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The Factories Bill passed through committee , in the House of Lords , on Monday evening , after an ineffectual attempt to carry amendments similar to those proposed in the House of Cpmmons by IiOrd Ashley and Lord John Manners . The amendment to make the proposed measure a real ten hours bill , by reducing the hours of labour from sixty to fifty-eight hours in the week , was proposed by the Duke of Richmond , and supported by the Bishop of Oxford , the Bishop of Ripokt , Lord Stanley , and Lord Fa-VER 8 HAM . It was strongly opposed by the Bishop of Manchester , Earl Grky , and the Marquis of Lansdowne , and ultimately rejected by 52 to 39 .
The Houpe of Commons having gone into committee on the Ecclesiastical Bill , on Monday evening , Sir Benjamin Haix wished to ask some gentleman who was an Ecclesiastical Commissioner in what manner the incomes of the archbishops and bishops were fixed ? On looking over the report of the committee which sat on the Ecclesiastical Commission , he found the secretary of the commission stating that the returns which had been furnished by the episcopal body respecting their incomes were of so fallacious a character that no just inference could be drawn from them . { Hear . ) He wished to know in particular upon what principle the commissioners had calculated the average income of the Bishop of Oxford ?
He found it stated at page 50 of the committee s report that the average income of that prelate from the ordinary sources was £ 237 4 , to which the commissioners had added £ 3500 , making in all £ 5874—being £ 874 beyond the income contemplated by the act of Parliament . Lord John Russell said that the principle which the commissioners had adopted was , that the bishops should have an income approximately ascertained by a seven years' average . If the income at a particular period exceeded that given amount , the bishop had the disadvantage of the diminution . The present bill , however , proposed that in future the incomes of the bishops should be fixed immutably at a specific sum . Mr . Goulbubn read the following letter from the Bishop Af London , to correct the statement of Sir B . Hall , that the income of that
prelate was £ 50 , 000 per annum : — ' In tbe Times report of the debate on the Ecclesiastical Commission Bill , on Monday night , Sir Benjamin Hall is stated to have said , that ' the present income of one of the Bishops—the Bishop of London—was £ 50 , 000 a-year . It was quite absurd to adopt the Bishop ' s own returns on the point . ' The absurd exaggeration contained in this statement it is perhaps hardly worth while
to notice . But this imputation cast upon my honesty I think it right to lepel ; although I trust that my character is not such as to render such an imputation credible . I should be much obliged to you if you would take an opportunity of assuring the House of Commons , in my name , that the returns to which Sir B . Hall referred ¦ were strictly correct , and contained an exact statement of the income of my bishopric in the years to which they relate . " ( Hear , hear . )
Sir B . Hali . said that what he had said was that , in 1837 , the Bishop of London returned his income at £ 14 , 510 ; that in 1843 he returned it at £ 12 , 481 , exhibiting a decrease of income of £ 2029 . He had previously weighed the statement of the Secretary of the Ecclesiastical Commission ; that the returns made by the Bishops were fallacious ; therefore , when he found that whereas , in 1837 , the assessment of Paddington from £ 112 , 668 in 1837 , had risen in 1843 to £ 191 , 194 , or an increase of £ 78 , 286 , which increase was owing merely to the additional buildings upon the Bishop ' s estate i n that parish , he considered that fallacies d
he had come upon one of the suggesteby the Secretary of the Commission . Some such fallacy would appear still more manifest from the subsequent assessment of the parish , which , from £ 191 , 194 in 1843 , had risen in 1850 to £ 343 , 060 . It seemed quite inscrutable how , under such circumstances , ttie income of the Bishop should not have very materially improved . Mr . Goulhurn said that the honourable gentleman seemed to imagine that the Bishop of London received all the ground-rents of the parish , whereas he received only one-third of them , the other two-thirds being payable under the act to the representatives of the original trustees . The honourable gentleman must be aware that , though clearly the income from these rents increased with the increase of buildings , the portion of his
income derivable from fines was extremely fluctuating . Mr . Sidney IIkkheut moved a series of clauses fi » r effecting some considerable reforms in the administration of the cathedrals in England . In these clauses , after enforcing the residence , and defining the duties of deans , canons , nnd other capitular functionaries , there were provisions whereby the largo funds attached to the cathedral establishments would bo distributed in some degree upon those objects upon which the endowments wero originally deHigncd , vi / .., maintaining poor Huholars at the universities , truiniug the young clergy , extending the means of theological education , & <\ Sir Ghough Gkkv objected to the introduction of these clauses
into the bill ; they wci *» of a nature to require very enrcful consideration , nfF > eting the rights of patrons , and they ought to be brought forward in a separate
measure . The clauses were supported by Mr . Gladstone , Mr . Stuaut , Sir B . Hall , and Mr . " Wood ; and opposed by Mr . Hume , Mr . Henley , and ^ Lord J . Russell . On . a division the clauses were rejected by a majority of i 04 to 84 . The House then resumed , and the bill was reported . In the House of Commons , on Tuesday , the discus * - sion , in committee , of the Mercantile Marine Bill was resumed , and clauses 38 to 61 inclusive were agreed to . Mr . Scott moved that , as an evidence of respect for the memory of the la . te Duke of Cambridge , the House should adjourn until the following day . After a demonstration of reluctance by Mr . Labouchkre , the motion was agreed to , and the House at its rising adjourned until Wednesday .
