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Kb. 415. Makch 6, 1858.1 THE I.EAPEB. 22...
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THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. BUTT, M.P. The Ri...
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ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS. Three youth...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Re-Elections. Stamford.—Sir Frederic...
^ - ^ zr . — shall he found ready to support and assist in any measure for the extension of the elective franchise to every man in Britain qualified by property or by education to exercise it with independence and intelligence . A redistribution of the boroughs and towns possessed and unpossessed of the franchise , so that all above the rank of villages may be represented in the Legislature , is , in my opinion , called for upon every principle of justice and expediency . For why should Yarmouth return two members to Parliament while Lowestoft is without any representative at all ? I think also that the proportion between the numbers of the population and its representatives should be much more just and proximate throughout the counties and towns of ingland , Scotland , and Ireland . " Oxfordshire . — Mr . Henley has issued an address to his Oxfordshire constituents ; but it does not contain anv matter of note .
Cambridge University . —The Senate met on Thursday morning , when the Right Hon . S . H . Walpole , the new Home Secretary , was again returned as the representative of the University of Cambridge . In his address he said that having joined in a vote which overthrew the Government of Lord Palmerston , he did not feel justified in refusing such , assistance as he could honestly give towards the formation and support of another . - ¦ Droitwich . —Sir John Pakington , the new First Lord of the Admiralty , was re-elected for Droitwich on Monday , without opposition . He addressed the electors for an hour and a half , and commenced by referring to the attempted assassination at Paris . He thought we should not lay too much stress on the expressions ,
uttered in the heat of the moment , of the French military men . But he must say the late Government had not dealt wisely with the question on which they were upset . Before introducing any bill , they ought to have ascertained the state of the law ; and they ought to have answered Count Walewski ' s despatch , though he ( Sir John ) believed that no offence was intended by it . As it was , the Conspiracy Bill was introduced under a semblance of dictation . Still , he could not agree with the minority which voted against the introduction of the bill . To refuse improvement in our laws merely because it was asked for by a foreign power , would be an act at once ungracidus and unwise . The division which overthrew the late Government had nothing to do with the
measure itself . As to the law as it now exists , he would give no op inion on it , as the prosecutions now pending would determine whether it is sufficient for the desired purposes or not . Our duty is to declare on the one hand , that we will not abandon the sacred right of asylum , and , on the other , that we will not suffer our hospitality to be abused by the concoction on our soil of plots against friendly powers . He , for one , desired to maintain that friendly alliance with France which he believed to be conducive to the peace of the world . With respect to Reform , he repudiated the principle in the democratic sense of the word , but held to it as implying a careful revision and cautious improvement of all our institutions . He repudiated ' finality , ' and wished to see an extension of the suffrage .
Stamford . —Mr . Inglis , the Lord-Advocate of Scotland , was on Tuesday elected , without opposition , for the borough of Stamford , in the room of Sir Frederick Tliesiger , now Lord Chancellor . He is a supporter of the present Government . Wknlock ( Shropshire ) . —The Right Hon . Colonel Cecil Forester , the newly-appointed Controller of the Household , has been re-elected for Wenlock without opposition . Bridgbnorth . —Mr . Henry Whitmore , one of the Lords of the Treasury , is re-elected for Bridgenorth . Huntingdon . —General Peel was re-elected on Thursday for the united boroughs of Huntingdon and Godmanchester . His speech did not contain anything noteworthy . BucKiNGiiAMsmnE . —The nomination of Mr . Disraeli ¦ will take place on Monday . His will , of course , bo the chief speech of the re-elections .
