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choose to attack my character or position . If I had perhaps consulted my own feelings or position , 1 might hav « pursued that press by proceedings in the courts ; bu , t through a long fife I have , abstained from so doing . I have felt what it is to live in popularity , and to enjoy tie smites and confidence of the world ; and I nave had a bitter reverse to bear . I hope [ bear it 'with the fortitude with which a man who is conscious of his innocence should bear it . I may perliaps leave to posterity , and may in after life refer with pnde and satisfaction to , works which I have either projected or promoted —Works , of utility , which will bear my name , perhaps , when jtha lipnourable member for Finsburr ^ Mr . Duncombe ) and myself are gathered to our forefathers—works which will "bear comparison with that honourable member ' s conduct ,
teither in -public or in private life . I hope the honourable member will himself pursue the coarse which he Wishes the 'Government to pursue . I am ready io unravel everything . I hareistood the brant before a jury of my countrymen . I have left that court attacked by all the virulence and ability of all the counsel that could be brought to bear against me . I have left it , after two or three hoars' examination , with the jsiniles and congratulations of my friends and the discomfiture ^ f . rijr enemies . I lave been subject to vituperations . There is scarcely a work-which i projected , in the plenitude of my ¦ 'poweri which has-not been condemned at the moment , and with regard towliicli altsorts of charges have not been brought ' against note of Being actuated by motives of anything but a Spullic character . Bat I have already lived to see nearly every
one of those works carried out . J [ visited , on Monday , $ ne' of those wades , as to wMcb , although it was -forxed upofi me by the committee , I have seen my policy recognised as the rightjQK > licy \ They had better have . gnren me ' ia j ^ aarter of a miuion than have forced on me jrogerty Trhich is now admitted to be worth 100 , 0002 ., dp&agftat the iimev I . * fs' told that it was not worth the M |^ r on which the title to it was written . I hdfe this to m % to that powentjr which will do me justice . I have fcefefr -timesiisad tfaveJKad opportunities given me , when , if moMfh ^^ ii't ^ im \ y object , I xpright have enriched myseHto any axnount . I have sat at boards when shares have te « n £ distributed ani have been offered to me , and , on public « fWMri # W % & # V 4 fl -T ItAlVA jt £ u % l * ir 9 f % Jt 41 « A ««« a « w « J * -JpI ^ aww 1 ** k «** i ftfVMBa . AmIhj ...
U < IUUUO , M . MUTB UW 11 UCU IIICUI ) OUK , UUOJT JJHVO UCCU b < UU 2 Il jigr my colleagues * If money had been my sole olject—1 do itot mean to say tliat the attainment of wealth is not a fair and right ambition—butif that bad been my sole object , I Bajthat ^ means were placed in my power of such a gigantic nator £ that Imight have revelled in it to any amount . But f i ^ olleaguis wfll do me the justice to say that I rejected ' i $ 0 Bi :, many occasions > and it is matter of satisfaction to me ' ^ b ^| i . X ani ^ enahled ro ] i tibis occasion to meet the honourable | » tieman * who has raised the cha »^ evand has also adopted it ~ fqr lie talks of * disgorging , * . Disgorging ! There cannot be a disgorging of that which you never received . I observations
mignt maKe some , but I refrain , because I seek to' vindicate myself , Hot to cast' imputations on another . I did' think that the honourable member would have felt it his ivtjy after making this charge , to have attended in his place , either to withdraw or to reiterate it ; that having left tba stingj'he would- have been present to-day , from a con-ScionsnesB that I should take the first opportunity to vindicate myself . If the hon . gentleman will move for a committee to follow ma from the cradle to the present day I am ready to meet that inquiry , and to abide by any decision that the committee may pronoacee , " t Of course further discussion would hav « been unbecoming , and the subject dropped at once .
