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March .8, 1856.J , TiEE . Iijg A Pj%|Ife...
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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT* Monday, March 3rd. ...
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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.
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March .8, 1856.J , Tiee . Iijg A Pj%|Ife...
March . 8 , 1856 . J , TiEE . Iijg A Pj % | Ife 2 m
Imperial Parliament* Monday, March 3rd. ...
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT * Monday , March 3 rd . JUDICIAL STATISTICS . In the HotrsE of Lords , Lord Brougham moved a series of resolutions relating to judicial statistics . Since 1839 , a false economy had caused these statistics to be greatly abridged , so that miany interesting details are omitted for the sake of saving gome small sum . A much better system exists in . France , where the minutest facts illustrating the position and history of convicted criminals are set forth in official returns . A congress for the discussion of these questions was held last year in Paris ; and England was represented there by three e 6 mrnissioners . These commissioners recommended an adoption of the
French plan of fashioning judicial returns ; and the object of Lord Brougham ' s resolutions was to call the attention of the' House to the necessity he conceived to exist for a better system than the present . He did not , however , ask the House to adopt the resolutions at present , but only hoped that they might be allowed to lie on the table . They had reference - to returns from the criminal courts and the civil courts , including the Admiralty Courts , the Ecclesiastical Courts , and the Bankruptcy Courts . —The Lord Chancellor ackowledged the importance of the subject , and promised that it should receive every attention . —The resolutions -were then laid on the table .
IMPERIAL HOTEL COMPANY S BILL . In the House op Commons , on the motion for the second reading of this bill ( the object of which is to enable a company to purchase the National Gallery , and turn it into an hotel to be balled the Imperial Hotel ) , a short discussion ensued . Mr . Bentinck , Mr . Fitzboy , Mr . Bouverie , Mr . -Dtjncombe , Mr . Patten , and Mr . Drummoitd , opposed the bill , on the ground that it was an unprecedented tiling for a private or merely trading company to ask for compulsory powers for taking land ; that it would be a nuisance to have a large hotel in Trafalgar-s quai-e ;
and that the whole concern was a job for the benefit of the architects whose names were connected with the ' bill . Mr . Drtxmmond , in tlie course of his observation said he thought the National Gallery the purest specimen of Greek architecture in London . —On the other hand , Sir John Shelley , Mr . Otway , Mr . Macgresor , Mr . Ewart , and Mr . Monckton MitNEs , supported the bill ,- while Mr . Wilson explained that the Government only sanctioned the sale of Crown property , leaving the matter of private property entirely open . —The second reading was carried by 72 to 64 .
THE DEBATE OIT FRIDAY WIGHT . Sir De Lacy Evans offered some explanations relative to the sti-ictures on the conduct of tlie Duke of Cambridge , General Simpson , Colonel Gordon , Lord Claud Hamilton , and others , which he had made in the course of the debate on the evening- of Friday week . He felt that he had spofcen with greater warmth than was justifiable ; but some letters had Bince passed between him and the friends of some of the parties aggrieved , and very satisfactory explanations had been made on all sides . With regard to the statement of Lord Claud Hamilton , in reference to the advice Sir De Lacy tendered to Lord Raglan after the battle of lukermann , ho should be ready , at the proper time , to state what that suggestion was , and the reasons for giving it . In the meanwlule , ho read
portions of a letter he had written to Lady Evans , in whioh he hinted that the probable reason of the suggestion not being adopted was , that there was a want pf complete unity in the command . — . Lord Cl . vud Hamilton and Mi * . Arthur Gordon expressed their satisfaction at the explanations which had been made , and wero about to introduce boiiiq observations , when in both eases the feeling of the House interposed , and the subject dropped . In the few- observations which he made , Lord Claud Hamilton desired permission to road tho grounds upon which ho had stated that on the evening of the 5 th Novembor ( the battle of Iukermann ) General Evans counselled , and strongly and repeatedly urged , the immediate embarkation of the British army , leaving ou r guns and our French allies to tho moroy of the ououay .
UNDER-GARDENERS . Colonel Harcjourt callod attention to tho way in whioh tho tax on undor-gardenera is levied , tho effect being that the tax presses heavily and unfairly on poor men . —The Chancellor oi ? thjb Exohko . ujir said tho interpretation of tho revenue ia that all gardeners under a , head gardenor avo undor-gavdeners , and liable to the tax oi half a guinea a-year . Some of tho . i iulgoH have already decided that tho revenue gives too lenient an interpretation to the aot .
