Th1hatr aUb Vrortrhingg 111 Vartiaraut. HOUSE Op LORDS, Monday, July I.—Annexation Of

St. Domingo. Tuesday, July 2.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer's Charges against the Grand- Duke of Modena; Loki Normanby's Notice of Motion—Union of Benefices Bill rejected—Landed Property Improvement, in., (Ireland) Bill read a second time— Royal Naval Reserve Bill passed through the House.

Thursday, July 4th.—Harbours Bill ; second reading—Locomotives Bill ; second reading—America and Ireland Packet Service ; Marquis of Clanricarde's question.

Friday, July 5.—Address to Her Majesty on the Prosperity of India ; Lord Shaftts- bury.'s Motion. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Monday July L—Derryveagh Evictions; Mr. Cardwell's answer to Mr. Scully's question. Appropriation of Seats Bill ; Mr. Duncombe's Mo- tion—Harwich Harbour; Captain Jervis's Motion—Supply; Civil Service Estimates ; Parka ; Houses of Parliament—East India Courts Bill; Consideration of Amend- ments.

Tuesday, July 2.—Parochial and Burgh Schools (Scotland) Bill ; Committee— Burial and Cemetery Acts; Viscount Enfield's Motion—Poland ; Mr. Hennessey's Motion—Chain Cables and Anchors in the Merchant Service ; Sir J. Elphhustone's Question—The Derryveagh Evictions ; Mr. Butt's Motion. Wednesday, July 3.—University Elections Bill; Committee. Indictable Offences (Metropolitan District) Bill ; debate on second reading. Thursday, July 4th.—Education; Mr. Dillwyn's resolution—Spain and Morocco; Sir Robert Peel's and Mr. Seymour Fitzgerald's questions—Reports of Debates ; Mr. Scully's motion—Supply; Harbours of Refuge ; Glassnevin Botanical Gardens—East India Civil Service Bill; Report—Industrial Schools Bill ; Report—Appropriation of Seats Bill ; new clauses. Friday, July 5.—Committee of Supply; Mr. Kinglake's question.

MONDAY, jUlY 1ST.

House of Lords.

CHURCH RkTES.—The Bishop of LONDON, in presenting several petitions against the abolition of Church Rates, intimated, on behalf of himself and his brethren on the bench, their readiness to accept a settlement of the question based ou the report of the Select Com- mittee of their Lordships' House which sat last year. ANNEXATION OF Sr. D0MING0.—Lord BROUGHAM, in moving for copy of a petition addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies by 3,700planters and others of Jamaica, respecting the annexation of St. Domingo, said the memorialists distrusted the assurances of the Spanish Government that they would not introduce slavery into St. Domingo, and fearing lest the increased competition with slave-grown

sugar, which would follow the introduction of slavery into the island, should prove prejudicious to their interests, prayed the Crown to re- fuse its assent to the annexation. The noble lord entirely concurred with that prayer. The Spanish Government gave as a reason for their intention not to introduce slavery in St. Domingo, the excellence of the soil, which rendered slave labour unnecessary. The soil of Cuba was even superior, but in Cuba slavery was still continued. He then proceeded to accuse the Spanish Government of faithlessness, and systematic violations of engagements respecting the slave trade. He • quoted the words of the treaty of 1817, by which his Catholic Majesty bound himself, not merely to abolish the slave trade, but also to enact a stringent penal law against all his subjects taking any part in "that inhuman traffic." In 1835, another convention was entered into, in which it was declared that all traffic in slaves should be totally and finally abolished in all parts of the Spanish dominions; and a stipula- tion was inserted for the payment of 400,000L compensation to per- sons whom his Catholic Majesty should name. The latter clause was the only part of the treaty ever carried out. Since then the slave trade to Cuba had actually increased from 20,000 annually to nearly 40,000. The consent of the people of St. Domingo could not be urged, as the province was held in thraldom by 5000 Spanish troops. Hayti was also strongly opposed to the annexation, and was apprehensive of seriously prejudicial effects from it. He concluded by hoping that Government would take steps to protest strongly against the unneva- tion. The Duke of NEwcasTLE said his noble and learned friend, in moving for a memorial respecting the annexation of St. .Do- the Foreign department rather than to the Colonial. e de-

precated strongly the grave charges against the Spanish Govern- ment, which the noble lord was constantly bringing in season and out of season, and which were not at all calculated to advance the benevolent object he had in view, but rather to render a proud and sensitive people like the Spanish obdurate upon the subject. He had, however, no objection to the production of the memorial. LOTC1 BROUGHAM repeated his apprehensions that, as the Spanish Government had openly violated two solemn treaties, they would not be bound by a mere promise not to revive slavery in St. Domingo. Lord SrasTronD DE REDCLIFFE widened the discussion still further by introducing the subject of the intolerance of the Spanish Govern- ment with regard to Protestant worship in that country. The motion of Lord BROUGHAM was then agreed to.

