•July 27, J 







THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844 



with France in 1830. He Ml? d-uned that afterwards, when J widows. — Lord John Russell and Lord Falmbkstojj took 

 Francs had ina>>. p.nd lield < g there for some time, no I the same view with Sir Robert Peel, and the motion was 



further steps were taken to check her. The subject, however, 

 he said, was renewed by Lord Aberdeen soou alter his return 

 to the Foreign-office. It was one of great importance with re- 

 spect to the commerce of this country, which France by an or- 

 dinance, in 1843, had placed under serious disadvantages; 

 •while the naval force of England was left insufficient, and in- 

 stead of being stationed in the Mediterranean to protect that 

 commerce, was concentrated off the shores of Ireland. He saw 

 much diplomatic endearment between France and England ; 

 bat he did not see that England had gained anything through 

 it. On the contrary, her Ministers had given way so far, as to 

 take into their consideration the proposals of France lor the 

 abandonment of the right of search, and had suffered the Es- 

 curial to become an appurtenance of the Tuileries. — Sir R. Peel 

 regretted that such a discussion should have been mooted at 

 this moment, when it was so important to prevent any angry 

 feeling in the popular mind of either of the two countries. If 

 he had intended mischief, which of course he did not, he could 

 have taken no more direct way to do it than by thus counter- 

 acting the earnest endeavours of both Governments to prevent 

 any hostile sentiment in either people. After the accession oi 

 Louis- Phi ippe, some representations on the subject of Algiers 

 •were made by Lord Aberdeen. A change in the British Mi- 

 nistry then took place; for eleven years Mr. Sheil's own 

 friends were in office, and during that whole time they acqui- 

 esced in the occupation by France of her African territory, 

 notwithstanding the fullest notice that she intended that oc- 

 cupation to be permanent. Nor, according to his judgment, 

 had that Ministry, in so acquiescing, been guilty of any impru- 

 dence. He regretted that France had established the tariff now 

 complained of, and this regret had been signified to her; but 

 that was a totally different question from the question of right. 

 He was under a great disadvantage here as opposed to the 

 Right Hon. gentleman, who had it in his power to speak with 

 entire freedom, while he himself, as a Minister, was compelled to 

 employ a careful reserve; indeed, what he had said upon this 

 subject a short time ago had already caused much misapprehen- 

 sion in the French Chambers. He denied the alleged insuffi- 

 ciency of the British navy, and repeated what he had lately 

 said, that this country was now in a situation for making within 

 a very short time, it it should be necessary, a naval demonstra- 

 tion worthy of her character. All that tne Government had 

 thought it requisite to do with respect to the African question, 

 was to ask lor a disclaimer from France of any intention to 

 extend her territories in the direction of Tunis or of Morocco, 

 and that disclaimer France had given.— Lord J. Russell con- 

 fessed that, in the present state of circumstauces, he should not 

 himself have thought it necessary to make any motion at all 

 upon this subject ; but Mr. Sheil, who had deemed it expedient 

 to do so, had, at all events, used a becoming temperance of lan- 

 guage. Perhaps the existing condition of affairs was not such 

 as to exclude all apprehension j but he saw nothing at this 

 moment which, in his judgment, made it necessary to press lor 

 papers. Besides, he could not help observing the existence of a 

 blind war-party in France, whose urgency would be very em- 

 barrassing to the French Government, if that Government were 

 pressed by England with any demand that should irritate the 

 national feelings of the French people. On the subject of our 

 naval force, however, he did not think there was the same need 

 for delicacy. He then entered into a comparison between the 

 amounts of our naval force in 1838 and In 1844, showing an 

 advantage for 1838 upon the number of ships, censuring the 

 Government for having reduced that number, and treating the 

 present lorce as inadequate to the exigencies of the time.— Mr. 

 M i i.N KB oppo- ed the motion, as leading to no practical advantage. 

