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Leader (1850-1860), 15th August 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 773, Untitled Article

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      dent , —The Earl of Clarendon , in conjunction with the Lord Chancellor , promised to give his best attention to the matter . . The House adjourned at a quarter past nine o cloct .

      NUISANCES IN LAMBETH . In the House of Commons , at the morning sitting , in answer to Mr . Estcourt , Sir Benjamin Hall read a letter sent frtfm his office on the 30 th of July , to the vestry of Lambeth , calling the attention of that body to the report of Mr . Gurney , setting forth the inconvenience experienced in the Houses of Parliament from the nuisances at the other side of the river . He also read a communication from the Lambeth Vestry in reply , stating , " that the vestry had the matter under consideration , but was not prepared to take any legal proceedings in connexion therewith . " He regretted that the bill of 1855 was passed without a clause to compel local authorities under such circumstances to do their duty . It was then too late in the session to introduce any measure on the subject ; bat he hoped that early next session the House would pass a bill to compel the local authorities to exercise the powers vested in them by act of Parliament .

      DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL . The House then went again into committee on this bill , resuming the consideration of the 25 th clause , which enacts that a wife may petition for a dissolution of her marriage on the ground that the husband had been guilty of incestuous adultery , or bigamy , or adultery coupled with cruelty , or adultery coupled with desertion . —Lord John Manners proposed to add another ground , ' adultery committed in the conjugal residence . ' —The Attorney-General opposed this amendment , because it made , he said , a change in the existing law , which it was the policy of the bill to avoid . —The amendment was supported by Mr . Gladstone , Mr . Drummond , Mr . Hugessen , Mr . Napier , and Mr . Ayrton . —Mr . Henley urged the inconsistency of the Attornev-Gerieral ' s objection with the fact that the

      clause itself contained two causes of divorce at the suit of the wife which were altogether new . —The Lord-Advocate gave a somewhat reluctant opposition to the amendment , avowing his approval of the divorce law of Scotland ,, which recognizes the principle that the rights of the two sexes ought to be equal . —After some further debate , Lord Palmerston , remarking that the proposal to multiply the grounds of divorce came with an ill grace from those who maintained the indissolubility of marriage , and that the amendment would give rise to opportunities and means of collusion between parties , consented nevertheless , on the part of the Government , to waive objection to it . —Lord John Russell said he was glad that the proposed amendment was agreed to by the Government . —After an unsuccessful attempt on the part of the Attorney-General to modify the motion , it was agreed to . 1

      Another warm discussion arose on the term ' bigamy , an offence distinguished in the clause from adultery . Several endeavours were made , but in vain , to alter this , and , the Attorney-General , having made two unsuccessful attempts , proposed to add . to the word 'bigamy ' the words ' and adultery with the same person ; ' but to this amendment exceptions were taken , and , four o ' clock approaching , the Chairman was ordered to report progress . The committee was resumed in the evening , when the Attorney-General altered the terms of his

      amendment by substituting the words bigamy with adultery . ' —Mr . Gladstone considered these words ambiguous , and that it was uncertain what judicial construction would be put upon them—whether or not the two offences must be committed with the same person . —A great deal of criticism on the legal difficulties arising but of the proposed amendment was offered by various members , and Mr . Butt moved to amend the amendment by appending the words 'by feloniously intermarrying with any other woman . ' This proposal , however , was negatived , and the AttorneY"Genbral ' s amendment was agreed to . '

      Mr . Drummond proposed to make cruelty alone a ground of the dissolution of marriage ; but this proposal was resisted both by Sir Geokgk Grhsy and Mr . Gladstone ^ because it would introduce a new principle into the bill , and ft new category of divorce . —The motion was negatived . Mr . Henley moved the omission of the words ' desertion without reasonable excuse , ' suggesting the difficulty of defining the term * desertion/—The Attornky-Genrral observed that , where a husband ceased to live with his wife without the intention of returning , he would have deserted her , and the Court would collect from the facts whether there was an animus deserendi . — The amendment -was ultimately withdrawn .

      Mr . Butt moved to include among the grounds entitling a wife to petition for a divorce , * adultery coupled with aggravated ill-treatment of such a nature as ought in the opinion of the Court to entitle her to such divorce . ' —The Attqrniby-Gknkral opposed this amendment , observing that , if adopted , suoli general and indefinite twins would render the antecedent parts of tho clause , upon which so much time and labour had boon bestowed , useless , and , evqn worse than useless , It should have boon proposed at an earlier stage . ' — -Upon a division , tho amendment was negatived by 187 to 44 .