House of Commons.

THE DERRYPEACH EPICTIONS.—This subject was again. brought before the House by Mr. SCULLY (Cork), who addressed a very com- prehensive question to the Chief Secretary for Ireland as to,what, if any action he proposed to take in the matter. Mr. CARDWELL stated that it was not the intention of Government to propose either a commission or a committee to inquire into the subject. As to the course they might take upon any motion hereafter brought forward by an independent member, he should decline giving an answer till the motion was actually brought before them. APPROPRIATION OF SEATS (SUDBURY AND Sr. A1BANt Bun.--On the order of the day for considering this bill as amended, r. DUNCOEBE bury) moved that it be postponed for three nlonths. He said t e bill then before them was practically a new one, which had never been read a second time or passed through committee. Inconsequence of the amendments which had been carried against Government, the bill was so altered that they ought not to condescend to go on with it. The borough of Wakefield had been convicted of corruption, and if they wanted a fourth seat for the West Riding, let them take it from that borough, itself situate in the West Riding. He thought also, if they did not intend to punish Wakefield by disfranchisement, they were bound to issue the writ without delay.

Mr. Scuum (Cork) seconded the motion. The Derby Govern- ment had been turned out in order that the present one might bring in a comprehensive measure of Reform, and justice might be done to Ireland. This bill neglected the interest of Ireland, and could not be called a comprehensive measure of Reform. Lord Joan ItossEu thought no case against proceeding with the bill had been made out. Of the Government propositions, three had been agreed to, and one rejected. There was, therefore, only one seat in dispute now. He thought the original proposition of the Govern- ment preferable ; but they all knew that 'Yorkshire went beyond all other counties in population, and the best settlement of the question would be to give the 'West Riding that seat.

Lord PER310Y (Marylebone) taunted Government with not having had the manliness to appeal to the country against the majority which defeated the Chelsea and.Kensington clause. If there was any subject on which a Government ought to have fixed principles, it was Reform. They had, however, abandoned all their principles to the convenience of the moment.

On a division, Mr. Duncombe's amendment was rejected by 204 to 28, and the House proceeded to consider the bill as amended.

Mr. STIRLING (Perthshire) moved to insert, in lieu of clause I, a provision giving the disputed seat to the Scotch Universities. While the Universities of England and Ireland returned six members to that House, the Scotch Universities did not send one at all. Even if the English Universities did not possess the franchise, they would be well represented by the number of university men who had seats in that House. In Scotland, that was not the case, comparatively few Scotch members having been educated at their own universities. They pos- sessed, however, a greater hold on the affections of the people, and exercised a more material influence over their character than their sister institutions in England. While the latter country, with a popu- lation of twenty millions, only sent three thousand under graduates to its great universities, Scotland, with only three millions, sent to hers more than three thousand five hundred. He believed the clerical ele- ment in the proposed constituency would be less than it is at Oxford and Cambridge, while agriculture and commerce would be represented to a much greater extent. The hon. member alluded to the dis- tinguished English statesmen who had been willing to accept the office

the feeling of the House seemed to be that a unanimous decision was more likely to be come to in favour of the West Riding than any other constituency. He should not, therefore, obtrude his proposal on the House. In his opinion the best way of dealing with reform was to disfranchise corrupt boroughs one by one, transferring the forfeited seats to unrepresented universities and boroughs. After some further conversation on the subject,

Mr. STIRLING expressed himself satisfied with the admission of Sir G. Lewis that the claims he had advocated were not unfounded. The motion was then withdrawn.

Some discussion then took_place as to the place of election for the Southern Division of the West Rid infs. The claims of Pontefract,. Sheffield, Wakefield, and Doncaster being advocated by their respec- tive representatives, On a division the Government choice of Pontefraet was approved by 97 to 67.

r Mr. H. Smut (Truro) proposed that one seat should be given to a borough formed from St. Albans and four other small Hertfordshire towns. Hertfordshire was not sufficiently represented, and he thought St. Albans ought not to be more harshly dealt with than Wakefield. The motion not being seconded fell to the ground. The bill was then ordered to be recommitted on Thursday.

