On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (7)
-
] MAiMATlO,1851v THln TeARr HEK^T AR rr_...
-
TfWEStEYAS MINISTER, ATSD HIS WIPE UIURG...
-
TiiE Late Chikese Wab.—On Monday a retur...
-
Public Income aso. Expsxwipbe.—0:i Tuesd...
-
smjfcrua ^aflwnmt
-
MOJSDAY , Mat 5. HOUSE OF LORDS—Lord Snm...
-
ion some of these as eaiiyjJMfiJIf thjfl...
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Death Of The Ex-Lonn Chancellor .The Ear...
innd the m d the dbtancefroin it to 49 , where the prilotodge WooVe was 173 yards , while the distance from where Irfiere the constable was murdered , . was . € 6-3 • soth * so tbat in going from the White Lion tbey tunavfl ftavfl passed t beir residence by about 400 Wit' Witness on being informed of the' murder oi ' onday onday morning , and seeing the clinkers in : onC ; onof one of tbe constables , examined the ssss . , y » . . , ggpjeng of the different houses in the atats toats avs and fonnd that ^^ na ( J Deen ^^ Hnhourh \ bourhuO ^ . of tha n 0 U 8 a ^ o . 121 , Yanxball 1 the j the garden airectioa o theptWooera ; , ; , a dis , a distan t » ffl . from wh ' ppSipSierswere remande 4 , ynth the excepnon ^ Inx ^ Shanab ^ whowasa ^ naTged
ttbe ( the end of ihe examination , the Magistrate eested ested to Mr . Inspector Carter the propriety of Effovergovernment offering a reward to any party exthe i the really gtdlty parties , who had witnessed i ( ict , t « ict , tind who would come forward as witnesses , isiat tout tbe perpetrators of the brutal offence might prongbrongbtto justice . jjE & jElsaDBST . —On Tuesday evening Mr . Payne i an in an in quest at Gat / a Hospital on the body . The eence ence was a repetition of the above facts . — asnas'Sias ' Streams prodaced a large handkerchief fall I hat aifcat are called potters' clinkers , and pointed out lilargeijarger one of the lot , and which weighed nearly .,., as „ as the one with which the deceased was first cckin ckin the mouth by the man Hickey ( at present
, d Bstobnstody ) . He also pointed , ont a second clinker , waa ' waadeeply stained with blood , which was the s ale bale hy which the fatal fracture of the skull of the a jasedjased . had been inflicted , and the coroner andjury inineoained it . with some care . The witness went on ,, thaithat he had a sharp pointed clinker which had a ttion don ofthe hair of the deceased adhering to it , bnt i jad bad forgotten to bring it withhim . —The coroner u larktarked that this would form an important feature J he ebe evidence , and desired tbe witness , to take care i he chenussae , aod produce it at tbe future investii ion-ion- — "She witness picked up the clinkers produced
I r the the spot where deceased fell , and here prodaced ha 1 hat ' worn hy the deceased when attacked , and i in Urn its being examined by the jury , It was fonnd It a [ t a portion of the brim was broken through by i ng cog curled up , and this was supposed to have been newie when the deceased received the first blow on :: mo , mouth from tbe desperate weapon produced , and [ [ agi against the shutters of a . shop behind .-hho . — i e « e coroner , having previously . stated that it would imj impossible ttf . conclude tbe hearing of the evince ice at ; that sitting , adjourned the inquest until ; imfandaynext , - . -.
] Maimatlo,1851v Thln Tearr Hek^T Ar Rr_...
] MAiMATlO , 1851 v THln TeARr HEK ^ T AR rr __ - 7 . .
Tfwesteyas Minister, Atsd His Wipe Uiurg...
TfWEStEYAS MINISTER , ATSD HIS WIPE UIURGED WITH CRUELTY TO A SERVANT . At At the Ryde Petty Sessions last week , Henry Bell rowrown , minister of the Wesleyan chapel in Nelsonreeireet , Ryde , Isle of Wight , and Eliza , his wife , aese charged with , cruelly treating Eliza GoXi a rvarvant maid in their employ , aged fourteen . It ap-¦ arsars that the defendants when at Bristol , about two argars ago , undertook the charge and ^ maintenance th the complainant , who is . the daughter of a Jabonrigt ^ nian residing at Kingswood , near that town , their jr egreement being to find her in food , wearing apparel , id id other necessaries , for a certain stated' period , botortly afterwards they came to Ryde , bringing the irlirl with them in the capacity of servant . They ebehaved well to her for a considerable time after
rtirtival , hut for some cause or another yet unexplained , their behaviour changed suddenly and mauauaaUy , and everything . was apparenly done to make ieie lite of their victim wretched and miserable , leier food was stinted , her clothes taken from her acack piecemeal , tbe few" shillings she possessed exororted from her , and oftentimes in a completely deraraded state she . was turned ont in the cold air on a siriatev ' s evening , and drenched with water . At mimes she wonld beinearcerafced in tbe coal-cellar for wwentv-fonr hours , and regaled at intervals with icwourges ; dry bread , and cold brocoli , or dragged iitough the house by the . hair of her head . It was thihe dread of undergoing a threatened laceration from bier master , that caused her to fly from the place
sand see * shelter in some fields adjoining Trinity CChurch . There she . was found by a woman named SScoit , who conveyed her to her own house , where sfebe was clothed and fed , and shortly afterwards Waken to tbe magistrates to tell the tale of the ttreatmentsbe had undergone . ' This procedure led tto tbe apprehension of tbe complainants . Euza Cox was sworn , and after relating the circcomstance of her being a servant in the , employ of tthe defendant , proceeded so give an account of tbe ttreatmeot she had experienced since her residence in 'Ryde . In relation to the last three months , and asisaults committed on her onthe 26 th , 28 th . and 30 th of April , she . said •— " They beats me most every day—missus beats memos * .. Last Saturday she got
up , and came down and found fsolt with me . She beat me with a whip . handle . I bad no stockings on . I never was allowed stockings in doors—only an old pair of boots of master ' s . - A little while afterwards I was going up stairs , and left my boots at . the . bottom . I went up to work , and Jby-aud-bye missus came up and beat me about thehead . with one of the boots ( produced , ) and I had . nothing but bread and water ailtbat day . . On Monday . I was washing down stairs , and ay missus came , down and took me , by my hair and dragged me about . The same day she cut a stick in the shrubbery and beat me with it . She gave me a piece of dry bread ahout nine , and another pieceabout three , and tbat was all I had on that day . On Tuesday Mr . Brown threw three buckets of water over me because I drank a little
beer that was left over night . Both of them locked me up in tbe back kitchen at nine in the morning till nine at night , and I had nothing but a piece of bread and some cold brocolli , and 1 stopped in my wet dothes all that time , and the water kept dripping down to my fe ? s . On Wednesday I was called at five , and went down , and was ordered to go a washing ; I had nothing but cold suds ; I asked for some hot water , and missus said that master should give me some more cold oa my head directly he came down ; I then ran away , and was spoken to by Mrs . Scott , who told me not to cry , for the policeman would take me up ; she dried my clothes and gave me some Victuals , and then the policeman came down , and took me before the magistrate . " This concluded her evidence , alterwhich
Mrs . Scott was sworn , ' to prove she examined the child ' s back , which she said was covered with wounds . The Chahbluv , after a short consultation with bis brother magistrates , addressed the defendants , and expressed , bis regret tbat he bad not the power to commit them for trial ac the Quarter Sessions at Winchester . As it is , however ( he said ) , we inflict the heaviest punishment on you the law allows , and tbat is a fine of £ o each . The fines were immediately paid , and the police proceeded to clear the court . .. This , however , was a task not easily to be executed , but after the lapse of nearly an hour the mob was dispersed into the street below , where they awaited the isi-ue of Air . and
Mrs- Brown with feverish excitement . An hour elapsed , but they did not appear . A cab , however , was shortly afterwards seen at the back of the hall , and there the crowd directed their steps , yelling in a most furious manner . At this juncture tbe belligerents came forth under the protection of the police , when bsjng escorted to the carriage , they offered taeir assistance to Monckton-street ( where the rev . gentleman resides ) if required , in order to keep a check on the mob . This was refused in tbe most po" 5 fanner , and the vehicle rolled on through -Melville-street , accompanied by at least 300 persons , mostly feaiEles , uttering most discordant veils and
execrations , and throwing missiles of every descripton at theobje ^ of their wrath . In this state they reached their residence , into which by a ruse tbev ensconced themselves without molestation . But the mob were not to be disappointed of their revenge , lnd a regular attack was consequently made on tnehofseatall points— everv . square of glass was hre ^ ea-the fence s were ia part down , and hsdit 301 been for the fortunate arrival of the police , the ^ ost desperate measures wonld have ' been resorted »• in the evening a body of constabulary guarded «» premises . The unfortunate gentleman and ladv , « is believed , will take a final leave of R dema * zw dave .
