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Leader (1850-1860), 28th April 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 387

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      ia . possession of aB tb £ information you are entitled to , and which , I assure ^ , the Government will be most ready to furnish . " In reply to Lord Harj ^ wicre , the Earl of Clarendon stated that , up to Friday , last , Austia held language on the Eastern question identical with that of the allies . The time for anything beyond language had not yet arrived ; so that it was impossible to say what course Austria would take ..

      THE ISLAND OF AVES . Lord Palmerston , in answer to questions from Mr . Horsfall , said that some Americans had ascertained that there was guano on the island of Aves , though the British officers who had previously examined the place could not discover it ; that the Government of Venezuela had granted to the American adventurers an exclusive right of taking guano for a certain number of years ; that the law officers of this country had decided that E ngland could not claim any sovereignty over the island by virtue of being the first to occupy it ; but that instructions had been sent to our consul at Caraccas to require that our Government should have equal facilities with other governments in obtaining ; the guano .

      THE HOSPITAL AT SMYRNA . Mr . Peel , in answer to Mr . Sidney Herbert and Mr . Layard , said that , according to a letter he had received from Dr . Meyer , the number of fever cases in the hospital is diminishing , and that no danger is to be apprehended from the situation of the hospital * The wooden huts had not yet been sent out , but they would be immediately .

      "WAYS AND MEANS . —THE BUDGET . On the report of the Committee of Ways and Means , Mr . Goulburn said that he did not wish to offer any objection to the contract for the Loan , which appeared to him fair both to the contractors and the public ; but he thought that in this case the usual objection to loans , viz ., that they throw a burden on posterity , is increased by the obligation to redeem the principal by a million a year . He thought it highly improbable that Parliament would consent to raise this sum for sixteen years , since in former casas it had not adhered to its resolution to maintain a sinking fund- He looked upon the Loan , thereforeas an irredeemable annuitj' , and

      conse-, quently thought the C hancellor of the Exchequer ¦ would have acted more wisely if he had made an offer for the Loan in the New Three per Cent . Annuities , which are redeemable in 1874 , instead of in Consols . In the event of peace , the interest of money would fall ; and the country ought not to be shut out from the benefit of this contingency . He did not think the public would gain any ultimate advantage from the terminable annuities . Hia belief was , that the purchasers of the present annuities , from the profit they made on them , would be able to offer them to the public on more advantageous

      terms than the public department could offer them ; and , therefore , that what they gained on the one hand for the public debt by the granting of these annuities ,-they - would iose on theLOther hand , and exactly in the same proportion , by preventing the public from ' coming into the open : market to purchase annuities . " He had no wish to embarrass the Government , but he thought they should have left open to themselves the privilege , -which every other borrower has , of availing themselves of the opportunity of a fait in the rate of interest to reduce the public debt . _ . . ¦¦ _ .., his at what had

      Mr . Baring expressed surprise fallen from Mr . Goulburn . It is a sound- rule , and a matter of honesty ( he said ) , that money borrowed in time of war should be repaid during peace . It would bo highly inconvenient to borrow this money in the new Three per Cents , The amount of that stock is already 250 , 000 , 000 / . ; and it will be trouble enough to the minister of 1874 to reimburse such a sum without any addition to it . The principle of the present Chancellor of the Exchequer is an honest one j and Mr . Baring therefore hoped that he would persist in setting apart 1 , 000 , 000 / . annually for the redemption of the Loan .

      Mr . Gladstone agreed with Mr . Baring that it was not possible for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to contract for so large a sum in the form of terminable annuities . Nevertheless , he thought Mr . Baring had not fairly represented Mr . Goulburn ' a argument . The latter fully acknowledged the necessity of discharging a national obligation ; but ho thought that the clause they were invited to pass would not practically effect that object . For himself , ho ( Mr . Gladstone ) was entirely convinced of Chancellor of the

      tho honourable nature of the Exchequer ' s design j but he doubted if the design could be attained by tho means proposed . Futures parliaments might question the right of tho present to fottor their discretion . It would 1 ) 0 the right of future parliaments to declare tho proportion of surplus revenue and tho app lication of it , which they could better dok In what position were they in 1855 to declare that in 1860 or 1870 one . million should bo taken for tho purpose of rodeoming tho public debt ? They were making provision , not loo tuoir own time ,