HARWICH Hannoun.—Captain JEnvis (Harwich), called attention to the rapid accumulation of silt in Harwich Harbour, through which,. unless steps were taken to prevent it, the only harbour of refuge between. the Thames and the Humber would cease to be available. 'The cost of the new works required for the preservation of the harbour was esti- mated by Captain Washington, hydrographer to the Navy, at only 15,0004 He.concluded by moving a resolution to the effect that it. would be better for Government to take steps to maintain the natural. harbours of refuge before asking the House for grants of money to construct others.

Mr. GIBSON assured the honourable member that the subject should. receive the most serious consideration of Government, and the motion. was consequently withdrawn.

The House then went into Committee of Supply on the Civil Service Estimates, when a variety_of topics were discussed, including the re- moval of the Duke of Wellington's funeral car, the fittings of the South Kensington Museum, the completion of the Houses of Parlia- ment, and the erection of statues in the House (which led to a discus- sion as to the claims of Oliver Cromwell to a statue, which were left undecided).

All the votes proposed were passed, and the chairman reported progress. The Windsor Suspended Canonries Bill was read a second time, and. the House adjourned.

TUESDAY, JULY 2.

House of Lords.

Mn. GLADSTONE AND THE GRAND-DUKE OF MODENA. —The Marquis. of NORMANBY gave notice of his intention to move, on Monday, for extracts from a despatch from the English Minister accredited to Central Italy for the years 1855, 1856, and 1857, relating to the. charges against the Duke of Modena, recently received by Mr. Glad- stone. He should then give specific answers to all those charges. Lord BROUGHAM accused the noble Marquis of wishing to defend. the Duke of Modena where he had not been attacked, and attack the. Chancellor of the Exchequer where he could not defend himself.

After a sharp discussion on the point of order involved in the Mar- quis of Normanby having addressed the House at length on a notice of . motion, the subject dropped.

UNION OF BENEFICES Bu.L.—Lord LYITELTON moved that the House should go into Committee on this bill. The Bishop of LowDon said the bill was at present little better than a sham. It must have been founded on a joke attributed to Lord Pal- merston, to the effect that, if people could pay for bishops, they might have them. Under this bill, if any body of persons could get together forty thousand pounds, they might have a bishop for their money: The Right Rev. Prelate enumerated several reforms which he considered more urgent than the bill then before their Lordships, and mentioned espe- cially as instances the position of deans who might be made suffra- gim bishops, archdeacons who ought to have stalls in cathedrals, which alone would save 4000/. a year to the Ecclesiastical Commis. sion, and, most important of all, the present state of ecclesiastical law, under which it was nearly impossible to enforce discipline.

of Lord Rector of one of the Scotch Universities, and was convinced that if the power of sending a representative to that House were entrusted to them, he would be one who was worthy to take his place beside the six gentlemen who represented the English and Irish Ulu- versities.

Mr. BUCHANAN (Glasgow) seconded the motion. Sir G. C. LEWIS said the motion before the house was, in fact; asking them to rescind a decision arrived at in committee after full discussion. The great reason why hitherto the Scotch Universities had not been thought eligible for the franchise was, that from the slight extent to which "graduation" was carried, there would have been no body similar to those at Oxford and Cambridge to whom the franchise could be entrusted. The constituency would have con- sisted of a few professors and an extremely limited number of gra- duates. A system was now at work by which they were acquiring a body of persons competent to exercise the franchise, but he did not think the time had yet arrived for giving them that right. The seats at the disposal of the House, too, were exclusively English. Mr. C. BRUCE (FAginshire) was surprised at the argument of the right hon. gentleman, that because some years ago the Scotch Univer- sities did not possess a body capable of exercising the franchise, that now when they had a constituency of 3,900, their claims should be passed over. As for the forfeited seats being English, that objectiort had no force whatever, as the Reform Act of 1832 Proceeded upon the principle of setting aside the previous system of territorial distinction between England, Ireland, and Scotland. Sir JAMES GRAHAM (Carlisle) stated his reasons for not pressing the ming°, had also entered into the subject of the continuance of claims of the Umversity of London,which he had previously advocated. the slave trade by the Spanish Government, which belonged to He thought, after the rejection of the two Government propositions,

Several noble Lords then urged Lord Lyttelton to withdraw the bill, but he preferred pressing it to a division, when there appeared : Contents, 11; non-contents, 68 ,• so the bill was lost..