Thb Oath Question . This year the Jewish Disabilities question takes a n « w shape , and appears as one of the subsidiary portions of a plan , to reform oui Parliamentary oaths . On Monday night Lord Johu Russeu , moved that tlie House should go into Committee on the oaths taken by Members of Parliament ; and asked leave to bring in a bill to alter them . In a speech of some length lie showed the absolute profanity , absurdity , anduselessness of all the oatlis taken at present except the simple oath of allegiance ; and he proposed to abolish all three—namely , the oaths of allegiance , supremacy , and abjuration , and the oath taken by Eoman Catholics—and to substitute for them an oa . th , framed in these terms , and omitting , it will be s « en , the # words " on the true faith of a Christian : "—
" I , A . B ., do swear that I will be faithful aoid bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Victoria , and will defend her to the utmost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall lie made against her person , crown , and kingdom , and will us . « my utmost endeavours to make known and declare to her Majesty , her heirs , and successors , all treasonable conspiracies which may be formed against her or them ; and I do faithfully promise to maintain , support , and defend to the utmost of rhy power the succession to the Crown , as settled by the act for maintaining the succession in the House of Brunswick ; hereby reuouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegience to any other person claiming or declaring a right to tbo Crown of tiis realm . And I declaro that no foreign potentate , prelate , prince , or person , hath , or ought to have , any power , preeminence , or authority , direct or indirect , within this realm . So help me God !"
In treating of the oaths imposed on Roman Catholics , Lord John Russell established some positions useful to repeat . One of the clauses bus been the Subject of much dispute . __ " Disclaiming , disavowing , and solemnly abjuring nny indention to subvert the present Church Establishment , as BetOed by law , -within this realm . ' This part of the oath Jtas given rise to some painful discussions ; but I think it ¦ wa ll appear that , with respect to any part of tho institutions or legislation of this country , tlioso who are admitted to tnako the law should have liberty to propose nny alteration lft our institutions or lawa . They muy , in fact , propose a 10 peal of the union with Ireland , and mmiy other chunges Wluoh would be subversive of oujt most valued institutions-
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to say , therefore , -that they should be debarred from proposing-to subvert an institution in Ireland is , I think , going beyond that which you have any right to demand of members of Parliament . Besides that , it gives occasion , as I have said , to very painful discussions , because , supposing a certain number of members of this house to think , as it b notorious they do think , that th « Church of Ireland is injurious to the country , and ought to be subvei ted , and supposing them to act on that opinion , they are immediately reproached with perjury , and with attempting what is not consistent with their oath . The matter is , in fact , left in doubt- —there being some Roman Catholics who really think thev are prevented by the terms of this oath from
interfering in the question , and there being others who maintain that they are not so prevented , and that in perfect consistency with their oath they may propose any change respecting the temporal power of the Church . I do not think that question ought to be added to the political difficulties of the subject ; I think it oupht to be on no man's conscience that he is not at liberty to give his vote in respect to political and temporal matters in tkis House as he shall choose . QCheers . ) The oath goes on—* I do solemnly swear that I never will exercise privilege to which 1 am or may become entitled to disturb or weaken the Protestant religion or Protestant Government in this kingdom . ' "Now there are many who
maintain that no rote given in this House , and no exercise of official functions , can weaken tlie Protestant religion . It has been maintained by Roman Catholics and by Protestants that religion , if binding on the conscience , ' cannot be disturbed or weakened by any law which may le" passed by this House . I am not saying whether they are right in holding this opinion ; airi contend for is , that this is no fit subject for an oath , and tends only to throw doubts on the reaf value of the engagement contracted . If the . representatives of the people of the United Kingdom cannot maintain the Protestant religion and Government—if there were a great majority of this House opposed to that religion and Government , an bith would have no security at all . " The new point in the argument for the admission of the Jews , was jttae adoption , of this opinion uttered by Lord Lyndlmrst
