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? these 808 THE LEADER. [No. 485. July 9...
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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. Monday % July 4. In...
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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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? These 808 The Leader. [No. 485. July 9...
808 THE LEADER . [ No . 485 . July 9 , 1859 .
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Imperial Parliament. Monday % July 4. In...
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . Monday % July 4 . In the House of Louds , Lords Ltveden and lit . akover . took the oaths and their seats among the Peers . , THE DIVORCE COURT . Iibrd Brougham , in moving for some returns connected with the administration of the Court of Divorce , commented at much length upon the constitution and effect of the new tribunal , which , neinsisted , although unobjectionable in principle , was , toyits practical working , rapidly demoralising the country . lie could not close his remarks without bearing testimony to the efficiency with which the learned Judge ^ Ordinary discharged the laborious duties of his office . —The Lori ) Chancellor agreed ¦ with much that had been said by iLord Broughanv and especially with his observations on the ability of the Judge-Ordinary . There could be no doubt that there was a want of judicial strength in the c ° Ftt . He thought that some public functionary should be appointed 1 o investigate the circumstance of each case , with a view to guarding against collusion , and that the court should have the power of sitting with closed doors whenever the question of a dissolution of marriage arose . These and other points he hoped to deal with in a bill whieh would be laid before the House in a few days . CHURCH RATES . The Duke of Maryborough moved for the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the present operation of the law and practice respecting the assessment and levy of church rates . Passing in review the various propositions which had already been offered for settling the question , he enforced the necessity of finding some speedy and . satisfactory solution for a- controversy that had so long disturbed the public mind and injured the Established Church . He urged many objections against any scheme which left the Church dependent for the maintenance of the fabrics , solely upon voluntary contributions . He trusted that their Lordships would ever be found the best defenders of the Established Church , which was the surest safeguard of an hereditary monarchy . —
Lord Teynham said the Church of England was the " rich man ' s church . " — The Archbishop of Canterburt thought the remedy for the honest scruples of Dissenters to church-rates need not be the extreme measure of releasing property from an obligation to which it had always been subject . — The motion for a committee was supported l » y Lord Portmax and the Bishop of London . Earl Gbabtville believed that ample information already existed on the church-rate question , but consented to the appointment of the select committe . This proceeding , he observed , however , would not interfere with the progress of any measure that might be sent up from the other House on the subject . The motion was accordingly agreed to and their lordships adjourned .
In the House of Commons Mr . Gladstone took his seat on his re-election for Oxford . A new writ was ordered for Ashton , in consequence of Mr . Milner Gibson having accepted the presidency of the Board of Trade , and anew writ was also ordered for Wolverhampton , on account of Mr . Villiers having accepted the office of President of the Poor Law Board , which was offered to him by Lord Palmerston , coupled with a seat in the Cabinet . REFORM . Mr . E . James fulfilled his promise of asking the Government whether their Reform Bill would be produced this session , — - Lord Palmerston had already stated that it could not , and simply reminded Mr . James of that fact . FINANCE . In reply to a question put by Mr . Bright , whotlier lie could fix a day for a statement relative to Indian finance , Sir C . Wood said that , until ho was in possession of the necessary information , he would not bo in a condition to make a satisfactory statement , and could not therefore fix a day ;—> In answer to Sir H . Willoughby , the Chanoeixqh of the Exchequer aaid , he did not intend to make any statement relative to the expenditure apart from his general flnnnoial statement , which he would fix for as onrly nday as possible after the Estimates . Questions about illuminatod columns , slavos in Brazil , and Savings Banks , were also put and answered ; and Lord C . Paoet made the important announcement that Government would introduco a bill founded upon the report of thp Commissioners appointed to inquire into manning the navy . Some public bills were read a second timo , ' and a few railway bills w third time , and passed . ' THE RlVlOn THAMES . Sir M . Phto , in moving for leave to introduoo a bill to provide for the provonlloa of noisome , offluvia