      but for the time o € their children . ... They were tres passing on the province of those who were to come after them ,, when they said that in such and such a year one million was to be taken-for the redemption of the debt . They were going beyond their province , and dictating tO' future parliaments . There was another disadvantage attending their ¦ mode of proceeding . They declared that this . million was to be applied to the redemption of Consols ; but how . could they tell that in 1870 it would not be more advisable to apply that money to the redemption ! of Exchequer Bonds or Exchequer Bills , or some other species , of stock ? ' They could know nothing of the future * and were going beyond their business itt dictating to their

      successors . After some desultory remarks from' Mr . John M'Gregor , Mr . James M'Gbbgobj : Mr ; Laingv Mr . Hankey ( in support of the proposal ) , Mr . Wilkinson , and Mr . Cardwixl ( the last of whom * * eiterated the objections of Mr . Goulbusn ) r The Chancellor of the Exchequer said the Government intended to adhere to their proposition . He observed , id answer to Mr . Gladstone , that the House could not make an irrevocable- law , binding upon future Parliaments * The eflfect of the clause

      now before them would be to create a charge upon , the Consolidated Fund , fifrr which it would be the duty of every ; successive Government to make provision out of the Ways and Means of the . year , unless Parliament , which could provide for any emergency , should see . fit to untie their hands . In answer to Mr . Goulburn , Sir G-. C . Lewis said , he did . not think it would be possible in the lifetime of the present generation to reduce the interest of the Three per Cents . ; but , if Government should have a surplus revenue , it could go into the market-anti buy its own- perpetual annuities . The clerk then proceeded to read the resolutions , which , after a good deal of miscellaneous discussion , were agreed to .

      NEWSPAPER STAJSIP DUTIES BILL . On the order for going into Committee , on this bill , Mr . Cowan and Mr . Bakeow offered some suggestions in favour of the repeal of the restrictions upon the nuinfoer of sheets and the dimensions of newspapers or other periodical publications ; and of the conveyance of all printed matter through the Post-office at the rate of £ d . for every two ounces . The House then went into Committee on . the bill . On the Second Clause , enacting that periodical

      pubthe Government were perfectly indifferent upon the subject ^ but that , out of deference to the opinion o € the Committee , he should vote against the motion *—• Mr . Disraeli thought the House should hesitate ? before allowing a Committee- to which such large powers had been entrusted to diminish its . numbers . — Sir George Grey said he thought they should defer ' to the opinion of the Committee ; but , if the House thought otherwise , the Government had no objection to- the appointment of Captain Gladstone . — Mr ; Roebuck , declined to take a division on the subject ; and the nomination of Captain Gladstone was then agreed : to . CAMBRIDGE "UNIVERSITY BILL .

      On the motion for going into Committee on this bill , on Tuesday , the Lord Chancellor gave a sketch of its chief features , which are mainly analogous to those of the Oxford Act , and the object of which , is to enable the University to carry out its own reforms by conferring upon it new ; powers . A body would be constituted which should fairly represent ail the interests of the University , and also include : the- interests of the public , and which from ; time to > time should submit to the consideration ot the Senate such measures as the interests of the University might seem to require . According to the altered plan- of the billy the council would consist of four heads of houses , four professors , and four

      senior ; as well as-four junior , masters of arts . In one respect , therefore ,, the council ; would be-decidedly superior to the corresponding body in the Oxford University , because it would ) always have a considerable infusion of youngr blood ; and the junior ¦ members of the eomaeil ; being comparatively freshfrom ; their studies , -would know what the want * of j students are * and would' be- able to render valuable ' assistance in the deliberations of tlie council . Another class of enactments worthy of attention was ' designed to render unnecessary the taking of a large number of oaths that were now imposed in the University , and would therefore' make it illegal to administer the oaths that are now taken not to disclose anything relating to the colleges , and not to aid in the promotion of any changes or innovations

      in- their statutes . The enactments which , next to those determining the constitution of the council , form the substance of the bill , were intended to give power tot the colleges and to the University in the case of trusts , to alter and modify those trusts as they might see fit , the original views of the testator ' s notwithstanding . The clauses with this object were modelled upon those of the Oxford Bill , as were certain other clauses rendering it unnecessary , on matriculation at Cambridge to take any oath or declaration as to religious opinions . All experience shows that these oaths and declarations are worthless , and even mischievous , and few of those who have taken them are able to tell , when asked some time afterwards , what it is to which they have subscribed .

      lications printed on . paper stamped for denoting the rate of duty now imposed on newspapers shall be entitled to transmission and retransmission by the post , Mr . Collier moved to amend the clause by the insertion of words enacting that , instead of Id ., a duty of £ d . be imposed , and that id . be paid on each transmission by the post of all periodical publications . —Lord Stanle y having made a few remarks in opposition to this proposal , which he thought was not feasible because , as far as he could learn , a halfpenny would not pay for the cost of transmission , the said the ob

      Lord Lyndhurst regretted the introduction of this measure , though he did not see how it could be resisted after the companion act with regard to Oxford . He referred to the many illustrious men whom Cambridge had . produced . under the ^ existing system ; and concluded by saying that he would do his best towards making tho bill as perfect as possible , as regards the University , the country , and the Church " as it is established . " After some remarks from Lords Powis , Redesdale , and Cannhwj , the bill passed through Committee . CONVENTION WITH SARDINIA BILL . This bill wus read a third time , and passed ; Tlncl on Thursday it received the Royal assent .

