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Leader (1850-1860), 13th May 1854, Edition 1 of 1, Page 436

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      Clause 18 . —Composition of the congregation . The clause originally stated that" From and after the 1 st day of Michaelmas term , 1854 , the congregation should be composed of the following persons ( enumerating them ) . The clause Was amended to , " On and after the 15 th day of Michaelmas term . " Sir "W . Heathcotb said that this clause enacted that the congregation should be composed , among others , of the following-persons : —" The tutors of

      the various proposals before the House , was the question of the regulations applicable to burial dubs -That was a very painful subject , and one on whicti he would much rather avoid stating his opinion * His own opinion , however , was so strong as to the necessity of legislation , that if no other member were to propose to the House any legislation upon the subject , he should himself feel it his duty to do so . He thought that tie honour of the country , jfas credit of the lower classes , and their dearest personal and private feelings were concerned in placing it

      beyond the possibility of doubt and imputation , that any such suspicions as had lately prevailed in this matter could , by any possibility , be founded in feet . And therefore , in the interest of the lower classes , and with the view of consulting their honourable feelings , and rescuing them from , imputations which had for a long time back prevailed upon that subject , he thought some legislation was abso * Iutely required ; and he should think it his duty if the committee were not appointed , in . another session to propose some further enactment on that subject ; ¦

      This speech led to an episode illustrative of lie ; Cobden ' s perceptive faculties . Mr . Cobdkn : " The noble lord the Secretary for the Home Department said it would be a painful thing to state facts connected with this subject ; but the noblelordma bound to perform his duty without reference to any feeling of delicacy towards either the House or himself . If the noble lord was in possession of facts , he ought , in justice to the people of this country , to state them . " ~ ¦ ¦ - •¦ .-- *• Lord Palmbrston : «• I said nothing about being in pos session of facts ; I stated merely that the subject was a painful one . " Mr . Cobden : " The noble lord says be has grounds for Ms opinion , but that they * are . of too painful a nature to be stated . * ' ¦ ¦ -.. ; Lord Pai ^ oekston : " I do not say bo . " ( Laughter . } " '¦*¦' Mr . Cobt > kn : "Then the nobler-l ard disclaims having any facts at all . ( Laughter . ' ) Will the noble lord admit that ? " ' : i Lord Palmebston : "N o . " CLauaUer . ' S " *

      Mr . Cobdkn : " It appears to me that the noble lord is trifling with the House in . the course which he has pursued ( 'ivo , nof ) This is no laughing matter . To / the noble lord belongs the merit of haying on previous occasions extracted jokes from grave subjects . This is not a subj&t which the noble lord should select for the exercise of bis jocularity . OOht and murmurs . ) This is a slur on the character of the working ; classes , and , being s 6 , itTmust : a reproach to the whole nation . Will not foreign newspapers fasten on this matter , and state as a reproaca to'England that we are obliged to pass laws to prevent ^ parents from murdering their children for the sake of 9 L ? There'litsv « been cases is which persons have muTflerM others foir ^ morfev ;

      but those cases have not fceen confined to the working classes , nor have the victims always been children . There was the celebrated case in which Madame Laffarge was the principal actress , and the House would recollect another case ' which had recently formed the subject of a trial in Scotland . ' Were there any grounds for believing that the destruction of children with the view of gaining money- by these deaths was a general practice ? Nothing of the Kind . I maintain that there is no record in the listory of any country in the world of a systematic destruction of children after they have > arrived at an age when nature asserts her chiim upon thVaffections of the parents . " Lord Paxmekston : "The honourable member has been pleased to charge me -with having treated this subject with

      Jocularity . I appeal to the House -whether anything I said bears out , in the slightest degree , the honourable member ' s unfounded accusation . ( Cheers . ) I think the matter one of the greatest seriousness , and if the House laughed , it was because the honourable member would persist in imputing language to me which I lad never used . All I did was to deny the honourable member's representation , which is totally unfounded . ( Cheers . ' ) The honourable member thought proper to put words into my mouth which I never used . I was obliged to say that I had not used them , and the House laughed at the various attempts which the honourable member made to fasten upon me assertions which I never made . " ( Cheers . )

      Mr . Sothekon agreed to Mr . Blight's amendment . But he informed the House that as all the acts relating to friendly societies expire this year , some legislation will be needed . There are in all at least 30 , 000 societies , of -which 10 , 000 are unregistered . The men -who belong to them are meu of integrity and resolution , the pick of the working classes , and the real support of the country ; and the House will do well not to disregard their interests . The bill was referred to a select committee .