Tiie Late Chikese Wab.—On Monday A Retur...
TiiE Late Chikese Wab . —On Monday a return * as printed by order ofthe House of Lords , conanunga correspondence between the East Iudia voropany and the Treasury on the subject of a ^« tt ) f vr payment of £ 400 , 000 alleged to be due on 3 « count of the expenses of tbe late Chinese war i & e correspondence , which is of an interesting lh p ter commenced on the 13 th June , 1845 , when *»!! l ^ ^ Company applied for nayment on
tJw ' -Mv of tne China expedition , anil ended on ^ . - ^ th April la * t , and at this present time tbe aoject is under consideration . The Treasury in a £ Mfi j , ^ mmunieation insisted en being paid j ] , ~' f 17 s . Id- due from the company which OhT refased unless the claim on account of the «« na expedition was settled . The Treasury ap-Eti E * Coffin and ^ Hamilton toW J ^ e the accounts . The Company saw no neces-« . V tor such appointment , bat nromiml ta fnrni-h
2 ^ S « utlemeo with information , and the matter , fen !!! i . u reasoned some strong remonstrances Sition ^ artfes , b ' now in tbe course of investi-5 a ^ Df ? i 0 BDISiiaT Jwomatios . —By tbe Saranak PhiT , j " ? " !?»" whicharrived the other day from 2 » of A > thef e cAme t 0 this <» nntry a leviathan * m L . enormous ' weight of fifteen hundred IrtnTT - , arrival is about to be conveyed to tbew ^ ii . w » he exhibited amongst the rest of T * ° f ld * vonders . ^ -Liverpool Timei . * e nTemvi ani ? L 2 " *<***• °° <* * mam to VS . *?* 6 f fte Vet «™ w « y College , diarves- 'Tbat Trcf ^ ri '* * 0 Tme"ts ^ modern chemistry , the medical W ™ - ' . ' ,: , enaW dsuccesgfu : iytotreatdi . ceaseswhich « nt ^^ 0 as £ syif "*! 35 n < , c , riUlin tte rC 5 »« h t-f medifeinn . *? mim 5 aB betn "vriteteaforiaanvyears , * v the dfcJ £ ^ "K of , Skater importance to mankind than - « w mscotery of Blair ' s Gout and Bheumatic Pills .
Tiie Late Chikese Wab.—On Monday A Retur...
PATUER GAYAZZl ON "WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION . " Sunnlicity is tto characteristic of tbe great , tbe beautiful , and the true in all the works of nature and natures God ; an artificial intermixture of incoherent and extravagant embellishments is invariably indicative of the false , the fictitious , and ^ a ^ dBieilt-., 7 worani P Of Christianity dispelled tbe fanciful fascinations of classic paganism by the stern and unadorned majesty of its simple sublimity , and unencumbered with the borrowed appendages of subsequent centuries , its primitive contrast with tbe clumsy chaos of conflicting idolatries revealed at once the . divinity of its origin . The handmaid of heaven was recognised by her intrinsic beauty , not less than the absence of meretricious attire or adrentitious accoutrements ; and when she won the world ' s homage , in an age . of intellectual superiority , it was the victory of pure and perfect religion over manifold and discordant superstitions .
Such was tbe Christian church in its . youthful apparition amid the surrounding influences of a pompous ritual and a gorgeous liturgy , which shrank abashed and discomfited at the rebuke its godlike simplicity administered . Seek not for . this beautiful ideal in the modern harridan chat Has gathered during the lapse . of ages all the faded finery of Jong decayed delusions to decorate her anility ; nor among the accumulated disfigurements which years have heaped on this foul impersonation , are tbe marks and attributes of imposture more conspicuous in any view than in the glance at these works which are called of . " supererogation . " Foremost among these were . permanent and compulsory vows . He had dwelt on this topic already and would dismiss it brieflv . Few were the .
instances of such solemn engagements in the old law , still fewer were the . warrants for any such in the gospel . That of Jcphtba furnished him . with . an " oppor tunity of . placing in a forcible .. light the immolation of tender votaries , whom the Council of Trent deemed competent to contract a life-long obligation at tbe age of . twelve . Sixteen was . the rational epoch at which a boy was pronounced lawfully capable of similar suicide .. In Italy tbe indentures of so awful a covenant were consummated thus early by ninety captives out of every hundred held in such irrevocable bonds , lie drew
an impressive picture of tbe various family strugr glesand domestic manoeuvres , which under spiritual management brought about tbe ultimate incarceration for life of reluctant or self-sacrificing maidenhood , and was not less outspoken in bis indication ofthe variety of mptives , all foreign to the generally assumed impulse , operating ou the youth of his country in their enlistment among the cowled or tonsured ranks of the population . As to " poverty . " in the sense of an evangelical counsel , it was principally to escape from it , that conventual laziness became the resort and resource of the majority ; the plough , the : anvil , or the loom , was ignominipnsly . shirked for an unproductive livelihood at . the ., expense of ' the labouring community .
