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    ment of science and art under the control of the President of the Council , and in ^ tarting various schools and seminaries , he was still of op inio n that mu ch mo r e jnight be done , and t h a t the differe n t sepa r ate eff orts might * e systematized . The British Museum being « yeWocked , it might be advisable to remove the Natural History department to the west end of the town . The merits of scientific men are not sufficiently recognized by Government ; and , as he wished to see a greater recognition , he suggested that there should be an order of merit for men of learning , as well as for generals and admirals , and that patents should be granted for less money .

    ....... At this and at three subsequent periods of the discus r sipn , motions were made that the House might be counted ; but , before the glass had run out , suffic i ent members dropped in to secure the requisite forty , and , having stayed during the count , again left the House with about twenty members in it . Mr . Mackxnnojst objected to the proposed plan . Grants of public money would never aid science ; they never had done so ; all the greatest discoveries were made by men of genius , no t b y university men . He believed that mathematical knowledge was far more extensive in France than in this country . —The

    Chancellor ob" the Exchequer observed that the terms of the motion were so vague that he did not think any g ood co uld resu l t f rom it ; and he t h e r e f ore ad vi sed its withdrawal . —Mr . Titb supported the motion , and Lord Stanley suggested that Mr . Heywood should not press his motion then , b ut co n su l t eminent scient i fic m en as to the specific measures which it was desirable for the Government , o r t h e H o u se to adopt fo r t h e fur thera n ce of his object , r—Lord Palmerston concurred with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in thinking that the motion had no practical tendency ; and Mr . Heywood consented to withdraw it .

    BIGHTS OF WOMEN . Sir Erskine Perky called attention to the state of the law of property as it affects married women , and move d the following resolutions : —" That the rules of the common law which give all the personal propert y of a w oma n on marria g e , and all subsequently acquired property and earnings , to the h usband , are unjust in principle and injurious in their operation . That the principles of Courts of Eq uit y wh ic h reco g nise sepa r a t e propert y in a married woman , and invest her , wi t h r espect to s uch jproperty , with all the righ ts of o w ners h i p , are in accordance with the requirements of the age , and in conformity with the opinions and usages of the wealthier and better instructed classes of society . That in the opin ion o f this

    House , the conflict between law arid equity on the subject dugh t to b e term i nated by a ge n e r a l l a w , b ase d on the principles of equity , which should apply to all classes . " By the old English law there could be no doubt that ^ a wife succeeded on equal terms to the common property of her husband ; she took one-third of the' land , arid a third of the personal property ; but , ex-? cdpt in Scotland , no such early dist rib ution e x ists i n t hi s country at the present day . The decrees of the legal -tribunals of the country have abrogated this old English law , arid deprived married women of their rights , while the husband has acquired the right , fro m t h e sa m e source ^ ' of dealing with the property of his wife just as he thinks fit . The law had not been changed b y a n y act of the Leg is l ature , but solely by the decisions of the

    Judges . According to the dictum of the common law , a married woman has no right to personal property ; but the equity courts recognise and act upon the very opposite principle . Equity deals with the personal p r o p erty of a wife as though she were a single woman ; but the common law holds that it belong ^ to the husband . These diametrically opposite views of the law had arisen out of the decisions of different Judg es ; a n d t h e o b ject of his bringing this question now before the House was to elicit an opinion as to which of these two princip les is t h e sou n d o n e to app ly to the case of married women . He thought also that the absurd law should be abrogated by which a husband is made responsible for debts hia ¦ wife may have contracted before her marriage , and of which he may havo been utterly ignorant .