On the motion for the committal of the Copyholds Enfranchisement Bill , on Wednesday , Sir G-. Strickland moved the postponement of the committee for three months , with a view to defeating the bill . Upon a division , the amendment was negatived by 49 against 40 , and the House went into committee upon the bill . Afcer much discussion of its details , the committee resolved that the Chairman should report progress , and he had leave to sit again on that day week .
Mr . Bankes moved the second reading of the Smoke Prohibition Bill , which had passed the other House . He urged the injury inflicted upon the public health by the noxious fumes belched forth from furnaces and factories , and stated that the pictures in the National Gallery would be destroyed by the visible action upon them of the London atmosphere . He merely asked the House to affirm the principle of the bill , namely , that this was a nuisance which was capable ¦ of remedy . Mr . Alderman Copeland , in moving that the bill be
rejected , declared that he had expended large sums of money on this object , and tried many experiments , without avail , and , with the experience already had , he thought it would be unsafe to shackle trade and commerce with experimental legislation upon such a subject . Mr . Hume , Mr . W . Brown , and Mr . Muntz opposed the bill . Sir G . Grey thought the House would be only wasting time by reading it a second time , which must in the end be defeated . Mr . Mackinnon recommended that the bill should be withdrawn for the present . Mr . Bankes assented ; the bill is therefore lost .
On the order for the second reading of the Landlord and Tenant ( Ireland ) Bill , brought down from the House of Lords , Mr . S . Crawford opposed its further progress , characterizing it as a measure to facilitate the extinction of the people of Ireland . Mr . G . A . Hamilton defended the bill , which , he said , contained a number of clauses calculated to amend and ameliorate the law of landlord and tenant . Mr . Bright thought it would be unwise , in the present state of Ireland , to pass any law giving additional power to landlords . This consideration , independent of the objectionable clauses in the bill , decided his vote against it . Mr . Anstey believed it to be a measure calculated to increase the dissatisfaction felt , as
he alleged , in almost all parts of Ireland . He moved that the debate be adjourned . Mr . Hume supported the amendment . Sir W . Sombrville denied that this was a landlord ' s measure . He did not pledge himself to support all the clauses in the bill , but he could not conscientiously vote against the second reading , its object being to prevent fraud and outrage , not to arm landlords with greater power . Mr . Roche spoke against the bill until the hour of six , when the House necessarily adjourned .
The debate on Mr . Heywood's motion for a commission of enquiry into the state of the Universities of Oxfoid , Cambridge , . and Dublin , which stood adjourned from the 23 rd of April , was resumed on Thursday evening by Mr . Round ell Palmer , who , after referring to the position in which the question stood , in consequence of the views developed by the Government , proceeded to discuss the specific corporate characters of the Universities and Colleges , and the relations of the Crown to both . He endeavoured to show that there was no necessity for such a commission , the objects of which could bo more wisely
accomplished by the action of public opinion upon the Universities themselves , and the spirit of improvement in the Colleges , instead of being encouraged , might be checked by a general interference ; and it would be much wiser for the Crown to exert the power which it legally possessed over certain Colleges to set an example of reforms to the rest . Sir Gkorok Grky showed the legality of the commission by referring to various instances of the issue of similar commissions simply of enquiry , invested
with no power of interfering or of altering , in all wliich cases the same objections were unsuccessfully alleged . As to its expediency , he thought the impulse of public opinion could not bo applied in a more unobjectionable form than by a well-selected Royal Commission—a course in which ho should not concur if it indicated any spirit of hostility towards those great institutions . Mr . Stuaut moved as an amendment to the motion of Mr . Hey wood , that any advice given to her Majesty to issue a Royal Commission for inquiry into thu revenues and
management of any Colleges of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge , not of royal foundation , tends to a violation , of the laws and constitution and of the rights and liberties of her subjects . Mr . Henry Drummond admitted that the universities had neglected their duties , but he contended that this was not the "way to remedy the evil . Mr . Bunbury consid . . ed that there existed in the universities abuses which ought to be rectified , and that there
was a , public call for reform in those institutions corresponding with the advanced spirit of the age and the altered state of the times . Mr . Gladstone expressed serious doubts , not only of the unconstitutional nature of such a commission , but also of its legality . And even if legal , constitutional , and in some respects necessary , it was sure to be attended with very great evils in the shock it would give to the confidence and respect which ought to be maintained towards the authorities in our universities .