OFFICERS OF ROYAL NAVY RESERVE Bru.—The House having gone into Committee on this bill, Lord HARDWICKE moved as an amendment, officers of the Merchant Service, who joined the Royal Naval Reserve, should undergo the same examination before the same tribunal as officers in the Royal Navy. Merchant seamen had no ex- perience whatever in gunnery; and all he asked was, that they should be subjected to the same examination as midshipmen in the Navy.

The Duke of SoarmasET objected to doing by Act of Parliament

what would be done by means of regulations and proclamations, as the latter could so much more readily and effectually be adapted to any altered circumstances of the case. It was very desirable that officers of the Merchant Service should understand gunnery; but even if they did not, they would still be of great service on board steam- boats. Care would be taken to drill them well in gunnery- but it was of great importance not to create any ill feeling among them by unnecessary restrictions, and he had no doubt that they themselves would offer before long to prove their competency by undergoing an examination.

The Earl of Emairsonanon opposed the amendment, and congratu-

lated Government on being determined to prepare in time of peace for a war which he had always regarded as inevitable, and which might come upon them at any tune. He thought that the rank given to the new reserve should be rank in the Naval Volunteers, not in the Navy-.

The amendment was negatived, and the bill having been reported, the House adjourned. House of Commons.

PAROCHIAL elm BURGH Scrtoors (Scornam) Bum.—This bill was passed through Committee as far as clause 9, when the chairman re- ported progress, and the sitting was suspended.

The House resumed at six o'clock.

Mr. V. SCULLY (Cork) asked the noble Lord at the head of the Go-

vernment if Mr. Bagwell had really resigned his office as Lord Com- missioner of the Treasury, and whether he had done so because the interests of Ireland had been neglected by the Government, and whether, if the office was still vacant, it was the intention of Govern- ment to fill it up. Lord PALMERSTON—I am very sorry to say that my honourable

friend the member for Clonmel has resigned the office which he held as a Lord of the Treasury, and with great regret I have recommended that his resignation should be accepted. With regard to the reasons which have induced my honourable friend to send in his resignation, ray honourable and learned friend knows full well that that there is nothing so unparliamentary as to impute motives to any person. (Laughter.) If he wishes to have a correct statement of the grounds on which the resignation was tendered, lie had better apply to the honourable member himself. &mewed laughter.) The office will be filled. up, and it is still open. The noble Lord looked significantly at the honourable member for CorI , and the shouts of laughter to which the action gave rise prevented the end of the sentence being heard in the gallery.] BURIAL AND CEMETERY ACTS.—ViSCOUDI ENFIELD (Middlesex), in moving for an address to the Crown to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the effect of the various burial and cemetery acts on the po- sition of the incumbents of parishes and districts, stated the hardships of those clergy whose incomes had depended, to a great extent, on burial fees before the passing of the Metropolitan interments Act, and hoped that compensation—to which their right had been admitted by the Home Secretary last -year—would be granted to them. The loss of income to some incumbents had amounted to 6001. or 7001. a year. He knew compensation was always a difficult question, but instances had occurred where those whose pecuniary interests had been inter- fered with by the Legislature had received it, and he thought the clergy who were affected by the operation of the Burial Acts had a fair claim.

After some discussion,

Sir G. LEWIS said the Burial Acts were not one, but a series, one altering and amending the other, and therefore representing the deli- berate opinion of both Houses. There certainly was a hardship in the case of the clergy in question, but he did not think there was a claim for compensation. The burial fees were a remuneration for a special ser- vice. if the clergyman performed that service now, he received precisely the same amount as before the change of law, but if, owing to altered circumstances, the incumbent did not perform that service, he did not receive the fees. They could not be -looked upon as an endowment. If the claim were admitted it would be impossible to find any source from which to pay it that was not open to grave objection. If any honourable member thought he could devise any meqnq for providing compensation, he should submit some distinct proposition.

After a few remarks from several other honourable members, the motion was negatived by 59 to 48.

PoLiNn.-14.r. HENNESSEY (King's County), in moving for certain despatches connected with the affairs of Poland, said the subject was one of the greatest importance—in fact our whole foreign policy was affected by our ignorance of everything relating to Poland. He re- viewed at great length the history of Poland since the partition, with an especial view to a distinction between the liberality of Austria with . regard to the subject, and the tyranny and faithlessness of Russia.

An attempt to count the House out having failed, Mr. Hennessey proceeded, and passed in review the conduct of England with regard to Poland in 1815, 1831, and at the time of the Crimean war, and gave his opinion that of all those who had injured the Polish cause Lord Palmerston had done most in that direction. He especially urged upon the House the consideration that the inde- pendence of Poland would be the greatest possible safeguard against the aggression of Russia in the East. He concluded by asking the House if the present state of Poland did not demand some considera- tion. At present he should confine himself to moving for the cor- respondence he had mentioned; but if no one else took the subject up, he should, at some future time, bring forward a motion relative to the recent events in Poland.