King's Lynn . — Lord Stanley presented himself to his constituents of this borough on Thursday , in consequence of . his acceptance of t ho office of Secretary of State for tho Coloniea . He was re-elected without opposition , and ho then addressed the people at considerable length . Alluding to the Indian revolt , ho said no doubt the annexation of Oudo had some effect in creating alarm in tho native mind ; but not to the extent supposed . * ' There is no doubt , " ho added , " that a certain inquiry into lund titles excited alarm among many of tho nativo princes ; there is no doubt that tho discipline of tho army which revolted waa defective , and that the
withdrawal of officers to fill civil stations uflcctcd it injuriously \ but with all these explanations , I confess I think that a great doubt still rests on tho cauaea of that —outbrenkrand'I-think'in-dealing-wltl »^ it--wo-are-apt-to allow too little for thoao vague impulses , those mysterious fanoioH , those montul epidemics , which are apt to prevail , in all ageB and in all countries , among an untaught people , and from which even tho most civilized people is not entirely frco . I have seen a letter from on officer of tho vory highest rank , and of tho highest ability , now employed in India ; and ho goes so fur as to deny the existence of Any wide-spread discontent
among the population , and even to doubt the existence of any conspiracy of long standing in the army . According to him , it was the withdrawal of European forces from India which for the first time taught the Sepoy army the power they possessed . " Lord Stanley proceeded to say that the native army of India , and . the native civil administration , require remodelling . As regards the Home Government of India , he thought that , startling as it might appear on the first blush , the transfer of the entire power to the Crown is not so much a departure from what has been already done , as the necessary carrying out of former measures to their legitimate and natural conclusion . No doubt there was danger in any arrangement respecting the patronage of India ; and no doubt there was difficulty in so adjusting the council as that it should be capable of giving honest advice , and at the same time should avoid weakening that ministerial responsibility which ought to be maintained . Much had been said of tlie influence of public
opinion in Ir . dia ; but he believed it would be of a very mixed character—beneficial as regards public works , taxes , and finance ; hurtful in connexion with matters concerning native habits and prejudices . A good deal had been said in many quarters about the discouragement given to the profession of Christianity in India , and of the patronage of native religions , and of the necessity of employing active means for asserting our own form of belief in that country ; but he ventured to say that ninetenths of those stories were absolutely untrue , and that the other tenth part was grossly exaggerated . For the Government of India to violate the rule of religious neutrality , and directly to favour and encourage conversions to Christianity , would be a false and dangerous principle , and would lead to persecution . Witl regard to Parliamentary Reform , he thought that the excessive value which belonged to every individual vote
in small constituencies had a direct tendency to produce corruption ; and many districts of the country had reason to complain that they had not their adequate share of representation , although the state of things had arisen rather from accident than from any settled purpose . It was impossible to sit in Parliament without seeing to what a great extent modern journalism affected even the Parliamentary debates . The power of the pres 3 is in itself a representation ; it is a protection which Parliamentary legislation has not created , and cannot take away ; and it was not one of the least causes of satisfaction to him , looking back on his public life , that he had supported the removal of the stamp duty , a proceeding which , had given an increased development to journalism , of which the effects were yet only partly seen . Alluding to the Conspiracy Bill , Lord Stanley said that the new Government did not feel itself pledged to that measure .
Kb. 415. Makch 6, 1858.1 The I.Eapeb. 22...
Kb . 415 . Makch 6 , 1858 . 1 THE I . EAPEB . 221
The Charge Against Mr. Butt, M.P. The Ri...
THE CHARGE AGAINST MR . BUTT , M . P . The Right Hon . Vernon Smith , late President of the Board of Control , was examined before the committee last Saturday , and deposed that lie had several conferences with Mr . Butt in reference to the claims of AH Moorad . Mr . Butt wished the Government to take a favourable view of the Ameer ' s claim , and urged the impolicy of letting the matter go before Parliament . Mr . Vernon Smith himself seemed to think that it would be ' embarrassing' to bring the question forward in the House of Commons . He believed that the Ameer was guilty of the offence charged against him—viz ., forgery in a treaty ; but he thought he had been punished with undue severity , and that , as he had behaved well for some seven or eight years , there should
be a mitigation of the sentence . He ( Mr . Vernon Smith ) had introduced the Queen of Oude to our own Queen , contrary to the wishes of the Court of Directors . Mr . Esdaile , of the firm of Hunt nnd Co ., solicitors and confidential agents of AH Moorad , gave some evidence as to tho attendance of Mr . Butt at the conferences in reference to tho Ameer ' s affairs ; after which , Mr . David Coffey ( the petitioner ' s brother ) was recalled , and stated that ho had paid Mr . Butt a fee for attending a conference with his brother on tho Ameer ' s business . Ho had also sent a cheque to Mr . Butt . Sir George Clarke , permanent Secretary to tho Board of Control , was next called and examined by Mr . Roebuck . Tho letter written by him to the Commissioner in Scinde , in roferenco to Mr . Coffoy , was in consequence of a statement
