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    the inquiry ought to have been a matter of course , inter alia , before the Election Committee . Mr . Wait poiB and Lord John" Rtxssell showed that the House had an inherent right to inquire , quite independently of the ordinary statute law . After some discussion it was ordered , on the motion of Sir Chaeles Wood , that the Committee should consist of five members , nominated by the General Committee of Elections , and that the parties might appear by themselves , their counsel , or their agents . On Wednesday the Clerk announced that the committee would consist of the following members : —Mr . Goulburn , Lord Harry Vane ,, Viscount Barrington , Sir W . Molesworth , and Mr . Dedees .

    PABLIAMENTAKT REFORM . Mr . Hume asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer , on Thursday , whether it was the intention of Her Majesty ' s Government to introduce any measure for the extension of the franchise , the protection of the voters , and the equalization of the number of electors to the number of representatives ? and he elicited the following characteristic reply : — The Chancellor of the Exchequer said , that whenever it was the intention of the Government " to

    introduce any measure for the extenfion of the franchise , the protection of voters , and the equalization of the number of electors to the number of representatives , " they would think it more consistent with their duty to the country to give a formal notice to the House of that intention : they would not think it would be respectful to the country that the intimation of any such intention on their part should be first acquired by the country in answer to an inquiry from a private member of the House , without any more formal notice . ( Laughter . )

    Mr . M . Gibson wished to ask the right hon . gentleman whether it was the intention of the Government to submit to Parliament this session the same measure they submitted to the House at the close of the last Parliament for allotting the four seats now vacant to new constituencies ? Mr- Gibson received the same treatment . The Chancellor of the Exchequer considered that that question was part of the great subject of progressive reform , and he would prefer giving a more formal notice of any intention respecting it on the part of the Government than that elicited under the circumstances they had just experienced . ( Laughter . )

    Sir D . L . Evans , gave notice that if any measures were introduced for supplying the vacant seats , he should bring forward the claims of Chelsea and Kensington to two of those seats . He also obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the rate-paying clauses in the Reform Act . THE CASE OF ME . STEAD . Viscount Goderich wished to know whether the Government had received from the Government of Prussia any apology or explanation relative to the recent expulsion of Mr . Francis Stead from Prussia by the police authorities of Berlin . Lord Stanley stated that Mr . Stead had , upon being arrested , taken the regular course of proceeding , and liad very properly laid his case before Lord IJlooinfield , who communicated with the Prussian authorities on the subject , and received from them a formal reply to the effect that inquiry should bo mmle . After houio

    delay , an explanation was given by the Prussian Government . It wus stated that the police of Prussia had received information from England that n person of the name of Stead was about to visit Prussia , and that ho was implicated in a conspiracy to assassinate the King of Prussia . When Mr . Stead arrived in -Berlin , the police were under the impression that he was the person «> described , mid that was the cause of his arrest and expulsion . Tim Prussian Government at the name time expressed ita regret for what hud occurred . Ho wan

    bound , however , to say that thin explanation was not considered tmtisfuctory by her Majesty ' h Government ; und uh unother case had occurred about the same time , »»» which a British subject wan treated with almost ; " quill harshness , the Government of thin country had fi'lt it their duty to remonstrate . strongly witli the (« overnment of Prussia on the subject . In conclusion , lie stated that nothing whatever hud passed which could bo considered as in the slightest degree affecting the character of Mi ' . Stead . ( Hear , hear . )

    In the HouBN of LoituH , on Monday night , I ^ onl Panmijuk , after detailing the circumstances connected with the formation and Nerviees of tho enrolled pensioners , their location in New Zealand , Australia , Van f tiumen ' s Land , and Canada , successively called the attention of their lordships to the conditions which bad Ixx'n held out to those who went out to Canada , and " « ked the Government if thoso conditions had been «» rri « d out in the cuho of JS 20 pensioner who had sct-UuU at Toronto .

    The Earl of Derby expressed his doubts as to the expediency of the system under which these men had been sent out to Toronto . A free passage had been given to the pensioners , and a grant of from two to three acres each promised . It turned out that , of about four hundred acres which were supposed to be available for the purpose , 280 acres were under lease to the corporation of Toronto , and the remaining 120 was all

    that could be made available for the pensioners . The corporation were anxious to get the 120 acres for a public park , and they offered for that quantity of land 1 , 000 ? . with which to aid in settling the pensioners . He could say no more than that the subject would receive the earnest attention of the Colonial Office , and every care should be taken that the pensioners received due compensation for whatever privileges they had been disappointed in obtaining .