Mr. M. Muses (Pontefract), in seconding the motion, entered into the feeling of nationality involved. The Russian Government must see that the one qustion of the day was the orderly development of the feeling of nationality. They must have seen what results it had pro- duced in Italy, where it was thought to be extinct, and what it was slowly working out in Germany. No nation owed more to that feebly,. herself than Russia, and there was no reason why instead of trying t21 crash the same feeling in Poland, she should not by recognizing and duly regulating it, derive strength where there was now only weakness.

Lord JOHN Russzu replied, that all that could be done for Poland at the time of the Congress of Vienna, had been done. He would not enter into the question whether the Poles or the Emperor first violated the treaty of Vienna, but it was certain that the result of the dissen- sions in 1831 was, that Poland suffered many grievous wrongs at the hands of Russia. He did not believe that any good would be done by rash or hasty assertions on the part of this country ; bat he felt sure that Poland, so far from being destined to political extinction, would, by a gradual and peaceful course of enlightenment, at length resume her plate among the nations of Europe. Sir H. VERNEY (Buckingham) expressed his great satisfaction at the speech he had just listened to, which he eonsidered as the most hopeful sign for Poland he had known in a long Parliamentary experience. MT. WHITE (Brighton) could not agree with Sir H. Verney as to Lord J. Russell's speech, which abounded in the feeblest platitudes that could possibly be uttered on a great question. He gathered from that speech that whatever atrocity a great Power was guilty of, it would not provoke a protest from this country. The impression abroad was, that the English Government were prepared to 'interfere in the wrong place and at the wrong tune, but very reluctant to do so in the right place and at the right time. Mr. SCULLY (Cork) ho_ped the Poles would not place their trust in England, as they would get nothing but a few spirited speeches. Poland was an exact parallel to Ireland„ with the exception that the latter was a very much worse case. The Czar was very liberal to Russia, but oppressed Poland. We had a Government here which was very liberal to England, but denied common justice to Ireland. Lord PALREESTON agreed. with Mr. Hennessey, that the partition of Poland was a gross violation of national right, and that B.ussia had broken the stipulations of the Treaty of Vienna almost as soon as con- cluded. As to English intervention, it was worse than useless to give advice where there was a certainty of having either to submit to a refusal, or appeal to arms—an appeal to which he knew full well the country would not respond. Ile asked the Howe whether, in the memory of any gentleman present, there had been any period when this country would have gone to war for the independence of Poland? He believed Poland was destined to rise to a better position, but any intervention on our part was totally out of the question.

The address for the papers was then agreed to.

CHAIN CABLES AND ANCHORS IN THE M F.RCHANT SERVICE.—SiT J. ELPHINSTONE (Portsmouth) called attention to the numerous wrecks, and consequent loss of life and property, caused by the defective cables and anchors used in the merchant service, and expressed a hope that Government would take the subject up, and bring in a bill providing some effectual test for the soundness of the ground tackle employed in that service.

Mr. Grasox suggested a great many difficulties in the way, of any legislation en the subject. Where was Government supervision to end? If cables and anchors, why not masts and spars ? It was said that the ground tackle employed in the Royal Navy seldom faded; but merchant ships, with small crews, could not carry such heavy anchors and chains. lie must ask the House not to agree to the motion. After some further conversation, the motion was negatived.

Tile DERRYVEA.GH EVICTIONS.—Mr. BUTT (Youghal) moved for an inquiry into these evictions, which have been brought before the House several times lately. Lord PATareusron found no fault with those who wished to discuss the subject in that House, but thought a motion for inquiry was quite another thing. "There is no doubt of the powers of the House of Commons those powers are almost unlimited. But great as those powers are, there ought to be a limit as to their exercise. It ought to be very careful in the exercise of powers that are not denied, not to overstep that bound, and exercise its powers in a manner not justi- fied by the principles of the constitution. (Hear, hear.) It may very properly inquire into any public transaction, or into the conduct of the Government, or any matter affecting the interests of the nation at large. But it would be a most outrageous and dangerous abuse of the power of the House if it interfered with the private transactions of any individuals within the limits of their legal rights. (Hear, hear.) If they have done anything beyond the limits of the law; if from any motives whatever,.they may have exceeded their powe,r. the law itself will correct the evil. Bat it is not necessary for this House to inter- fere, unless the Government has had a duty to perform, and has neg- lected to perform it. That might have been urged, had it been shown that the rrish Government ought to have removed Mr. Adair front the commission of the peace. But I am prepared to show, and it has almost been admitted, that this is not the case ; the Government, therefore, ought not to be taken to task for not having done it.'' As to the state of the county of Donegal, a return would soon be before them, containing statistics of the amount of crime in that county for the last ten years. They could then decide whether a coercive Act should be applied to that county. If the House was to inquire into the murder of Mr. Murray, it would be a usurpation of the rights of the Executive. In fairness to Mr. Adair, it must be said his conduct was not so indefensible as that of those who cleared. estates to diminish poor rates. Mr. Adair believed he had the inte- rest of society at heart when he evicted his Derryveagh tenants.

