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    the empire . ; Vfe :- ^ ^; 48 tofidn !^; . ^ " ; and ^ Pif andspeedily say I ( cheers ) ; let us have no hesitation , no delay- The right hon . gentleman continues— . « It Is evident that the present parliament cannot last lonff and I think you will agree with me that the sooner itis dispensed with , the better . " . ¦ .. . ¦ But is tins the feeling of the government ? ( Hear . ) IJo , Siev have propositions forChancery Beform ( hear ) ; they have a Militia Bill ; they > ave in View , not only the disfVanchisement of St . Albans , but the enfranchisement of other places ) and this does not look quite like dissolving parliament " speedily ? ' { Opposition cheers . ) " I believe ( the right hon . genteman added ) this question will then be solved , and trust it will be set at rest for ever We cannot afford to be always in collision with our follow subjects ; ' ( Heajvhear . ) _ ^ ¦ . He then gives most salutary advice to the owners of the soilHe says-r ^ " ...

    . . . . .. , « We must either have protection , or learn to live without it . " ( Loud cheers from the opposition . ) Now , I say to the gentlemen ppposite / in the words of my right hon ! , friend , *» You cannot have protection , and you must not . " ( Hear , hear . ) Then the right hon . gentleman proceed * to show the agriculturists how they may live without protection ^—« I know , qtf we try , that we shall have to turn pur attention to the ^^ improvement of . five , estates , for ' where is the landowner who cati say that more cannot be donef *> : I say there is in these right hon . gentlemen perfect ; frankness and no guile—I had almost said that these were Disraelites indeed , ( Loud Jaughter . )

    Leaving the question of Minifltejrial intentions , Sir James fastened on the arrogant denial made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that there had been an appeal ddmisericordiam by the Government to ibje House ; and quoted lord Derby ' s famous sentence- — Iknow that I amin an undoubted minority in the House of Commons , and I appeal therefore to the forbearanceof the House ; " and he denied absolutely that ; there h ^ ever been in English parliamentary history such an appeal mady before . / The Government were bound to dissolye the moment the most necessary measures were passed , Mr . Pitt had done so in 1784 , Lord Grey in 1831 , and Lord John Russellin 3 . 841 . On the last occasionwhen there was a discussion as to

    , whether a Minister } u a ^ ainority OugW iiof * b dissolye or resign , a speech . was made whichSjr James-read . to the House . Tie speaker characterized the Jadnw ^ sion of lord John Bussell that his party did not sufficiently possess the confidence of the House , and yet held office , as unheard of ; and inveighed in strong terms against Ministers hold ing office who _ could not carry their measures . " The speaker on that occasion , " said Sir James , " was the present Earl of Derby . " ( Great cheering and laughter from the Opposition benches . ) The remainder of his speech was devoted to proving

    that the Free-Trade policy had been successful , even as it affected the landowners ; and he brought forward the startling foots , that since 1846 5 , 200 , 000 / . have been advanced to landowners for drainage ; the quantit y of guano imported had increased , from 83 ; 438 tons in 1849 , to 243 , 514 in 1851 ; and 865 , 902 acres had been enclosed since 1845 . Taxes had been remitted , yet had the revenue increased . He cited the opinion of the Duke of Buccleuch , who opposed Corn-Law repeal in 1846 , that-i ^ would be most dangerous to landowners to reimpose duties on corn . And finally , after more statistics , he wound up as follows : —

    "I remember the hist conversation which I ever had with Sir B , Peel . It was upon the eve of that great discussion upon our foreign policy in which he ana I found it our painful duty to , vote against a Government which upon other accounts , and more especially upon the account or their support of a Free-Trade policy , we had usually assisted . It was impossible not to look to > the consequences of that vote , and I pointed out to Sir B . Peel the possibility that the Government would be overthrown , and asked him what would then ensue P He said , * I know that jn this country , without party connexions , no man can govern . I know that my party ties are dissolved , and I am not prepared to renew them , and do not desire to renew them . But , come what may , there is no effort that I will not

    make to maintain that Free-Trade policy , which I believe to bo indispensable fojf the maintenance of peace and happiness in this country . ' ( Loud cheers . ) Sir , I do not possess the abilities of iny right hon . friend , but I possess his determination , and , like him , there is no effort I will not be prepared to make , and no Bftcrifice I will not bo prepared to undergo , to uphold that policy } which , in my neart and conscience , I believe to W necessary for the poapo , the happiness , and the woU-bqing of my fellowcountrymen . " ( The right hon . baronet resumed hifl seat Tri * nt JPPO 8 iW ° tt bench amid loud and prolonged _ This was a nighti of great speakers ; but when Mr . Walpom rose to reply Ob Sir James Graham , there

    was literally nothing left for him tp say , except what had . been sold before . He reiterated , however , Lord . Derby's declaration in the House of Lordsj that it was not a *< reversal , " but a modification of the policy of «» r Robert Peel , which ww sought ; and ho declared that an appeal had been made , not to the " forbearance , ' but to the "justice" of the House . He could b ? o no applicability in the precedents cited by 8 ir James Graham , and ho concluded that circumstances justified the Government in their present proceedings As a attng to his speech , a warning to Lord John Kuasell against joining in the " now and extraordinary ftTOal gaanation of parties , " said to have taken place ; aUudfaig . to the Whig coalition of # 8 * ho said ;

