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Leader (1850-1860), 9th April 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 453, Untitled Article

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      ¦ not think that to pursue either course would be any disparagement to political honour . He did pot offer any-obstacle to their carrying out the advice they had given to her Majesty , bat he thought it was very unwise advice . The question that would be -put to the country was , not what men should be in office , but what should be the Keform Bill to be brought in by the Government . If ^ ™ e , attempt to prophesy the result , he should say that the Parliament which the present Government would call together would be far more likely than the present to decide that power ought to be transferred to other hands . He entreated them ^ to take the earliest moment to dissolve Parliament ; great embarrassment and inconvenience would result from delay . —Mr . Bright felt with

      many members that the course adopted by the Government would lead to a large amount of personal inconvenience ; but , under all the circumstances of the case , it was impossible for Mm to come to any other conclusion than that the Government had taken the constitutional course they were bound to take But while he applauded the course they had taken , he protested against the attempt of Mr . Disraeli to get up a littlev political capital by representing that the country had the option between las own measure , conservative in its character , rtnd one that was revolutionary . It was very odd , lie remarked , that his conservative bill should have had more determined opponents on his own side of the TTouse than on the other .. Pie ( Mr . Bright ) was not

      afraid of the tribunal before which the Government were about to bring this question . Any measure of reform he should propose would be in the lines of that of 1832 ; if that would be revolutionary , he did not understand the meaning of the term . He warned the members , of the Government , when they went to the hustings , against making such a charge as this ; if tliey did so , they must take the consequences . . He should like to go to this election in a spirit of calmness , and , the Government giving all the figures , to discuss the question fairly . — Lord J . RtrssrajcX defended his resolution both a 3 to its principle and its terms . He denied that by

      introducing it he in the slightest degree jjompromised the interests of peace , inquiring why the Government had brought forward their bill if the discussion which it was sure to provoke was so dangerous . The appeal to the country on the question was , he thought , very injudicious . The present Parliament v ? as quite competent to deal with the subject ; and the ministry ought , he thought , to have exhausted every means of passing a satisfactory measure before resorting to the extreme proceeding of a dissolution , lord John then indicated the provisions of the Reform Bill of which he should have approved , which included a 107 . franchise in the counties , and a 61 . boroughs , the introduction of several of what were

      called " fancy franchises , " the preservation of the votes enjoyed by the freemen , and a large admission of the working-classes to electoral privileges . The question relating to the disfranchisement of small boroughs and redistribution of seats ought , he considered , to be dealt with in a separate measure . His proposition was to withdrawtwcnty-sixmembi < rs from that number of the Jeast populous boroughs now returning two representatives . These , with the four vacancies already existing , would give thirty seats for the larger centres of population . To the ballot he still retained his objection , and should vote against every proposal for introducing that system in any scheme of reform .

      A miscellaneous conversation ensued , in which Mr . Drum-mond , Mr . Horsman , Mr . Dkjsdiss , Mr . Newdeoati' } , and many other members took part . The Ciianceij-o of the Exchequer said the prorogation would , protmbly take placo about the time ho should have moved the adjournment for the liolydoys . Ho said there was no foundation . for the statement that the ministry liacl contemplated resignation , and lio denied that ho had stated that the opposition to the . bill , had ondangored tho peace of Europe . The motion for adjournment was withdrawn ,

      li . VST 1 NMA LOAN 1 * 1 bL . Lord Staxlky , in moving tho "third reading ; of the India Loan Bill , entered into various dentils respecting tha ' previous loans whlejihad boon raised for India !) purposes , either at homo or in Hindustan ; tho deficiencies in tho Indian Exchequer caused by tho late rovolt ; and tho financial exigencies for which provision litul to be ninde . In tho year 1 S 57-8 tho deficiency was estimated at nine millions , and in 1858-9 at thirtoen millions . Tlioso wore mot

      by loans already contracted . During tho onsuing year one million incroaso was anticipated in tho rovonuos from , 'tn . xntion , and a largo saving would , it was hoped , bo accomplished by the release uf many regiments now on service in tho country .. Lord Canning had takpn stop 9 to raise ft further loan in CulouUa , and had computed that four , or four and a hnlf millions ' more , would suffloo to moot the roquirornonts of the coming financial year . Thrro was , howovor , no Intention of asking any larger burrowing

      powers than were included in the bill on the table , during the continuance of the present Parliament . — Mr . V . Smith complained that no improvement had been effe cted in the management of Indian financial affairs . —Mr . VansIttart , Mr . Ckawford , Sir H . "WrixouGHur , Sir C . Wood , Colonel Stkes , and other members , having followed with remarks upon the financial and political , state of India , the bill was read a third time and passed . Some other business having been , disposed of , the House adjourned at a quarter to twelve o ' clock . Tuesday , April 5 . In the liotSE of Lords the Duke of Marlborough withdrew his Church-rate Bill .

