PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 660, 29 November 1851, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

(From the Home News, July 21.) On the 7th of July, the Earl of Hardwicke, by a counter motion, prevented the Farm Buildings Bill from passing into committee, and the House rejected it by thirtysix to eighteen. The Smithfield Market Removal Bill was read a second time. To Lord Ellenborough returning to the case of Jotee Persaud, Lord Broughton promised a Government inquiry into the whole affair. The Ecclesiastical Titles Bill was brought up from the Commons, and was read a first time without a word of opposition, yet the Ministry gave a fortnight’s pause before the second reading, which was fixed for Monday, the 21st, without a hint at opposition. On the Btb, the House read a third time Lord Campbell’s Bill to amend the expenses of prosecutions in Ireland : the Earl of Shaftesbury (Lord Ashley) moved in a most eloquent and convincing speech, the second reading of his Lodging Houses Bill, which, after many complimentary remarks from all sides, was agreed to: and thus the legislative sanction is given to the principle that clean and comfortable dwelling-houses are important to the education of the poor, and condemned entirely the false principle that the removal of low neighbourhoods in cities, and supplying their places with large and elegant houses, without any adequate accommodation for the poor families turned out in the process, is improvement. On Thursday, the 10th, Lord Brougham withdrew for the session the County Courts Bill, and the Jurisdiction in Chancery Bill. The Earl of Ellenborough took up the subject of the Merchant Seamen’s Fund, the returns connected with it (and the pending Government measure to suppress it), were ordered on his lordship’s motion. On the 11th, Lord Brougham presented and advocated a petition from Mr. Paxton, praying that the Crystal Palace should be maintained in situ, and converted into a perpetual garden. Lord Campbell opposed it, on the ground that the security of the Palace itself required that it should be taken down and re-built. Lord Redesdale moved for a copy of petitions presented to the two Houses of Convocation from clergymen of the Diocese of Canterbury, for the restoration of Convocation, as the Government of the Church. The Archbishops of Canterbury and Dublin, the Bishops of London and Oxford, Lord Lyttelton, the Duke of Argyle, and the Marquis of Lansdowne, took part in the discussion, and the motion for the return of petitions was agreed to. —Adjourned to Monday, the 14th. The sittings of the week having been four, the time consumed was 11 hours and 5 minutes : the sittings of the session being made to 76, and the hours occupied were 143 and 57 minutes over. Ou Monday, the 13th, the Bishop of Oxford, in defence of the Bishop of Bristol and Gloucester, moved that copies of the correspondence on the Horfield Estate, between the Commissioners (Ecclesiastical and copyhold) be produced, and in an elaborate and eloquent speech showed that the .uxouup was iar from deserving the imputa—tations cast upon him by Mr. Horsman. The Bishop nf London, Lord Campbell and Lord Sandon, said that the defence was most complete, and that the assertions of the accuser were malignant and unfounded. The papers were ordered. The Marquis of Lansdowne moved the first reading of the Chancery Reform Bill, and Lord Brougham opposed it, contending, however, that a much more thorough reform of the court would be necessary, and that it was better to give way than to yield to the shock of a violent revolution, which would be the alternative. The Lord Chancellor said this was only the beginning of a series of reforms, and he was glad of the noble lord’s approval, and would be mindful of his warnings, and the bill was read a first time.—Adjourned. On Tuesday, the 14th, the Earl of Derby made his grand display on the subject of the Cape of Good Hope, the questions concerning which he would have referred to a Select Committee; but his glowing speech in favour of the motion, though supported by the legal views of Lord Lyndhurst, who quoted high authorities for his opinion, was but coldly received by the House, boldly met by Earl Grey and the Lord Chancellor, condemned as a party motion, and negatived by 74 to 68; majority for the Government, 6. On Thursday, the Jew Bill was proposed by the Lord Chancellor, for a second reading, who said the main objects of the measure was to emancipate the Jews, and allow them to sit in Parliament when duly elected, simply by removing from the oath to be taken at the table, the words “on the faith of a chiistian man.” The mo-

tion was strongly opposed, and the bill thrown out on the motion of the Earl of Nelson, by 144 to 108 (including more proxies than the lords present), and the measure for the relief of the Jews was therelore lost by a majority of 36. On Friday, the House Duty Bill was read a second time, after some little opposition from Lord Monteagle, and the House adjourned. The sittings of the second week were four, occupying 18 hours and 50 minutes.