    - " The right hon . member for Ripon has entirely for . gotten to notice the extraordinary similarity between the position of Mr . Pitt and his Whig opponents and that of the present Government and their opponents . If I recollect aright , an exteaordinary coalition took plaee at that time , when the Whig party went out of power . Nothing damaged the Whig party so much as that unnatural alliance ( loud cheers ) j arid" 1- warn the noble lord , who is a constitutional Minister ^ to beware , as he loves the constitution ( its I know he does ) before he joins with those who not onlyvotewith him in carrying any salutary reforria , but yrho have objects behind ^ -democratie tendencies to which the noble lord wovdd not givaiway . ( Cheers . ) But the noble lord may be betrayed in an unlucky moment 1 snouia tnnucto

    into a false position , much , , ms owncusadvantage , and I am sure to the great disadvantage of the country ? ' ( Cheers . ) Mr . GxadstoStb called the position of the Government " necessarily anomalous" and ' [ provisional . " The question of Protection had shattered a mighty party in 1846 , deranged ever since the " whole mechanical systeni of our pteliamentavy government , " and called for every effort that men could make for the purpose of bringing , &r once and for ever , the question to a final decision ; * Btis speech then turned upon two points , the duty of the Opposition in regard to the Government , and in regard to tne question ofprotectioni With respect to the former ,

    he went over the precedents cited by Sir Jaines Graham and disclaimed by Mr . Walpole , and he argued that they Were not advanced simply as precedents , but as illustrations qi a ; living practical principle , that if you want a strong government you must have one commanding a majority Si the House of Commons . No one had blamed the present ministry for accepting office ; as a choice of evils , ( alluding to obstructed legislation ) he was ^ glad they had taken office . But" it was the du ^ r of the House—a duty from which theymustnot shrink—to compel the Government to appeal to the country on the vital question at stake protection ) at the earliest possible moment . He iiei iujf uienoiuco

    ran over jut . insraen s category ox .. ; BB » : and decidedly excepted to that as a necessary measure , which spoke of disposing of the four seats which will be vacant when the St . Albans Bill is carried . Also he didriot tliink Chancery Reform a subject wtich sKould prolong parliament . And finally , he concluded that an explicit assurance ought to be obtained that Parliament should be dissolved speedily . As to their duty to protection , that was clear-r- ^ ae was opposed either to the reversal or modification of the policy of free-trade . What they had to do how was not to dweuss whether free-trade or protection was the bettor policy , but to bring that great question to a speedy and final issue .

    Mr . Batlme CochbanB here rushed into the debate , but he was disregarded , a great hum of conversation , filling the House . Not so when Lord Pamcebstobt rose . His appearance stilled the murmurs . He made a frank and explicit statement of his views . They amounted to this : that Ministers were in a perfectly anomalous , unconstitutional , and accidental position . They had taken office in a minority , and therefore must either resign or dissolve parliament . The former course would be inconsistent with the circumstances under which they accepted office , and before the latter could take place , the necessary business must be performed . But this must be the necessary business ; and when transacted , a dissolution ought at oh . ee to follow . That , accompanied by a running condemnation of the Protection policy , was the gist of a short but telling

    speech . After this the debate was taken up by Mr . Milneb Gibson , Sir John Tybbejd , Mt . Oswa . vd , Mr . NEWDEGate , Sir A . CooKBtrBN , and Mr . Bookeb ; and these gentlemen having spoken , the House went into Committee of Supply , and voted 89 , 000 men for the navy . The absorbing interest of Monday ' s debate throws all the parliamentary proceedings of the remainder of the week quite into the shade . In the House of Lords , on Tuesday nig ht , a debate on the system of National Schools in Ireland was introduced by the Marquis of Clanricarde ' s inquiry , pursuant to notice , whether

