On this page
-
Text (1)
-
mat 23. 1857.1 THE LBADE B. 483
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Imperial Parliament. —?—. Monday, May 18...
WAR WITH PERSIA . Mr BAJELEy inquired when the Persian war papers « Jrjd be laid on the table . — Lord Palmbrstokt ex-Sd that the ratification of the treaty of peace would Enlace at an early period ; and immediately after-^« b t ne Government would lay on the table such *^ a re as would enable the House to form an opinion of the war . ( . Laughter . ) A CRIMEAN SKIRMISH . Colonel North drew attention to a passage in one of rfie election speeches of Mr . Williams , member for Lamhpfh wherein it was said that the officers of our Crimean « rmv had shown themselves incapable of doing their Sntv thouffh at the head of men remarkable for bravery fna discipline . The Colonel contended—and quoted fieures to uphold his words—that the officers had distinguished themselves most signally and honourably , and he complained that they should have been vilified bv- one who is constantly endeavouring to render the arrov inefficient and to produce ill feeling between officers and men . —Mr . Williams replied that he had never questioned the courage of the officers ; but he certainly thought those of the highest rank were not free from blame . He had not endeavoured to sow ill feeling between officers and men , nor to diminish the efficiency of the army ; but he had opposed the taking of money out of the pockets of the people when it is not needed ,
except for the purposes of reckless extravagance . GENERAL ASHBUENHAM . General Codrington then called attention to an anonymous attack , on General Ashburnham by a writer in the Tunes , who signed himself a ' Staff Officer , ' and who impugned the General ' s judgment and courage at the Sutlej . The letter bore mendacity on the face of it , and he ( General Codrington ) would read a letter from an eye-witness of General Ashburnham ' s conduct at the battle of Sobraon . The writer spoke of the General heading his men up to the fortifications , attempting to leap his horse through an embrasure , and , when he failed , turning his horse , riding along in front of the works , and finally entering at another embrasure , at the very muzzles of the enemy ' s guns . ( Cheers . ') How he escaped , added the writer , was a miracle . General Codrington then read another letter , to precisely the same effect , from Lieutenant-Colonel Short , of the 62 nd
Regiment . supply . The House having gone into Committee of Supply on the Navy Estimates ( Mr . Fitzroy in the chair ) , Sir Charles Wood explained that these estimates were the same as those he had submitted to the late Parliament . He had only taken for the money votes sums on account , amounting to 3 , 390 , 000 / . ; ami , to complete the estimates for the year , votes remained amounting to 9 074 , 232 / . It would not be necessary to ask for any additional vote on account of the war with China ; the only further demand would be in regard to the transport of troops . He concluded by moving that 53 , 700 men—seamen , marines , and coastguard—bo granted for the remaining eight months . —The vote was agreed to , after a discussion of some length , during which Mr .
Williams , while protesting that no one was more anxious than he to maintain an efficient navy , condemned the extravagance of tho estimates then submitted to the House , which exceeded those of 1852-3 by 2 , 175 , 000 / . —Admiral Walcott urged the necessity of keeping twelve sail of the line in constant commission , and fully equipped , and of maintaining a squadron of evolution . —Sir Charles Napier would not consent to reduce the estimates . On the contrary , he thought that , in many respects , the effective force ought to be increased . He was no alarmist , but ho wished it to bo distinctly understood , both within and without the House , that it was his conviction that our naval force is not sufficient for the right protection of the country in the event of a war suddenly breaking out .
Tho following votos , to complete the intimates , were likewise agreed to , after discussion : —1 , 3-19 , 833 / . for wages of tho men ; 533 , 922 / . for their victuals ; 84 , 217 / . for tho Admiralty-office ; 118 , 150 / . for salaries of the Coastguard and Volunteors ; 33 , 091 / . for the scientific branch ; 92 , 224 / . for establishments at home ; 15 , 4-23 / . for establishments abroad ; 584 , 390 / . for wages of artificers at homo ; 33 , 383 / . for tho same abroad ; 895 , 450 / . for naval stores and steam machinery ; 378 , 115 / . for now works ; 20 , 000 / . for modioinos . —Tho Chairman was then ordered to report progress . Tho Bankruptcy and Insolvency ( Ireland ) liiuu was read a socoml time ; and tho l . louso wont into oommitteo upon the salaries , mansions , & c , undar tho bill , which gavo riso to a short discussion . Somu formal business having boon disposed of , tha House ndjournod at twenty ininuto , ) after one o ' clock .