On Monday and Tuesday of the present week the Peers were engrossed with the discussion of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, which, having approached its second stage, a lengthened debate took place—for there was just so much opposition as to justify the word. After the Marquis of Lansdowne had moved the second reading, which he earnestly recommended, and the Earl of Aberdeen, had in sequence of an eloquent condemnation of the Ministerial measure, moved as an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day three months, equivalent to throwing it out, the debate commenced in earnest. The Duke of Wellington decidedly supported the second reading (this was on Monday) ; Lord 'Lyndhurst supported it on Tuesday. The Maiquis of Clanricarde and the Lord Chancellpr, in the absence of Lord Brougham, would also vote as they had spoken in support of a measure rendered necessary by the character of the Court of Rome, by the nature of the aggression, and by the persons selected to carry it out. Lord Vaux, the Earl of Wicklow, and the Earl of St. Germans, mildly deprecated the course of severity resolved on, and speculated on the danger to religious liberty and the peace of Ireland, to be expected from this measure, when the House divided early yesterday (Wednesday) morning, after two long sittings on Monday and Tuesday, and there appeared for the second reading : Peers present 146, proxies 119 —265; against, present 26, proxies 12—38; majority for the second reading, 227. The Bill was read a second time. Adjourned. On the night of the 7tb, the Commons passed through committee the Inhabited House Duty and the Woods and Forests Bills. Sir Denham Norreys commenced a discussion on the decoration of the New House of Commons, which was in support of a report from Mr. Barry, but was negatived. A committee of supply occupied a large portion of the evening; the votes on Secret Service Money and Convict Transportation Money were debated, Mr. Williams, Mr. Hume, and Mr. Cobden opposing Lord Palmerston, and Mr. Disraeli defending the noble lord, said that the vote was not applied to election bribery. The hon. gentleman said “ these were the means by which fortified cities had been taken, and great battles prevented,” but “ argument is thrown away upon the illiberal and irrational” (Mr. Williams), “and on men who despise history and defy experience ” (Mr. Cobden) The vote was carried by 140 to 41. The Convict Transport Expenses (£98,000) was carried 98 to 9.—Adjourned. On the Bth, in the morning, the Civil Bills (Ireland) Bill was considered in committee. At the evening sitting Lord Palmerston reported the gracious answers of the Queen to the address voted on the 27th June for two new lay members to the Chancery Practice Commission, and to the address voted on the Ist July for effectual relief to the spiritual uestiiUkion of the country, through the extension of the parochial system. Her Majesty nau acceded to tlic oddross, ctnd gjctvs orders accordingly ; to the second, she answered that the attention of the Government had been previously directed with a view to the most effectual mode of effecting the views set forth in the address ; Her Majesty “ will concur in any well considered measure for the important purpose.” Lord Robert Grosvenor again defeated the Ministers, as he did last session, on a motion for leave to bring in a bill respecting the poll-tax on attorneys and solicitors, called a “ certificate duty.” It was opposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and carried against ministers by 163 to 132. Immediately upon this defeat the ministers were met by another, Mr. H. Berkeley having, in spite of their opposition, carried his motion (annually repeated) for vote by ballot, by 87 to 50. The ministry, who, like often-skinned eels, are “ used to” defeat, took this with the greatest coolness ; but on Mr. Scully’s motion for promoting reproductive labour in Irish workhouses, rallied their strength, and defeated the motion by 64 to 42. On Wednesday, Mr. Hutt s Bill to consider Colonial Property equally with English, as supplying a qualification for members of Parliament, to meet such cases as Mr, Prinsep’s, was moved into committee, when Mr. Tuffnell (the late Secretary of the Treasury) made his coup d'essai as an independent member, by moving that all property qualifications should be abolished. He quoted a passage from Lord John Russellon , Mo £ GSWortil ’s motion in February, 1037 ; the twalification of Queen Anne was