    PKEE-TEADE . From present appearances , the struggle all thought terminated last week , will , next week , be renewed in the Lords . On Monday , Lord Clanricarde intended to move resolutions similar to those passed in the Commons . Lord Derby would not object to resolutions " adopting the recently-established policy " for the future , but not calling for a

    condemnation of the past . He would agree to a resolution like this— " That this House , thankfully acknowledging the general prosperity , and recognising Free-trade as the basis of the financial system of the country , are prepared to accept and adhere to the commercial system recently established , with a view to its being fully maintained and carried into effect . " Finally , it was agreed that notice of the moving of the resolutions by Lord Clanricarde should be given on Thvirsday .

    The proceedings on Thursday were soon at an end . Lord Clanricarde had conferred with Lord Derby , and finding that they could not agree as to the terms of the resolution to be proposed , Lord Clanricarde had agreed to drop his own form of words and take up those suggested by Lord Derby . His own form was as follows : — " That this House acknowledges with satisfaction tbat the cheapness of provisions occasioned by recent legislation has mainly contributed to improve the condition of the country and increase the comforts of the industrious classes ; and that unrestricted competition having been adopted , after due deliberation , as the principle of our commercial system , this House is of opinion that it is wise and expedient unreservedly to adhere to that policy . "

    Lord Derby was of course grateful for the moderation of his opponent . Discussion was not advisable , especially as to how far cheapness was the result of rec 6 * nt legislation . He proposed the following resolution : — " That this House thankfully acknowledging the general prosperity , and deeply sensible of the evil attendant on frequent changes in the financial policy of the country , adheres to the commercial system recently established , and would view witli regret any renewed attempt to disturb its operation or impede its progress . " Lord Clanricarde might take this , and move it as hi-s own , or he might leave it for Lord Derby to move —just as he pleased . Then followed this interesting colloquy : —

    Tho Marquis of Clanuicakdi :. —I accept the- noble Earl ' s words instead of my own resolution . 1 would prefer moving tho noble Karl ' s resolution immediately ; but , looking to tho importance of tho subject , I do not think it would bo right to deviate from tho usual course . I thcreforo givo notice that 1 will movo tho resolution on Monday , but 1 shall noL think it necessary to address your lordships , nor do 1 anticipate that any discussion will ari . se . Tho Karl of lOr . LKN bououoji : I wish tho noble marquis would reconsider his determination , and move the resolution ut once . ( Hear , hoar . ) 11 " ho postpones it to Monday thero may bo a debate ; but if ho moves it now them will bo none at all . ( Laughter . ) I think both resolutions equally uiuiecesHary , and would rather avoid a useless debate . ( Hear , and cries of " Move . " )

    Tho Karl of Dmdiv nwo after a pause of some miiniles , and said , 1 am not sure whether tho noble marquis has decisively made up his mind as to whether ho will movo the resolution now or give notice for Monday . As far as I . am concerned , I think thero is a great deal of good sense in tho observations of the noble earl who spoko last . ( Hear , and laughler . ) Tho Marquis of Ci . ank ka itnu .- I am far from dissenting from the noble earl ' s last sentence ; but I think it

    is desirable not to depart from tho rulo observed under ordinary circumstances . I think that on ho serious a subject , anil < hi <» which occupied the attention of the other House for several nights ( laughter ) , it would hardly bo in keeping with the dignity of tho House to move tho resolution without lioticc . ( Hear . ) Hesidos , the proceeding might bo drawn into a precedent , and noble lords , founding themselves on it , might move resolutions of great importance without previous notice .

    The Karl of Dkriiv . As tho noble marquis has referred to precedent , I beg to express a hope that tho length of tho discussion in the other House may not bo taken as a precedent by your lordships . ( " Hoar , " and luughtor . ) And ho tho Houbo adjourned .

    Cottnty Polls Bill . —On the order of the day for the committal of the Polling at County Elections Bill , on Wednesday , Lord R . Gkosvenoe , in answer to Mr . Buck and Mr . Miles , said that lie did not see the necflsity of referring the bill to a select committee ; and tffli he intended confining the provisions of the bill to the simple matter of limiting the polling for counties to one day , and providing that the declaration of the poll should take place on the clay afterwards . Two amendments were proposed—apne by Mr . Pa ' cke , that the bill be read this day six months ; the other by Mr . Butt , that , it be an instruction to the committee on the bill to shorten the time between the proclamation and the day of election in counties , and the time of the receipt and the election in boroughs . Both amendments were withdrawn after a short conversation , when the bill passed through committee , with some verbal alterations .