Tucmhui , M « y t 9 tfi . PICUfiONAL NXIM . ANATIO . NN . In tho Housio oir Loans , thu Marquis of Wicstmuatii , with some warmth , repudiated cortain accusations n / rainul Mm which had boon mado in tho ( Jtohc newspaper , founded on a pamphlot which , said Iiin Lordship , had l ) con going tho round of tho uowspapors , and had boon pliiced on tho tablet ! of aomo of tho oluhhouMus for tho purpose of vllifviug his character , Tho pamphlet and tho Howspapor , article had reforouco to tho disagreement
botweea his Lordship and , the lady who . does him the honour to bear his name , ' bat who left Mm thirty-eight years ago , and ' who does notyet appear-to be content to leave her husband in peace . ' Against the newspaper he intended to take legal measures ; and , for the vindication of his personal honour , ha would meet all the statements made against him by a denial supported by proof ,, when the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill should come before committee . The accusations had been originally made in private in the Ecclesiastical Court . Had they been publicly made—which they would have been in any other court —they would have beea completely answered at once : and he therefore trusted that their
Lordships would annihilate the Ecclesiastical Court in the bill now before them . —Another personal explanation was made shortly afterwards by Lord Lykdhubst , who said that , owing to some miscarriage in the return to Lady Bulwer Lytton . of a narrative of her case which she had sent to him from Llangollen , he had been accused by that lady of discourtesy , and she had even petitioned the House to investigate the case , so that she might have her property restored to her . All he could sav was , that he had ordered the delivery of the document to her messenger , and knew no more of it ; and that nothing could be further from bis intention than to be discourteous to her Ladvship or to any other lady .
TROOPS FOE INDIA . la answer to the Earl of Ellenborough , Lord Panmure said the aceounts received from India were not such as to excite great alarm respecting the state of affairs in that country . The regiments originally destined for India were ordered to China , but by the second week in June four regiments would proceed from this country to India . If unfortunately it should turn out to be necessary to retain more than the usual number of Queen ' s troops in India , the regiments to be relieved would not conxe home . —The Earl of Ellenborough desired to know the number of recruits who are to join their regiments in Iadia this year . —Lord Panmukb stated that the number is 4000 .
CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANNUATION . Several petitions were presented from civil servants of the Crown , complaining of the present system of superannuation . Similar petitions have been presented to the Lower House .
CONTINUOUS SERVICE SEAMEN . Earl Talbot said that a rumour had got abroad that the continuous service seamen enrolled during the war were about to be discharged , thereby involving a broach of faith , on the part of the Government towards those men . He begged , therefore , to ask if there was any intention to discharge those men , and on what grounds ? —Earl Granville declared that there was no breach of faith on the part of the Government , towards the . men . According to their agreement , they could not leave the service without paying 12 / ., and all that was done was to enable the men who wished to leave the service to do so without paying any money whatsoever . DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL OAUSKS BILL .
Tho Loud Chancellor , on moving tho second reading of this bill , briefly explained the state of the law of marriage in this country before and after the Reformation . In 1 S 50 , a commission was appointed to inquire into the wholo subject , and it was on the recommendations contained in tho report of that commission that tho present bill was founded . He proposed to create a new tribunal , consisting of the Lord Chancellor , one of the Chief Justices , and an ecclesiastical judge . According 1 to the present practice , before a divorce it vinculo matrimonii could be obtained , proceedings must bo taken in tho Ecclesiastical Court , a verdict must bo obtained .
against the adulterer , and tho facts must be established at the bar of their Lordships' House . His proposal was to substitute one tribunal to investigate tho matter once for ' all , and that the proceedings should take place by vlvil vocc evidence . Whatever interpretations might be put upon texts of Scripture , ho believed it would bo most iinwiio to attempt to extend divorce to anything short of adultery . The bill wouft give the wife a right to apply for a divorce in tho caso of incestuous adultery , bigamy , and unj us tillable desertion . He had not retained tho clnuso which prohibited tho axlultoror marrying 1 tha adulteress . Ho believed it calculated to do more harm
than good , By tho standing orders , tho action of cnm . aim . was a necessary preliminary to a divorce ; but ho proposed that hereafter the ucbion should bo founded on a divorce that had boen obtained * . This is tho present law of Scotland . The , jurisdiction in cases- of divorce ii wound « t t / ioro -would romain , as now , with tho oeolo-. siastical court . After a divorce so obtained by tho wife , hur status would in all respeat » bo that of an uninui'riyd woman . Tho Archbishop of Camtkkuuky said ho would not oppose tlio second reading of tho bill , but in commidtoo ho should oudouvour to slrika out that clause which permits tho poivioiiH coiuuiitLintf adultery to murry ono another after tho divorce lias boon obtained .