 Until Englandshould recognise the French possession of Algiers, 

 she had no very strong claim to commercial concessions 

 from France. He did not regard the French movements 

 in Africa with fear : they could not but be somewhat unpopular 

 eve.-i among the French themselves, by reason of the blood 

 and treasure winch had been unproductive^ expended upon 

 them.— Mr. Hume desired fuller information than Sir R. Peel 

 seemed willing to give, respecting the amount of that naval 

 force tnr which the country had voted so much money. For 

 his own part, he was disposed to praise instead of blaming the 

 Government for reducing the forces. A large force did but 

 excite the jealousy of the irritable war party in Fiance. He 

 thought our naval establishments too large even now. Above 

 all, however, he must deprecate any speeches that could excite 

 angry feeling and tend to war.— Mr. Macki.vnon regarded the 

 French occupation of Algiers as advantageous to this country, 

 by serving to employ the unquiet spirits of France. He eonsi 

 dered it as a safety-valve.— Sir C. Napier thought, that the 

 advantage of leaving a safety-valve for troublesome persons 

 ■was more than balanced by the evil of keeping up the warlike 

 tendencies of the French. He blamed the Government for 

 having suffered our naval establishments to be so much dirai- 

 lushed ; and explained the principles on which a navy ought 

 to be equipped and maintained.— Lord I.vgbstrik insisted on 

 th'„' necessity of maintaining a considerable naval force, and of 

 keeping that force from rusting by disuse.— Sir G. Cockburn 

 ■was still, as he had always been, of opinion that a considerable 

 naval force ought to be ma ntained by this country ; but, it her 

 finances would not enable Government to do ail which might 

 be desirable, it was better to have, as now, fewer ships per- 

 fectly manned than more ships with imperfect complement. 

 "We had at this moment the most powerful s eam-uavy that 

 any power possessed ; and we could in a very short time send 

 to sea a considerable fleet of ships-of-the-line —Mr. M. O'Feu- 

 rall vindicated the course taken by Mr. Sheil, and deleuded 

 the state oi the navy as it was in the time of the late Ministry, 

 when he himself was Secretary of the Admiralty. He disap- 

 proved the change of system which had since been In- 

 troduced in that department.— Mr. S. Herbert justified 

 the system pursued by the present Admiralty. He stated 

 that there was now an eagerness among seamen to 

 man the ships of war: that a great number of vessels 

 had been to repaired as to be equal to new ones : and that a 

 •vast addition had been made to the steam-power of the navy.- 

 C'aptam PscBSLi found fault with the conduct ol the Admiralty. 

 —Lord Palmkkston justified Mr. Sheil for having made this 

 motion. He considered tne existence of the war-party in 



^"£ eaS an adu,tIonal reason for entering into discussions, 

 whi^h would show the force and the resolution of this country. 

 «e staieu the substance of some correspouuence which had 

 n!f,fr, ^x, n the 8Ub J tcC o( Algiers between the Duke of Wei- 

 IS *\u?J Ml »'*try m l»30 ami the Government of France; and 

 Eei£V£Z2*1 take " by Ue "^sequent Ministry in leav- 



Efm fo t ?« ia.SS!. ,tUrbed ; ? e bIttmed the Preaent Govern- 

 mem lor the insufficiency of their naval lorce. They had mis- 



taken the revert* nf ..... * ■ """«" '«»«■ xiiey u*u ill 



then few sb.ns b t l"f .^"e for "8fht, and had so overman., 



prepaid w ,tl, the ne«.„ „„., ,,,,„„_ , ur ^e Iva^Jo.e 



ed 

 ep 



ell 



UCga — _ .„.»,„ , buci wuicn, at 11 nVlm«k 



Mr. Hi'AiK brought on the motion, upon which the House hau 

 been Counted out a few night, before, for an address lo he 

 Crown praying her Majesty to remodel the R.nai Academy 

 *ith a view or rendering it more couducive to 'the advance' 

 ment of the Fine Arts.— The Academy and the Presidein were 

 defended by bir R. Peel, who refused the motion and rebukeu 

 the mover, showing that the Academy were indebted to the 

 public for nothing but the rooms they occupied; while the 

 public, on the other hand, were indebted to the Academy feu 

 fc*ving, at their own expense, educated many hundred artists 

 and made provision for aged men of talent and lor then' 