On a division, Mr. Scully's motion was negatived by 88 to 23.

Several bills were then read a third time, and the House act- jonrned. WEDNESDAY, JULY 3. I

House of Commons.

'UNIVERSITY ELECTIONS BILL.—On Clause 1, Mr. AYRTON (Tower Hamlets) objected strongly to that portion of this clause which au- thorises any person qualified to vote. at a university election, having filled up his voting-paper, to forward it to any other elector for delivery to the returning officer. The effect of this provision would be to in- troduce a system of voting by . proxy, as each voter might fill up several voting-papers, and leave it to the discretion of the recipient to present whichever he thought fit.

Mr. Dorans (Sussex), who had charge of the bill, answered Mr. AYRTON'S objection, by showing that as the name of the cards duly voted for was inserted by the original voter, and not by the one who presented the voting-paper, it could not be said to introduce a system of proxy voting. Mr. HENLEY (Oxfordshire) asked if it would be possible for a voter to recal his vote, when once he had signed and forwarded his voting- paper? Mr. DODSON replied, that until it was in the hands of the returning officer a voter could have his voting-paper back twain on asking. Sir G. C. Lzwis said the proposition was of considerable import- ance, because it introduced a new system of voting in universities, which might also, whenever established, be regarded as a precedent in large counties, or even boroughs. The objections to the bill had not been satisfactorily answered. It had been shown to depart from the established principle that a man was master of his own vote, as by forwarding duplicate or triplicate proxies, the absent elector might transfer his power of voting altogether, as the person whom he en- trusted with his proxies might not only give the vote to which candi- date he chose, but even withhold it altogether. He would be in the position of a peer, to whom was delegated "the absolute right of decision, without any reference to the opinion of the absent lord, even •

expressed after the signature of the instrument." But a peer was limited to a certain number of proxies, while under the bill a univer- sity elector might hold an indefinite number. The principal of a col- lege, or the leader of a religious party, might easily get fifty or sixty, or even more, proxies placed in his absolute discretion, and by with- holding them until the last moment, he would practically become arbiter of the election, and exercise a power approaching to nomina- tion7 which it had always been the object of that House to put down. Besides, in the nomination it was not the etiquette to canvass, and many voters were likely to be influenced by arguments, representa- tions, explanations as to facts, and the effect of this bill would be to practically call upon voters residing at any considerable distance to antedate their vote by several days, during which time a change of opinion might have been effected.

Mr. ROEBUCK (Sheffield) said the difficulty of a plurality of voting- papers might be got rid of by enacting that the voter should only be allowed to sign one paper; and if he wished to revoke that, he should come up and vote in person. The holders of a proxy should also be compelled to put it in and even if he collected a number, he would have no greater influence than was exercised now by a man who in- fluenced a number of his friends to vote as he desired.

Mr. LOCKE (Southwark) thought that if voting-papers were used at all, they should be sent direct to the Vice-Chancellor. If the bill was passed as it stood, the "dons" would return whom they pleased.

Mr. HUNT (Northamptonshire) proposed to obviate the difficulties which appeared on consideration of the bill as to proxies, by providing that every other voter should declare before a magistrate that he had only signed one proxy paper, and that his personal vote should supersede his proxy if the latter had not been already tendered at the

Sir W. LIEATHCOTE (Oxford 'University) suggested that it would be better for the bill to stand over till next year for further considera- tion.

Mr. Lowz (Calne) agreed with Sir G. Lewis that the effect of the proxy system would be to create a resident oligarchy, who would decide the election.