      THE DIVORCE COURT . Lord Campbell called the attention of the House to the ' insufficient number of the judges in the Divorce Court , and objected to the mode of procedure of the Court , which -was , he thought , open to abuses . —The Lord Chancellor , agreed with Lord Campbell about the deficient number of judges of the Divorce Court , and characterised it as a mistake in the formation of the Court . He had heard from the Judge-Ordinary of that Court that it was impossible to carry on the present business of the Court without assistance . In his opinion the judges of the Divorce Court ought to be increased in number . — After a few Avords from Lord Ckanavokth the subject dropped .

      TIIE . IXDIAN LOAN BILL . The bill was brought up from the Commons and read a first time . —The Earl of Derby stated that When the bill was brought forward for second reading bu Thursday he should move the suspension of standing orders , with the view of passing the measure through all its remaining stages , that it might receive the royal assent before the departure of the India mail of Saturday next , the 9 th instant . The Recreation Grounds Bill was read a second time . The Patent Inventions ( Munitions of War ) Bill passed through Committee ; and the Manslaughter Bill was read a third , time and passed . Their lordships adjourned at . half-past five o ' clock .

      In the HorsE of Commons , Mr . II . Berkeley announced that on Tuesday next he should bring forward a motion on the subject of the ballot . The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved that Government orders of the day should have precedence of-other ' business on every evening during the remainder of the session . . The motion was carried , after some remonstrances from Mr . Spooneu , who complained that he . was thus deprived of the opportunity to move his resolution for the withdrawal of the grant to Maynooth . Orders of the day take precedence , of Notices of Motions on this and all subsequent . days until the end of the session ,

      Mr . Spooner , with a bad grace , complaining of hard measure received from the Government , withdrew his motion on the subject of the College of Maynooth ( which stood first on the list of notices ) for the present session . The motion , after a short conversation , was agreed to . Mr . II . Berkeley stated that , in default of better opportunity , he should introduce his ballot resolution as an amendment on the motion for going into committee of . supply . Mr . Dillwyn , on behalf of Sir J . Trolawny , postponed tho Church-rates Bill , and Mr . J . 1 ) . . Fitzgerald postponed the Roman Catholic Oaths Bill , until next session . VOTE OP THANKS TO LORD CAX ^ INO AND THE

      INDIAN ARMY . Roplying to Mr . V . Smith , Lord Stanley stated that on Monday next ho should move a vote of thanks to Lord Canning and other Indian functionaries and officers for . their services dui'ing tho lato revolt . The discussion in committee of the Supcranuation Bill wns then resumed , ami tho remaining clauses passed after some considerable discussion . The Public Offices Extension Bill , and the Indemnity Bill , wore road a third time and passed . UALWAY ANJ ) AMERICAN MAIL SI 3 UVICI 3 . .

      Mr . Honsir . vLL , in moving for some correspondence , oallod attention to tho subjoct of tho intended mail sorvico botwoon Gal way and America . This sorvico , ho complained , had boon assigned to a particular lino of steamers , tho Gal way Paokot Lino , without tho usual advertisement for public tondors . —Sir S , NoRTiico'i'ia explained tho reasons which had inducocl tho Government to waivo some of tho ordinary conditions when granting the contract for a postal sorvico with Amorica to tho company in quostion . —Considerables discussion followed , in which tho merits of tho Gal way Packet Line , and tho conduct of tho Government in granting tho subsidy for tho postal sorvico , wore canvassed at much length , oniony by tho Irish mombcrs . Tho subjoct at last dropped , tlio papors moved for having boon oi'derod . Tho House adjourned at half-past nlno o'clock .