      Mr . Cox moved that the Chairman report progress , and Mr > Gladstone seconded the motion .-: —Lord Palmerston said he congratulated the opponents of the bill upon their ingenuity in having expended ten hours upon three lines of the clause . He should have resisted , the motion for reporting progress if it were not out of consideration for the professional engagements of the Attornev-General , whose presence was required at an early ho ' ur in the House of Lords . Out of consideration for him , and not for his opponents , he assented to the motion . —Mr . Gladstone complained that Lord Palmerston had emancipated himself from rules ordinarily incumbent upon members of that House in the observations he had made . —Lord Palmerston disclaimed any intended discourtesy , observing that he meant to say " the wishes of his opponents . "— -The motion was agreed to .

      STEAM TO INDIA . In answer to some questions by Mr . Stafford , Mr . Baking said that four vessels had been engaged of the European and American Steam Shipping Company , to go to Calcutta without stopping for coals . With regard to vessels which wanted coals on the voyage , the fuel might be obtained at Madeira , the Cape de "Verd Islands , and the Cape of Good Hope . —Sir De Lacy Evans inquired whether coals could also be obtained in the Mauritius ?—Mr . Baring : " Not at the Mauritius . "

      VERDICTS OF ' NOT PROVEN . Mr . Ewart gave notice of his intention , next session , to move that English juries be empowered to return verdicts of ' Not Proven . ' The order for the committal of the Parochial Schoolmasters ( Scotland ) Bill was discharged , and leave was given to bring in another bill . The Smoke Nuisance ( Scotland ) Abatement Bill was read a third time and passed , as well as the Revising Barristers ( Dublin ) Bill . Other bills were forwarded a stage , and the House adjourned at ten minutes to two o ' cloek .

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      THE ELECTIONS . Mr . Webster , and another of the candidates for the seat left vacant by the death of Mr . Muntz— -viz ., Mr . M'Geachy—retired from Birmingham at the close of last week . The resignation of Mr . Webster was in order to aVoid a split in the Liberal party ; and Mr . M'Geachy , the Conservative candidate , perceiving that , with the Liberals united , there was no chance for him , though the probabilitv of success would have been

      considerable in the contrary event , thought it prudent also to withdraw . Mr . Bright issued the following address : — " To the Electors of the Borough of Bikmingham . " Gentlemen , —I am informed that a very influential portion of your body is wishful that I should become one of your representatives to fill the place of the independent and faithful member you have recently lost , and I have seen in the newspapers that at a very large public meeting my name has been received with great favour .

      " You are doubtless aware that it has been my intention , at least for a time , to keep out of publie life , that I might have an opportunity fully to recover from an illness which for more than a y ear has made it necessary that I should abstain from mental labour and from the excitement which attends public affairs . I have , therefore , not sought to be returned to Parliament , but have endeavoured to evade all invitations to become a candidate for the suffrage of any constituencj ' . I feel , however , that after the steps which have been taken by my friends in Birmingham I am not at liberty to reject the honour and the responsibility which they are disposed to offer to me , and I have intimated to them that while , strictly speaking , I am not a candidate soliciting your

      suffrages , I cannot withhold such cooperation with them as may enable them best to sustain the position they have taken in reference to the approaching election . It is on this ground , and with this explanation , that I venture to depart from my original intention not to interfere in any -way in the contest in which you are now engaged . ?' After fourteen years of service in the House of Commons , having spoken and voted on almost every great question which has been discussed during that period , I feel it unnecessary to write at length and in detail as to my political opinions and my public course . You will not require to bo told that I am a warm supporter of such measures as shall render tho representation of

      the nation more real and complete in the House of Commons , and that I shall value any scheme brought forward by tho Government in proportion as it is extensive in its acopo tmd honest in its intention , and that I shall regard a wido extension of the franchise as shorn of half its virtue if it bo not accompanied by tho safeguard of the ballot . " I need hardly eny that I strongly approve of a principle which I cannot doubt is dear to tho people of Birmingham—that of local control in all matters of local Interest . I would entrust more to the inhabitants in o « ch locality and less to tho Government ofiioiuls and to the Home-office . " With regard ' to a question which aomo time ago excited interest among a portion of your body— namely ,