      The Chancellor of Exchequer - ject of the present bill was to remove the difficulties arising out of the existing law ; and , although , it was possible that , as urged by Mr : Collier ; the reductionof the duty to one halfpenny might increase the revenue , that assumption rested upon the most uncertain data . He niust therefore oppose the amendment . —It was subsequently withdrawn , and the clause was agreed to . —In resisting the amendment , Mr . Milner Gibson pointed out the injustice of allowing newspapers to pass through the post at so low a charge , while pamphlets and occasional publications axe saddled with 5 d . or 6 d-

      The Fourth Clause , authorising the registration of periodical publications , if desired , in tlie same manner as newspapers , was postponed , together with tho 5 tb , 6 th , and 7 th , relating to registration and secuiritiesj in order to reconsider the whole subject and to reframe the clauses . —With respect to tho question involved , Mr . Wiuteside contended that registration should bo made compulsory upon all periodicals , as he did not see why there should be a distinction . —It waa argued by Mr . Disraeli and various members that , without registration , there would bo no protection against piracy and libel ; in opposition to which it was contended by Mr . Milner Gibson and Mr . Gladstone , that compulsory registration would greatly fetter the press , and could not bo carried out without the creation of legal machinery specially designed for that end . The remaining clauses to the end of tho bill were acreed to .

      ACT OF UNIFORMITY . Mr . IIeywood roso to move that this House would resolve itself into a Committee , to consider such clauses of the Act of Uniformity of 1662 as impose religious tests , limiting tho advantages of academical , or grammar , or tree school education ; and so much of any regulations of national institutions , either in England or Ireland , as impose religious tests as conditions or qualifications for any advantages connected with education , iu tho English or Irish universities or public schools . The basis of tho measure he proposed to found on that resolution , if

      agreed to , was tho fact that in all the greut public educational institutions those porsons who do not belong to the Established Church arc absolutely and entirely ignored . The Act of Uniformity requires every public schoolmaster to sign his conformity with the Church of England , tho result of which is to make every grammar school throughout tho country a Church of England institution , in which tho master thinks himself entitled to mako all tho boys conform to tho practices of that is , of course , quite agreeable to Establishment , but very hard upon IJisscntci-a ; and to remedy tins evil quite willing to adopt tho clause

      TUK SEBA 8 TOI > OL COMMMTWE NHW MEMBER . Mr . Roebuok withdrew his motion that Mr . De Vcro bo added to tlie Sobastopol Committee ,, stating * that it was the opinion , of the Committee tliat no new member need be added in the place of Mr . J . Ball , who , having accepted office under Government , had r « - siffnad . —MrvBKNTiNOK , however , moved that ) Cup tain Gladstone bo addud . Ho conceived it but fitting ; that there should bo a naval officer upon tho Committee —After some brief observations in favour of tho motion by Mr . Lid well , and Mr . Pacjce , and against id by Mr . DrujimowjO ) JLocd Paxmjbrstow paid that

      John Pakiugton in ms education stated that lio would nob havo uny receivo religious instruction to which objected . Mr . Iloywood obuorved that

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      APISH * 28 ; 1855 . ] TBE LJ-ADEX 38 g

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      Church . Thi » --members of / 'tli ? e > tho elalflren ^ cf .. ; ho should . W ;^ proposed . Jw ^ - mil , wncrei no , ' - child fiwrcod . tq £ > - hia ^ pareij ^ ' ^ Lara Jfc&XJX ; v . " * '' fiV . ' : Church . Tlu >~; T— - , embers o £ "tlrc » . -.. > . £ ho cipfirc ^ t il ,, y : ' S \ ho should : jbitf ^ . >;; , . opose ^ y / Mfcy ^ ? ill , wtocrei ho : ' - . \\ iliild forced fyvfr'tf , .. ' h his , pareftlft' <;• : < $ at LoMJfcMSo * ; ; £

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 28, 1855, page 387, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2088/page/3/