    Bttddaii's Tooth : Grievances of Ceylon . Sir Robekt II . Inglis asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the connexion between the Queen ' s Government in Ceylon , and the idolatry of any part of her Majesty ' s subjects therein , was or was not severed ; whether the custody of the Buddhist relic was or was not transferred to those who regard it as sacred ; whether any act of the Queen ' s Government "was or was not required to entitle the priest of a Buddhist temple to exercise any function in respect to the property of such Buddhist temple ; and lastly , whether it was or was not the intention of her Majesty ' s Government to transfer to the Buddhist priests all the concerns of their own religion in Ceylon ? Sir J . Pakington stated that the treaty made between

    this country and the King of Candi contained one clause , to the effect that the religion of Buddah professed by the chiefs and inhabitants of the province was declared inviolable , and its rites , ministers , and places of worship should be maintained and protected . Subsequently a proclamation was issued by the Queen ' s Government , which did not , in his opinion , in the least degree alter the obligations of the treaty to maintain and protect the Buddhists in the exercise of their own religion . It had been contended by persons in the island , and he had heard it elsewhere stated , that the treaty was made witli idolaters , and was not , therefore , binding on this country . He could not be a party to any such principle as that . ( Cheers . ) To acquire territory under a certain treaty , and then to turn been made with

    round and contend that the treaty having idolaters was not binding , would be unworthy of the Christianity of this country . ( Cheers . ) In answer to the first question put by the honourable baronet , he felt justified in saying that all connexion really between the Queen ' s Government and the Buddhist religion had long since been discontinued . Under the conditions of the treaty the governor was bound to maintain the religion of Buddah , to take part in its ceremonies , and to give them the materials with which their rites were performed . This connexion was , however , finally put an end to when Sir Robert Or ton was governor of Ceylon . With respect to the custody of Buddah ' s tooth : in a despatch sent out in 1845 instructions were given that the custody of the relic

    should be entirely given up by the Queen ' s Government . "When Lord Grey came into office Lord Torrington was directed to give up the custody of Buddah ' s tooth , and to make no more appointments of Buddhist priests . Soon after tho arrival of Lord Torrington the rebellion broke out , and the custody of the " tooth , " and the appointment of priests , under the pressure of that rebellion , were resumed . This act excited great discontent among the Christians on the island , and upon his taking office lie felt it his duty to endeavour to put an end to tho existing state of discontent on the subject . Sir John had accordingly prepared a despatch , which would be sent out by the next mail , containing instructions on the subject , to the governor of Ceylon . Ifo regretted that there did not exist in the Coloiiial-ofliee that relation of the facts of the case which he would have wished to have found , and without

    which it Avas impossible to issue instructions to the local government upon a subject of this complicated nature with that precision and clearness which ho would have wished . Tho nature of those instructions was , that the custody of the tooth" was to be ; given up at once , and entirely , to the Buddhists , tho governor being directed to provide a safe place of custody for it . He also intended to instruct the governor to givo to tho Buddhist priests a quantity of land equivalent in value t . o the . 'MM )/ , per annum which had been , in his opinion , unjustly withdrawn by the previous governor . W ith respect to the appointment of the priests , ho proposed that the governor request tho . Uudilliiuts to act for themselves in that respect ,, and if any difficulty existed in tho way of their so acting , that tho governor should take the matter into his own hands , and provide the means of making tho appointment . J 1 e would lay tho despatch on tho table when fully drawn .

    Common Law lii : i'ou . M ( 1 iti : i ,. \ n i >) . Mr . "W'hiteside ' s Hill to reform I he Common Law I ' rocrdurc \ v : is read a second time on Monday , alter some discussion . The principal remarks on tho measure ; were that , it did not go far enough , and ( hat it would extend to Ireland improvements not yet accorded to Kngland . Mr . Roiikht Loivk made an admirable speech , in which be exposed the defects of tho measure and some striking inconsistencies --such as tho abolition of forms in one . section , and a permissible use of them being provided for in another . Then tho distinction between law and equity was not abolished . Sir Ai , icxANi ) i : it . CcM'h'iiu iin , Mr . KrrzamtA i , i > . ami Mr . CltowiiHR , while praising- Mr . Wliite . sido for bringing the bill in , all pointed out , inaccuracies . The House was also addressed by Mr . Collier , . Mr . Napier , Mr . Phillimore , Mr . ( Jcoi-fo , " and Mr . Hutt .

    M inihtkuh' Monkv ( I khi . an i >) . --- In tho I louse of Commons on Tuesday , Mr . Ka < ian moved ( baton Thursday the House would resolve itself into a committee to take into consideration tho law relative to ministers ' money in Ireland , with a view to provide a substitute out of tho revenues of the Keolesiustical Commissioncra . Mr . Walpole Huid ho would not attempt to negative tho motion ;

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    December 4 , 1852 . ] * THE LEADEE . 1151

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 4, 1852, page 1151, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1963/page/3/