OUIl ItfiLATIONB WITH PBBQIA , Mr . Layako called tho attention of the Houwo to tho etato of our relations with Porsia . Having related tho oirouuiHtiuieoB whioh led to 'tho , present diplomatic ) broach , and to tho departure of a naval expedition from Bombay to Buature , ho expressed his opinioa that wo have neither justice nor reason on our eido . Tho wife of Mirza Hashina ie of royal
blood , which of course augments the natural sensitiveness of Persians with , respect to their women ., By treaty with Persia , we can only have agents at Tabriz and Teheran . ; yet the Mirza has been . sent to Shiraz . An apology hag been demanded from the Shah , which is in itself an insult , for a king should not . be . asked to apologise . And this has been followed up by the first step to a war—a war which , if it take place , must have the effect of throwing Persia still more into the armB of Russia . Lord Palmerstok' deprecated the discussion of this subject while negotiations were yet pending—a course which might have the effect of rendering an arrangement much more difficult . Mirza Hashim ( according to a custom prevalent at all the foreign missions , and
long acknowledged by Persia ) took refuge in the / English Embassy , and was sent "by Mr . Murray to Shiraz , where we have been in the babit of having an agency . It is usual for the protection of the embassy to extend to the family and goods of the person threatened ; but the Mirza's wife (\ vho , though connected with th e Shah , ia not of royal blood ) was seized ; and , to letters from Mr . Murray , demanding her release , the Shah had written some replies which showed that he , had not studied a Persian " Polite Letter-Writer . " Mr Murray had not required an apology for the offensive expi'essions ; but had demanded that they should be withdrawn . We are not at war with Persia ; and only two small vessels have proceeded to the Persian Gulf , to protect our commerce .
THE PARIS NEGOTIATIONS . Mr . Disraeli iuqjuired whether it was true , as reported , that the preliminaries of peace had been signed at Paris . —Lord Palmerston replied that , as the House was aware , certain articles had been proposed by Austria to Russia , with the previous consent of England and France , as conditions to serve as the foundation of a treaty of peace . These conditions were at first accepted by Russia , with a reservation , and afterwards unconditionally , or pur et simple .
These articles were subsequently recorded in a protocol at Vienna , signed by the Plenipotentiaries . When the conferences commenced at . Paris , it was agreed at the first meeting that the previous protocol should be Inserted in the proceedings of that day , and it had been determined that that protocol and the articles which had been accepted should have the force and value of a preliminary treaty of peace . That was the precise state of the matter . No treaty of the ordinary form of a preliminary treaty had been signed .
SUPPLY . The House then went into a Committee of Supply , when votes were taken for the Army and Ordnance , In the course of the discussion which arose on one of the votes , Sir . Peel stated that Lord Hardinge had announced his intention of aiot taking the extra pay to whioh he is entitled from the rank of Field-marshal . — Sir Charles Napier complained of the unsatisfactory manner in which the Order of the Bath had been distributed ., and mentioned the names of several distinguished officers who had been overlooked , through favouritism . —Colonel North mentioned other iustances of neglect . —Lord Palmerston remarked that the House of Commons was not well
qualified to judge of the respective merits of individual officers . —Mr . Stafford reminded Lord Palmerston of his promise of last session that the medical department would be remodelled . No improvement had taken place , and Dr . Andrew Smith still appeared at the head of the department . —Mr . Peel remarked , in answer , that Mr . Stafford ' s own report of the great improvement which had ta . ~ k . en place in the department had made the Government less solicitous to introduce changes . —Captain Vernojj objected to tho vote for the Army . Works Corps , which ho could not regard iu
any other light than , au onoumbrauca to the army . If the corps of Sappers and Miners had been increased , there would hewo bean no necessity for tho organisation of an Army Works Corps at all . —Mr . Peel explained that there had been such heavy demands made upon the Sappors and Miners for India and the colonies , that tho corps was not now one-third of its proper number . —Sir J . Fjhkqubson was not able , from what he had soon of the corps , to boar testimony to its emoioncy . Several other votes woro agreed to , and tho House resumed .
WAYS AND MEANS . The Houso beiug resolved into a Committee of Wnys and Moans , on the motion of Mi \ Wilson , a resolution was agroed to , granting £ 20 , 000 , 000 out of tho Consolidated Fund towards makiuggood the supply voted to her Mtrjosty . The Annuities Bill and tho TUxoBuqvnv . Bills Fundingi Bill wore road a third time and paseod , Z'vLcuday , March ith . GALLERY OF NATIONAL i'ORTHAITS . In tho Housw on Lords , Earl Stanuoimc moved an AddroHH to tho Queen , praying her to tako into consideration the expediency of forming by degrees a gallery of original portraits of poraonn distiuguiulieil iu British luatory by oimnonco in arts , science , literature , or arms . Tho richness of England in national portrait )* , and tho establishment of a new National . Qollory , offered opportunities , iva ho conceived , for
the realisation of aueh a design , which miffht be effected for a very moderate sum . —The motion was supported by- the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Earl of Ellenborou-GH , the ifiarl of Carnarvon , Viscount DtTNGANNOir , Lord R $ debdaue , and Lord Colchesteb . Some objection was offered by the Earl of HarrowbyJ who thought that such a gallery would have a tendency-to weaken that strong sense of duty wltich has always been the basis of the English character , and the source of our greatness , by holding out other incentives to exertion . However , he did not oppose the motion , -which , was agreed to , and the House ad- ^ journed .