Uneducated themselves , they took no part in the work of national education , the . most important occurrence in tbe routine of conventlife , being tomost of them the sound of the dinnerr . bell . Then came the fantastic distinctions of food , some : alimentary substances being held to possess sanctimonious efficacy , to tbe manifest disregard of gospel guidance as to " forbidden meats " , and similar pharisaic externals ... To vow " obedience " were a Justifiable promise if it only involved subjection to the laws of God and of society , strict and habitual compliance with which form but . a secondary claim on the devotee's deference , bis main duty . being construed into the . accomplishment of puerile or capricious injunctions at the bidding of hypocrisy and
fanaticism . When Antony originated monasticism in tbe eastern . church , and Benedict reproduced in the . west , that oriental , institution , neither of its great founders sought inspiration from the papacy in the first establishment of coenobital rule . = . But . the Popes were on the alert to pounce on . a prey so suitable to their maw ,. after a few centuries of independent existence religious orders , assumed under tbeir control the , form of an embodied militia , no longer directed to the abstract cultivation of piety or . tbe tillage of neglected solitudes , but to the practical enslavement of Christianity and the promotion of their usurped pretensions to unlimited authority . A dispensing power in the matter of these vows originally understood as made to God alone , was put forward as inherent in the Popedom —a clear confession ofthe merely human -and sublunary construction of the whole system . -. - ' Dismissing this branch of the subiect the sneaker
addressed himself . . to a host of observances which had gradually been introduced into the worship of Christ , and principally . with regard to the great symbol . of ^ commemoration , the " . breaking-of bread , " which was to , perpetuate in the assemblies of the faithfultbe . t . " remembrance of Him , " - ' but which bad assumed a character totally at variance with the plain purport of its primitive introduction . If Paul - were to revisit the sceneof bis labours , he would fail , to recognise the . continuance of his teaching , but . would at Rome , 'as of old at Athens , . " perceive tbat in all things ye are too superstitious for as I-passed , by and beheld your devotions I found an ., altar to the unknown god , whom , therefore , ye ignorantly worship . Him I declare unto yon . " He referred to the strange and unwarrantable ceremonies and performances of which-the sacred mystery ofthe last supper was assumed to be the groundwork , without presenting the slightest analogy to that simple and affecting banquet of
remembrance . - . . ,.-.. ., . From this too prominent perversion of a principal element in the simplicity of Christian . worships he passed to minor practices of capricious and unauthorised deyqtion , stations of < tbe cross , forty hours' prayers , fipveiws and triduums ( familiar usages in pagan antiquity ) , ihe month of May dedicated to tbe , " Queen of Heaven , " and a , multitude of devices to . which the teeming brain of successive visionaries bad given birth , and legendary-erudition could alone elucidate . - The life of St . Elizabeth of Hungary was , an exemplification of these dismal and frequently inhuman performances ,
newiydisinterred from-tl-eir-mediaeval . sepulchre by the gloomy resurrectionist Montalembert , and paraded in tbe noonday of civilisation as fit accompaniments to the lugubrious farce of . replunging Europe into tbe slavery , and degradation of the period they characterised . The country of the heroic Kossuth scorns such a chronicler ofits imperishable glories . A crowd of parallel instances of distorted devotion were brought forward by the orator in corroboration of his , views as to tbe blending of thebriea-and practices , now confined to the vilest fabirs in India , with the simple morality of the Gospel , ; through the instrumentality of . what are called works of
supererogation . -The form of prayer specially bequeathed by our Lord himself was , by the invention called . : i" rosary , " merged into an endless repetition of an invocation to the Virgin , a formula of incantation commended to posterity by the suggestive fact ofits having been the prelude to the massacre of 50 , 030 Albigenses , and the shiboletbby which Dominic led on Simon de Montfort to a hecatomb of . slaughter . In Italian households , where » is the . prevalent domestic devotion , a chapter ofthe Uew Te stament is-never read , and the lessons of the . sacred page totally lost , as if never written for the guidance of Christian families . He proceeded to describe thesortofitinerant attemptsatevangeltsation called " Missions , " -tbe features of which
leading are identical with the camp " revivals " of transatlantic fanaticism , and ; - from bis own observation of the results , anything but conducive to practical amelioration . He referred to the statistics of tbe local foundling hospitals in coincidence with these festivals and pilgrimages as matters of notoriety . ' ¦ ' : The celebration ' of what are called jubilees afforded an occasion for treating historically of this device of Boniface Till , in 1299 , and the financial schemes in . which it originated , ' the religious orgies it promoted , and tbe tendency of all such manceuvres to impress the ignorant with tbe indispensable predominance of the Popedom in the economy of salvation . „ Tha late effort' of Pio Jfdno to get up a pious enthusiasm , after the fashion of his predecessors , on the . recurrence of the semisecnlar year of
1850 , had failed throughout the Italian Peninsula , and thongh he held forth one hand filled 'withindulgences , the other was too palpably armed " with the cudgel of the Croat to attract the approach of his countrymen . He has bad better luck in France , and the Universe boasts of his success among the faithful at Toulon , from which disastrous seaport the fratricidal expedition set sail for the destruction of Italy , ig there no guilt to be atoned for , no expiation to be sought before heaven for the perjured onslaught on a nationality which a solemnly sworn constitution forbade France to violate by her unprovoked aud unprincipled aggression ? Does no . fearful , responsibility , bow down in aggregate remorse the murderers of Italian freedom ? ' " And the Lord said unto . Cain , where is Abel , thy brother ? And . be said , ' Tknow not , ' am I my brothers keeper ?"' - . ¦ ¦ ¦¦ ¦ y
"And he said ; what hast thou done ? The voice Of thy brother ' s blood crieth unto me . from the ground . " The closing portion of the father ' s discourse had reference to the jubilee of civilisation now holden in this great centre-of the world ' s libertyj industry , and progress .. The gorgeous vocabulary , of which be is such a master , was exhausted in depicturing the Pellucid Palace , it contents ^ its su ggestions , aud its concomitants ; but we found it a hopeless attempt to reproduce the grandeur and copiousness of his vigorous peroration .
Public Income Aso. Expsxwipbe.—0:I Tuesd...
Public Income aso . Expsxwipbe . —0 : i Tuesday the government balance-sheet for the year , ended the 5 th April last wa ' s . printed . On the 5 th April last veiir the balances in the Exchequer were £ 8 , 754 , 939 'ld 3 . 11 Jd ., and on the 5 th ult ; they ^ were £ 7 , 870 , 671 16 s . 9 Jd . The excess of income over the expenditure in the year was £ 3 , 926 , 1812 s . 4 d »
Smjfcrua ^Aflwnmt
smjfcrua ^ aflwnmt
Mojsday , Mat 5. House Of Lords—Lord Snm...
MOJSDAY , Mat 5 . HOUSE OF LORDS—Lord Snmvr presented pBtu Mons from Sheffield and Liverpool , calling for a repeal « T . rTer 7 extensive modification of the Mercantile Mv nue Bul passed last ; session , Having enumerated t ^ grievances complained of by the petitioners , as Well as the suggestions made by them for tbe amendment of the measure , the noble lord said he thought the subject a proper one for inquiry , and advised the appointment of a select committee to investigate it .
