HOME NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 49, 5 June 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

HOME NEWS.

A profound obscurity hangs over the councils of Italy. No man can venture to predict from the present aspect of affairs what will happen next; nor is it even easy to devine the causes of what has happened already. Ricasoli commanded a majority in the Chamber. He enjoyed a larger amount of solid popularity than any other man in Italy. Yet he fell before a breath. He was at once succeeded by Rattazzi, who had no difficulty in forming an Administration which has the merit at all events, of looking as if it were strong, whether it really be so or not. That the new Cabinet derives its inspiration from France is becoming every day more apparent. We have the assurance of several continental journals that M. Thouvenel addressed a despatch to the Italian Cabinet, complaining of the recent gatherings of the Committees of Provision in Genoa, and urging the necessity of requiring them to adopt a less demonstrative tone. This statement derives probability from the fact that Rattazzi has issued a “warning” to the Genoese Committees to moderate their language, and lias given them very plainly to understand that if they do not, he will be compelled to dissolve the association. The Chamber appears to have yielded a kind of tacit assent to the ministerial policy, but there can be little doubt that any further attempt at repression will be productive of infinitely greater evils than it is intended to avert. But what is the ministerial policy ? An official programme has appeared announcing three cardinal points: the necessity of the recognition of Italy by foreign Powers ; the possession of Rome as the centre of the Italian government; and the solution of the Venetian problem according to the wishes of the Italian people. This is nothing more than a paper policy, so long as government checks the enthusiasm of the country. Garibaldi, on the other hand, is practically redeeming his pledges, and has thrown himself once more amongst the people. He is received everywhere with enthusiasm, and title clubs are forming in ail quarters. The Pope is dangerously ill, A crisis, for good or evil, is not far distant. Parliament is fulfilling the good omens with which the session opened. Several excellent practical measures have been put in motion, much useful information elicied Irom Government upon sundry subjects, and very little time wasted in rhetorical flourishes. A bill has been brought into the Commons, but withdrawn after a short conversation, ha ving two objects: the one, to deprive visiting justices of the power of ordering the punishment of flogging, ami the other, to require magistrates, in passing sentence upon juvenile offenders, to specify the number of strokes, and the nature of the instrument. Sir George Grey was favourable to the second proposition; which will, consequently, he embodied in a separate bill. It has long been one of the great aims of the extreme Reform party to obtain the sanction of Parliament to a measure declaring illegal the conveyance of voters to the poll. Rut the House of Commons is the last place were such a declaration would be likely to find favour, because no section of the community knows half so well as the members of that House the importance of affording facilities for enabling reluctant patriots to discharge political duties. It is not very surprising, therefore, that a bill introduced by Mr. Collier to that effect should have been lost on the recond reading by a majority of 30, in a House counting nearly three hundred votes. The result is what everybody expected. The circumstances, however, are considered favourable to the reception of the proposal hereafter, the majority being small and the bill being supported by the Home Secretary. In the Upper House, the Lord Conned Lubas brought forward a very sound and muchwanted bill to amend the present law of lunacy. Instead of having a jury of twenty-four persous to silt, the question of insanity in a hundred sieves of contradictory testimony and irreconcileable speculation, from the hour of birth up to the day of trial, the bill appoints an ordinary jury, such as is every day impanelled to ascertain commom matters of tact, to be presided over, in the ordinary way, by one of the judges at Westminster. This would reduce the case to reasonable, and intelligible dimensions. A great saving will be effected, also, in time and costs by this bill, which requires that, the alleged lunatic shall be seen and examined by the judge and jury before any evidence whatever shall have been gone into; and which prohibits medical evidence, except in

cases where the facts are insufficient for the satisfaction of the jury ; and then witnesses are to he confined to the statement of matters of fact, and to be rigorously prohibited from giving expression to any opinions whatever. The bill was very favourably received by the law lords, and there is little doubt that it will pass into a law with such additions and improvements as they may be able to suggest. The Revised Code has furnished matter * for discussion in both Houses; and still engrosses a large space in the debates. Mr. Monckton Milnes’ Marriage Affinity Bill, after having passed the second reading by a majority of 11, has been thrown out by a majority of 32, on the motion for going into committee. Amongst the questions of interest now before the House, is a bill for relieving clergymen of the Church of England who become Dissenters from their canonical obligations. America has occupied a conspicuous place in the debates, especially in the House of Commons. The chief discussion was based on a motion which aimed at raising the blockade of the Southern ports. Mr. Gregory, the member for Galway, who brought forward this motion, is the Parliamentary representative, in a certain sense, of the Slave States; and has laboured hard throughout the war to induce the Government of this country to recognise the independence of the South. He has failed in all his efforts. He signally failed in this last. The whole House was against him. Another discussion was opened without any practical result upon the present state of maritime international law. It is clearly not a question which Parliament can determine, or which lies within the province of any single State. Out of Parliament there has been some Parliamentary work going forward amongst the constituencies. At Gloucester Ministers have gained two votes by the return of Messrs. Berkeley and Powell, and one at Wycombe by the return of Mr. Remington Mills; but at Wakefield they have had the mortification of seeing a Conservative, Sir J. I). Hay, returned by a small majority, which a little extra exertion might have easily turned, and in the North Riding they have witnessed the still more vexatious defeat of the Liberal candidate by 46G votes, Mr. Morritt, a Conservative being returned.