There was no ease at all to justify such a commission as that contemplated by the Government , and it was difficult to say how it could be carried out , for the parties the commission would have to examine were bound by oath to keep the affairs of the universities and colleges perfectly secret . Lord John Russell felt great difficulty in showing that a commission was requisite ; for if he dwelt delicately with the defects of the universities , he would be told that he had made out no case for
such a course ; and if , on the other hand , he were to exhibit those defects boldly , he would be told that they were going utterly to destroy those universities , and put them out of existence . He contended that the enquiries into the cathedrals and municipal corporations of the country , coming as they did at the close of a long line of precedents , fully warranted him in adopting a similar course in the present instance . Mr . Law , Sir Robert Inglis , and Mr . Geokoe Hamilton spoke against the commission . After a short reply from Mr . Hey wood , Mr . Stuart withdrew his amendment , and Sir George Grey moved that the debate be adjourned for three months , which was carried by 160 to 138 , the original motion being thereby in effect , though not directly , negatived .
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NATIONAL TESTIMONIAL TO THE MEMORY OF SIR ROBERT PEEL . A public meeting of the merchants , bankers , traders , and inhabitants of London was held at the Egyptian-hall , in the Mansion-house , on Monday , for the purpose of promoting a subscription to raise a national testimonial as a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Sir Robert Peel . A number of persons had collected round the entrance to the Mansion-house before the doors were opened ; and as soon as the public were admitted a great portion of the noble and spacious hall was at once filled . The assembly continued to increase constantly up to the
time for the commencement of the proceedings . The Lord Mayor , who entered the hall shortly after two o ' clock , accompanied by many eminent and influential gentlemen , having stated the object for which they were assembled , the meeting was addressed by Sir Peter Laurie , Captain Shepherd , chairman of the East India Company , Sir J . Pelly , chairman of the Hudson ' s Bay Company , Sir J . W . Hogg , M . P ., Mr . Hume , M . P ., Mr . Masterman , M . P ., Baron de Goldsmid , Sir E . N . Buxton , M . P ., Mr . Henry Drummond , M . P ., and Mr . Alderman Salomons . The most remarkable speeches were those of Mr . Hume and Mr . Drummond : —
" Mr . Hume said he had attended to offer his tribute of respect to the departed statesman . ( Hear , hear . ) For forty years he had been an observer—not an idle observer—of the public conduct of Sir R . Peel ; often he had opposed , as often he had supported , his measures according as he considered them conducive to the public interests { hear , hear ) , and , therefore , he was qualified to offer an honest and independent testimony , having in the long course of his public career neither attached himself to Whig nor Tory , but measures being his object , having been ready to support the man , from whatever ranks he might come , who was prepared with measures that appeared to tend to promote the public interests . ( Hear , hear . ) After watching narrowly the conduct ot the right honourable baronet now no more , ho could honestly say that , as a public man , he had not known his of his public life
equal during the long period own . ( Hear , hear . ) Comprehensive in his views , he ( Mr . Hume ) would say liberal in general in the objects he had in view , he had known no man more disinterest :: u in bringing those objects forward . ( Hear , hear . ) He might have erred , as we all erred , at times ; but , looking at his objects , and the motives which might leart astray any one from what might be considered popular and tempting at the moment , ho had found in him the utmost disinterestedness ; and , as to self-aggrnndizement , we had had proof in that record , the like of which was to be found , perhaps , in the case of no othor public man . ( Hear , hear . ) He ( Mr . Hume ) looked with grent regret to the void he had Jetr , and the difficulty , in the peculiar situation in which we wore placed , of supplying the loss we hnd to deplore—a loss at this time almost irrpparable . ( Hear , hear . ) H » 8
measures were intendpd to he highly useful to the country , and his disinterestedness as concerning himself aim his family was signally shown ; and the community were
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PARLIAMENT .
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386 ® f ) £ & ££ & # *? [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), July 20, 1850, page 386, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1847/page/2/
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