Eari Gbasvillb thought some of the suggestions of tbe petitioners not unreasonable , while in others they : appeared to him mistaken . The chief objection to the appointment of a select committee was , that it would revive the agitation which had prevailed to such an extent among the merchant seamen , and which was only now beginning to subside . A bill , too , bad been brought into the other house to amend the act in some of its minor details , which appeared to be objectionable . HOUSE OF COMMONS . —The committee upon the Property Tax Bill having been formed , Lord J . Russell , referring to the vote of Friday night , declared that the government had no wish to evade inquiry into the . principles ofthe tax , and would rejoice if a more just system of levying tbe impost could be devised . They would , therefore ,
accept , the decision by which the renewal was granted for a single year , and would coincide in appointing a committee to investigate the whole subject . ¦ Mr . Hume denied , on his own part , any wish to restrict the resources or jeopardise the credit of the country by the amendment which he had brought forward . - « j Mr . Diskaeli submitted that as a full inquiry was intended , and the lease of the income tax was renewed for so short a time , the various amendments suggested upon its details bad better be withdrawn . He considered , however , as a measure of immediate justice , tbat the profits ofthe tenant farmers ought to be removed from the present schedule ! and calculated upon the same basis as the incomes from other trades and professions .
Lord J . Russell offered some brief reasons why this change was undesirable . - Colonel SininoBP , who had given notice of an amendment for a revision of the amount levied from tbe farmers , consented to withdraw it , exhorting-the committee to believe that he was not actuated to that step by any fear , or had any intention of shrinking from his duty . ' A desultory conversation nevertheless occupied a considerable time upon this point , whioh was ultimately left for further discussion upon the bringing up of the report . Thehill then went through committee , and the house resumed .
On the motion for going into committee of supply , '• . Lord J . Russell detailed the arrangements and reductions which the government had agreed to effect in compliance with tbe recommendations of the Select Committee npon Official Salaries . Considering the laborious attention required , the vast responsibility incurred , and the heterogeneous character of the business to be transacted by the servants of tbe public , tbe noble lord deprecated the system of overloading the various departments with work , or accumulating several offices upon one individual . Such , he contended , would be unwise economy . It would be equally unwise to trust the transaction of official affairs to an unpaid and
honorary staff , since such a course would limit the holding of those offices to men of fortune , restricting the range through which the public might hope to find ; administrative talent , and preventing individoals of experience and success in their , private business from being attracted into official service , fie also wished to avoid any tendency to create a special class , analogous to the hireauerdt class in France , who turned the official service of the coun - try into a profession . Lord J . Russell then detailed the various recommendations of the committeewith relation to the various classes of public functionaries in the Cabinet , the Treasury , the War-office , theMint , the Poor Law Board , ' the judicialand tbe diplomatic departments . . With some of these recommendations the government intended to comply ; with others he stated their reasons for
, refusing compliance . Among the chief reductions to which tbey were agreed were the 'following : — The Junior Lords ofthe Treasury to receive £ 1 , 000 per annum , instead of £ 1 , 200 ; the two secretaries £ 2 , 000 , instead of £ 2 , 500 . ' The Railway Department to be again united with the Board of Trade . She Mastership of the Mint had already been made a non-political office , and offered to Sir John Herschell . 'The offices of Paymaster of the Forces and Tice-Presideht of the Board of Trade to be united ; with a reduction of £ 500 in'the salary now received . The Junior Lords of the Admiralty to have' £ 1 , 000 in place of £ 1 , 200 ; . but theiprivilege of . residence hot to be withdrawn from the lordsn ' owih the ' enjoyment ' of ifc With respect to the judicial salaries , the noble lord said be bad already made provision' for a modification of tbe Lord Chancellor's
income in a bill now before the bouse ; by which his present receipts of £ 12 , 000 ; were 'diminished to £ 10 ^ 000 ; and the'Master of the . Rolls was to receive £ 6 , 000 instead-of . £ 7 j 000 per annum ; "Referring to Lord Palmerston for fuller explanations , Lord J . Russell outlined the changes proposed in the diplomatic ' service , by which the British representative at Paris—to whom it was judged politic to continue the dignity of ambassador—was to have his £ 10 , 000 a year cut down to £ 8 , 000 . Turkey , " aIso , was still to have an ambassador , in whose income' ho change was designed . The ambassador at Vienna had already ' been turned into-an envoy , arid some retrenchment thereby-effected . To the proposition to unite in one the various German missions , he found a temporary objection in the distracted state of continental politics , hut thought impossible to dispense with one of the missions now maintained in Italy , and suggested' that the minister how at
Florence might fulfil the duties of diplomatic envoy at Rome if an official intercourse was established between the court of St . James ' s and the Vatican . Lord J . Russell concluded by describing tbe innumerable labours , cares , " and ' anxieties inevitable to the due performance of high public duties , and submitted that the national interests were far more deeply concerned in having the work done well than done cheaply . It was not so much the salary as the service on which a real benefit to the public might be secured . Mr . UnqoHAnr expressed his pleasure that the committee had at leegth enforced from the government some reduction in the diplomatic expenditure ^ thinking , at the same tune , that it had not gone far enough . - .-- ¦¦ ¦ ' .- ¦ ¦ .- ¦ '• . ¦ ;¦ ¦ . Mr . Cobdes coincided in believing tbat the staff of envoys and ministers-abroad was kept up on much" too large a scale ,-and referred to the United States as a model which we might imitate with advantage in this respects -.
Lord Palmkesiok vindicated the importance of our diplomatic relationships , and the necessity of maintaining them ona footing of dignity . The saving of £ 2 , 000 a . year in Lord Kormanby ' s salary would be followed by a necessary diminution in the hospitalities shown . to English travellers by that noble lord . Russia , it was true , bad no ambassador in Paris , and yet exercised considerable influence there , but this arose from her geographical position as a dangerous neighbour : to Turkey , and to her vast military , strength . The . severe economy practised by the United states towards their diplomatic officials was a matter of regret among the Americans themselves . Summing up a retrenchment of £ 7000 a year that had been accomplished in this department . Lord Palmerston reiterated some of the observations offered by the Prime Minister respecting the injury tbat must follow an unthrifty economy which would keen . nien of talent from entering the public
service , . - . -. Mr . Home then-moved the amendment he had placed on the paper , having for its object to effect a gradual diminution in the number of admirals from 150 to a 100 .- ; .-.. ,. ; ¦ After some observations from Captain Pechell , Captain Boldero , and Sir T . Baring , the amendnient ' was withdrawn . Mr . Frkwis moved , as a second amendment , thatan . humbieaddress be presented toherMajesty , stating , tbe great distress endured : by the hop growers of . Sussex , and that it would be quite out of their power to pay tbe excise duty- owing upon the crop of 1850 during the present year . The Chancellor of the Exchequer denied the title' of the hop-planters to any special consideration . They enjoyed , a practical monopoly of the trade and got very long credit from the government for the . ' dufy . It was their , own fault tbat they had increased the produce of the article much beyond the demand . . "
After a prolonged discussion , in which Mr . Bass , Mr . Law Hodges ,-Mr . Disraeli , Lord J . Manners , and Lord . John Russell , took part , the amendment was negatived by consent . : The Jiouse then went into committee of supply fortbenaval service , but after some time had been expended in remonstrances exchanged between' Sir T . Baring and Mr . Hume , the house resumed without any vote having been passed . The remaining business was disposed of and the house adjourned at a quarter past twelve .
