On this page

• Text (1)

  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.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• 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.

    Untitled Article

    districts ; and , under this bill , that parish would be exempt from contribution towards the work from which they would derive so much benefit . But this could be considered in committee . —Sir Willlam : Codrington said he intended to move in committee the appointment of an inspector , to guard against the creation of nuisances . He objected to an outfall within a mile and a half of Woolwich . —Mr . Botler thought the principle adopted in the statute of Henry VIII ., that property benefited by the establishment of sewers , and should contribute to the expenses , should be adopted here ; and this was the more important when it was remembered that the 3 d . rate for outlet sewers would probably be fallowed by a Is . rale for the branch sewerage . The bill was then read a second time without a division ; and the committee was fixed for Wednesday .

    WAYS AND MEANS . On the report of the Committee of Ways and Means , Mr . Wilson , -who had given notice that he would call attention to the report of the Committee on Harbours of Refuge , understanding that it was the intention of the Government to appoint a Royal Commission , refrained . —Sir John Pakington stated that such was their intention . —Mr . Liddell , and otliei members , nevertheless , addressed the House upon the subject , urging the importance of establishing the kind of harbours in question . The Chancellor of tub Exchequer intimated his intention not to proceed this session with the Chinese Passenger' Act Amendment Bill , the Superannuation Law Amendment Bill , and the Police Force ( Ireland ) Bill .- —The Report was then agreed to .

    THE CORNWALL SUBMARINE MINES BILL .. On the order forgoing into Committee on this bill , Mr . Augustus Smith objected to proceeding with the measure ( which defined rights of the Crown in which the public had an interest ) until copies of all the documents , cases , and opinions of counsel , submitted to Sir John Patteson , and upon which his arbitration was founded , were laid upon the table . He moved to that effect . —The Solicitor-General , said that the object of the bill was to carry into effect the arbitration of Sir John Patteson , to , whom it had been referred to ascertain the respective rights of the Crown and the Duchy of Cornwall to minerals between high and low water mark , and below low water mark . —After a few words from Mr . "Wyld ( who expressed himself satisfied with the explanations thus given ) , the amendment was negatived , and the House went into committee on the bill , the clauses of -which were agreed to , with amendments .

    JEWS BILL . On the order for going into committee on this bill , Mr . Knightley , Mr . Gilpin , Mr . Bentinck , and Mr . Spooner denounced the measure , which they severally characterized as " queer , " "riiiserable , " " adirect and aggravated insult to tho House of Commons and to the Jews , " " a great disgrace to the other branch of the Legislature . "—Lord John Russell , at the request of Mr . Spooner , showed that there was nothing unconstitutional in the provisions of th « bill . —Upon a division , the ayes , for the Committee , were 144 , and the noes 40 , Mr . Spooner voting , apparently by mistake , with the former . —The House then went into committee upon the bill , when Mr . Spoonkr moved to add a proviso to the first clause , " That such resolution be not acted on till the consent of the Crown be signified to both Houses of Parliament . "—The motion was negatived , and this and the other clauses were agreed to without

    amendment . The House next went into Committee upon the Government op New Caledonia Bill , and afterwards upon the Civil Bills , &c . ( Ireland } , Act Amendment Bill , the clauses of whicli were discussed at much length , and ultimately agreed to . —Other bills were forwarded a stage , and , the remaining orders ( the aggregate number of which was forty ) having been disposed of , the House adjourned at half-past two o ' clock . Tuesday , Jufi / 20 th . SALE AND TRANSFER OP LAND ( IRELAND ) BILL .

    On the order of tho day for going into committee on this bill , Lord St . Leonards protested against the further progress of the measure , and severely condemned its object , which is to extend tlio jurisdiction of the Encumbered Estates Court to unencumbered estutes , and to give indisputable titles to estates thut are not for sale . This , he thought , would revolutionize tlic whole law of property . —The Lord Chancellor defended the provisions of the act . The operations of the Court had been so beneficial , that owners of unencumbered property created burdens on it for tho purpose of bringing it within tho action of the Court . Its powers were

    therefore extended by tho present bill . —Lord Cranworth gave n general support to the measure , but objected to tho Olat clause , which enables proprietors of estates , who do not intend to sell them , to obt . in , by npnlicat on to tho Court , a certificate of title which eiumoc afterwards bo disputed . For what honest purpose could any one require to be furnished with hucIi a title r —Tho Earl of ¦\ Vicklow concurred in this object ion . —Tho Karl of Clanoart y approved of tho bill , and did not see that there , was any valid objection to tho cluiuo in question . —The Ilouao having yono into committee , n division took jilaco on tho clause , whidi was uflh-uii-il by 21 ) to 1 U- —Tho bill then passed through committee .