    Ministers intended to propose any alteration in the present application of the public funds for educational purposes in Ireland . The Eabi . ov Dbbby , in his reply , referred to the fact of his having , as Irish Secretary , twenty years ago , framed the . regulations and introduced the system of National Schools . He thought that , under existing circumstances , the subject was a proper one for a committee of inquiry . After expressing his regret that a great number of the Presbyterian clergy had kept aloof from the National system with almost as much porsoveranco as the clergy of tUo Established Churol ) , ho suggeptcd ' that it might bo well to consider whether in-some cases Government assistance

    might' not ; be granted to schools exclusively Protestant , and also to schools exclusively Roman Catholic . Those woro subjects wIh ' cJi a committee might investigate Ho was most anxious that Boman C » tlu > lic » as w ^ ll as Protestants should have , under Government superintendence , tho advantage of a sound moral , literary , and religious education . The Mabquis o » Lansdownh deprecated any hasty interference with a system wtych h * d worked 90 woU , and expressed J ) i » conviction fcbat if once tho plan were introduced of giving separate

    grants to the various religious bodies , mixed education would become the exception , and exclusive education the rule . The EabIi op Desabt denied that the present system was one of general education ; he wished to see classes still more united . The Eabi op Bo » Efl " made a speech onthe" Protestant Ascendancy" side of the question , and declared that the National Schppls prevented the * conversion ' of the Roman Catholics . Lord Monteagle defended the system ; Lord Ponoughmore attacked it . The Marquis of Clanricarde replie briefly ; and after some conversation between the noble Marquis , Lord de Ros , and the Earl of Donoughmore , the subject dropped .

    In the House of Commons , on the same day , Lord Robebt Gbosvenoe , in putting a question to Lord John Manners , the Chief Commissioner of Works , on the subject of the ventilation of the House , drew a doleful picture of the sufferings members were compelled to undergo while attending their legislative duties . If something were not speedily done , he anticipated fatal "consequences . Lord John Manneus hoped that an efficient remedy would soon be applied ; he expected great improve ^ ments from the efforts of Dr . Reid and Mr . Goldsworthy Gurney . In answer to a question from Mr .

    Duncombe , he announced that the government had decided not-to interfere with the . arrangements by which the Crystal Palace would be removed by the 1 st of May . The recommendation of the commissioners , who had received an immense quantity of evidence , was to that effect , and their reasons appeared to the government to be satisfactory . Mr . Napieb , the Irish attorney-general , moved for a select committee to inquire into the state of the disturbed districts of Armagh , Monaghan , and Louth , the object being to ascertain the cause of the crimes of violence that had disgraced those localities , and the sufficiency or insufficiency of

    the laws to meet the evil . These outrages usually arose out of the occupation of land , and were the overt acts of a great secret confederation , which , if not put down by the law , would put the law down . No doubt , if it could be properly administered , the law would be sufficient , but from the intimidation of jurors and witnesses some open-day murders had been committed with perfect impunity . " He recommended an alteration in the jury laws , in order that juries to try cases that affected life and property should be composed of persons who would not be likely to be intimidated . He thought also that it might be wise , under certain restrictions , to re-enact the law making it penal to be in possession of signs and passwords . Mr . Hatchell took on

    himself the entire responsibility in regard to the late special commission , and explained the difficulties that sometimes lay in the way of securing the conviction of offenders . He admitted some alteration was necessary in the jury laws , but deprecated any interference with the liberty of the subject . Mr . McCuxi . AGH ascribed much of the outrage in Ireland to the want of confidence existing between , the owners and occupiers of land , the neglect of the duties of property , and the wholesale evictions that were from time to time carried on . He denied that there was any necessity for changing the law because in a particular district there had been a difficulty in obtaining convictions . After a fewwords from Mr . Grogan the motion was agreed to . The annual Indemnity Bill was brought in , and the

    house adjourned . In the House of Commons on Wednesday a long discussion took place on tho Manchester and Salford Education Bill , tho second reading of which , moved by Mr . Brotherton , was met by Mr . Milner Gibson with an amendmefltflgto refor it to a select committee to inquire into the state of education in the boroughs in question . He based this proposal on tho ground that the bill , though technically a private was in reality a publio measure , seeing that it went to establish the novel principle of supporting free schools , not only for secular education but for religious teaching in the forms of Catholicism and of all sects of protestantism , by means of tho publio rates . Mr . RoBduok seconded tho amendment , not that ho objected to the precise

    principle embodied in the measure , but that the bill ought to bo treated as a public bill . Mr . Waxpoi , b , after giving great credit to tho promoters for their good intentions , objected to establish by a . private hill great principles winch must , affect the public generally , such as the principle of compulsory , rating , free education , and the restriction of religious education" to the reading of tho Bible . He was prepared to agree to tho motion for a committee , with some alterations in the wording . Lord JoitN ltussBlili also thought the measure ought to be dealt with as a public one , and was favourable to tho inquiry . Ho folt strongly that tho education to be given , should bo of a religious , and not wholly of a secular character , but acknowledged , tho difficulty of deciding upon a religious sy stein of instruction in which all should agree . Sir ROBBBT

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• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 20, 1852, page 265, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1927/page/5/