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      Wednesday , April 6 In the House of Commons' on the order for going into Committee of Supply , Lord Palmerston rose to make a personal explanation . Referring , in the guarded manner rendered necessary by the rules of the House , to a charge which , he said , had been made against him "in another place , " on Monday , of unconstitutional conduct , in having questioned the prerogative of the Crown to dissolve Parliament , he denied that he had ever said anything that would bear that construction . He had only questioned the conduct of the Ministers in advising the ' Crown , to dissolve Parliament in the existing state of things , it being possible that the House might desire to address the Crown to afford the House an opportunity to

      Consider another Keform Bill , or even an address to her Majesty to dismiss her present Ministers . He utterly repudiated the charge , that he had held any doctrine in the slightest degree repugnant to the prerogative of the Crown or to the principles of the Constitution . He quite concurred in the determination of the House not to interfere in any way , but to leave with the ministry the entire responsibility for the step they had taken . Adverting to the question of reform , the noble lord added that he altogether agreed w i th the principles of the . scheme indicated by Lord John Russell , although retaining ' the . opinion he had previously expressed respecting the limits within which those principles should be practically carried out . —Sir J . Pakington noticed the altered

      attitude which Lord Palmerston had assumed towards the Government . In his speech during the debate he had adopted a tone of menace , threatening to stop the . supplies if they dared to attempt a dissolution . He rejoiced to find that this obstructive course was now abandoned . lie insisted that the language . used in another place ( by . Lord Derby ) was not open to the criticism of Lord Palmerston ; he ( Sir John ) had used , he said , similar terms in that House , and . he repeated the opinion that the language used by Lord Pahnerston in the late debate was not consistent with respect to the Crown . That language was threatening , and tended to impede the exercise of the prerogative . —Sir G . Grey considered that the doctrine of Sir J . Pakington would sacrifice the

      rights of that House . It might be the imperative duty of the House to interpose between advice given to the Crown , which was deemed injurious to the interests of the country , and an . actual dissolutionlie reminded ministers that they had prognosticated serious perils to the peace of Europe if their policy were hampered , and the House had therefore , he believed done wisely , in lesiving on their shoulders the whole responsibility for the course they hail adopted . The comments hazarded " elsewhere " upon Lord Palmerston ' s speech were , lie considered , xinprccedented and irregular . —Colonel Fukngu insisted that the Government had no right to dissolve except with tho view of strengthening their position as regarded the special question pii which they had been defeated , —Mr . 'Malins contended that all responsibility for the dissolution lay with the opponents of her Maiesty ' s ministers in the late discussion . —Sir G . C" . maintained

      Leavis repudiated this responsibility , and that the question laid before the country was not one of confidence in a particular ministry , but whether a parti cxilar reform bill was or was not to bo accepted . — -Mr . B . OsnoxiKis thought that the present Parliament had nothing further to do with reform , and made an inquiry regarding the appointment of Mr . Dobbs to the vacant office of Judge of tlio Irish Estates Courts . —Mr . S . * Estcourt said , the Government did not complain of the course taken by tho opposition since the lato debate ; but they could not help complaining of tho tone employed by Lord Palmerston . The real question to bo decided was , liu declared , whether tho business of tho country was to be carried on by the present Government or transferred to another administration . —Mr . Lindsav said , if tho question had been a voto of confidence in the present , ministers ho should not have voted against them , considering that thoy had conducted business well .

      Sir II . AVii-LOuannY called attention t . o tlio f . iot that tho sum voted and appropriated for nival sorvicos in the year ending thy . ' ) lst of Mnrcii , 1858 , was 0 , 172 , 200 / ., and the total expend j tare , 0 , 902 , 830 / ., and asked soino explanation of tlio expondituro in oxecas , and what wore tlio outstanding expenses of the ( Jlilna war ?—Sir J . 1 ' akinhton deferred his reply until tho Houso u « as In coinm Lord . Naas explained , in reply to Mr . Osiioknr , thp circumstanoos connoctod with tho appointment of MrDobbs

      . . . . ., , ... Sir F . BAitixa , with rbfentnoo to tlio ovuor winch prohibited a rtlroct allusion to prooooilinjc" > " * ' «* House of Xonls , suggcatod that if at . tivoks woro permitted thoro upon inombers in this J louse , tlio order , on principles of reciprocity , and of- ftiirno »» and justice , ought no longer to exist . lk » enlwl attontlon to tho contract entered Into by tho uovonunont for tho convoyanco of tho mulls between

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      f ¦ No . 472 , April 9 , 1859-1 THE LEADER 458

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 9, 1859, page 453, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2289/page/5/