    The Medical Practitioners Bill passed through committee , with some amendments . GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL . On the question that the report on this bill be received , the Earl of Ellemborough moved that the word " alone , " should be inserted in the second clause after the -words " government of India , " so that it should be made evideat that the expenses of the government of India were paid out of the revenues of India alone . —The amendment was agreed to . The Earl of Derbv said that a proposal had been made in committee that the Governor- General of India

    ought to have the appointment of his own Council . He had promised to consider the question , and had now to state that those best qualified to judge are unanimously of opinion that the Governor-General should not have the nomination of his own Council . He would therefore leave the bill as it now stood in this respect , and he only mentioned the matter now in order that the noble Earl ( Ellenbowrough ) or any other noble Lord might , if they thought proper to do so , reopen it on the third reading .

    In clause 52 , which provides for the audit of accounts , words were inserted , on the motion of the Earl of Ellenborough , empowering the auditor specially to note in his audit from time to time any case , if anysuch there should be , in which it might appear to him that any money arising out of the revenues of India had been appropriated to other purposes than those of the government of India . The report was agreed to , and the third reading was ordered for Thursday . The Mh-itia Ballot Suspension Bill was read a third time , and passed . Their Lordships adjourned at ten minutes to nine .

    . - .. ¦ tUDIAN AFFAIRS . Iq the House of Commons , in answer to Mr . Buxton , Lord Stanley said that , in the present state of India , the information of the Government from the disturbed districts is very defective , and it was therfore impossible for either the Board of Control or the East India Company to obtain any information as to the execution at Jellalabad , by Mr . Money , of the Tehsildar , for having continued to act as deputy collector for the Rajah while British authority was in . abeyance . With respect to a question , as to whether it would not be desirable to offer a complete amnesty , with certain exceptions , to all who should lay down their arms , his Lordship said he thought the best reply would be to remind

    the House of instructions which had actually within the last few months been sent from this country to the Governor-General in Council . On the 24 th of March , Lord Ellenhorougb . addressed to the Governor-General a despatch which had been laid before the House , to the effect that , when open resistance had been stopped , it would be prudent in awarding punishments rather to follow the practice in the case of the country that had defended itself to the last in war , than in the case of a suppressed mutiny . Instructions were subsequently sent out that the policy pursued should be discriminating amnesty , and that mercy should be shown , except in cases of excessive criminality . These were the

    instructions sent out by the Government of this country about two and a half months ago , and they had not been reiterated , because it was assumed that reiteration would be needless—that the good feeling ' of the Governor-General would incline him to act in accordance with the policy pointed out . Upon this he did not speak without evidence ; for a despatch from the secretary of the Governor-General in India to the Commissioner of Rohilcund , which had appeared in the newspapers , declared that criminal proceedings would only bo taken against leaders and all those : who had persisted in resistance , and all others , if they tendered early and complete submission , would be pardoned .

    BURLINGTON HOUSE . Sir William Fkaser asked the First Commissioner of Works-whether ho would consider some plan for removing tho wall between Burlington House and Piccadilly , and for giving the public tho advantage of tho ground in the front and rear of that building . —Lord John Manners replied that the wholo question of tlio appropriation of Burlington House and grounds for the public service was under the consideration of the Government , and , until a decision was come to on tho subject , it was not possible to say what ought to be done in regard to the wall referred to in the question . tiuc Hudson's bay company .

    Mr . Roebuck moved the following resolutions : — " That tho privileges of the Hudson ' s Bay Company , about to expire , ought not to bo rcnowod ; that the legal validity of the exclusive rights claimed by tho Hudson ' s Day Company , under their charter , ought at onco to bo determined by process of law ; and that so much of tlxo territory hitherto held by the Hudson ' s Bny Company as nuiy bo needed for tho purpose of colonization ought without delay to be resumed by tho Government of this country . " It is tli « j duty of England , argued Mr . lioe-LmcU , to develop her immense possessions in North America , suns to create n counterpoise to tho predominant power of the United States . Those Stales havu increurtwl ( o thirty- live or ( lurty-nix in nimibiT , while wo have dune nothing fur the awj ^ montulioii of our power on tho Amuricun continent . Mr . Kocbuck then sketched Urn