ANNEXATION OIOTTDE . In the House of ^ Dommons , Mr . Vjbbnoit Sjsecth , ia answer to Mr . Cobden , said the GrOverameai could not at preseat lay on the table any papers relating to the annexation of Oude . Certain matters-tending to the reform of that kingdom were still in progress , and to issue the papers would therefore be injudicious . EARS . Mx Whiteside asked the First jLord of -the Treasury on what day the papers relating to the Fall of Kars would be , laid on the table of the House" ?—Lord Palmerston , without making- any reply , { proceeded , amidst much laughter , to the bar of the House , and then , being called up by the Speaker ; placed the papers in question upoa the table in the ordinary way . THE A 3 TQLO-ITATiTA fr LEGION IN PIEDMONT .
In reply to Mr . Bowyer , Lord Paimerstokt sa . d it was quite true that reports had prevailed in Piedmont of a plot formed in some of * the regiments of the Ajiglo-Ltalian Legion , and in con sequence some of the soldiers were arrested by the Sardinian authorities ; but upon inquiry it turned out that there was no foundation for the report that any plot existed ia any of the ¦ reg iments . It had , however , been thought better -to remove them to Malta , the place for wnieh they were originally destined , and two of the regiments had embarked -thither * Nothing , he added , could exceed the discipline a nd good conduct of these troops .
THE JEASTEB RECESS . Replying to Mr . Spooner > Lerd Palmbrseoit said , with respect to the Easter recess , that he thought the course adopted last year had been a very convenient one , and he should therefore propose to follow it this session . He should move that tlie House adjourn on Friday , the 14 th , until the following Moiday fortnight . SAXE OF COMMISSIONS IN THE ARMY . Sir De Lacy Evans moved for a select committee to consider , examine evidence , and report to the House ,-on the expediency , of abolishing the system of sale and purchase of cominisaions in the army , and on the means that may be adopted for the accomplishment of that object . He denied that the expense attending the abolition of the present system would be enormous , and that it would lead to am unmixed
system of seniority . To his own knowledge , many excellent officers were obliged to abandon all hope of rising in their profession , owing to want of funds . If the Government objected to-a committee , and preferred a commission , he was ready to modify , his motion to that effect .- —The motion was seconded by Lord Godbrioh , who observed that , in point of fact , tho mass of English officers actually serve their country for nothing , their pay being little more than interest on what they have paid for their commissions —a system disgraceful to a free and brave people , more especially to be depi'ecated when it is considered that the country is no pecuniary gainer by it . The system of seniority is already recognised in the highest grades of the army , whore it does rnoBt evil ; but the proposed reform would not lead to the substitution of seniority . The change might be made for about five or six millions . —Mr . Elliob
admitted that the time had come when the country would no longer be satisfied unless the Government umde an nttenxpt to solve this difficult qucBtion ; but ho warned the House not to incur the inevitable evils of a too precipitate chauge . Inquiry , ho halieved , to bo the proper Btop to tako . —Sir John Fitzgerald spoke against nn abolition of the purchase system . —Lord Stanley , whilo { igreeiug that inconveniences might arise from the abolition of purchase , thought tho present system a soandal to tho army , unsound in principle , and mischievous in practice . If an inquiry wore couooded , ho believed that iu five yours from publishing the roport tho purchase of commissions
would oetiso . As it is , the system is 1 'Ojpi . uliacecl by all foreign countries , and oven in this comntry ia-nmknown iu tlio civil service , in the navy , sind in name departments of tho army itself . —The motion wns also supported by Mr . Ition , Mr . Hbadlam , Mv , Monoktou Milnks ( who conceived that a enso hn cl boon made out for inquiry ) , Colonol A » ai « ( who , however , recommended a commission instead of a committeo ) , and Mr . Sidhky Hkhbjcrt ( who wishod for inquiry in order to romovo tho m ' lBiipproUeuBion in tho public rniud wRU ro ^ tird to purcha se in tho arnny , tlio abolition of whioh , -rtithont unoillavy provielons , would operate to the Injury of tho service , but who dosircd
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 8, 1856, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08031856/page/3/
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