TUESDAY , Mat 0 . HOUSE -OF LORDS . —The Duke of Abotlk presented nearly 100 petitions , amongst which was one from Glasgow , signed by 56 , 000 persons , against Papal Aggression . Similar , petitions were presented by Lord Feveksbam , and other noble lords . Lord ^ Stanley , on presenting a petition praying ferjeertain modifications iu the Registration of Assurances Bill before . it should' be passed , admitted *! , at he did pot fully concur , in the opinion expressed by the petitioners ' , but wished the arguments they adduced to be laid before the ' select committee to whom the bill had been referred for araeadjaent .
Mojsday , Mat 5. House Of Lords—Lord Snm...
lord CiW , , avin b"efly defended tho bill , tbe petition was o » - edtolie ontlle taole «' The Earl of HABn ^ rc RT moved for some returns ' and took occasion to ' rei ^ rk u ^ unfairnesa and injustice of some of the £ trangement * ttotv m force respecting the transference « f naval © Seers £ i «? Ve - the **™* hst of service . Selti and ""> " JoKlships adjourned at a q KrSfe se y , enocl ° <* . PnmSS m C A OM « ONS .-TnB Ibish Sm * fhTlln ^ e r 2 AKSTEYrosetoput a question to n the iir r & for the Copies , wth respect WentenS ^^^ SiW !? Govern ! of VDiemen ' Landofthe
; » an s , 8 S £ « n-n u ^ had been Sr ^ ei to' Messrs . 52 SS : D ? he , rty » and O'Donohue . It appeared r icKifW T \ ° l ^ se persons in that colony tickets of leave bad been granted to them on their Svit / i ! h ( mour . tnafc they would not use their £ , thlSl }?^ ? of escaping from the island . B H ?^ , a ?^ y arightto hold property and to sue and be sued in the same way as freem ^ i , ac eordln « t 0 tl » a opinion of lawyers whom they had consulted , they had perfect liberty of locomotion within the limits of the island . The governor had assigned to them certain limits within which they were to reside , but they had at various times gone beyond those limits , and afterwards returned to them . On the occasion of Mr . O'Brien having recently received a ticket of leave , and
having been released from Maria Island , those three gentlemen had gone beyond their districts for the purpose of visiting him and offering to him their congratulations on his restoration to liberty ; and after having , spent two hours with him , they bad returned to their respective districts . Mr . Otooliae . onooftfe three , had been taken ill , and bad been confined to his bed ; but the other two had been brought befoie the police magistrates of their respective districts on a charge of having passed beyond the limits assignedjo them . One of the magistrates , Mr . Mason , who had had great experience in the discharge of the duties of his office , alter having heard counselon both sides , had declared that in his opinion they had a right to the
privilege which tbey h ; id exercised , and that they had committed no offence ; but as the law officers Of the Crown had entertained a contrary opinion , a compromise had been effected , at the suggestion of the magistrate , and under that compromise the charge against Mr . O'Dohercy had been dismissed ; but that gentleman had given his word of honour that he would not leave his district , without a special permission . A similar compromise had been come to in the case of Mr . M . 'Manus . . The' third prisoner , Mr . O ' Donohue , had been confined to his bed , and no proceedings had therefeve been taken against bim , When the reports of those facts had reached Sir W . Denison , the lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land , he had addressed a reprimand
to each of the magistrates . The tickets of leave to the prisoners had been withdrawn " ; they had themselves been removed to the penitentiary at Hpbart Town ,, where their , clothing had been taken from them , and they had been clad in the common-gaol dress , and then they had been sentenced to pass three months at Port Arthur , among the thrice-condemned convicts which formed the population of that settlement . He asked the Under Secretary for the Colonies whether he had reason to know that those facts which had been stated to him ( Mr . Anstey ) on the authority , of the parties themselves and . of their friends , were true ; also whether , if true , the conduct of Sir W , Denison was likely to receive : the approbation , of the Colonial Office ,, and whether there would be any objection to lay before the bouse any correspondence that might bare passed between Sir W- D . enisou and the heads of that office upon the subject .,, ( Hear , hear , from
the Irish members . ) - ; : -: , Mr . HAWESsaid he had no observation to offer upon , thestatement of facts which had . been made by the hon . and learned gentleman , inasmuch as he had . nd means of either confirming or contradicting that statement . He thought there was some inconvenience in having ex parte statements of the kind preceding a simple question .-It was true that tickets of leave had been granted to the three prisoners mentioned by the hon . and learned gentleman , and it was also true that Sir W . Denison , the Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land , had thought it bis duty to withdraw that indulgence . He would read to tbe house ; a passage . from the despatch of Sir W . Denison upon the subject . Sir W , Denison said he " had . been obliged to withdraw this indulgence from the three prisoners—M'Manus , O'Donohue , and 0 ! Doherty—in consequence of their misconduct in travelling beyond the districts assigned to , them , in the tickets of leave , lie went on to state that as evidence had been
brought before hira . of the fact that the three prisoners had deliberately left their districts without leave , and in the case of M'Manus , after , he had twice refused him ; permission , be had -directedthat the tickets of leave should be , withdrawn . ? ' - Kpw he ( Mr , iHawes ) could conoeiyo . nothing in . the conduct of Sir , i ; W . Dehisbn ; which'was entitled to censure . That officer could make no distinction of persons —( hear , hear)—and if the prisoners . had violated the conditions on which they had accepted the tickets of leave , they were themselves answerable for the consequences .: He had no hesitation in saying that the goversorwas empowered to withdraw those . tickets , of leave ; andhe had only to add , that be should not have the least objection to lay before the house a copy ofthe dispatch of Sir . W . Denison upon that subiect .: . .
Mr . Abbtet gave notice that on the first day of going into committee of . supply he should move a vote of censure on Sir , W . Denison for Ills conduct in that matter . ( A laugh . ) . . AvLEsnuHT Electios . —On the motion of Mr . Rousoell Palmer , a Select Committee was appointed to consider the matters alleged in the petitions of T . H . Bradford , and John , Strutt , respecting tha Aylesbury election .. ] . , , , : . National Poor . RATE . -Mr . ' GnANM . Bx , B £ BKELXT mored ! that the , houso resolvej itself into a committee that day week , with , the view of considering a resolution that to alleviate the burdens suffered
by the agricultural interest , arising from the parochial poor rates , it is necessary to substitute an equalised poor rate in England and' Wales not . exceeding Is . Cd . in the pound , subject to localgovernment . The evils of the present system , which ,, he observed , was injurious not only to the ratepayers , but to the recipients of relief , arose from the h > equality ofthe rate—Bishopwearmouth . paying no less than 13 s . 9 d . in the pound—and from the vast amount ¦ of . property , . especially iron , mines , exempted from . the rate ; . ! Premising that he did not , at present , ; propose to . deal , with personal property , he explained , the . details , of . plans , by which . he thought the evils might ; bb , " remedied ; . that which be recommended involved - the abolition of the law of settlement ,, as r . well as , a-total abolition of the existing-system of rating and a compulsory re-assessment , , which would require no now machinerv .