      Naval Mkasurks . —Sir James Graham obtained leave to bring in two bills for facilitating the payment of her Majetity ' a nuvy , and thu payment and distribution of prizo i bounty , salvage , and other moneys , tound unionist the officers nnd crews of her Majesty ' s ships and vessela of wax , and for tho better regulation of the accounts thereto . Ho was afraid that the hi ^ li-sounding title of the bill ho was seeking to introduce would have excited false expectations . The bill was tho ordinary prize-bill passed tit tho commencement of tho war , and tho duration of it waa conterminous with tho

      war , with the excepti o n that tho scale of distribution was tho uaine that had been announced in her Majesty ' s recent proclamation , giving a largerahuro to tho seamen , and a leaB share to tho admiral and officers commanding . There was also a provision , in consequence of our having a inaritinw ally , in rofen-nee to urix . ea of which there had been a joint capture . Ilo alao proposed to introduce a bill , h permanent bill , which was rendered necessary by tho vaiied rates of pay , nnd which gave to her Majesty »» Council tho power ot deciding tho rute on which tlieao men were to bo paid .

      UNAUTHORISED DIPLOMACY . Lord Campbell made a speech on behalf of his bill for preventing . British subjects from holding communication with foreign Governments . The measure , he said , sought to extend the penal law of the country ; but he hoped it would operate by way of prevention , and that aftjer it had become law the evil which it prohibited would cease to exist . He quoted Orotius and Burke to show that by the law of nations intercourse between independent states could only be carried on by ministers and ambassadors duly authorised by their respective sovereigns ; but the muiucipal law was defective in this respect ; for

      what was done abroad in the way of unauthorised negotiations there was no remedy by the law of England ; and he suggested that we should do well to follow- the example of the law of the United State , 'Which punishes such offences , upon conviction , by fine and imprisonment , ffe did not propose , however , to go to this extent . The present Minister of the TJnited States in this country hid informed him that the law had worked admirably . He admitted , how © yex , that the example of America would not be siinl&aratto guide ' im , unless we had" suffered inconir& ^ ei ^ : tiKi ^^^^ p ^ . J yflim Mr . Pitt wished to iebjecfc 7 jU » e ambition of the JSmpress Catherine of

      Russia in 1799 , twd ; had prepared an armament for ^ e purnoae , l ^ vd ^ signs were frustrated by the impr ^ pper ; interference of the Opposition , . Addresses nad been presented from societies in this country to ^ e . ^ atip ^ ^ % ^^^ 6 £ ^ r ^ ce , at the commencement of ; the ^ rev ^ olutionary period , exciting the French to make vrar against our allies . For these offences the law " prdvided ao remedyl In the year ia 48 a deputation , heade . ! by Mr . Smith O'BrienZ yaitei upon -jfc ' TJimartine , ^ lio represented the thei governing ¦ ^ wk ^ MS ^^^ pi 8 ' 7 me-, France to inler&re M arme ^^ j ^ ibjr | the >^ toblisbjaent of indes lie

      penaence mji ^ eimq ^ ^ alluded ' -im& ; $ & ^ $ fii& a ^ a ^^ spEesei » ted ' l > y Sir James Duk ^ i » I ^ uis ^ awleon j praying continue at peace inth ^ uu cpnntry ; 'and rihe last was that of the depatalionof Quakers who went to pay homage to the C % « r ^ nkihola 8 f ; He admitted that in . these cases foeinoMfQ w respect to the Reputation to St . Petersburg , he said it had been atj ^ oded . i ^ ptto grave in ^ nvenieiicea . It was , therefore , tone / to p ^^ tltbe ^ ^ ^^ such proceedings . J ^ $ i ^^^ several objections tolegmlatiQn maqch cases , and quoted precedents , he . Me ^ omed bis williiigness to afefetthe bill . to a select ¦ ¦ jkr

      fcommitfeei .. ., ¦ ¦•< ¦ :-r .. . . -.. V ' - ^ ' . Iidrct ? l 4 XHi > kuusr , in objepting to the bill , denied ^^ f ^ ljiw ; ^ i ^ l ^ ; was . fllegal for individuals belonging to one state to nave intercourse with the government of another , state . He specially objected ; i » the , general ppw ^ BtS of the bill , first as calculated to jprohibit the intercourse of Itoinan Catholics wi ^ . theS ^ and , Ctourt of Borne ; and next , that it would tend to restrain all intercourse , even that of a commercial character , with . foreign states . Incidentally , tibie noble . and learned lord stated that the bill as it stood would , had it been law , have subjected to the penalties of a misdemeanor the deputation

      who interceded at Florence on behalf of the Madiai . Nor could any , such difficulties be overcome by the expedient of a license from the Secretary of State ; and he denied that the act of the Congress of the tTnitedl States , to which allusion had been made , had any resemblance whatever to the present bill . The ISarl of SHAVTBSBimr did not think the cases mentioned by Lord Campbell were of sufficient importance to deserve legislation ; and he further objected to the bill as an interdiction against the interference of Englishmen in each cases as that of the

      IVfadiai . All Englishmen had a natural right , if any foreign government oppressed their Protestant coreligionists , to represent that case to the foreign government in question ; and he would never consent to the abolition of this privilege . The Bishop of Oxford observed that the bill would take away a remarkably convenient mod « of making- useful representations to foreign governments without our own Government being compromised by them . Lord Beaumont spoke in objection to the measure , for which he said no case had been made out . The Earl

      of Aberdeen said the objections taken to the bill were so numerous and so important that he was constrained to recommend his noble and learned friend not to press it . The Marquis of Cuanbicabdi ! joined jn this recommendation . Lord Campbell did not accede to the suggestion ; and after a short conversation , the bill was read a second time and referred to a . select committee .

