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«68 TH E LEADER. [No. 417, March 20, 185...
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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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Imperial Parliament. Monday, Marcji 15th...
—The Chancellor of the Exchequer said , there was a clear deficiency of 500 , 000 ? . in the charge for the militia , and , as it was impossible to calculate at present the amount of saving in the transfer of troops to the Indian Government , the Government preferred to come at once to Parliament for a vote . —After a short discussion , the report was agreed to .
WATS AND MEANS . The House then went into Committee of Ways and Means ; and Mr . Fitzroy ( the Chairman ) read the first resolution , which was to grant a sum of 500 , 000 / . out of the Consolidated Fund towards the expenses of the army . —Sir H . Willoughby noticed that a novel clause had been introduced into the Appropriation Act last year , which seemed to sanction the application of moneys to other services than those for which the sums were voted . Sir G . C . Lewis said that the clause in question was almost peculiar to the Act of last session . The dissolution of Parliament in the middle of the session had
induced the Government to follow the precedent of 1841 ,, in which a similar state of things had occurred , and in which the votes for the two great services had consequently heen taken at two different periods of the session . They had not , in taking that course , enlarged in the smallest degree the powers which were given by the 27 th clause , or enabled the Minister to appropriate any sum to a purpose not specified in the other clauses of the Appropriation Act . —The vote was then agreed to , as was also a vote of 10 , 000 , 000 / . towards making good the payments out of the consolidated fund ; and the House resumed .
MUTINY AND MARINE MUTINY BILLS . These bills "were read a second time , after some complaints by Mr . Baxter , Mr . Black , and Mr . Kinnaird , of the peculiarly oppressive operation of the billeting system in Scotland , and on the part of General Coimungton , Colonel North , and others , of the inadequacy of the money allowed in the United Kingdom for billeting , the result of the whole being a promise of General Peel that he would give his best attention to the subject , with a view to the removal of some grievances which he believed to exist .
COLONIZATION OF INDIA . Mr . Ewabt moved for a select committee to inquire into the progress and prospects and the best means to be adopted for the promotion of European colonization in India , and the formation of military stations , especially in the hill districts and healthier climates of that country , as well as for the extension of our commerce with Central Asia . He asked simply for inquiry , but expressed his opinion that the colonization of certain parts of India would be of great advantage both to ourselves and to the natives . —Mr . Baillie was of opinion that , even in the hill districts , Europeans cannot long reaide without personal risk . Colonies would not be self-supporting , and it would be unjust to make the people of India pay the expense of establishing settlers there .
India is a well-populated country , and does not want settlers , and the land is not the property of Government ; the greater part is private property , subject to the land-tax . Ministers would not throw any obstacle in the way of inquiry , but they thought the time inopportune . —Colonel Syk . es , Sir James Elphinstone , and Mr . R , D . Mangles opposed the scheme of colonizing India ; while Mr . Kinnaiud and Mr . Seymour supported the motion . —Mr . Turner insisted on the importance of promoting and facilitating a supply of cotton from India . —Mr . Cheetham and Mr . Nisbet highly approved of the appointment of the committee . —The motion was then agreed to , with the addition of the words " and settlement" after " colonization , " and the omission of the words " and the formation of military stations . "
SAVINGS BANKS . Mr . Estcoubt moved that Mr . Henley and Mr . Adderley be discharged from further attendance on the Select Committee on Savings Banks ; and that Mr . Thomas Baring and Mr . Gregson bo added to the committee . —Agreed to . The House adjourned at twenty minutes to nine . Wednesday , March 17 th . THE ) SEPTENNIAL ACT . In the House of Commons , Mr . Cox gave notice that on Tuesday , the 80 th of March , he should ask leave to bring in a bill to repeal the Act of George I ., known as the Septennial Act , with a view to limit the duration of Parliaments to three years .