. , The motion was seconded by Captain Harris , who observed that a . conviction was growing up in the country that some , measure was necessary to compel personal property to bear its proportion uf the burden for the relief of the poor . Captain Harris gave an exposition of Lord Maimesbury ' s plan , which , he said , would meet the expenditure for the poor by a rate of 5 b ) . in . the pound . . ' . Mr . Baines said he ahouldnot at present argue the questions of settlement and the . assessment of personal property , which were of sufficient importance to merit a distinct discussion , but . should confine himself to tho resolution , which , sought . to affirm tho expcdiency , pf maintaining tbe destitute poor by means of a national rate . A national rate ,
as he showed , had not hitherto met with any favour in that house ; even' in the discussions upon the burdens borne by the land , a national rate had never been suggested as an expe < lieiit | to , relieve ; the agricultural classevS . ( Hear , hear . ) A union rate , which would be raised within a certain area and expended within : that , area , had been repudiated by Mr . Berkeley , who would " commit ., the gross , injustice of raising rates of 2 d . and 3 d . in the pound to Is . Gdi , and of confounding . ili-reguJated with . well : administered parishes ,,. so that ,-the , economy of the one would be unrewarded , arid the extravagance of , the other escape any penalty . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . Baines dwelt upon the evils which , he contended , would be ; the certain results of the proposed , scheme , which
would ' not only take away all inducements to economy , but stimulate fraud and jobbery , and cause the indefinite increase of pauperism throughout the country . ( Hear , hear . ) . Financially , also , the ' scheme was impracticable . The total value of rate ? able property . hi 1847 was ' £ § 7 , 320 , 580 ; iho amount expended last year under the ' head of parochial poor relief , was £ 7 , 270 , 402 ; the produce . of a rate of is . Od . in the pound , which-was tobe the maximum , would bc . only £ 5 . 049 , 044 so that there would be a deficit of £ 2 , 22 l , 448 . to , begin with . ( Hear , hear . ) Then it was proposed to have local government . ; but one consequence , of adopting the scheme must be the abolition of . local self-government , which ; under the proposed plan , would become intolerable . ( Hear , hear . ) . . Altera few words in reply from Mr . Grasilev Berkeley , who declined to press tbe motion to a
division , tho resolution , was negatived by consent . Shiuis is Bo «» . —Lord Naas moved that the house do forthwith resolve itself into a committee to consider , the present mode of levying the duty on home-made spirits in bond . He observed that it was exactly the same motion he had submitted last year , and which after it had been affirmed upon two occasions by the house , was ultimately rejected by a narrow minority of one . He described the mode of collecting the duties upon these spirits , and the injury and . vexation which it inflicted upon the distiller , and whilst the revenue would be no loser by changing the mode of measurement , which would not unsetile existing arrangements , it would considerably increase the consumption of whisky without an increase of intemperance . Mr . J . Wilsos opposed tho motion / arguing tbat the Question had been settled in 1818 by a P & rluv
Mojsday , Mat 5. House Of Lords—Lord Snm...
men ' ary committee , wnlt d < th »* Pful ™ considerations ,. not applicable- 40 ooloml and foreign spirits , affected the home-made , Heme copious details of . figures ; showing the prosperity of Cue Aggregate home-made Spirit irV . de , and that the revenue avaugements were not , as alleged ? Lord Naas , more favourable to the English than to * M . Scotch and Irish distillers . The motion was supported by Mr . Revhoids , Mr . Gbooa !* , Mr . Hume , Colonel Diw . , Mr . Napier , and Mr . Alexander Hastie ; and opposed by Mr . Carter , Mr . " M . Gibson , Sir . G . ChEBK , and the CnASCELLOit of the Exchbquer ,
Lord J .-Russell said he considered this a motion So reduce the duty on Scotch and Irish spirits , and regarding it as a question of revenue , tins was not a tax he was prepared to reduce , nor did he think it fair to give an advantage to Irish and Scotch spirits over English . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . Disraeli said the prosperity of the spirit trade , ¦ which was the coHseijuonco of particular causes , was no argument against a motion founded injustice . ( Hear , hear , ) The house then divided . Forthe motion 150 Against it ... 159
The announcement ofthe result was hailed with loud cheers by the opposition . The Spkaker gave his casting vote in favour of the motion , and it was consequently carried . The Ministry . —On returning to the gallery we found Mr . Roebuck speaking . The hon , gentleman said he wished to put a question to the noble lord at the head . of the government on the extraordinary circumstances in which the government of the country was placed . The House Of Commons had now assumed , he would not say without just cause , not only the supervision ofthe government of this country , but the actual government itself . ( Cries Of "Oil , oh !" and " Hear . " ) He could understand how some . disannoiiited followers ofthe sroverrimeut
—( the rest of the sentence was lost in the ironical cheers of . some hon . members on the Ministerial side . ) The government had been obliged to make three efforts to . govern the country and tax it , wherein all their places were modified by the HOUB 0 of Commons . He appealed to the noble lord himself , as a ' man who had been brought up in the ! notion of constitutional principles of governmentwho had been governed throughout by the idea that the House of Commons was tbe supervising power , marking its sense and opinion of the government by its majority—he asked the noble lord , was be in a position ' to govern this country % ( Loud cries of " Hear , hear . " ) With the principles and wishes of the noble lord , being , as he believed them to be ,
for the onward progress of the government , was it wise , was it politic , to say nothing as to honour , to retain the power of the government under such circumstances 1 ( Criea of "Oh , oh ! " ) It was all very well to say " Oh , " but Jet them understand what was going on . At the commencement of the session they , were told that certain' things' were to be done as to the tariff of this " country . ' The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave an intimation of what he intended to do , and there was not' one great mercantile concern in this country that bad not been affected at the present time by the'declarations of tbe right hon , gentleman . ' ' ( Hear , hear . ) Let not hon . gentlemen suppose that this was a mere party matter . ' He himself was looking at the
question with reference to tho country itself ; and , if the House of Commons was so blind to tho interests of the country as to keep them in that state , banging like Mahomet ' s coffin between heaven arid earth , let the House . of Commons have the responsibility . ' But he appealed to the noble lord —he appealed to him , as he bad the responsibility upon that occasion , ' hot to lfend his authority to that state of things ; He said then , that any " minister , who regarded not ' only ; the interests of the country , 'but his own personal character , would not lend himself to such conditions / ( Cries of ' Oh , ' oh . ! " ) It was all very well to say , " Oh , " but he recollected an instance wherein the party ofthe noble lord having put the administration ofthe
Duke of Wellington into a minority , one who was not ndw ' oh'the benches of the ^ House of Commons certainly , but who had been exalted to the other house ' of Parliament , so sobii . as the ' minority was declared on that occasion , rose to ask the right hon . gentleman , the late Sir R . Peel , whether he was about to retain his government after such a division . The ' noble lord lived in minorities—( laughter aridcheers ) - ^ but it was contr ar y to the interests of England ; contrary to the' spirit of our constitution , that any administration should retain office by the difficulties of the opposition they met with—insulted every dayby the conquests of that opposition . ahd unable' to advance in the principles on which the government itself ' was founded . The
noble lord had now been , ' defeated four times , and he would ask the ' noble lord " whether , upon those defeats on matters connected with the taxation of the country—bri matters which were intimately conriedted with all our mercantile concerns—he thoughfit ' wisei under the " " circumstance s , to continue the position be held '? ( Hear , hear . ] He believedthe noble lord would more fully satisfy the desires' bf'those ' who wish'to advance the great principles upon which he ' su p ' po sed the noble lord's government was founded , ' if he said , '" ! will not lend niyself any longer to such a state of things . " If the House of Commons wished to take upon itself the administration , it' ought to have the responsibility of finding an administration that would obtain a * majority .
