must have something worth fighting for . He defended at Borne length the course which he and Mr . Bright liad pursued on the Papal Aggression Bill . In doing bo , some reference to the Reverend Hugh Stowell , of Manchester , called forth a storm of groans and cheers from two hostile puriies of Catholics and Ultra - Protestants , who formed a portion of the meeting . Cheers and groans for Mr . Stowell were repeatedly called for , and responded to by the partirans and opponents of that

      clergyman . After a few minutes' interruption , Mr . Gibson was allowed to proceed with his defence , which he concluded in the mont triumphant manner " . Mr . Bright followed in a very able speech , chiefly devoted to nn explanation of hin views on church matters . He was very severe- on the Church of Kngland , which he characterized as only a feeder to the Church of Rome . " They had an establishment with 1 / 5 , 000 educated ministers , and with £ 0 , 000 , 000 of revenue for its maintenance—established not merely as a bulwark against Popery , but to suppress Popery , and yet they found that church a feeder to the Church of Rome , and almost distracting tho country by the distractions which it has of Into years introduced into rt > lig «" ouH questions . " Large numbers of mimutera and members of tho Established Church had gone over to

      Untitled Article

      PARLIAMENT OF THE WEEK .

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      358 ® t ) $ %£ && £ ?? [ Saturday ,

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 19, 1851, page 358, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1879/page/2/