other power can molest us ? To these questions , my lords , my answer shall be a short and a simple one . I will not consent to live in dependence on the friendship or the forbearance of any country . ( Loud cheers ) . I rely solely on my own vigour , my own exertion , and my own intelligence . ( Cheers ) . Does ' any ' noble lord in this House dissent from the principle E have laid down ? ( A pause . ) I rejoice , my lords , to find that such is not the case . But I regret to be obliged to say that we do not stand very well on the Continent of Europe . ( Hear . ) I do not think that the late events have at all improved our condition in that respect . ( Hear , hear . ) I will go further . I do believe , as the result of my own careful
observation , that if there arise any plausible cause of difference between this country and France , and it leads to war , a declaration of war by the Government of that country against us will be hailed with enthusiasm not only by the army and navy , but by the great mass of the people of France . If I am asked , will you rely on . the assurances and the courtesy of the Emperor Napoleon , I will say that I have a great respect for that hi gh person , but I will not enter into any explanation on the subject ; but I leave every noble lord to draw his pwn conclusions and form his own opinion . But this I . will say , if I am asked whether I can place reliance on the Emperor Napoleon— : I will say with confidence that I cannot place reliance on him , because he is in a situation in which he cannot have reliance on
himself . ( Hear , hear . ) He is in a situation in which he must be governed by circumstances , and I cannot consent that the safety of this country should depend oh such a state of things . Self-reliance is one of the best virtues of private life , and it is equally necessary to a nation . In recommending an increase of our defences he deprecated an aggressive policy towards France . As to the question of expense , it sank into insignificance before the importance of the interests at stake . The expense was a premium , and a very moderate one , too , which was paid for the insurance of the country . These were not the counsels of timidity or of old age ; he had felt it his duty to bring this matter forward . He , concluded a most eloquent and impressive speech by recommending the Government to ponder over two words ; " Vcs victis . "— -Lord S . » e Redcliffe agreed with
Lord Lyndhurst , and said that looking to the commercial position of this country , and to the un- ? settled state of foreign affairs , we ought not , he thought , from too great confidence in past successes , to wrap ourselves in a false security , and hesitate to increase the defences of the country . —Lord Granvillk doubted whether any practical good could result from observations similar to those of Lord Lyndhurst . He did not know whether those observations were intended to stimulate the Government to its duty , but he was sure they would not conduce to a better state of feeling in France . Scouting the idea of an invasion , he said it was not likely that France , engaged in a terrible war , or that Russia , employed in improving the condition of her own subjects , would attack this country . The army , he agreed with Lord Lyndurst , -was insufficient to meet a laroe force which might be landed on this island ,
and that the dockyards o . nd arsenals ought , if possible , to be made impregnable . In forwarding this object the services of volunteers , of artillery companies , and of rifle corps would be of great service . There was no harm in telling other nations that while all Europe was arming we were arming too . —The Earl of Hardwioicb suggested the equipment of a fleet at least 400 sail , —The Duke of Somerset protested against such language as had been used during the debate , for it was calculated to endanger the relations of this qountry with Franco . If such language were to be continued , it would be necessary to ask for larger estimates than contemplated , as it would certainly result in war .- — After a few remarks , made by Lord Brougham , the Earl of Ellenborougii ,, the Duke of Argyll , and the Duke of Rutland , the subject dropped , and their lordships adjourned .