Lord J . Rpssell . —The hon . member for Sheffield has asked me whether I niean to retain office under the present circumstances , , 'He stated that he thought it would be injurious to' the country if I should do so , and th ' pt the commercial interests especially wonld suffer by that retention of office ; The hon . member'has a perfect right to put any ' question of that ' kind—any question which affects the ! interests of ' the country ; but be has given me certain . advice with regard to my own personal character ~ - ( loud cheers)—which I must respectfully beg to decline . ( Choers . ) Giving the hon . gentleman every credit for good intentions ' , I will take care of my personal character niyself ( Renewed cheering . ) Sir , at another period—at a
period when the government of this country was in abeyance , and those to whorii it had been offered had not resolved to undertake the charge of forming a governmeiit ^ -the hon i and learned gentleman said in this house , that he wished me to consider that the interests ofthe cause of free trade were in my hands . ( Cheers and laughter . ) What the hon ; gentleman meant precisely by that observation I will not pretend to say ; but of this I am fully aware , that the general interests' of the country , not office trade , only ,, but its general interests , its welfare , its tranquillity , very much depend oil tbe conduct' of those , who have at ' . the moment the direc tion of the . government . '' ( Cheers !) But , ' sir , I have not hesitated ; when I" thought that the
direction of affairs ought to bo' taken . out of ow hands unless we succeedetl in certain objects , to stake the existence of the government on those questions and on those objects . ( Hear . ) I did not hesitate to do 80 when the question of the repeal of the navigation lav » s was before Parliament . It was then frankly declared , that we were prepared for the consequences of the rejection of that measure , and itjwas fuliy understood that we should retire if that measure was rejected . In the course of last year differing from , many who . took other views with respect to the suppression of the slave trade , I did not hesitate to declare that I would not retain office one hour after any vote of the' house which would be in opposition to the course then pursued .
( Hear . ) But I think I have some right to consider with my colleagueswhat is tbe fitting opportunity when I should lay bnr resignation . before , lier Majesty . ( Hear . ) I am speaking nowin the absence of any direct' question of a : want Of confidence , Of which the result is ' perfectly plain—lam speaking with respect to . opinions .. In the , beginning ' of . the present session did I show such an anxiety for office as to make it necessary that ' the hon . . -member . for Sheffield should-be my monitor —( cheers and laughter)—and should inform me when the moment is come when , at his bidding , I should lay my resignation ' before the Crown ? ( Hear , hear . ) The hon . gentleman . says this is the fourth time we have been defeated . But there is an observation which
has been used , though couched in vulgar language , by Lo rd Castlereagh in this house ,- when leading the government party , , ; Which may be applicable here . He said , with respect . to a vote which the house had come to ,, forepeaTa large , portion of a tax , and when we ' cheered'loudly , he said , "I beg gentlemen not to halloo ' until they are out ' of the wood . "' ( Laughter . ) ' Let us observe' now , with respect to these dei ' eats to which the hon , gentlemanhas alluded . one , the first , was with respect to a bill of tlie tip ? , member for Surrey ,. After we came info office' tb ' at '' q iiestion .. ca ' m ' e' again before the house , and the decision to' which it came was different , 'arid the views which-1 entertained were confirmed by a large majority . ( Hear , hear . ) . So that our first . defeat : was reversed , by a subsequent division . ' , In another , ciise we divided with respect to the ' management ofthe Woods and Forests , and that is not yet'deeide'd' ; for it is not intended to act intro
on the decision of the house . We intend to - duce a bill on that subject similar to the one of last year , and the bouse will then have a fair opportunity of deciding whether they will come or not to the same decision which its *' majority did , or whether our plan is preferable to . the management of tbe Woods and Forests . So that in the present state of affairs that which I said ought to be done was defeated in one saw , bvvt it appe & ta it was followed by a victory over those who have been the opponents of government . The second case is not yet decided . I come now to the third case—the division whioh took place on the motion of the honourable member for Montrose . I do not consN der that there was anything in the nature ofthe motion of the hon . member-as indicating that the house meant to say that it intended to take the government into its own hands . ( Hear , hear . ) All these questions of taxation , and the burdens on the people , are questions on which tbe House of
Mojsday , Mat 5. House Of Lords—Lord Snm...
Commons has a particular ciaijn to hav « * v v ,,-. - « j « tefi « d tO , and the executive government m « ^ y fairly diffe r from it without any cause o ™ re 9 i " ^ ^ onii . thoy can maintain a sufficient revenue to y the maintenance of the establishments which they Mhsider necessary for the safety and honour of the . country , no financial difference with tho * ouse ough t to influence their stability . We now come ! # the icurth defeat—the motion which the noble lorn has ca »" . Ti « d by the vote of this evening . To this question I mu ' t apply the observations to which I referred , because last year the noble lord was equally successi ' t'l with another . I think in the end the house will bo of opinion that the measure of the noble lord will not be adopted but by aome arrangement of colonial duties which will put him .
on some fair footing . This being my opinion , I shall not tell the hon . member for Sheffield that hia request , made with that suaviier in modo— ( laughter)— for which he is celebrated —( bear , hear ) -- ' shall be complied with ; I will not tell him what other course I mean to pursue on the present occasion . This is a matter oi grave import—the character of , a government out not to be sacrificed , or even impaired , by submitting to frequent defeats —( "hear , hear , " from the opposition)—without declaring that they could no longer carry on . the government of the country ; and at tho same time , on the other hand , no one will deny that the resignation of a government , under present circumatances , is a very grave matter , and involves very grave consequences . ( Cheers . ) Some
may think the consequences of that grave matter may lead to good fortune , and some to bad ; but whether of good or bad fortune , no one can deny that it is a very grave and important movement , not merely to that question of free trade to which , the honourable and learned member for Sheffield once alluded —( hear , hear )—but also with regard to many other questions of domestic and foreign policy that might be effected by a change of government in present circumstances . ( Hear . ) Alt I can say is , that I trust that those who have generally supported the government , and as such ' have taken ¦ up our / views with regard to public policy , will give us credit for doing for every interest in the country what is required by the situation in which we are placed —( bear)—tbat wc are not disposed on the one hand to allow the character of the government to be impaired ; it is from no senseof affront—from no irritating feeling of pique , I
should make so important a decision as the resignation of our offices with the view of changing tha government of the country . ( Hear , hear . ) The change of a government ia not a question to be bandied about in a chance ' debate—( hear , hear)—and I roust ask tho house to leave it to us to make that decision . Taking it as I shall do with a view to the general welfare of the country , I shall not have to reproach my own conscience with having deserted any interest which I was bound to uphold . ( Cheers . ) The house then went into committee . The Ministry endeavoured to force another division , in which 1 they might have had an apparent majority , in consequence of many members who voted for Lord Naas having left tho house , while fresh ministerial supporters had entered it . This unfair ? attempt was , however , vigorously resisted , and tho chairman ultimately reported progress , and obtained leave to sit again .
