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Untitled Article
wardly with questions of the kind , but to shirk them . It is often said that Parliament should not interfere in these matters , b . ut it must not be forgotten" that Parliament fias inte ^ pre ^ , and doe § constantly interfere , to : restrain th " ^ . working classes . In this case , too , the interference would not properly be a restriction upon th , e class , but would only be to enabl ^ the cla §§ to render general an arrangement , which coulc ^ only be observed if it were general , and which the vast majority desire .
Captain Scobell raised a brief discussion on the clause in the Merchants' Shipping Bill , which permits British ship-owners to employ more than one-fourth of foreigners in their crew . Captain Scobell resisted this abuse of free-trade , not only as tending to throw British seamen out of work , but as tending to undermine the national nursery for seamen , and positively to introduce foreigners into our coasting navy . Mr . Labouchere himself , distinguished for his fidelity to free-trade , supported the objections to the clause . Nevertheless , so strong are trading considerations over national , that it was carried .
Some other questions discussed by private Members and Peers deserve notice . Mr . Collier ' s motion for a bill to transfer testamentary jurisdiction from the Ecclesiastical to the Common Law and County Courts is a measure of which the necessity is admitted ; but Lord Palmerston promises that Government will take up the subject next year , being only delayed by press of business .
Lord Brougham has usefully explained a Bill to assimilate the Scotch Law of Bankruptcy with the English , and it would be a decided improvement although the English law itself is far from being perfect . Mr . Hadfield ' s Bill on the same subject , and Mr . Phillimore ' s Bill to prevent that scandal of the Church , the sale of presentations , have been adjourned .
A far more disgraceful act of evasion was the treatment of Mr . Keating ' s resolution on the subject of the late Admiralty Board . It will be remembered that when the gross abuse of patronage was first brought before the House , Mr . Stafford treated the subject with the greatest levity , making off-hand declarations as to the nonreceipt of letters , which ultimately proved to be diametrically opposed to fact . Leading men on both sides of the House professed to receive his explanations as satisfactory , and it was only by great perseverance that a Select Committee was obtained . The Select Committee convicted Mr .
Stafford of misappropriating the patronage of the Admiralty to political purposes , convicted the Duke of Northumberland of wilfully and negligently leaving that part of the Admiralty business to the secretary , convicted Mr . Disraeli of acquiescing in the plan in some degree , and convicted Lord Derby of appointing an inexperienced First Lord without watching his conduct or that of his subordinates . The investigation was conducted with great keenness , but not unfairly , by Lord Seymour . The report of the Committee was felt
to be quite within the evidence . The public fully expected that that report would be followed up by an expression of the opinion of the House . Nobody , however , took up the matter until Mr . Keating did so . The ex-Ministers spun out the discussion on another subject by speaking against time , and thus having delayed Mr . Keating until a late hour of the night , they tried to get rid of the motio n by objecting to its being brought on ait such Yin hour . He persevered , " and was met by various attempts to get rid . of him . Ministers appear tp have affected to resist these evasive
inauocuvrcH , but declined to give Mr . Keating a night for the renewal of the debate , and agreed to the adjournment of the House , by which the subject fulls to the ground . They have practically assisted the Opposition to stifle the discussion . There ia no event out of doors so striking as that which is now becoming the commonplace—¦ the accumulated proof of continued prosperity . With one qualification , it ia the same on all hands .
From Australia we ihave reports of the most surprising kind—incase in the population and resources of the §| j important colonies ; the gold export ofj , Y ^ pri % alone . is n . Qft estimated a £ 14 , 000 , 000 ? . for the past year * but evidently the animal produce mv ® % be reckoned at a larger rate . Tb , 0 Imperil revenue for the year and quarter , n ^ twithstandiing t&S- fwnissionj . pfduty , shows ^ an increase , almost ' without exception , ift all the important branches . The sole exceptions are a slight
decrease in the customs on the year , and a slight and evident casual decrease in the property tax on the quarter , the effect , probably , of some diversity in the returns . The total increase of the year is 1 , 923 , 000 * .-5 on the quarter , l , 146 , 000 Z . The Board of Trade reports keep up the same strain : again , in the month ending June 5 , there is an increase on the exports of 1 , 187 , 558 * . The total increase on the first five months of the year , as
compared with the same part of 1852 , being more than 7 , 314 , 0007 . The increase in the imports and in the goods taken for home consumption , food , raw material , and luxuries , show the same activity of trade , and the same prosperity of the people . The increase is spread over the whole surface ; and when we remember the great augmentation of prices in the retail market , we can the better understand how great the resources of the people must be augmented .
It is clearly no time , therefore , to relax the efforts of the working-classes in obtaining increased wages , and we regret to observe the spread of misunderstanding between that class and their employers . Again and again we counsel our countrymen not to press demands without substantial information to prove that they are not only abstractedly just , but consistent with the actual state of trade , generally and in their own place . If they are prudent , they have a right to be firm ; and in being so they are sustaining not only their own interest , but that of the whole of the
workmen . As the grasping of one workman at employment at a lower rate of wages than that which is fair , is the usual means for bringing down the general standard , so every sacrifice to maintain the general standard contributes to the welfare of the whole , and in the long run serves even those who make the sacrifice .
Prince Albert is confined to his bed by sickness —he has been seized by the same illness that attacked the Prince of Wales ; but the bulletin of the morning announces that the eruption has come out well , and that the invalid is going on favourably . At this day , probably , there is no man in the country about whose health there will be a more kindly solicitude .