    history- of the Hudson ' s Bay Company , all the leading facts of which we set before our reader * last week in our leading columns . The interest of the company , pursued Mr . Roebuck , is to prevent colonization , as it is simply a fur company . Let the House make inquiry as to the rights of the association , and , if they have rights , let them he paid out immediately ; but , if they have not , the sooner their powers cease , the better . " The privileges about to expire are not the privileges possessed under the charter , but privileges obtained under the grant of the Crown , which expires early next year ; and he thought that they ought not to be renewed . But , in order that this country might -derive all possible benefit from the non-renewal , we should ascertain what are the rights of the company under the

    charter , that we may at once deal with the whole of the land , and , if possible , carry colonization , and civilization from the Atlantic to the Pacific . ( Jff ^ ar , hear . ) The St . Lawrence has been rendered navigable for great ships , and the navigation is now open to Lake Superior . The Secretary for the Colonies might accomplish a greateT boon for English civilization than he has given to English literature , by carrying English colonization across the continent of North America from Canada to the Pacific , and with it England ' s civilization and England ' s freedom—freedom unaccompanied by the infernal blot of slavery , which attaches to the United States . Ascertain , and at once , the rights of the Hudson ' s

    Bay-Company ; treat them for what they are worth ; but establish a great colony , stretching across the continent . It is necessary to do this at once ; for Minnesota and other States will send in their multitudes to the new territory , and a fresh boundary question may arise with America . "—The motion was seconded by Lord Bury , who said that part of the territory claimed by the Hudson ' s Bay Company consists of fine prairie land , beautifully watered , very fertile , and admirably suited for colonization . The onl y claims possessed by the company are to a license of exclusive traffic ( which will expire next year ) , and the monopoly of trade over Rupert ' s Land , under their charter , to which there are legal objections .

    Mr . Gladstone said he had listened to the discussion with great interest . The hon . and learned member for Sheffield was a veteran in the cause . On this and other subjects connected with North American policy , he had frequently been the expositor of truths at an early date j but on the present occasion the exposition he had made was one in which he was so far fortunate that it was even already popular , and he ( Mr . Gladstone ) believed that his principles and opinions were so sound and just that they must become the basis of the future policy of the country . " The British public have rights in the matter . ( Hear , Jiear . ' ) He would not go into the

    question as to whether the territory should be governed by England or added to Canada ; but tie rights of the British public to have ' the territory opened up to their enterprise impose duties on the Parliament to put down the enormous obstruction at present existing in the way of the extension of our colonization . As to the steps to be taken on the present occasion , it would be best not to go to a division , if the Government opposed the motion j but that the mover and seconder should content themselves with the weight which their speeches , and the discussion elicited , had had on the minds of her Majesty's Ministers .

    Mr . Labouchi : re agreed that it was desirable that the rights of the company should be ascertained , and that a license should be substituted for the charter ; but he protested against vast tracts of country being thrown open to' all comers indiscriminately , without any provision for preserving order there . He concurred witn Mr . Gladstone that it would be better to leave the matter in the hands of the Government . Sir E . B . Lytton observed that the Government were left by the late Government in tho position of negotiators , and lie would announce to the House that to the proposals made to Cunada no reply had as yet been received . It was anticipated that the reply would be unfavourable , and ho would state what in this case would 1 !

    be the principles upon which her Majesty ' s Government were prepared to act . No one could look without humiliation upon this large and important tract of land ,. abandoned for so long a time as a desolate huntingground to wandering savages and wild animals . It . hud been proposed that such of the territory as could not be colonized should be left to tho Hudson ' s Bay Company , ami that tho remainder should be withdrawn from them . This was the proposal of a , statesman , antl one that should bo fairly considered . The license and the charter must bo separately considered . The license gave mo territorial rights , nnd was only to be regarded as

    an instrument giving a safeguard against violence , and tho Government hnd made up their minds not to renew tho liccnsa over any part of the territory whero there was any prospect of civilization or settlement :, but they reserved the power of deliberation whether they should lenve tlio license ) over the rn . st of tho land for a limitotl time , retaining , of course , thu power to vitlidmw it from any hind which ini ;; lit , \> o . . siidilonly or unexpectedly required . Ho did nut think tliut tint Canadians would lilec to tnkn tint cli . 'ir / Mi of funning tho new colony ; and tiieivt ' oro they linl only two <>|> t ions b « foro them : they must either ' l-nvo it under llm jurisdiction of tho Ilud-

    Untitled Article

    No . 435 , Jvw 24 , 1858 . ] THE LEAIE B . , 701

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 24, 1858, page 701, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2252/page/5/