OATHS BILL , Lord John Russell , in moving that the House roaolvo itself into a comraittoo upon the Oaths Sill , stated that it was his Intention in the committee to move the omission of words in the 7 th clause which scorned to confirm the oath to bo taken by the Roman Catholic mombors , and , on the report , to propose a change in the preamble ofntho'TiilTln waor ^ t ^ iffialt ^ its --6 b 3 < 5 dt-cle ( l , terr == Mr : NKWTDEaATJB approved the course taken by Lord John . — Mr . Dunoqmbm asked whether his Lordship could give an assurance that , if tho bill passed , it would meet with a better reception in another place than its predecessors on the same subject , and , if not , whether ho adhered to his avowed intention to bring forward a resolution giving to Baron Rothschild his seat . —Lord John Kussbll was precluded by the rules of tho House from making any reply to this question , as ho had already spoken ; but , after awhile , Mr . Dillwyn moved that tho debate be
adjourned , in order to give his Lordship an opportunity of answering , of which he availed himself , and observed that it appeared to be very diflicult to discover who has the majority in that House , and that it would be very presumptuous in him to predict what would be the fate of the bill in the other House . As regarded the second question , experience had taught him that any decision regarding Parliamentary privileges which might come under the consideration of a court of law should be come to by the general consent of Parliament . The bill was framed in a most conciliatory manner , and he thought it was inexpedient then to discuss any d that Lord
ulterior measure . —Mr . Duscombe considere John had evaded the questions . He had evidently changed his mind on the subject , and the new bill indicated a retrogressive policy . —Mr . Hugessen thought it would be time to consider ulterior measures after the present bill had been rejected , if such should be its fate . jjfr . John Locke thought there was little hope of the House of Lords agreeing to the bill , and he trusted that , in the event of its being rejected , Lord John Russell would move that Jewi be admitted by a simple resolution of the House . —The House then went into committee on the bill , the clauses of which were agreed to , with the amendment proposed by Lord John RusselL
WAYS AND MEANS . The report of the committee of Ways and Means was brought up , and leave was given to bring in two bills founded upon the resolutions . —The bills were subsequently brought in , and read a first time . The House adjourned at half-past one o ' clock .
Thursday , March ISt / i . THE CAGLIAKI . In the House of Lords , Lord Lyndhurst , referring to the case of the Cagliari , contended that the Government ought at once to interfere to obtain the liberation of the English engineers , as the Neapolitan Government has itself made a statement from which it appears that the vessel was not within the jurisdiction of Naples when she was captured . —The Earl of Malmesbury repeated the statement , made on a previous evening , that the case had been referred to the law officers of the Crown . —Lord Wensleydale suggested that the question should be
referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for its opinion . —The Earl of Derby thought there was no precedent for that course . —Lord Redesuale believed , under the circumstances , that the Neapolitan Government was , to a certain extent , justified in what it had done . — Earl Grey supported the suggestion of a reference to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council . — Lord Brougham objected that the committee was also the tribunal of appeal , and , might have to decide judicially the question on which it was required to give an opinion . —The subject then dropped . Lord Brougham moved for , and obtained , certain returns connected with the County Courts .
MEDICAL BEFORM . In answer to a question from Lord Talbot de Malahi . de , Earl Derby stated that the Government did not intend to introduce a ny Medical Reform bill during the present session in addition to the three bills already bofore the House of Commons on the subject . But it would give its best consideration to those measures , with the hope of effecting some arrangement between tho parties to them . The Government however , would bo prepared to take some steps to regulate the sale of poisons . Their Lordships then adjourned at twenty minutes to seveu o ' clock .
GALWAY ELECTION . Mr . Roebuck presented a petition , to which ho called particular attention . It referred to a motion to bo proposed that afternoon by Mr . Clivo respecting tho Galway election , and contained statements aiFecting members of that House and a member of tho Upper House . Allusion was made to the bill for tho disfranchisoniont of tho freemen of ( Jalway , and tho petitioners prayed that the same punishment might extond to all those who were guilty of bribery . Thoy then proceeded to
state that tjfe evidonce taken before tho Commissioners appointed to inquire into the proceedings of tho Galway election showed that tho Marquis of Clanricardo , Lord-Lioutonant of tho County , Privy Councillor , and Justice of the Peace for tho county , was a party to tho bribery committed in 1852 and 1857 , finding the money and employing agents to corrupt tho electorH ; and that Sir Tuomaa Burke ( Justico of tho Peace ) , Dr . Jamos V . Brown ( Professor of tho Queen ' s College ) , Messrs . Thomas Moore , O'Flahorty , and Carter , were also parties to those transactions .
At a later period of tho evening , Mr . Cuvu movod for leuvo to bring In a bill for tho xllsfranchlsomont of tho freemen of tho county and town of Gnlway . —Sir Thomas Burke seconded tho motion , ami Lord LorXtSBT ^ 'lefl ^ ulittRrrtM ^ h-o-iTitrodactlon-of' -the-bill-. -- ' - Colonel FitUNOH doubted tho power of the IIouho to offoot tho dlsfranohisomoiit , and quostionod tho juutico of tho measure—Mr . Mach / irm considered tho rich briber more guilty than tho poor man who rooolvod tho bribe . —Mr . Kbk Sigymisu supported , while Mr . 13 isuusirom > lloi'w and Mr . Ayrton opposed , tho measure .- —Mr . J . D . FrMSQKRALD observed that this was not a bill to punish any one j its object was to provont the continuance of corruption by tho sale , of votos . Ho aordlally supported tho motion . —Mr . Walpolis strongly advlaed tho Houso
to assent to the introduction of the bill ; but he had doubts respecting the measure . For example first it proposed to disfranchise both the innocent and th guilty ; secondly , a list was appended to the report of persons who had been guilty of purchasing votes and the House should consider whether one class could be dealt with , and not the other . —The motion was agre ed to , and leave was given to introduce the bill . ROYAL WARRANT OF 1854 . In answer to General Wyndham , General Peel said that be proposed to submit to her Majesty that a com . mission be appointed to . consider the report of the commission on which the warrant of October , 1854 , was founded , and the present system of promotion iu the army . CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELKCTIONS .
The Chancellor of the Exchequer , in answer to Mr . Henry Berkeley , stated that a bill with reference to corrupt practices at elections would be introduced and submitted to a select committee . It would be founded on the experience of the last general election .
THE ARMY BEFORE DELHI . Mr . II . Baillie stated , in answer to Mr . Kinnaird , that the six months' batta , awarded by the Governor-General to the army which captured Delhi , is the utmost sum which by law he is entitled to grant ; but the cases of the army before Delhi , and the garrison of Lucknow are now under the consideration of the Government .
LORD MALMESBURY AND COUNT WALEWSKI . Mr . Craufukd asked the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether the despatch of the 4 th of March , addressed by the Earl of Malmesbury to Count " Walewski , was submitted to the French authorities in Paris , or to their representatives in England , for the purpose of ascertaining the opinion of the French Government thereon , before the official presentation of that document to the French Government on behalf of the British nation . — The Chancellor of the Exchequer observed that it was hardly fair to put such a question , founded upon assumptions not within the knowledge of the Undersecretary , and he protested generally against such a class of questions . He accounted for the delay in the transmission of the despatch by the ordinary routine in such matters , and by the state of the weather , which prevented the document being sent at once to the Queen at Osborne for her approval .
OODIiEVY LIGHTHOUSE . Mr . Augustus Smith moved for a select committee to inquire into the circumstances connected with , the erection of the Godrevy Lighthouse , and to report their opinion as to the proper position for the same . —The motion was seconded by Mr . Paull ; but , after some discussion , it was negatived . THE WORKING CLASSES . Mr . Slaney moved , " That it id expedient to establish a Standing Committee , or Unpaid Board , or Commission , to consider and report from time to time on practical suggestions likely to be beneficial to the working classes . " The operation of the poor-laws , the condition
of t he workhouses , particularly with regard to children and old people , tho operation of the factory-laws , the condition of the dwellings of the poor , and their recreations , were some of the points to which he thought they might direct their attention with a fair prospect of an advantageous result . —Mr . Sotheron Estcourt was at a loss to conceive what was the practical measure which Mr . Slnney had iu v-iew . A commission on such a subject would bo worse than useless j it would be mischievous , as tending to tho creation of wild schemes . He trusted that , as Mr . Slaney had discharged hte conscience by tho course ho had taken , he would now withdraw tho motion . —This was accordingly done .
THIS TRKAT . MENT OF THE MUTINOUS . SEPOYS . Mr . Rich called tho attention of the House to tho trentinont of tho mutinous Sepoys and other insurgents in India , and moved for the following papers : —Copies of any report or despatch relative to tho protection afforded by Maun Singh and othors to fugitive Europeans at the outbreak of the Sepoy mutiny ; of any instructions given to officers in command of troops as to treatment of mutinous Sepoys or desertors ; and as to natives of Ou < le ( not boinjr Sepoys ) found in arms within tho territory of Oudo . Mr . Rich oontended that the revolt lmd arisen from a combination of circumstances which prudence and foresight might have prevented ; that it soon widened into a national struggle for independence ; and that our oporntions against tho insurgents had beeu characterized by acts of sanguinary vongonnco . Surely a distinction massacred
oughttobo made between those Sepoys who had our countrymen nnd countrywomen , and thoso who J >»" simply risen ngaiiiBt our rulo ; but this had not been dono . Revolting statements had been put forth by you »{ j men In their lottora ns to tho punishments that Juki boqn or ~ woiild-bo r lHttlo . ted-pft 4 lio-iiu 1 tivpfl . ; . Jto tJ ^; " happy to say that he believed thoso young mo » WM 1 K bo tho last to join in such atrocities . Wo hnit sulzea Oudo by a coup d'dtnt , though its princes had always boon our faithful nlUos . No one could ndmiro niom highly than ho did tho courage and fortitudo our troops had displayed , and no one wan moro anxious than i was that Htorn ami rosoluto justice should bo dealt o «' to tho villains and miscreants who had Uofllod tho human form which thoy boro \ but ho was sum hor Mnj ° fl | . Govorninont would bo ready to admit that tho punisn-
«68 Th E Leader. [No. 417, March 20, 185...
« 68 TH E LEADER . [ No . 417 , March 20 , 1858 .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 20, 1858, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20031858/page/4/
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