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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . - —«—Monday , June 2 nd . In the House of Lords , on the motion of the Duke of Ab&yul . , Reformatory School ( Scotland ) Bill tne object of which is simply to remedy certain defects in the machinery of a bill passed in 1854—was read a second time , without discussion .
NIGHT SIGNALS AX SEA . Lord D cjxcannon asked if the Government intended by any measure to compel coasting vessels , or vessels sailing ui tne Channel by night , to exhibit lights , and whether the Admiralty had under consideration any new plan of night signals for sailing ships . —Lord Stanlet of Aldebley stated that the whole subject was under consideration by the Admiralty . —The Earl of Habdwicke doubted the expediency of compelling both ships and steamers to observe the same regulations . After getting through some merely routine business , the House adjourned . In the House of Commons , Lord Sandoj * took the oaths and his seat on his election for the borough of Lichfield , in the room of Lord Waterpark , resigned .
APPELLATE JURISDICTION . The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved that a message should be sent to the House of Lords to request their Lordships to communicate to that House a copy of the report of the select committee appointed by their Lordships on the Appellate Jurisdiction . —Agreed to .
MOLDO-WALLACIIIA . Lord Paxmerston , replying to some questions put by Mr . Koebuck , stated , with respect to the Commission appointed to settle the form of Government of the Danubian Principalities , that England , France , and Turkey reserve to themselves the power to give to their Commissioners such Instructions as might seem proper . The Commissioners would not proceed to the discussion of any business until the Divans should be convoked , which would not take place till the evacuation of the countries by the foreign troops has been completed . The Russians , however , could not evacuate that part of Bessarabia which has been ceded to Turkey until the settlement of the new line of frontier ; and this would be a work of time . It would not be expedient to produce the instructions which had been framed for the English Commissioners .
MILITARY MONUMENT AT SCUTARI . Mr . Roebuck wished to inquire whether there had been any public competition among the sculptors of this country in regard to the monument to be erected at Scutari , in memory of those who had died there . —The Chancellor of the Exchequer said he believed an agreement had already been entered into with Baron Marochettl for the erection of the work in question . — Mr . Roebuck said he thought he might gather from the reply that there had been no public competition .
STATE OF GREECE . On the order for going into Committee of Supply , Mr . James M'Gregor , pursuant to notice , called attention to the state of Greece , and , pointing out its lawless condition , desired to hear from Lord Palmerston some explanation of the policy , or the degree of coercion , he meant to bring to bear on the Greek monarch and Government . That Government had as yet made no progress towards establishing the constitution which , no doubt , the noble Lord designed should bo established ; and he believed the Premier would bo doing the greatest
service to Greece itself by exercising a degree of coercion Which , by improving the system of administration , would enforce the fulfilment of existing obligations . He hoped to hear that ( he definite object of that occupation was to compel the court of Greece to lessen its extravagant expenditure and to discontinue its corrupt practices ; or , if this object could not be secured , he hoped Lord Pnlmerston , who had made the King of Greece , would feel it consistent with his duty , and with the interest of this country , to reduce him again to the position in which he found him—namely , that of a Gorman
p . Lord Palmkrston replied that the Pirscus had been occupied by French and English troops in consequence of measures of aggression against Turkey , to which the Government of Greece was accessory . But unfortunately that measure on the part of France and England had not resulted in any improvement either in the system of Government or the internal condition of tho country . Tho truth was , that the Government and Court party , ever wince tho accession of King Otho , hud endeavoured to got rid of tho cheek of constitutional forma by corrupt and indirect means ; and the king had evaded tho engagement ho was under to give
to his subjects a representative government . At length , in 1843 , enmo the insurrection which extorted from nun those institutions which be had been unwilling to give , since which time , no efforts hnvo boon np ; ired for corrupting , by bribes , first the electors , nnd then the elected ; ho that the Greek Parliament is now but a shadow of the aubstnuco . Ah tho guunintw . of the . debt is common to the three Powers ( Knglund , France , and Kuaaia ) , it had boon held that no one . Power is entitled to enforce itu own claim , it . would not bo . posaiblo to anticipate the future policy of England and France with respect to Greece .
Mr . Monckton Milnks believed that there is a fair prospect that the system of brigandage will be put an end to . The House then went into Committee of SUPPLY . On the first vote ( 3 , 461 / ., for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners ) , Mr . Williams divided the House , as he conceived that the Established Church ought to pay ite own commissioners . The division showed 166 for the vote and 66 against it . A discussion arose on the vote of 16 , 022 ? ., for the
Charity Commissioners , when Lord Palmerston " , in answer to Mr . Mowbray , said that Sir George Grey intended to bring in a measure ( though probably not this session ) for the purpose of carrying out the schemes recommended in the reports of the Charity Commissioners . —Several members objected to the unnecessary magnitude of the vote , and to the expenses incurred in the administration of charity suits , which , it was alleged , bad been multiplied greatly of late years by law officers for the sake of costs ; but ultimately , on a division , the House affirmed the vote by 146 to 40 .