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THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT . BirSSIA AND TURKEY . The anticipated discussions in both Houses on this subject have been postponed . Conversations respecting tho propriety of tho discussions sought by Lord Clauricardc and Mr . Layard , took place on Thursday evening . In tho Houso of Lords tho subject was abruptly introduced by Lord Brottgutam , who stated that ho did so without any communication with tho Government . Lord Clanricardc hud good motives and was discreet , but the discussion would involve a relation of all the allairs in the East , and if tho Government would noithev declare that war wns inevitable , nor that negotiations woro likely to bo successful , then tho discussion might produco inconvenience , even mischief . Lord CiiAKENDON snid— " I certainly cannot sny that there would bo neither mischief nor ' inconvonienco ' in a full discussion at prasont . Negotiations are going on , and-wo earnestly hope they will end in u pacific notation . '' Lord Clarendon added , that he did not wish to postpone- Lord Clanricurde ' s intended motion pu account of any difficulty in tbo tmbject , hut as it was desirable that both Houses should discuss the subject at the Hiuno time , and as Lord John Russell wns extremely ill , and could not attend in tho Commons , ho would ask Lord Olnnricurdo to postpono his motion till Monday .
Lord EMVimBOuoirau snid ho hoped Lord vl « -nricardo would postpone bin motion , not nlouo until Monday , but gonorully . It would at present result but in u partinl and larno discussion . Lord Debhy echoed thia advice . Tho responsibility
of the whole quesftfln fhould be left with the Government , an 4 tfeey shfluld npt be embarrassed by being forced into a part }^ < JU | cussion . It would be desirable that the Houae ' qf Commons should also be silent on the subject . XJag ' 0 R $ jr spoke to the some effect : The Marquis of . CtANIfftJAEDB then withdrew his motion , on the uuders ^ aqd ^ ng that the House of Commons should also refrain ffcpm discussion . In the House ftf Commons , Mr . Layatcd stated the terms of his motion : —r " ' ,, .
" That an humble address be presented to her Majesty , humbly submitting to her Majesty , that ; the House has learned with deep concern that the Government of Russia has announced a policy and adopted measures which affect the independence and integrity of the Ottoman Empire , and humbly praying that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to direct to be laid before this House the fullest information on the subject as soon as such information can be given without injury to the public service . " He then expressed surprise at finding on the notice book of the House , that his motion was deferred from the 8 th to the 11 th of July . This was done without his knowledge .
Mr . GiiADSTONE" expressed his ignorance of th . 3 alteration ; but stated , that the grounds of any wish for delay was the illness of Lord John Russell : and Sir Charges Wood acknowledged that he had made the alteration in the notice book , not thinking that Mr . Layard could refuse the request for postponement . Mr . Diseaeh condemned this interference with " the orderly conduct of business . " And Mr . Layabi ) , in conclusion , stated that , whether Lord John Russell were in the House or not , on Monday , he would bring forward his motion , unless there were some very good grounds for not doing so .
Another reference to this subject was made on the third reading of the Soap Duties Bill , in the Lords . Lord EiiiiENBOEOTGH , anticipating the possibility of war , protested against the sacrifice of revenue ( 1 , 200 , 000 ? . ) involved in the act . On the following evening , Lord Palmebston appealed to Mr . Layard to withdraw his motion"If I understand the nature of his notice , his objects are three : —first , to obtain information , if any information can prudently be given ; next , to assure the Govewunent of support , in the event unfortunately of support being reauired : thirdlv . to hold the Government to their duty ,
if in the opinion of my hon . friend they were likely to swerve from the performance of it . Now , in regard to information , none can be given , consistently with the duties of the Government , beyond that already in possession of the House . Nothing can be obtained with regard to that object . With respect to support , I assure my honourable friend that her Majesty ' s Government require no assurance ; they do not suppose that , in any unfortunate event which may lead them to appeal to this House and to the country for support in a just cause , that support would not be cheerfully and cordially given . ( Cheers . ) We need no other assurance of that than the knowledge that we are sitting in the British
Parliament . ( Eenewed cheers . ) With respect to the last topic , as to any idea that her Majesty ' s Government may rcguire a stimulus for the performance of their duty , I think it ia sufficient to obsorve that when two great countries like England and France are united ia a common course of policy , are aiming at a common object , aro guided by common interests , ana inspired by most perfect and unrosorved confidence in each other—( cheers )—I say that it cannot , I am sure , enfcor into the mind of any man tq suppose that any temporary forbearance which tho Governments of two such groat countries show , arises from want pf determination , or that the most conciliatory course can bo a symptom of debility or weakness . ( Loud cheers . )
He further stated , in order to meet the only other object with which tho motion , could be brought forwurd , that it ought tp be enough to know that where two . such countries as Franco and Englund wero united in a course of poliqy , it must bo for the general benefit of Europe . The bringing on of tho motion would produco inconvonienco , and , possibly , injury . Mr . Layabi > replied , that the day for bringing ou the motion had been fixed by the Government itself . The public was unaware of tho great importance of the proclamation which had been issued by Russia , and there hud never been a caso in which such interests
had been involved in which Parliament had nor . had full information . At present ; , not a tittle had been afforded by Government ; but if Lord Pnlmerston would state that injury would arise to tho public servico by bringing ,, on tho motion , tho responsibility of delay would no longer rest with himself . Lord PAtMKBSTON had thought that there could bo no doubt ab . put his representation to that eflbct . Mr . Disrajsm said that only a week back Lord . J . Russell bad intimated n wish that tho motion should bo brought on , and it was most important that tho public ; should be hotter informed , as tho impression was , that during the last week serious civcumatuncoa might havo arisen to induco un exuetly contrary course on the part of Government .
Mr . Jtyiqui' Iwd , groat confidence in tho pacific policy of Lord Abordeon , and advised Mr . Lnynrd to disregard any taunts which might foo directed nt him
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650 THE LEjAPER . [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), July 9, 1853, page 650, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1994/page/2/
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