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girous of being elected to dive into the accounts and proceedings of their agents . ( Hear , hear . ) It wasihe practice of the candidate to canvass the electors , to answer their questions ; that was his course . And so completely was he deceived , that he stood a course of examination for more than half an hour , answering all sorts of political questions put by an elector , and congratulated himself thereupon * on having gained a vote by argument . ( Loud laughter . ) It transpired , however , in the investigation pursued by the commission , that the elector m question had been bought beforehand , and had simply argued the question with him in order to keep him in the dark on the subject . ( Loud laughter . ) There was another consideration which made him not a free agent . After he had taken the field , and had canvassed the borough on liberal
principles —( renewed laughter)—lie felt that he was responsible for those principles , and that it would have been highly improper for him to have backed out of the election , even if he had been so disposed . ( Ironical cheers . ) As to the borough , he could not defend it . But ought the House to rest content with making St . Albans the scapegoat of a bad system ? A few days ago he visited the House of Correction , and found therein 150 prisoners . He knew there were 40 , 000 outside the walls just as bad , but who only had more skill and prudence . ( Loud laughter . ) " He had been frequently told of the enormous expenditure and extravagance he had committed . It left no doubt on his mind as to the nature of the case , but at the
time of his election he was quite unaware of the Amount . Comparing it with the expenditure of other electionswith the 60 , 000 / . spent upon one , the 50 , 000 / . spent upon another , the 40 , 000 / . which he himself only the other day heard an hon . member say had been spent on his election , —comparing it with the 5000 / . and 10 , 000 / . elections , which were as plentiful as blackberries— - ( laughter)—comparing the 4600 / ., which his election has cost him , with the sums he had just mentioned , he thought the House was most severe upon St . Albaus . For the 4600 / . which he had spent , he had enjoyed the excitement of _ an election , of a petition , and still more , of a commission . The system was corrupt . The House was dealing with
one case , while there were sixty others equally bad , and the same principle ought . to be applied to all . ( Hear , hear . ) He was" not-desirous of making personal remarks , but he thought it was only fair—having been attacked in this manner , and having been singled out in consequence of inexperience and inability to control the imprudence of inferior agents—to take an , opportunity to represent his own case . ( Hear , hear . ) He had spent a large sum down at once , while other hon . members , however , spread their expenditure over a period of seven years , at the end of which they walked into the house unopposed , and perfect patterns of purity . ( Laughter . ) What was the difference between such an hon . member and himself , who had been dragged into the corruption ?"
Mr . Repton was called for , and said in a few words , that he knew wrong had been done , that he had been involved unwittingly , that he was disgusted with the practice of bribing * and that he had long resolved never again to be a candidate for St . Albans . Just as the question was about to be put , Mr . Roebuck moved that Mr . Coppock be called to the bar . Lord CiiAtTD Hamilton seconded the motion . Sir George Grey , taken by surprise , objected rather sharply . Mr . Haytee insisted that Mr . Coppock was not the dispenser of government patronage , whatever ho might insinuate . Mr . Diseaeu recommended that the motion should be postponed to the second reading , and his suggestion was adopted . Leave was then given to bring in the Bill .
SAVINGS BANKS . Mr . H . Heebeet moved the following resolution on Tuesday : — " That this House has observed with l'Cgrct the continued neglect of Her Majesty ' s Government to fulfil their promise of introducing a bill for the regulation of savings-banks , by which those important institutions may be enubled to preserve their hold on the confidence of the country , and a due encouragement bo thua given to the industry and providence of the working elastics . " Ho made out a strong case ngainst ministers—showing how inefficient , and , in some instances how mischievous , had been government and quasi-govornment control . Mr . Tidd Pratt ' a doctrine , tliat trustees and
managers of snvingH banks were aa free to act as nny person managing his owrt affairs , was an instance of the latter . Trustees and managers wore irresponsible . To free themselves from the charge of careless complicity , ministers denied that Mr . Tidd Pratt was a government officer , because ho was appointed by Act of Parliament , and paid , not by salary , but by feoB . Mr . Pratt , however , wont about tho country speaking ¦ with the authority of tho government , and that was a fionrco of groat mischief . Mr . Herbert was supported by Mr . Reynolds , Mr . Shahman Ceawfoed , Mr . Pqumstt Sobope , Sir Heney Wim-ouohby , and Mr . DisuAXXi . Tho defence set up by the Chancellor of tho Exchequer was , that , practically , they had no control wlwtovor over tho savings banks . Ho was
willing to accept the responsibility if he might appoint the officers . He had prepared a bill last session ; but as there was no chance of carrying it , he had not laid it before the House . He should dp so early this session . As to Mr . Tidd Pratt , he was an officer appointed by Act of Parliament , and not subject to Government control . Having elicited the promise of a bill , Mr . Herbert withdrew his resolution . INDTJSTBIAL COMMISSION . On the same day , Mr . Slaney renewed his * motion for an unpaid commission to consider , suggest , and report , from time to time , measures to remove legal and other obstacles which impede the investments and the industry of the humbler classes .