" No British sabject , no natural-born subject of the Crown , ought to be deprived of the rights enjoyed by bis fellowsubjects until he has committed some crime , or is excluded by some act of Parliament directed against him or the class to which he belongs . That is the true principle of the constitution , and , such being the case , those persons can only be justly excluded , -with any shadow of right , by the concurrent voice of the two louses of Parliament , and with the assent of tlfc Crown . Ifyou exclude them by the casual operation of a clause which never was directed against them or the class to which they belong , you unjustly deprive them of their birthright . "
" Sir , " exclaimed Lord John , " this is great authority , and as regards the case of the Jews it appears irresistible . " The mew position , arising from this is that Lord John threatened , as regards the admission of the Jews , to adopt the mode by which Mr . Pease , the Quaker , was admitted—namely , by resolution of the House . " I-think if the law remains in its present state—with those remarkable declarations of Baron Aldexson , sitting on the bench , and of Lord Lyndhurst , giving a solemn , clear , and deliberate opinion in the House of Lords—it will be for you to consider whether or not you , sitting in this house , with respect to jour own members , have not as pood a right
to say in what form the oath should be taken , as Lord Hardwieke , sitting in his court , had , when he decided the case of Oniichund v . Barker , to say wliiit was the form in which the oath should be taken . I think , if an alteration does not take place in the oatls , you will hav « a serious matter to consider . It opens a grave consideration ; ' Lawyers of great eminence hare taken one side and another on this subject . I wish the house to come to no hasty oi immediate decision npon it ; but I wish to say that it may be hereafter a question for the house to determine whether they should not consider the course that was taken by Mr . Pease , and that which has since been taken with respect to two gentlemen of the Jewish persuasion . "
The motion that the Speaker should leave the chair was not opposed . Sir Frederick Thesiger tamely protested against the admission of Jews , using the hypocritical and worn-out argument that it would unckristianise the House . The committee gave the leave required ; the House resumed , and the bill was brought in . Miscellaneous . In reply to Lord Shaftesbury , the Duke of Newcastle stated that tho criminal code of Malta had been under the consideration of successive goTernors and councils of Malta for many years . There was tho greatest possible difficulty experienced in reforming it , and it was not until last year that tho efforts made for that purposo wore successful . Therefore the Government thought it was most undesirable
unless it was nbsolutely necensuy , to throw lack for the consideration of the authorities in tho island the whole of tho criminal law ; and , acting under tho power reserved to the Crown , it was thought advisable that the code ahould bo adopted , oinitiing tho clauses relative to offences si ^ ainst religion . That course had been adopted liy order in council , and tho matter had been referred to the colony for further consideration . The effect of that courso was , that for the present and until tho code whs iinally art tied , the old law should remain in full force and entirety . Answering * question intelligently put by Lord Lyttki . - ri ) N , Earl Guanvillu said that Government were fully convinced of tlio total inadequacy of workhouse schools ; and drew a shocking picluru of that mode of educating pauper children .
Hoy a wore brought up lenriring the hnbit . s of hizim-s . s they aaw around them , anil were corrupted \< y tin : impurity of the language which was fre < iumtlv uved in their hearing . The fj irls were inconstant communication with the juaothorb of illegitimate children , and under the circumstances
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it might be expected that they -would follow the same course of life . He really believed that it was important to put an end to the hereditary system of pauperism that prevailed . It appeared that pauperism had become a sort of hereditary disease in some parishes . Some family names appeared on the records of the - \ rorkhouse school for more than one hundred years , and some measure was absolutely necessary to put an end to such a disastrous state of things . The subject had been under the consideration of the different departments concerned in the matter , and . at that moment engaged the attention of Lord Palmerston , with the view of introducing a measure respecting if , and which measure he hoped would be introduced thus session .