      the disposition of the Government to manufacture arms and other articles for the public service , and thus to compete with or to . destroy the private manufacturer—I have only to refer you to my course on that subject when it was before Parliament . I think Government manufactures wrong in principle , and always wasteful of the public money . " There is another quest-ion which at this moment occupies and absorbs public attention—the revolt in India . While I deplore this terrible event along with the rest of my countrymen , I am , perhaps , less surprised at it than most of them are . For twelve veaxs I havn

      given great attention to the subject of India . I have twice brought it before Parliament , —once in moving for a select committee , and once in moving for a Royal commission of inquiry ; and I took an active part in the debates on the Bill recently passed to continue the powers of the East India Company , and held public meetings in several of our largest cities with a view to excite public interest in the great question of the government of India . " The success of the insurrection would involve anarchy in India , unless some great man , emerging from the chaos , should build up a new empire , based on and defended by military power . I am not prepared to defend the steps by which England has obtained dominion in the East , but , looking to the interests of India and England , I cannot oppose such measures as may be deemed necessary to suppress the existing disorder . '

      " To restore order tP India is mercy to India ; but heavy will be the guilt of our country should we neglect hereafter any measures which would contribute to the welfare of its hundred millions of population . I hope that the acts of the Government -will be free from the vindictive and sanguinary spirit which is shown in many of the letters which appear in the newspapers , and that when the present crisis is over all that exists of statesmanship in England will combine to work what good is possible out of 6 O much evil .

      " I will say no more . The kindness shown to me by so many among you I feel deeply . I value your good opinion as you would wish it to be valued . I have sought private life , and quiet for a time is needful for me . You have called on me to occupy a very honourable position , and if I am placed in it by your free choice I cannot refuse it , and I shall strive to give to you and to our country a faithful service . —I am , with the greatest respect , yours faithfully , John Bright . —Tamworth , August 8 . " Mr . Bright was on Monday returned without opposition . Some seven thousand persons were present in the Town Hall , and exhibited the utmost enthusiasm in the cause of the ex-member for Manchester . That gentleman was not himself present , owing to the state of his health ; but his brother-in-law , Mr . M'Laren , ex-provost of Edinburgh , appeared for him , and returned

      thanks in his name . Mr . Bright has issued an address ( dated Rochdale , August 10 th ) thanking the electors of Birmingham for the honour they have done him . He here says :- ^ - " It is a matter of real regret to . me that I have not been able to be with j'ou during the past week , and at the hustings this day ; I shall hope , however , that on some not distant occasion I may be permitted to meet you in your noble Town-hall , and to become more intimately acquainted with a constituency from whom I have re- , ceived an honour as signal as it was unexpected , and towards whom I can never entertain other feelings than those of respect and gratitude . With heartfelt thanks for your kindness , which I trust I may have the health and the opportunity in some measure to repay , I subscribe myself , very faithfully yours—John Bright . " The Beverley election closed on Tuesday . The numbers were : —Edwards , 579 ; Wells , 401 .

      Mr . Adolphus William Young , and Mr . John Mellor , Q . C ., have been returned , without opposition , for Great Yarmouth , Sir Edmund Lacon having withdrawn .

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      SANITARY MATTERS . A small and compact blue-book issued on Friday week contains the 18 th Annual Report of the Registrar-General on births , deaths , and marriages in England . This report rotates to tho year 1855 , and from _ it wo proceed to extract a few interesting statistical particulare for the perusal of our readers . It appears that , in tho year 1856 , 804 , 226 persons wore married , that 685 , 048 children were born , and that 425 , 708 persons died . Thus 1 , 864 , 072 new names were inscribed on the national registers . Tho natural increase of tho population by excess of births over deaths was 209 , 840 , equal to the

      rate of 1 . 121 per cent , on the population , an increase greater by several thousands than that of the two previous years , 1854 and 1858 . Tho number of marriagCH decreased , probably owing to tho pressure of tho war tuxes and tho high price of provisions . Tho docroaao was 15 , 228 as compared with 1854 . Tho number of births exceeded by 688 those of the lost year , and tho deatlia wore less numerous by 12 , 202 ; 170 , 807 persona omigruted from the United Kingdom , of whom « 2 ,, 9 Q « wore of English or Welsh origin ; nnd , of tlioso , 27 , 880 sailed to tho United Statou , 4901 to the North American colonies , 29 , 808 to Australia , and 214 to ? 1 ' 101 ; P . ?; About 24 , 997 wore adult miilos , and 22 , 545 adult

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      No . , August 15 , 1857 . [ THE Ii E A T > E R . 773

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 15, 1857, page 773, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2205/page/5/