passed for factious purposes (of this the noble lord had more formally asserted his belief in his work on the English Constitution), to check the ingress into the House of the trading influence, and ought therefore to be condemned. Mr, Ewart, as a Scottish member sitting without any qualification, seconded Mr. Tufnell’s motion, “that it be an instruction to the committee to abolish qualification of members.” Lord John Russell quite agreed in the principle, but thought that the time was not come. It would form part, no doubt, of the Reform Bill of next year. [Why not the Charter become the law ? Household suffrage, the ballot, and no qualification of members, three out of the five points,—and the Chartists themselves except the whole female sex from their universal enfranchisement, even when the/e»me is sole Mr. Newdigate laughed at the perfect scramble for the fathership of the new Reform Bill. Mr. Tufnell and Mr. Hutt agreed to withdraw the bill and the amendment, and leave the matter in the bands of Lord John. Lord Naas was met by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and his Bill for the new mode of levying the duty on homemade spirits in bond was thrown out by 194 to 166. The Valuation (Ireland) Bill was considered in committee pro formd, On Thursday, in the morning, the Met chant Seamen’s Fund Bill went through committee. At the sitting Lord John Russell assured Mr. Cochrane that France had no intention of permanently occupying Rome. Lord Duncan asked Lord Seymour if damage had not been done to the foundations of crown property by the operations of the commissioners of sewers in Westminster. Lord Seymour answered, “ Indeed there has.” He warned them last year, they neglected his warning, and now the Exchequer bills office,United Service Museum, Lord Liverpool’s and Aiderman Thompson’s houses were undermined, and would have to be rebuilt, and the Commissioners must pay the damage. The House Tax Bill was read a third time, and the last motion of the evening was Mr. Hume’s against Sir J. Brooke, which was, after the accuser had made the best case he could —and the defenders being prevented from adding force to their defence < f last year, as nothing new was produced, defeated by 230 to 11, a most triumphant acquittal for Sir James Brooke. On Friday, the 11th, the Church and Education supplied the topics of the debate ; in the committee of Supply, on the vote for £150,000 for public education, Lord John Russell stated, that the balance in hand for last year’s grant was £99,586, out of which he meant to add so much to the present grant, that the actual expenditure for this year would be £186,381 ; stipends would be given to pupil teachers, salaries of masters and mistresses would be augmented, and the schools improved in usefulness. He still looked forward to a more extended system of national education. Mr. Mowatt suggested that the funds given to the Church for educational purposes should be removed, and applied to their objects—the case of the Rochester grammar school supplied a lesson. Lord John and Mr. Bernal opposed, and the motion fell to the ground. Lord John Russell said he would take supply votes on Monday and Thursday, and the Customs Bill on Friday. Lord Palmerston explained that the claims of Don Pacifico, in Portugal, had been settled by a grant, recommended by a committee, of £l5O. Adjourned.—On Saturday, the 12th, the House sat a short time and advanced several bills in their re or '°'’- tive stages.—On Monday, the 14th, an attempt was made in the committee of supply to preserve the grants to the Dublin Charitable Hospital, which, however, failed on a division, by one hundred and six against the famous forty-three (the Irish brigade). On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we may spare record. On Friday, the house was unusually filled at four o’clock. Mr. Aiderman Salomons, introduced by Sirß. Hall and Mr. J. A. Smith, approached the table, on the invitation of the Speaker, and the clerk handed him the New Testament, but Mr. Solomons said, “ 1 demand to sworn on the Old Testament, because I think that most binding on my conscience.” The honorable gentleman then repeated after the clerk the words of each oath, except those in the oath of abjuration, “ Upon the trueJailh of a Christian man,” and then said, “ I have now taken the oaths in the form and with the ceremonies that I declared to be binding on my conscience, in accordance with the statute 1 and 2 "Victoria, cap. 106. I now demand to subscribe to the oath of abjuration, and to describe my property qualification., (“ Withdraw, withdraw.” “ Order, order.”) The honorable member for Greenwich continued undaunted to read on till the close and then sat down. The Speaker, in a pause of the storm, said, “ the hon. member has omitted certain words from the oaths, which is tantamount to not taking them at all, and it is my duty to tell him to withdraw. The hon, member sat still—the storm redoubled. The Speaker, speaking through the noise, explained that the oaths must be taken entire, and that the member must withdraw.

Mr. Solomons retired below the cheers of the Opposition. ar » an *>dth t put down. Sir * b «W M “ The worthy aiderman w as? til lin t h u ° Sir W. Molesworth, and other fri* to persuade him to retire, but hied and the Sergeant-at-Arms apn ea H n ° Uld H only prevail with him to retif? . ? C ° ul| l seats under the gallery, appronriJL . 6 M Sir B. Hall said, the hon. gentlf ° peer ’- anxious to try the right of theelecte?? - W#> that House, and he begged to ask iB turned to his seat, whether Governin’ ’ institute a prosecution, so that .r, ent Wou ld might be tried I The d OD chequer, the only minister present n ' Ex ‘ that the question should stand ovpi-.’ P . r ,°P° s ed day. Sir F. Thesiger moved a D .2 l ' Grenwicb. but immediately motion, and the House went into a . of supply. Adjourned. On SatarJ Onamittee bills were advanced a stage, since the commencement of the . B,tt,D g* reached 110 ; 752 hours, 23 House of Commons on Monday and T j last were exclusively engaged with a U ,5’ of Mr. Aiderman Salomons, the electaA ® ber for Greenwich, to sit and vote taking, verbatim, the oath of abjatation good deal of interest attached to the sitti' nf , the House on Monday, and the interest of th question in the Lords being concurrent . great number of persons had assembled ink. vicinity of the Houses of Parliament. Th’ was still more the case, as the interest heigh 8 tened on Tuesday evening. Or, Monte Mr. Salomons first occupied a place beneath the bar, then advanced at a signal from his friends, and sal and voted, daring all th penalties attached to this breach of order. Bv a legal, and also by a lay friend, the honor, able member asked if the Government would prosecute him, so as to bring the question under the cognizance of a court of law I The noble lord, the prime minister, answered that there was no intention of doing so : and afterwards, being more earnestly urged, he answer, ed that if the honorable aiderman was so very anxious to be prosecuted, he would easily find some one to prosecute him.

The noble lord gave notice of a motion,in the very words of his motion last year in the cue of Baron Rothschild ; and as the question took a personal nature, the Aiderman said addressing the Hous?, that having voted six times, he would now withdraw, but without the least compromise of his rights. He had previously disobeyed the direct order of the Speaker, and retained his seat even until the Sergeant-at-Arms actually approached, and laid his hand on his shoulder, when he immediately rose, and by leave took his seat below the bar, while his friends stated that he had determined not to give up his right to sit on any condition short of coercion. The scene, more on Monday than on Friday, and on Tuesday more than on Monday—was a very remarkable one.