Mr. DODSON replied, and on a division, Mr. AYRTON'S amendment was rejected by 120 to 74. A division took place on Clause 2, which enacts that the voting. papers should bear date subsequently to notice being given of the day of election by the returning offieer, Mr. Burr raising as an amendment that they should bear date subsequently to the day on which the elec- tion commences, and the clause was agreed to by 138 to 86. The remaining clauses were adopted., and the House resumed.

INDICTABLE OFFENCES (METB.OPOLITANDISTRICT) BILL.—MY. WA.LPOLE moved the second reading of this bill, which had come down from the Lords, and the object of which was to provide that no charge should be preferred against any person in the Gentral Criminal Court, at any general or quarter session within the City of London or the metropolitan police district, without having first been investigated by a professional magistrate. It also enacted, that in any charge investi- gated by a justice of the peace in open court, it should not be neces- sary to go to a grand jury which sat in secret, and were not so com- petent to pronounce a judicial opinion on a case as a professionally trained magistrate. The great objection to the bill, was that it tended to supersede the grand jury system. The grand jury system acted as a shield of protection between the Crown and the subject, and he for one would not have supported the bill if he had thought it tended to supersede that system. There was no ground for any apprehension on

• the subject. The grand jury system would remain intact in the country, and political offences were specially exempted from the operation of this bill. Fifty years ago, the Criminal Law Commis- sioners had examined a great number of professional witnesses on the subject, and scarcely an answer had been given in favour of the con- tinuance of the grand jury system in the metropolis. Since then several bills had been brought in on the subject, but in consequence of the lateness of the session, or other causes, they had all been dropped. Mr. Antrim objected strongly to the bill, and contended that what- ever distinctions Mr. Walpole might draw between the metropolis and the rest of the country, the principle of the bill applied to grand juries all through the kingdom. It was proposed to except political offences from the operation of the bill, but in times of great political excite- ment it would be vary difficult to draw a line as to what were po!itical offences and what were not. A simple charge of assault might involve considerations of a political character. Besides, it was too late in the session to take such an important change in our legal system into con- sideration.

Sir G. C. Lzwis supported the bill, and thought the difficulties sug- gested by Mr. Ayrton might be provided for in Committee. Mr. HUNT objected to charges being investigated before stipendiary magistrates, who held office at the pleasure of the Crown, and might, therefore, be made tools in the hands of Government for obtaining committals for trial. The honourable member concluded by moving as an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day three months.

On the motion of Mr. NEWDEGATE, the debate was adjourned. Several bills were advanced a stage, and the House adjourned.

THURSDAY, JULY 4TH.

House of lords.

HARBOURS OF REFUGE BILL.—Lord STANLEY OF ALDERLET moved the second reading of this bill, the object of which was, by enabling local authorities, with the sanction of the Board of Trade, to raise funds for harbour improvements, to relieve the Exchequer from the payment of those differential dues which had been abolished by the reciprocity treaties of 1556. The noble lord then went into the details of some of the local interests affected by the bill. • After a short conversation, in which the bill met with general ap- proval, it was read a second time. Locomarrvzs BILL—The Earl of CerrnstEss, in moving the second reading of this bill, said its object was simply to guard against the possibility of the use of locomotives on roads being practically pro- hibited by the imposition of unfairly heavy tolls, instances of which he adduced, though, on the other hand he had heard of a toll-keeper who was so much alarmed at the novel sight, that he forgot to charge anything, and only "prayed dear Mr. Devil to drive on as fast a:f: could."

Lord GRANVILLE said he had considered the Bill, and did not see any objection to it. He hoped their Lordships would allow it to be read a second time.

After some remarks from several noble lords, including Lord REDES- DALE, who thought the bill should be referred to a Select Committee, the second reading was agreed to. POSTAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN IRELAND AND AMEBICA.—The Marquis of CLANRICA.B.DE having addressed a question to the Post- master-General on this subject, Lord STANLEY OF ALDERLEY pointed out that Ireland could not be suffering any very great inconvemence from the discontinuance of the Galway line, as there were no less than three services weekly by which she enjoyed communication with America. At the same time, he did not deny the superior advantages of a more rapid communication with St. John's, and the consequent gain in getting later telegraphic intel- ligence from Americn. House of Commons. Complaints were made by several honourable members, who had given notice of questions on various subjects, that there was no one on the Treasury bench to reply to them. Mr. DISRAELI thought it would be much more convenient if both sides of the House understood distinctly that public business com- menced at a quarter-past four. EDUCATION.—On the motion for going into Committee of Supply,