    The Attorney-General admitted the truth of Sir Erskino Perry ' s strictures on the present state of the law , but urged him not to press his motion , as the Government has determined to introduce a measure on the subject next year . —Mr . Malins considered tho altera-• tiona uncalled for , and that they would be contrary to the law of God . The interests of husband and wife should be hold to be perfectly identical ; a n d , if a woman had not full confidence in a man , l et h er re f r a i n from marrying him . Sir Erskine Perry wished to set up a separate establishment for man and wife . As the law stands , however , a wife can protect horuelf b y a p p lying

    to the court of equity . —Mr . Muntz pointed to tho necessity for some better law of divorce . ¦—The Solicitob- » Gbweral , while acknowledging tho grievances co m p l ained of , urgod tho withdrawal of the motion . — Mr . Whitbsidk and Mr . Colukr thought tho discussion showed the necessity that exists for a Minister of Justice —Mr . J . G . Phelumork believed that some amendment was required in the law of divorce , but h o trusted t h a t tho legislature would maintain unbroken tho identity of interest between husband . and wife . Nothing could surely be m o r e fri ghtful than to toacb . wives that thoir interests are on ono side , and those of thoir husband on

    the other . " ( C heers . ') He thought there were many matters in which we might usefully follow the example of forei g n n at i ons ; but , if there was one thing in which foreigners might learn of us , it was the relations which existed in . this country between husband and wife . ( Loud cheers . ")—Mr . Chambers regarded the proposed principle as vicious ; while , on the other hand , Mr . W . J . Fox advocated a change in the existing law- — -Sir Erskxne Perry , in consenting to withdraw his motion , on the faith of the Government promise , remarked that all the ar g u m ents w h ic h h ad b ee n put forward against the resolutions were from the " husband" point of v i e w , but that the House was bound to consider other interests as well .

    MR . ARCHER S PATENT FOR POSTAGE LABELS . M r . Whtteside mo v ed for a se le ct co m mitte e t o inquire into the circumstances of the purchase of the mac h ine and in v e n tio n f o r perforati ng posta g e l a b e l s by the Government , from Mr . Archer , the inventor ; and a l so into t h e circums t ances unde r whi c h t h e e x ist i n g agreements between the Government and the contractors fo r gummin g and printi ng th e posta g e a nd receipt l abe l s were made . Mr . Whiteside complained of the shabbiness , if n o t i n justice , with which Mr . Archer had been t reate d b y the Treasury in their determination to perpetrate a job in favour of other parties . —Mr . Wilson

    made an explanatory statement , with a view to showing that Mr . Archer had nothing to complain of ; and expressed a hope that the House would not consent to unsett l e an arran ge ment made , with the utmost deliberatio n , so long ago as 1853 . —Mr . Grooan and Mr . Muntz supported inquiry ; the Chancellor of the Exchequer opposed it . —Mr . Lloyd Davies did not see that Mr . Archer had any grounds of compl aint , but he would support inquiry into t h e o t her po i n t s . — Mr . Whiteside replied ; and the House divided , when the motion was negatived by 57 to 39 . The House was counted out at midnight .

    Wednesday , June 11 th . THE NAWAB OF SURAT . The House of Commons was on Wednesday morning occup ied for a considerable time in discussing the abstract question i nv o l ved i n t he N a w a b of S urat T reat y Bill , which purported to be a private bill , and which came bef o re t h e H ouse u p on t h e co n sideration of t h e report of the committee . —Mr . Vernon Smith , premising t h at t h e report e xp ress ly declared that the committee had considered themselves precluded from giving any op in i on u po n questions of a const i tutio n a l a n d politica l character con n ected wit h the ca s e , and that the evidence was not before the House , mo v ed t o defer t h e consideration of the report until Wednesday next . —Sir Fitzroy Kelly resisted delay , an d mo v ed , b y wa y of amendme n t , that the bill be read a third time . He entered very fully into the merits of the case , which was