The next vote was 1 , 911 / . for the Statute Law Commission , when Mr . Locke King complained that no reform in the shape of consolidation or codification had resulted from the Commission . He objected to the appointment of Mr . Bellenden Ker , who had but little experience in the statute law , and who did not give all his time to the duties of the Commission . —Mr . Bainics denied that private friendship ( as had been suggested ) had anything to do with Mr . Ker ' s appointment . The commissionerB had done much in the way of preparation for acts of Parliament ; and several measures for the consolidation of divers laws were being considered . —This testimony was confirmed by Sir Fitzroy Kelly , who stated that seventeen or eighteen bills , resulting from the labours of the Commission , would shortly be laid on the table of the
House . The statutes were to a great extent already consolidated , and indexes of obsolete and repealed statutes had been made . —After a great deal of discussion ( in the course of which Lord John Russell expressed himself dissatisfied with the progress that had been made by the Commission , and suggested that , in imitation of the system pursued by the first Napoleon , reports « hould > e prepared by the commissioners , and afterwards submitted to the judges for correction ) , the vote was carried by 70 to 54 , notwithstanding what Mr . Locke King called a conclusive reason against adopting it-rviz ., that it appeared , from a return just made , that there was then a balance in the hands of the commissioners of 3 , 0291 ., and that there was no reason why they should add to that amount .
A vote of 21 , 842 / ., for fees , salaries , and compensation !? , payable under the provisions of the Patent Law Amendment Act , and another for 13 , 500 for the Board of Fisheries , Scotland , were agreed to , after some opposition by Mr . " Williams and others , who thought the votes unnecessary . The House divided on the latter vote , as Mr . Williams declined to withdraw his opposition to the vote for the North of Scotland Fisheries Board , although an assurance was given by Mr . Wilson that the vote would not again appear in its present shape . The report of the commission of inquiry would decide whether the board would be dissolved or continued upon a self-supporting principle . The vote was carried by 162 to 39 . Progress was then reported , and the Plouse resumed . PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS ( SCOTLAND ) HILL .
• wrong in the management of companies , but who are in the minority , are unable to avert ruin . He instanced the Tipperary Bank as a case in point . —On a division , the clauses were affirmed by 42 to 32 . The Public Health Supplemental Bill , ana Sin William Fbnwiok Williams ' s Annuity Bilx , were both read a third time , and passed . Tuesday , June 3 rd . APPELLATE JURISDICTION ( HOUSE OF LORDS ) BULL . On the order of the day in the House : of Lo&bs foj going into committee on this bill , the Earl of A"FtrvB . F > suggested that all Scotch appeals should Jbe removed from the jurisdiction of the House , and referred to a court of final appeal for Scotland , composed of -persons
of weight and authority ; though he admitted that this was a rather " revolutionary" proposal . As regarded Scotland , the appellate jurisdiction exercised l > y the House is an act of usurpation . The most eminent English lawyers are ignorant of Scotch law , and despise it ; and even Lord Erskine had declared in his ( Lord Aberdeen ' s ) presence , thirty years ago , that he was u as ignorant of Scotch law as if he had been a native of Mexico . " Owing to this ignorance , a Scotch appeal had been regarded as a kind of lottery . His viewa ori this matter were , he admitted , not popular in Scotland ; imt he believed they would gam ground . It was surprising to him that so sensible a people as the Scotch should submit to a tribunal foreign to , and comparatively ignorant of , their law .
The Earl of Derby , replying to -the observations of Lord Aberdeen , said that , although , on the committee , he had stated the ease of Scotch appeals as constituting one of several objections raised against the existing system , he had carefully abstained from committing himself to any of those objections . He did not think any case had been made out with respect to Scotland , such as would legitimately call for a change in the existing jurisdiction . Lord St . Leonards denied the assertion of Lord Aberdeen that English lawyers are ignorant of Scotch law . It was most unfortunate that , in support of this assertion , the noble Lord should have mentioned the name of Erskine as one who professed to know nothing of Scotch . law . That Judge was himself a Scotchman , and therefore ought to have known something' of the laws of his own country . A lawyer could not attain eminence at
the bar without being practically acquainted with Scotch law ; and he ( Lord St . Leonards ) was of opinion that , without such knowledge , no man ought to be placed on the woolsack . The Scotch agents are wel ^ iware that English barristers make themselves masters of 8-cotch cases , or they would not be so desirous of engaging them to conduct the appeals from Scotland . He ( Lord St . Leonards ) had great practice in Scotch cases at that bar , and a Scotch agent came to him and asked him to undertake all the cases , ait he should have a brief in every case . Now , that did iiot look like alarm on the part of Scotchmen that their interests would suffer in the hands of English lawyers . No man admired more than he did the ability and learning of the Scotch advocates at the bar ; but , at the same time , he objected to a Scotch Judge being brought up to take part in the appellate jurisdiction .