The discussion turned mainly on the bearing of the law of partnership on the co-operative associations of the working classes . The principle of " limited liability" was that , which it was sought to introduce . Mr . Heaplam , Mr . Mopfatt , and Mr . Ewaet expressed themselves as decidedly favourable to limited liability . Mr . Cobden concurred , on the ground that unlimited liability was an interference with the free employment of capital . He did not see why limited liability should be conceded to the rich and denied to the poor . But he thought working men laboured under a delusion in thinking that the introduction of the principle of limited liability into our law would be beneficial to them . Yet he was willing that they
should have the fullest opportunity for trying the experiment . Mr . T . Basing attacked Mr . Cobden for recommending the adoption of a principle which he did not believe would be advantageous . For his own part , he must oppose the introduction of limited liability . Government , through Mr . Labottcheee , promised a commission to consider the whole haw of partnership . "In many instances the law of partnership opposed the development of many associations and schemes carefully devised for the advantage of the working classes . He had not been unobservant of what had been going on with respect to working associations and co-operative societies .
Societies of this description had for some-time existed , and were spreading in this country , and , although he entertained no sanguine expectation as to their probable results in a commercial point of view , he would be extremely sorry that the working men , who regarded them with different feelings , and believed it possible to unite the profits of capital with the gains of labour , should have any real ground to complain that the state of the law prevented them from carrying their views into effect . Influenced by these considerations , he had receutly considered carefully the law of partnership . From this consideration of the subject he arrived at the conclusion that the Joint-Stock
Companies Act interposed an obstacle — entirely unintended by its framers , he believed—to the formation of cooperative societies ; and , if the alteration or repeal of that act would have been sufficient to place the law with respect to partnerships on a satisfactory footing , he would himself have proposed it . He found , however , that it would be necessary to go further—that he could not stop at the removal of an obstacle , but must proceed to give something in the nature of positive encouragement to working associations by altering the general principle of the law of partnership , and enabling them to sue and be sued by their officers . "
He was personally adverse to the principle of limited liability . Having obtained from the Government the promise of a commission of inquiry , Mr . Slaney withdrew his motion . COUNTY BATES BILLS . There wore two apparently rival bills on this subject , asking for a second reading on Wednesday . First , Mr . Feeshpield moved the second reading of one bill , stating , that its object was to consolidate tho several acts relating to county rates , and to correct their incongruities , without extending liabilities beyond tho present law . Ho explained the machinery by which it was proposed to effect this object—one feature of which was tho appointment year by year of a standing committee , with power to investigate tho claims of parishes to relief and report to tho sessions . Ho also proposed to make a material change in tho mode of estimating tho relative value of parishes . Government did not oppose tho second reading of this bill . Next , Mr .
Beigiiit moved the second reading of tho County Rates and Expenditure Bill , tho principle of . which consists in giving to the rate-payers power to elect such representatives , magistrates , or not to sit on a county board , as they should think best qualified for that office . Mr . Milnor Gibson ; who had charge of tho Bill , was mot by tho chargo , that ho had altered tho measure from that introduced last session . Sir John Pakinq-TON opposed tho Bill , as a measuro introducing a change in tho management of tho affairs of counties bo sweeping , as to bo justifiable only as an act of tho Government . He moved tho second reading that day six months . Sir Geoege Geey , Mr . Doedoa , Mr . Henley , Mr . Christophor , expressed themselves entirely opposed to a measuro which would exclude ex qffloio magistrates from tho proposed board . At tho wuno time , it wfts
pretty generally admitted , that there was no sound reason why rate-payers should not have some control over the expenditure of those funds which they fur nished . Mr . Wij-son Patten and Mr . Bakeow-1 Mr . Patten , because he wished to restore the clausefof the Bill of last session omitted in this ; and Mr . Bar . row , on the broad ground that ; property subject , to tax ! ation should be allowed to protect itself . The House divided , when there were , — For the second reading , 63 ; against it , 130 . Majority against , 67 .