    a c l aim b y M eer Jaffier Al i Kh a n to an an n uity of 150 , 000 r upees , granted under a treaty with the Indian Government to the then Nawab of Surat and his heirs , the essential point in the question being , wh ether t h e grant was made to the heirs natural of the Nawab or to h is h ei r s b e i n g successors i n t h e N awa b s h i p . —Sir James Hogg de f ended t h e E ast I ndia C ompany , and stated that the office of Nawab was not hereditary . If the present claimant had any just righ ts to en force h e should have submitted them to the tribunals of the country , and not to the House of Commons . —After a l engt h e n ed d i scussion , in which Mr . Cardwell , Sir Erskine Perry , Mr . Wigram , Sir James Graham , Sir Charles Wood , and other members , too k part , Sir Fitzroy Kelly withdrew his amendment , on the understanding that tho bill would bo proceeded with on Wednesday next , by which time further papers on the subject would be in the possession of the House .

    of Sardinia , by which England engages to furnish a loan of 1 , 000 , 000 * . sterling . A copy of the ^ convention -was l aid befo r e t h e H ouse ; an d , on t h e m otion of t he Chancellor of the Exchequer , it was ordered that the message be considered next Thursday .

    COUNTY COURTS BILL . Mr . Roebuck asked Sir George Grey whether it -was really the intention to pass the County Courts Bill t h roug h the House of Lords . If the bill was onl y to b e used for the purpose of staving off a very discredita bl e question in that House , he could assure the right hon gentleman that he was not to be got rid of in that way but that he should , if necessar y , bring forward the subject by submitting a resolution . —Sir George Grey said that he had communicated with the Lord Chancellor who expected that the bill referred to would leave the House of Lords in about a week or ten days . -With regard to the other assertions of Mr . Roebuck , h e met them with a direct denial .

    THE UNITED STATES . S ome discuss i o n arose b etween M r . Batt . j-. ttt , an ( j ]^ r Disraeli on t h e one side , and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the other , with reference to bring ing o n the Army Estimates the following evening . In connexion with that occasion , Mr . Baillie had given notice of a motion on the subject of our relations with the U n i ted S tates , and he alleged that Lord Palmerston had prom i sed to give h im due n otice o f br ing ing on the estimates , in order that he might be prepared with his

    motio n ; b ut , together with Mr . Disraeli , he thought that a breach of engagement had been committed in proceedin g so sudden ly with the estimates . —The Chancellor of the Exchequer , under these circu m stances , postponed the consideration of them , wit h out mentioning any fres h day . —Mr . Baillie then said he thoug ht it right to state that he did not intend to adhere to the motion of whic h h e h ad given notice . In consequence of the important events which had taken pl ace in A merica , he should g ive notice of th e terms of his motion when the time for bringing it on was fixed .

    CIVIL CONTINGENCIES . Th e H ouse h avin g gone into C ommit t ee of S upp l y , considera bl e discussio n ensued on the vote of 1 00 , 000 ? . for civil contingencies , which Sir Francis Bablng moved to reduce to 30 , 000 / . He believed that the Treasury had a bal ance in h and sufficie n tl y large to render it unnecessary that they should now be furnished wit h a greater sum than t h at to wh ic h h e wou l d reduce the vote . Even then , they would have an ample margin to meet any possible chance of excess . —Mr . Wilson , on the part of the Treasury , consented to modify the vote to 90 , 000 / . 60 , 000 / . of previous votes , he stated , -were to be returned to the Exchequer under the h ead of " savings . " —After considerable , but rather unimportant discussion , the motion was withdrawn . —In the course of the desultory conversation connected with this vote , objection was expressed by Mr . Blackbubn and Mr . Lloyd Davies to a sum of 100 / . for drawing up

    the Oxford University Bill , and Mr . Wilson intiroattd that the money was paid to Mr . J . G . Phillimore for his valuable assistance . Subsequently , Mr . Gladstone , who said he had bad a share in advising the payment , explained that it was considered advisable to have tlie assistance of M r . Ph i l limore ' s l earning and e x perience in drawing the bill ; but he admitted that the principle was one which it was not advisable to have established , and that it was right the House should view it with a jealous feeling . —In answer to Mr . Mowbkat , Mr . Wilson said the account for tho fireworks had not been recei v ed , and therefore he could not give informatio n r es pe cting it . Tho expense provided for was that which -was extraneous to the department where tho fireworks -were made ; some of the expense , therefore , wa 3 borne by that department . This explanation , Lord Hotham conceived to be at variance with tho distinct assurance of tho Chancellor of tho Exchequer that the whole expense would be included in the 8 , 000 / .