The Duke of Argyll thought that the observations of Lord Aberdeen had been greatly misunderstood ; fcut still he feared they would damage the bill . Sevewil witnesses from Scotland , who were examined before the committee , strongly urged that there should be by law one Scotch Judge always present in that House . He confessed he entered upon the consideration of the question with every disposition which national feeling could prompt to sustain it ; but ho thought Lord Aberdeen would agree with him , that it was the impression of the committee that that was not the remedy i / liich they could adopt . As regarded the creation of a new tribunal in Scotland , there was not one witness in favour of the proposition : all were desirous of preserving the power of appeal to tho House of Lords . ht the bill contained
The debate on the second reading of this bill , adjourned from the 25 th of April , was resumed by Sir James Ferguson , who supported the measure because it did not alter tho present state of things with reapect to religious teaching . He suggested , however , that tliero should be a provision in the bill which should make it compulsory on all schoolmasters to be of some definite Christian persuasion . —Mr . Gumming Bkuch would not divide the House on the . question of tho aecond reading , though he was opposed to the bill , but would endeavour to persuade the House not to go into committee on the measure as it « tood . —Mr . Ulacicuukn , Mr . Mackik ,
The Karl of Wicklow thoug much that was objectionable . —Lord Cami-beix would take upon himself to assort that tho universal voice of Scotland in in favour of apponls being decided by « ho House of Lords . —The Marquis of Lansoownk supported tho bill , but remarked that tho resolution of the House which excluded Lord Wenflloydalc was only an exprennion of opinion , and could not havo the force of an Act of Parliament . — Lord Fitzwilliam conceived th * tth « House had got into a difficulty from which it . coul 4 ttot be extricated by the present bill . —Earl Guanviluc said the Government had thought it desirable to conic to a satisfactory arrangement of tho -matter in dispute , but they did not admit that they were wrong in tho coyrso they had originally proposed , and ntill lean that any « - Bolution of tho House could bind tho Crown . —The 3 < , « rl of DicmtY having complimented the Government on % \ ui fairness with which it . hud acted , the Mouho went into committee , the various clauses of tho measure -were agreed to , and tho bill was reported . The < > xi < -oiu > University Biia , waa read a third time , and panned . „ The Commons wore unable to- " make a 1-Iouho . Wednesday , June 41 / l . THIi AUTJIOIUZKO VltlWION <«• ' TIMCHMM-K . Mr Hif . YW <» oD , in tho Houhu oi > - Common *^ tfuvo notice that , on Tuesday , tho Ibtof July , he would move an
and Mr . Joiinbtonjc , also dissonted from the bill , on tho ground that the abolition' of tho religious tost for schoolmasters would lifive the effect of secularizing tho education of the people of Scotland . —Mr . Hlacic defended tho bill , and observed that tho best guarantee for religious teaching in to be found in tho religious principled of the Scotch . —The Loud Advocate , having gone through tho clauses of tho bill , observed that the Presbytery would Btill rotttin a superintendence over tUo schools , ami aborted that there is ample security for religious teaching , though not of a sectarian character . — After some further disciiawion , of a rather rambling
nature , the bill was read a second tune . JOINT-STOCK OOMI'ANIICH JULU This bill was read a third time , mid passed . —Iu du » - ciiH . siiif the added clauses , Mr . Hknije y moved that ¦] (* , 4 7 , and 48 should he loft out . Tho clauses related to the appointment of inspectors by the Board of Trade ** look into the uccountH and ascertain th « insolvency ol companion . Such a duty an that , Mr . Henley thought , ought to be loft , to the parties immediately con ' corned , nnd not . imposed on a public office—Mr . Lowjc , on tho other hand , argued that , for wttut of such a luw an tuoso clauses would ( JMtubliHh , partic-H who siiHpect MonK-tlnne
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JtJNE 7 , 1856 ] THE LEADER . 531
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Leader (1850-1860), June 7, 1856, page 531, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2144/page/3/
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