made to him by AU Ackbar . Tho statement was to tho effect that Mr . Coffey ' s accounts showed defalcations of 2000 / . or 3000 / . Ho had no recollection of Mr . Butt saying to him that ho ( Mr . Butt ) had received these two sums of money . Ho concluded that the letter containing the oharges came from Ali Ackbar , and it was forwarded by tho board officially to Mr . Butt . Tho board was anxious to got tho Ameer away , nnd , when ho waa detained at Trieste , Mr . Butt aaid tho detention was caused by Mr . Coffoy , nnd tho board then forwarded to-him-tho-lottoivroapootiiig-Mr .-CoffViy-s-accouiiit . LL-Thia cloHcd tho case on tho part of the petitioner . Mr . Isaac Butt himaolf was noxt oxnminud , and emphatically denied having received , or sought for , any remuneration for hia sorvicoa to tho Ainoor . The committee then
adjourned . Tho examination of Mr . Butt was resumed on Monday , when ho said : — Hia negotiations with tho Board of Control terminated in Juno , 1857 , and it -waa
then that he advised the Ameer to present a memorial to the Queen . His final arrangement with the Board of Control was , that everything' that could be done for Ali Moorad should be done through the Bombay Government . Immediately the offer to go to India was made to him , he communicated the proposal to his family and friends , and , in consequence of their advice , . some letters passed between him and the agents of the Ameer in reference to the insurance of his life . In consequence of the advice given to him by his friends , he at first declined to go to India . Both the Ameer and Mr . Coffey continued to press him every day ; but , when the news of the revolt arrived , he became somewhat anxious to go . When he heard that the East India Directors had determined to send an unfavourable reply to the Ameer ' s representations , he wrote a very strong remonstrance to Mr . Vernon Smith , who then requested an interview , and Mr . Smith said that he agreed with him ( Mr . Butt ) in reference to the claims of the Ameer . Negotiations were again opened with the East India Board , who , on being pressed for an early decision , drew up a despatch ,
which was submitted to Mr . Vernon Smith . It waf unfavourable to the Ameer ; but Mr . Smith so altered it as to recognize his claims to a certain extent . At the time he - brought the matter under the consideration of the Court of Directors , it was quite impossible that the subject could have been submitted to Parliament that session . " In cross-examination by Mr . Roebuck , Mr . Butt said : — "He had quite understood that the Indian Government would be called upon to decide upon the Ameer ' s claims , notwithstanding the decision of the Court of Directors . He came to that conclusion in consequence of conversations he had with Air . Vernon Smith . He relied on the word of a British statesman that , if the Board of Directors made an unfavourable decision , it would be reversed by the Board of Control . It was to test the Ameer ' s sincerity that he asked him for 500 / . of which , however , he only had 300 / . "
, Mr . Butt continued his statements on Tuesday , and said that the sum of 10 , 000 / . which the Ameer promised him was simply for going out to India , and that he had no intention of bringing the case before the House of Commons , unless the appeals to the Court of Directors and the Board of Control utterly failed . He added : — " In July , 1857 , the Ameer went to Mr . Vernon Smith , accompanied by Ali Ackbar . There were present at the interview , Mr . Vernon Smith , Sir -George Clerk , and himself . Mr . Vernon Smith recommended the Ameer to go back to India , upon which the Ameer asked whether he was to get back his lands , and Sir George Clerk said , * I hope you do not think us base
enough to send you out unless we intended to give you your land . ' The Ameer thereupon agreed to return . " Other evidence , of less importance , having been received , the case was brought to a close , and the committee sat privately on Wednesday , to consider their report . At the conclusion of the sitting , the Chairman said to the reporters that , as the House was not sitting , he could not read the precise terms of the resolutions come to , but that he might state generally that they were tantamount to an acquittal . The resolutions , however , have crept into the papers by some secret way . They refer to the money payments made by the Ameer to Mr . Butt , but say that there is no evidence to show that these sums were given with any reference to services in Parliament .
Accidents And Sudden Deaths. Three Youth...
ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS . Three youths have been drowned at Barnsley while skating . They had gone at night to a pond at the outskirts of the town , together with some others ; and one of the three going to a part of the pond which was dangerous , fell in . Four of the others formed a sort of chain by joining hands , and had just pulled the youth out , when the ice again gave way , and three more fell in . Of tho four thus submerged , only one succeeded in getting to dry ground . An alarm was raised ; but , beforo the others could bo got out , they were dead . The inquest has terminated in a verdict in accordance with those facts . A man named Yates has been literally beheaded at tho Wigan station of tho Liverpool and Manchester Railway . He was crossing ' JL he lines in order to reach a train , when another train came upon him , and he fell with hiB body botweon the metals , and hia head and neck on the rail next to tho platform . Tho wheels of tho ongino and carriages passed over tho nock , and completely soparatcd the head . An alarming accident occurred on Tuesday evening on tho Norfolk section of the Eastern Counties Railway , between Groat Yarmouth and Norwich . Tho 4 . 45 r . M , train for Yarmouth and Lowoatoft was delayed for about an hour and a quarter owing to tho lino being impeded by enow . When at length it atarted , it proceedcd _ nUher , alQ . wJ ^ fp , r ^]^ milo from the Buckonham station , one of tho engines loft the rails , in consoquenco of tho obstruction . Several trucks woro paaaing on tho other lino nt tho same moment and tho engine which had left its own rails came into collision with ihoin . Four or five of tho trucks wore broken , and two of tho offlciala were injured . It waa not until aftor a deluy of four hours that the lino waa cleared .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 6, 1858, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06031858/page/5/
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