Lord Jocelyn was snubbed b y Lord John Hussell on Monday" night . Lord Jocei / vn asked whether it was the intention of her Majesty ' s Government to propose the measnre for the reform of tie representation , of which the noble lord the member for the city of London had given notice , to the consideration of the House in tie present position of our foreign relations ? To this impertinent question Lord John replied curtly" I wil r answer that question on Monday next . * [ That is on the day announced for the bringing in of the bill !] In reply to questions , Lord Palmerston said , < c it wul be my duty to bring 5 a a bill to consolidate the laws relating to the tnihtia ; and it is my intention in that bill to propose a mode by which a militia force may be organised for Scotland . It will depend on a vote of this House at what period it shali be enrolled . " Colonel Dunne : •* And as to Ireland ?" N Lord Palmkkston : " I see no reason jnyself for not placing the three countries on the same footing . "
Limited Liability . —Mr . Collier obtained leave to bring in a bill rebating to the Court of Stannaries , which has jurisdiction over the Cornish mines , and which ie proposed to extend- to the Devon mines . The most interesting feature is , however , its admission of limited liability ih partnerships in mining companies . He proposed that mine * which had conformed to the provisions of the Joint Stock Companies Act should be entitled to borrow money on the terms of the lenders participating in . the profits , without being lialle beyond their shares ; and lie proposed also that publicity should be giren to the names of the limited and of the unlimited partners . This was , no doubt , an innovation upon the existing law of partnership ia this country ; bat that law was not founded upon natural justice , while it was certainly to the
opposed law of almost every other civilised country in the world . On the continent , the system called partnership en conmandite had existed from a remote period . It existed in Italy in the middle ages : it was adopted in France , and was approved by the most eminent French jurists ; it had found its way to Holland , where it enabled the Dutch to make those dykes and embankments -which-were one of the won- ^ ders ot the ' world 5 and lastly , it had been adopted in the limited States . Kay , even in England the greatest works of the age , our railwajs , our canals , and our fleets of steamers , were trophies not of the observance but of the breach of the lav of unlimited liability iu partnership . Had jiot Parliament interposed to break through the law of partnership , by passing acts of Parliament and empowering tie Board of Trade to grant charters , we should never have had either railways or steamboats ; no great works requiring an
accregation of individual capitals could have been undertaken ; the Birkenhead Dogks would never - have been constructedand the Menai Straits would never have been arched over ! He did not wish , to impeach , tbej conduct of the Board of Trade in granting charters , but they had a very invidious task to perform ; they could hardly select one company for tte grant of a charter without giving offence to another . He believed , therefore , that the adoption to some extent of the cemmandiie system—that was , so far as to allow persons to lend to a company , and to receive a share of the profits , without incurring unlimited liability—would ba' highly advantageous . It would enable plans of great -value for the improvement of towns , and more especially for the improvement of dwellings of the labouring classes , to be carried into effect ; for although persons were ready to advance capita ^ for these objects , they Trere unwilling to undertake an unlimited liability under the present law of partnership , and thus to expose themselves to the risk of ruin
In the brief conversation that followed , Mr . Humk , a convert , and Mr . Wilkinson , and Lord Goderich , contended for a general application of the principle of limited liability . BIr . Moffatt and Mr . Vivian supported the extension of the princi p le to mining concerns . Mr . William Brown stood out for unlimited liability , under which he had prospered , while he admitted it mi g ht be expedient to apply limited liability in mining companies and great undertakuifs . Government did not oppose the introduction of the bill . ° Mr . Cardwbll wiahed to remind the House of the position in Which the important question of limited liability now stood . In 1851 a committee of that House sat more
particularly to consider the question of the law of partnership . That committee recommended the appointment of a commission of inquiry , and immediately on the accession of the jiresent Government such a commission was appointed conaiating of eminent legal and commercial men , which instituted a careful inquiry . It must bo obvious that on tho first reading ufu bill tor extending tho jurisdiction of the Stannaries Court , tho House could paas no opinion on the greater ques- > lion , which , on tho recommendation of one of its committees , liud been referred to the consideration of a commission . ' 1 he motion -was then agreed to , and leave Eiven to bring iu the bill .
Iuk " Navy List . "—In a very poor speech Lord JlAiu-MVicK / i drew attention to the . state of tio Navy List . Jlu pointed out that the udinirula 011 tho active list were all above 74 years old ; that tho joungost vice-admiral waa 69 ; tho rear-adniinila ni ; d tho reserved list pretty much tho same , lie criticised the regulations of promotion , to show Ihut Ihoy were an unjust obstruction to the promotion of oilicci-H in the prime of life , uuuiy of whom were compul-Aorily placed on tho retired ) L- >| . Lord Ahickdicun insisted that the regulations were , good and adeiiuute . Hut surely , mid Lord Ku . I' . nhokoi uu , you x-vill not object to recoiibider their details , si-eing how much tho scrvico hiicuiUeml , steam k-iiig introduced , . since they were framed iu 1827 . Tho
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i 24 THE LEADER . ? [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 11, 1854, page 124, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2025/page/4/
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