    " The Spirit Trade ( Ikeland ) Bill was withdrawn , after a short discussion . On tho order for tho reception of the report on the Earl of Perth and Melfort ' s petition for leave to bring in a Compensation Bill for the l oss of estate s confiscated from tho Earl ' s ancestors for thoir adhesion to the cause of t h e S tuar t s , it w as agreed to r eco mm it t h o b i ll to a committee of tho whole House next Monday . Thursday , June 12 th .

    EDUCATION . Sir George Grey proposed a grant of 151 , 231 / . as the balance of tho vote for education , in addition to a sum of 800 , 000 / . already grunted on account . In tnc speech with which lie profaced this motion , Sir George reminded the House that , tunco 1839 , tho year in wlilcli tbo first grant was made for this purpose , two mUJions sterling h avo been p laced by Parliament in the ham s oi tbo Committee of Council on Education , and by tu « n distributed in aid of tho voluntary cflbrts mndo in tno cause of national instruction . For tho first ten years subsequent to 1839 , tho sum annually p laced . at w disposal of tho Committee of Council was 80 , 000 * ., om »_• mJ * *^ fc ^ %% ^ ^^ * fr * M ^^ ^ ta ^ ^^ »™^«™» m — ~* — —» — — _ m ^ been actually

    ex-THE ENCUMBERED ESTATES COURT . Th o presentation in tho Hoube of Lords o f a pet i - tion from Lord Mount-Cushell , com plaining of tho operation of the Irish Encumbered Estates Court , gave rise to so m e co nv ersation , and a statement from the Lord Chancellor that it was intended to bring in a short continuance bill , in tho event o f t h o bi ll no w b efo r e t h o House of Commons , providing for tho transference of tho powers of tho Encumborod Estates Court to the Irish Court of Chancery , being rejected . ¦

    in no ono of tbeso years had that sum pended . Thoro always remained a balance , wlneii , tho courflo of timo , accumulated to a considerable sum . Since then , however , the reverse has boon tho case , tut expenditure exceeding tho grant . The annual grain . during tho last Bix years , beginning with l » w « '" ending with 1 H 05 , were respectively , omitting ° " Hhillingfl , 11 ) 3 , 000 / ., 101 , 000 / ., 188 , 000 / ., 200 , 000 / -, 320 , 000 / ., and 390 , 000 / . Although it would nppwu ; " * tho expenditure lind boon less than tho voto , ho wlsl " :, tho Houho to undoiHtand that tho outlying gra nts wow full y cxlimiflt it . Tho hcIiooIh built in tho uamo y «| wore severally 285 , 205 , 232 , 273 , 312 , and 414 . *" number of pupil teachers in courao of training m "' years woro respectively 4 GG 0 , 5007 , ( U 80 , 7 007 , <<» i

    The Drafts on Bankicus Bill was road a third timo , and passed . Tho committoo on the Reformatory and Industrial Schools Bill was postponed , after some depreciatory observations from tho Earl of IIarijwioiuc , who thought that reformatory nohoola have a dangerous tendency , as offering a premium to tho parents of certain clubbca of children to sot them to commit crimes .

    Tnm SARDINIAN LOAN . In tho IIousio oir C ommo n s , tho Chancellor oi' the Exchequer brought down a mossago from the Crown , informing tho Uouao of tho convention with tho King

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    g 56 THE X . EADEB . [ No . 325 , Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 14, 1856, page 556, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2145/page/4/