Lord Lvis'iMUJUMTsupporlud tho bill . Tlio prosont stuto of thing * , ho obsorvod , is most demoralising , and to inoreaso tho facilities for severing tho marriage tiu would ell ' cct . groat good . Tho law on that tmhjout should equally cmbmco rich and poor , though at , premmfc divorce can only bo obtained by tho form or . But tho bill did not go far enough . Women aro not fairly dealt , with in it . Thoy ought to havo tho fullest power to divorco bad
' husbands ; « ad he- believed they would seldom or neve resort , to that alternative except in desperate and . hope less cases . According to this bills , no- extent of adulterj on the part of the husband , would entitle the- wife to . i divorce . '' The only argument he had even heard ii support of such a state of the law was this : that one mischief resulting from the adultery of the woman did not happen in the case of the man—the introduction of a spurious offspring into the house of the husband . But did it follow , on account of this one point of difference , that the rest of the case was not such as to require the interposition of the law ? A married man lived in open , flagrant , notorious adultery , without disguise , without limitation as to time—perhaps bringing bis paramour
home to his own house , insulting his wife by Her presence—using her with great harshness and cruelty ; and yet , he was ashamed to say , such a case was left without remedy . Ought not conduct like that to entitle a woman to a divorce ? Could any man deny that justice called for it ? Nay , the husband might be guilty of every species of infcimy connected with adultery , and stall there was no . remedy . He could remind their Lordships of some notorious cases which had come before that House . Ought not the tribunal to interfere in cases of that description ? It was said that , if the husband could be proceeded against , the courts would be filled with cases of that description . He denied it . The proceedings could only be instituted by the wife , and
that man had formed a very superficial notion of tne character of Englishwomen who supposed that they would be prompt to institute such proceedings . " Wilful de * - sertion of a wife ought to be ground for a divorce , the very purposes of marriage being violated by a man leaving his wife . He disagreed with the principle of postponing the action for crlm . con . till after the divorce , because in many cases the injured' party would be unable to obtain a divorce by reason of the expense , and he would thus have no remedy . The law of divorce had worked admirably in Scotland ; but it was a monstrous anomaly that a man or a woman could obtain , a divorce in one part of the United Kingdom , and , if marrying again , be prosecuted for bigamy in another part .
Lord Wessleydale thought there was much that ie good in the bill , and he would therefore not oppose it ; but he believed it would require many amendments . — The Earl of Malmesbury would propose a clause in committee to prevent adulterers intermarrying . —The Duke of Norfolk would oppose the bill at every stage , because , according to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church , marriage cannot be dissolved . —Lord Campbele , observed that such is not the doctrine of the Protestant Church , and that it is mere quibbling to put any other interpretation on the words of Christ . Was the bill to apply to Ireland ?—The Marquis of Westmeath here caused some laughter by saying that he was going- to ask that question . —Lord Dungannon remarked that he
viewed the bill with such horror and dismay that he should move that it be read a second time that day six : months . —The bill was further opposed by Lord Redesdale , the Bishop of Salisbury ( who urged their Lordships to sweep away the privilegia > yi \ i \ ch . they were in the habit of granting , and to put themselves in this respect on the same level with the poor man ) , the Bishop of Bangor , the Bishop of Lincoln , and the Bishop of Oxford , the last of whom denied , in warm terms , the imputation of quibbling on this question , and contended at great length that , according to Scriptural authority , divorce a vinculo matrimonii , whereby the parties would bo allowed to re-marry , was not recognised . He objected to Hie bill as a whole , and not merely to its details , because it dealt with a grave subject in an imperfect way , and protended to give equal rights to rich and
poor without really doing so , for the expense of divorce in any case would be so great that the poor man would not havo the same resort as the rich . He agreed that tho present law is a disgrace to . tho statute-book , as making tho woman a slave to the man ; but none the less- would ho oppose this bill . Ho concluded by calling on tho House to remember that if thoy sanctioned fcho . measure thoy would with ono swoop-change the condit ion of every married peraoa in the' land , and so endanger the bond of marriage that it might bo broken a , t oonvonioncoi ( Cheera . )—Tho Bishop of London argued against these opinions , remarking that tho reasons deduced from Scripture by tbo Bishop of Oxford' were very , specious , and that , as to Che Fathers , a chain of evidence , could bo derived from them on- either side of the quesr tinn . Tho Protestant Church holds no such doctrine as
that marriage is indissoluble * W it did' , what were they to think of thoso private Acba of Parliament which dissolve marriage ? He warmly supported the bill . —Tho measure was likewise approved of by tho Bishop of lOtmn am , whilo tho Bishop of Llanpafp intimated that thoro wore portions which ho should object to in committee , though not opposing tho bill _ as a wholo . —Tho , Duke of Argyll spolco in favour of , " and tho Bishop of ? Lincoln against , tho measure , and , on a division , tho second reading was affirmed by 47 to 18 : majority , 29 . Their Lordships thou adjourned at a quarter past ton o ' clock .
OIIKLSISA HRIDGUO . In tho Houftis ok Commonh , iii answer to Sir John Shkllky , Sir Benjamin Uau . jinuouncud tlmfc tho now bridge at Chelsea would bo opened noxt Auk iks ' Act of Parliament "declared that it . should bu a u > ll hrulye , and tho procoods of tho toll would go in tho Ilr » t placo to
Mat 23. 1857.1 The Lbade B. 483
mat 23 . 1857 . 1 THE LBADE B . 483
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), May 23, 1857, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_23051857/page/3/
-