      OXFORD UNIVEB 81 TV BILL . The House having gone into committee on this bill , clause 11 , which states that " The first election and appointment of members of tho Hebdomadal Council shall bo made on the 1 st day of Michaelmas term , 1854 , " was amended so aa to read " on or before ^ . ? day of Michaelmas term , " &c . Clause 16 wus amended sk > as to provide that a register of poraona qualified to bo members of the congregation eholl be made up before the 24 th of September , in place of the loth of September , as tlio clause originally stood

      colleges and halls and other officers engaged in the discipline of colleges ; all masters of private halls ; an residents who , though not actually holding any of the aforesaid qualifications , may have held one or more of them at any previous time for three years and upwards ; and residents qualified in respect of study under this act . " Now , he begged to move , by way of amendment , that all these words be left out , and the words " all residents" be substituted .

      Mr . Gladstone opposed the amendment . The object of the Government was to make an attempt to constitute the congregation in such a manner as to form a body that should in the best sense represent the aristocracy of the university—that is to say , its mind , intellect , and working power . Ultimately the committee divided , and the amendment was carried by 138 to 104—majority against the Government , 34 . The result of the division was received with considerable cheering bythe Opposition . / Upon clause 19 , providing for the promulgation of the statutes in congregation , Mr . Hbtwood moved as an amendment that the statutes should be in the English-language . The committee at once divided , and negatived the amendment by 155 to 131 .

      Sir W . Hbaxhcote then moved that , at the end of the 19 th clause should be added the words , " and , if accepted by congregation , shall be afterwards submitted to convocation for final adoption or rejection as a statute , act , or ordinance of the university . "Negatived by 215 to 6 fi . The . clau 8 e was then agree * to , and the Chairman reported progress .

      CHTTBCH ACCOMMODATION 1 ST MANDFACTXTRtNO DISTRICTS . The Earl of Wutohilsba moved the following resolution : —" That the religious wants of the great body of the labouring classes employed in our manufacturing districts ( from the extensive deficiency of church accommodation , of resident clergy to administer to their spiritual necessities , and of schools to afford them a sound scriptural education ) demand the earliest attention of Parliament . "

      The Earl ' of Aberdeen , would be very sorry to appear ; to say anything at variance with the spirit of the proposed resolution ; but he could not think that Parliament would be induced to nieet the deficiency of church accommodation complained of by grants made for that purpose . . In the first half of this century enough has been done by private individuals to show that a great deal more may be done in that vay than by looking to the Government for assistance .

      " During the first 80 years of tie century 500 churches were built , at a cost of 3 , 000 , OOOZ ., of which 1 , 152 , 0002 . was snpplied from the public funds , th « remainder being given by private benefactors . During the following 20 y ears , when there were no public grants for similar undertakings , 6 , 500 , 0007 . were expended , and 2010 churches -were built within the period ; so that since the cessation of public grants , the efficiency of the remedy for meeting the evil complained of has immeasurably increased . " As to schools , the State had not neglected to make provision for them . The grants for that purpose amounted , last year , to 263 , O 00 Z ., and he was disposed to think it wise greatly to increase that sum , large as it is . Under all the circumstances , as the resolution was not intended t < o have any practical result , lie suggested that it should be withdrawn .

      The Bishops of Oxford and St . David ' s con curred in this advice , and the motion was withdrawn

      FRIENDLY SOCIETIES . There was a brief debate on Wednesday , on the motion for going into committee on Mr . Sotheron ' s Friendly Societies Bill , preceded by the presentation of au enormous mass of petitions from the working classes . Mr . Thomas Duncombe suggested its reference to a select committee , and Mr . Bright turned the suggestion into a substantial motion . This met with a general acquiescence . Mr . Fitzhot said that in the present excited state of feeling among the working classes , it was Advisable that satisfactory evidence should be adduced in support of any proposed alterations of the existing law j and ho concurred in the suggestion for reference to a select committee . Mr . Henley thought that tho subject was one which ought to be taken up by Government , who were already in possession of information to enable them to legislate with effect .

      Lord Palmbrbton assented to the proposal to refer the bill to a select committee with the view of securing a satisfactory investigation on tlie subject . With respect to the general regulations of these friendly societies , of course the report of the committee which Bat some years ago would bo referred to any committee that might bo appointed . The point , however , which hud laid the foundation of

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      436 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 13, 1854, page 436, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2038/page/4/