SUITORS IN CHANCERY BELIEF BILL . On Monday , the Somcitoe-General moved the second reading of this bill . Sir Henry Willoxt&hby called attention to the fact that this bill invaded one of the most important powers of the House , namely that of taxing her Majesty ' s subjects through the Stamp-office . In the last twelve years , 2 , 500 , 000 / . were raised by fees in the Court of Chancery , and paid into the suitors' fund . This bill abolished those fees
and raised money by stamps issued by the Lord Chancellor ' s order . Was the power of the Lord Chancellor in that respect limited or not ? The Solicitob-Geneeai * said that what was proposed in the bill was precisely that which the hon . baronet seemed to wish ; is introduced a simple instead of a complicated system of finance . No limit had as yet been fixed to the issue of stamps , but it would be easy , if thought necessary in committee , to introduce a maximum . With
reference to the salaries of officers , he did not think it would be just to charge all the salaries upon the Consolidated fund ; the suitors ought to bear some portion of the cost . This bill would give relief to the extent of 50 , 000 / . a-year in fees , and 10 , 000 / . a-year more in salaries . Sir James Graham : expressed his satisfaction that at length a bill had been introduced . His object in rising w ^ as to put a question to the Solicitor-General . The Chancery commission , of which he ( Sir J . Graham ) was a member , had strongly recommended that no additional Masters in Chancery should be appointed ;
that the present Masters should devote themselves to winding up the affairs at present in their hands ; and that the functions at present performed by the Masters should for the future be executed by the Judges . ( Loud cries of Hear , hear . ) But he had heard with great surprise , that the Lord Chancellor had expressed the greatest doubt in another place , whether the portion of the report relating to the masters' offices , the very keystone of the whole matter , should be adopted . JTe therefore beggsd to- ask' the * leaantned Solicitor-General ,
whether it was really to be understood that the Lord Chancellor had not yet made up his mind on this most important part of the report . The Solioitoe-GeneeaIi said , that the observations of the Lord Chancellor appeared to have been generally misunderstood . All that the Lord Chancellor had said was , that he was not opposed to any of the views that had been presented to him , but that " he had not made up his mind one way or the other ; " these were his exact words . The bill was read a second time , and ordered to be committed on next Friday week . THE IRISH SCANDAL . The relations between Lord Clarendon and Mr . Birch , the editor of the World , have at length been made the subject of a Parliamentary debate , and a party motion . Lord NAA 8 was the instrument of tho Opposition on tho occasion . He moved the following resolution on Thursday night : — "That in the opinion of the House the transactions which appear recently to have taken place between the Irish Government and the editor of a Dublin newspaper arc of a nature to weaken the authority of the executive , and to reflect discredit on the administration of public affairs"
. . .. In opening his case he disclaimed , by anticipat ion , the chargo that his resolution was a personal attack on Lord Clarendon , for whom , privately , he had the hig hest respect . It was in tho fulfilment of a public duty twit ho came forward . In support of his case , ho told tn story of tho hiring of James Birch by Lord Clarendon to support the cause of " law and order" in 1848 . ¦ » held Birch up to infamy as a convicted libeller , the p «>" circulation
liHhor of a low paper , having a small , <»> the worst of characters ; and ho represented tho im Lieutenant as in league with this man , paying lmn ° of the public funds , and through his private Bccreuuj making him the official defender of tho govoi' "" ^ And these transaction * , substantiated on the trial , i not'denied in tho ' House , were not confined to ^ Clarendon . Lord Fahncrston Jiitd his share , aii » through his secretary , hud offered information to
defondor of " law and order . " 1 T ., j This wa » a question of public morality , ami * Nifos naked the House whether it would Bft"ctM ) " p doctrinp that a gpvernment mig ht subsidizp t . lio pr Without a moment ' s hesitation , Lord J ° * ? 7 jLr rose and replied s ho rofusod to receivo the dlBCl !" that iihia was nofc a personal attack * on tho co » w »'
Untitled Article
168 THE JBAPEB . j : : 0 ^^ At , \
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 21, 1852, page 168, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1923/page/4/
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