St , Alban's Election . —Mr , E . Elltce , in moving for leave to bring in a hill for appointing commissioners to inquire into the existence of bribery in the borough of St . Alban ' s , referred to the evidence of Payne , taken before the committee , which was as follows : — You speak about Bell-metal and electioneering money ; is it a subject which is usually talked about , electioneering money ?—We were all laughing ; thev gave money the name of Bell-metal , in St . Albans ; they do not call it silver or gold . What do you mean by election money ?—I do not know what he meant ; 1 do not know what he did mean hy that ; Is it a common term , in St . Albans ; have you ever heard of election money before ?—1 have heard talk ot people having it ; I was laughing and joking , and I ssid I had a good mind to pat up for the borough of St . Albans myself , and I would if I had plenty of money ; three or four of them promised me their votes then .
What do you mean by election money ; I do not know what they mean by it ; I was always saying that 1 knew no man could get in without money ; we were laughing ; and joking together . - . Do you mean money paid by the candidates ?—Yes , that is what we were laughing and talking about ; I said , 'I will give anybody £ 10 , ' and three or four of them eaicZ they would serve me . Do you mean to say that it is a matter of notoriety that this election money is prevalent in St . AYhans 1—lhat 19 what l have always been informed . On former occasions as well as this ?—Yes ; I have known a great many elections ; I have been living there nearly sixteen years come July . Did you ever know an election at St . Albans , whera there was not a talk of election money ?—No , 1 never knew one that I remember . '
' Tbe candidate who came without it , I suppose , would not have been very well received ?—Mr . Cavdeu was received very well ; I did not hear , any great talk about his money ; I do not know that be spent a shilling . 1 Was election money ever called Bell-metal till this last election , when the candidate's name happened to be Bell ? —No , I never heard it before . The next witness examined was } Mr . Baily , respecting whom ho would remark , that he was a person of respectability , and upon whose evidence the committee had had every reason to place great reliance . He was asked : —• Did you hear any conversation there ?—They were speaking about the election , about the Dell-metal . The observation was made , 'i'hero is some ofthe Bell metal going . ' What did you understand by Bell metal ?—The money they had received from Mr . Bell ' s party . Received for what!—For their votes .
Bo you mean to say it is a common subject of notoriety that votes are bought in St . Albans ?—Certainly it is . Are yon acquainted with St , Albans 7—Yes . . How long have you been acquainted with St . Albans ?—I have lived there since I was about four years eld . Have you known other elections t—Yes . Has it been also a matter of cbtoriety at other elections , beside this!—It has also . In there any common amount that is notorious as tha price of a vote 1—Five pounds was stated that night in the bar where this man Huward was , and it was generally understood by every one in the room that he had received £ 5 ; I can give you another instance . Is it a notorious thing that money is given for votes iu St . Albaust It is . If the committee will allow me I will state what one of the parties stated to me . Is £ 5 the standard ?—Five pounds was generally understood to be the standard for a vote then .
Is it ever less '—When theve is no money on the other side , it will go down as low as S , i or £ 3 , and sometimes to 30 s . Is it a common and notorious fact that at this anal former elections bribery has prevailed in the town 1 Certainly it is ; there is not a voter that can deny it . The hon . member concluded by asking leave to introduce the bill . Mr . Cobden rose to move the addition of words so as to include in the motion any bribery , treating , or corruption that might have taken placo at tha last election for the Falkirk district of burghs . He represented on that occasion a certain portion of the constituency who had complained of these practices , and who had petitioned that the . Falkirk burghs might be included in the proposed inquiry .
The petitioners complained of the gross treating and demoralisation that had taken place , and stated that the spirit shops in certain localities had been opened to the inhabitants at the expense of the sitting member . He had to inform the house that the petition against the sitting member had been withdrawn without the knowledge of . the parties who signed it . In a letter which he had received from tho Provost of Falkirk he expressed the regret felt by the electors at the withdrawal ofthe petition ; and stated that never since the Reform Bill had he witnessed such scenes of drunkenness and dissipation as at the last election . He ( Mr . Cobden ) had no feeling of hostility to either of the parties ? who were engaged in that election . He believed that both candidates were advocates of free trade ,
but there was so little difference in their general politics , that he had no political leaning to one more than to the other . The Falkirk burghs were five in number , some of them as far apart as thirty miles , and situated in different counties . It was difficult to understand upon what principle they had been grouped together . Up to 1841 the character of these burghs , like that of mottofthe Scotch burghs , had been unimpeachable in point of political morality . The practices complained of began in 1841 in the burgh of Ardrie , when the brother of tbe present member was a candidate . In 1846 when Lord Lincoln was elected in the room of Mr . Baird , who had resigned , he was opposed by Mr . Wilson , and at that election the malpractices which had before been confined to Ardne extended
to the other burghs . I" 1 S 47 Lord Lincoln stood again , and was opposed by Mr . _ Boyd , and since then for scenes of dissipation and undue influence , Falkirk and Hamilton had become as bad as Airdrie . With regard to the . last . elec * tion he held in his hand depositions which had been taken byalegal gentleman , " and which corroborated the statements in . the , petition as to the treating and demoralisation ' that had taken place . One person , Robert Binncy , a grocer and spirit-dealer in Grahamstown , a suburb of Falkirk stated that he was asked to voto for Baird , and declined ; that he was afterwards visited by some of Mr . Baird s friends , particularly by a Mr . M'Laren . an active supporter of Mr . Baird-that while they were in bis house several people came to the bar . when Mr . Baird ' s friends ordered him to give them what they wished , for Mr . Baird was rich enough
to pay . ( A iauj : h , ) This man went on to say inafi he considered that a sufficient order to keep openhouse till the day of nomination , and accordingly supplied these people with whiskey , brandy , porter , T ' and vinegar cordial . ( Laughter . ) Be further stated that on the day of nominat people came to his house for drink O ' clock , and said they had come for ing . " Hon . members who had . would perhaps know what a " ( A laugh . ) Several got drunk rap nine o ' clock seven or eight were ly opposite , the door . Binuey states . I . man two bottles of whiskey to assist drunk people away . ( Laughter . )
Ion Some Of These As Eaiiyjjmfijif Thjfl...
ion some of these as eaiiyjJMfiJIf thjflyroWW been W &^ ta , mornin Eri ^^ M * idly , SRf ^^& ul ing Jffi'f ^^ i ^ hat ^^ % S £ i a . J m 3 S * W ^ BW ^ p > n some of these ^ ^ as eaiiyj ^ g ^ SN ^ i 5 N ;< , rni m ^^ M ^^ - % & - " •* ' iat nm & mt > B $ ,: $ i--i > i—> t > n 1 !™) ^ £ > !!! $£ IS 3 c , yi s * fe ^ i fctetfipi VCSM ^ - ¦ JL M
-
-
Citation
-
Northern Star (1837-1852), May 10, 1851, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_10051851/page/7/
-