from the river Thames within the metropolis , observed that it was a measure of a simple and practical character , and was not intended to reflect upon the Metropolitan Commissioners . At the suggestion of Mr . S . Estcourthe gave a very brief explanation of its enactments . —After remarks by Lord J . Manners and Sir J . Shelley , Mr . Tite entered into details connected with this " gigantic evil , " and the measures adopted by the Metropolitan Board to contend with it , whereby its effects had , he said , been much diminished . —The motion was ultimately negatived . PICTURE GALLERIES . On the motion of Mr . Cowter , an address was voted for copies of all letters and memorial ^ addressed to the Committee of Council on Education or the trustees of the National Gallery , with reference to the admission of the public in the evening to the Turner and Vernon Galleries of pictures , and of the answers thereto . MILITARY ORGANISATION . . The Secretary for War moved for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the effect of the change that had taken place in the organisation of the War Department since 1855 . The motion was agreed to . The House adjourned at seven o ' clock . Tuesday , July 5 . THE NATIONAL DEFENCES . In the House of Lords Lord Lvndhurst in calling the attention of the House to the military and naval defences of the country , said that the observations he was about to make were dictated by a purely defensive feeling . The confidence which this country had indulged in in former times had been rudely destroyed by the application of steam to naval warfare . In drawing attention to the state of the navy he stated that in the spring of last year the French exceeded us in line-of-battle ships in only a small proportion , but in frigates their , superiority was
enormous . At the present time , however , we ex-r ceeded them in line-oif-battle ships , but were still inferior to them in frigates ; and next year we should exceed them still more in line-of-battle ships , but not in frigates . Proceeding to inform the House what he considered necessary for the defence of the country , he stated that we ought to have a force in the Channel equal to that of France , and in addition to it a powerful reserve . This would not , however , be sufficient without a fleet capable of coping with any two navies . In case of a dispute with France and with Russia , we should be in a very unfortunate situation if we had not a naval force sufficient to
combat with both those Powers . Our naval power is essentially defensive . It is absolutely essential to our security . The naval power of France is not defensive—not necessarily so . It is aggressive in its character . In addition to this a fleet would be required to command the Mediterranean ; If we have not a fleet sufficient to command the Mediterranean , said the noble lord , every one of our strongholds will fall into the possession of Foance . Not only would that be the case , but the desire and the wish of the first Emperor to convert the Mediterranean into a French lake would at once be realised . ( Hear , hear . ) Do your lordships suppose that that idea is abandoned ? Far from it . There is another
point with respect to the Mediterranean . Unless we have the command of the Mediterranean—if we are driven out of the Mediterranean , what is our situation with respect to India ? We cannot communicate with India , except round the Cape of „ . Good Hope , while' France will be able to communicate by a direct and easy course by means of Egypt and the Red Sea . What would be the result of that state of things I leave your lordships to imagine . He further remarked that another fleet ought to be fitted out for the protection of the West Indies . In passing to collateral subjects he recommended the immediate formation of a reserve of seamen , an enlargement of our arsenals , dockyards and slips , in accordance with the increased size of modern vessels , and the introduction of a more powerful machinery for forwarding the equipment of vessels of war .
Our naval defences , ho remarked , were only a part of the question , It had been truly said that " steam has converted the Channel into a xiver and thrown a bridgeaoross it , " for ho believed that in a fewhours a mighty army might be brotight by railway , to the French ports , embarked with the greatest facility , and thrown upon the shores of this kingdom . In addition to providing a sufficient force to oppose such an attempt the different fortresses and arsenals would lttvve to bo garrisoned . For this purpose 100 , 000 regular troops and embodied militia , combined with another 100 , 000 disembodied but trained militia , would suffice . Then , too , there was Ireland to defend , especially as she might bo looked upon elsewhere as " nn oppressed nationality , " differing in race , language , ana religion from the English . What was necessary 'was a permanent force , it wo wished to live in security and to uphold the national honour . It may bo aslcod ( said the venerable statesman ) . Arc we not on terms of friendship with Russia ? what
THE INDIAN ARMY . In the Ho ' usb of Commons , in reply to Mr . Vansittart , Sir C . Wood said the excitement amongst tho troops in India was diminishing . Mr . Gregory moved for a select committee to inquire into the claim of Mr . II . Ryland for compensation for loss of the office of Clerk of the Council in Canada , The motion was negatived . Colonel W . Patten obtained loavo to bring in a bill enabling railway companies to settle their mutual differences by arbitration . Mr , ¦ Collier moved for leave to bring in a bill for limiting tho power of imprisonment for small debts exercised by judges of the county courts . Tho motion was seconded by Mr . Malins , and aftor a brief discussion leave was given . VOLUNXKBU CORPS . Mr . Palic moved , by way of resolution , " That tho House should on Tuesday next resolve itself into a committee to consider an address , praying her
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 9, 1859, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_09071859/page/4/
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