Mr. Dirawyz (Swansea) called the attention of the House to the high standard of .popular education, with a view to which the education estimates were framed. The result of the higher branches of education being taught in Government schools was that children of the classes above those which it was the intention of Go- vernment to benefit availed themselves of their advantages. The poorer classes were, in consequence, deterred from sending their chil- dren by the apprehension that they would be neglected and passed over in favour of those who learnt singing, drawing, algebra, political economy, &c. He feared their apprehension was too well founded. Mr. Norris, one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, stated in his report that out of one hundred and sixty-nine children of the first class only twenty could read a newspaper fluently, and one-fourth could not read their easy lesson-books. If Government went on with the present system, they must separate the system into two, and educate the chil- dren of the poor in one set of schools, and the children of the middle classes in another. The evil would go on increasing. They were already educating the children of classes who could easily pay for themselves, and the intervention of the State was doing away with the competition of private schools, thereby compelling people to send their children to Government schools in consequence of not being able to find a good private one. The inevitable result would be, that the education of all classes would fall into the hands of Government, a result which he, for one, was most anxious to avert. The honourable member concluded by moving that the Government education grant should be confined to those schools in which elementary instruction alone was given, and to those only for the training of schoolmasters.

Sir G. C. LEWIS said he thought it had been the generally expressed wish of the House that only questions of urgency should be discussed on the motion for going into Committee of Supply. Mr. Dillwyn was simply an inconvenient anticipation of the Education Estimates, which he should refuse at present to discuss. VOLUNTEERS IN THE PARKS.—MT. BERNAL OSBORNE (Liskeard) complained of the danger of volunteers being inspected in the Parks in the afternoon, when there was a great concourse of carriages and equestrians. The previous day he saw three people run away with in consequence of the firing. He feared volunteers were becoming more inimical to their own countrymen than they were ever likely to be to the enemy. It would likewise be a boon to society if they were prevented also from playing through the streets so frequently. Mr. Cowrza promised that careful instruction should be given to volunteers drilling in Parks not to interfere with the enjoyment of persons either riding or driving.

SPAIN AND MOROCCO.—Sir It. PEEL (Tamworth) asked the Beare-.

try for Foreign Affairs if there was any truth in the statement which had appeared in the Madrid official journal to the effect that the Spanish Government had abandoned its claim against Morocco for the indemnity, and had resolved to permanently annex Tetuan.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied that at first the Moorish Government delayed the payment of the indemnity on the ground of insufficient means, and the good offices of her Majesty's Government were offered and accepted by the Spanish Government, but since then the latter had received another communication from Tangiers, distinctly stating that it was not the intention of the Moorish Government to carry out the stipulations of the treaty. Under these circumstances, Marshal O'Donnell stated that the Spanish Government answered there were only two courses open to them, one of which was to go tk. var again, and the other to annex Tetuan, which latter they had adopted. They were, however, still open to overtures from Morocco as to the carrying out of the treaty, and there existed, therefore, hopes of an amicable settlement.

The same subject was alluded to later in the evening by Mr. SEY- MOUR FITZGERALD (Horsham), who laid great stress on the late Duke of Wellington's strongly expressed opinions as to the importance to us of Spain getting a footing in Morocco.

Lord Jodri Russm, thought the duty of the English Government was to try to bring about a settlement of the question, and not to bring imputations against either party which might lead to a renewal of the war.

The House then went into Committee of Supply, and a number of votes of the Civil Service Estimates were passed. On the vote of 160,0001. for harbours of refuge been proposed, Mr. Rom= (Montrose) moved that it be ;reduced by 90,000/. the sum proposed for works at Alderney. A long discussion took Place, and a variety of objections were urged against the vote, on the grounds of the uselessness of Alderney either as a harbour of refuge or a mili- tau and naval station, and on account of its enormous cost.

Lord C. PAGET, Sir JAMES GRAHAM (Carlisle), and Lord PALMERS- TON quoted the opinions of many eminent military and naval men in favour of the construction of the works under consideration, and said it would be the worst possible economy to leave those works to be de- stroyed by the action of the waves, after so much had been spent on them.

On a division the vote was agreed to by 65 to 56. A debate also took place on the vote for Dover and Holyhead harbours.

On the vote of 64,5561. for public buildings in Ireland, the contro - rev about the Dublin Botanical Society was entered into, and a motion that the vote should be reduced by 23821., being the sum re- quired for new buildings and repairs at the Glassnevin Botanical Gar- dens was made and withdrawn. Several other votes were agreed to, and the House resumed.

The Industrial School Bill was read a third time, and the East India Civil Service Bill Report considered, and the House ajourned.