negatived without a division by the general feeling of the 

 House.— The House then went into committee of supply, and 

 voted 4411/. for the Dublin School of Design. — Mr. Wil- 

 liams spoke highly of the results that had already attended the 

 establishment of the Government Schools of Design, and hoped 

 some extension of them would be resorted to, as the public 

 money could not be better employed. — Mr. Hu.mk, with refer- 

 ence to the preceding conversation that had taken place respect- 

 ing the members of the Royal Academy, observed that an 

 artist had the audacity to refuse an audience to two members 

 or Parliament who desired to confer with him; aud this, he 

 thought, was carrying impudence to its utmost height.— Sir 

 R. Peel observed that the boo. Member had now substituted 

 the word "impudence" in speaking of the members of the 

 Royal Academy, lor the term "audacity," which he had first 

 used. He would not, however, quarrel with the hon. Gentle- 

 man, considering hum to be a good judge as to how far impu- 

 dence might be carried with impunity.— Mr. Hume said that if 

 he had not had the impudence of the devil, he should never 

 have done any good in that House.— 2006/. were voted to pay 

 for the services of certain professors in the Universities of 

 Oxford and Cambridge.— 2345/. to pay the salaries of certain 

 officers in Scotland. — 5420/. to defray the expenses of improving 

 the harbour of Port Patrick.— 8000/. having been proposed to 

 defray the expenses of completing Lord Nelson's monument.— 

 Mr. VVysk said he understood that an offer had been made by 

 an artist, Mr. Patrick Park, to complete the monument gratui- 

 tously.— Sir R. Peel said that such an offer was certainly made, 

 but the Government thought it incumbent on them to decline 

 that offer. He did not wish to say one word disparagingly of 

 that particular artist, but he thought that nothing could be 

 more Unwise on the part of Government than to accept such 

 gratuitous offers. He thought it infinitely better to open the 

 work to public competition. Besides it would be a bad prin- 

 ciple to allow an artist to go to an expense of 5000/. or fJoOO/.— 

 Mr. Wyse believed the Government had acted properlj-, but he 

 thought the artist entitled to great credit for having made such 

 an offer, and at a time when there were not funds to complete 

 the column.— Mr. G. Knight hoped that as the height ot the 

 column was somewhat le6s than had been originally intended, 

 the dimensions of the base and the size of the lions might also 

 undergo some curtailment, in order that there might be no dis- 

 proportion in the monument.— Sir R. Peel had the satisfaction 

 oi informing his hon. friend that the size of the lions was an open 

 question. Her Majesty's Government had taken the completion 

 ol the monument into their own hands, and would be unfettered 

 by any particular plan.— Mr. B. Cochrane inquired if the re- 

 port were correct that the Emperor of Russia had subscribed 

 500/. towards the completion ot the monument? If so, it was a 

 gi eat disgrace to this country to receive from a foreign country 

 500/. towards the erection of a national monument. He under- 

 stood that the monument was twenty or thiity feet lower than 

 the original design, in consequence of the committee not 

 having sufficient funds.— Sir R. Pent, said the design of erect- 

 ing a monument to Nelson was originally a private trans- 

 action, and the Emperor of Russia was one of those who was 

 desirous of marking his respect for the memory of Lord Nelson 

 by contributing 500/. towards the completion of the monu- 

 ment. The diminution in the height of the column was in 

 consequence of the advice of two eminent men— one an 

 architect, and the other an engineer— who gave it as their 

 opinion that as there never was a Corinthian column of that 

 height, they would not answer for its security in the event of 

 one of those violent hurricanes which arise every twenty or 

 thirty years. He thought every one should be grateful to the 

 Emperor of Russia for the way in which he testified his grati- 

 tude for the courteous reception he met with in this country, 

 and hoped the hon. member would not advise the committee 

 to return the 500/. The vote was agreed to.— 7524/. was voted 

 for the purchase of pictures for the National Gallery.— 690O/. 

 to enable the trustees of the British Museum to purchase 

 books, manuscripts, and coins.— so, O00/. to defray the ex- 

 penses of the British establishment at Hong-Kong.— 149,000/. 

 to defray the charge of the disembodied militia in Ireland; and 

 19,000/. tor repairing damages in the gunpowder manufactories 

 belonging to the Government.— Tne Chairman then reported 

 progress, and several Bills were advanced a stage. 



Tuesday.— The remaining clauses of the Joint-stock Banks 

 Regulation Bill were agreed to in committee, and some addi- 

 tional clauses added to the Bill. The Joint-stock Companies 

 Registration and Regulation Bill was recommitted, and a 

 clause adued extending its opeiation to Ireland.— The report of 

 the Railways Bill was received, and the third reading fixed for 

 Thursday.— Lord Ashley moved an address to the Crown, 

 praying her Majesty to take the Lunacy Commissioners' report 

 into consideration. He referred to a great variety of passages 

 in that report, for the purpose of showing the inadequacy ot the 

 existing means to the due care of pauper lunatics, whose 

 miserable condition in many parts of England he explained in 

 detail. Their condition in Wales, both North and South, was 

 described by him as still more wretched.— sir J. Gkaham gave 

 the highest praise to the humane exertions of Lord Ashley. He 

 consiaered it to be highly important that a curative process 

 should be applied in the very commencement ot disease ; and 

 that ihe curable patients should not be mixed with the in- 

 curable ; and he felt that the time was not far distant when the 

 Legislature must provide for these objects in the case of pauper 

 lunatics, and for the due custody of criminal lunatic-. The 

 Government being fully disposed to take up the subject, he 

 hoped the Noble Lord would not press his motion, the success 

 of which might excite exaggerated expectations.— Mr. Sheil 

 hoped the Government would be prepared to extend the content, 

 platen benefit to Ireland. He eulogised Lord Ashley's devotion 



totiiecause of humanity.—Mr.WAKLEYinsisted upon the import- 

 ance of early attention to head affections— to those sensations 

 of uneasiness in the forehead by which insanity almost always 

 commenced.-Lord Eliot said, ihat a provision for lunatics in 

 Ireland was under the consideration 01 Government.— Several 

 other members took part in the discussion, and Lord Ashley 

 withdrew his motion—Mr. T. Duncombb moved for copies of 

 all correspondence between the Government and the Lieute- 

 nant- Governor of Guernsey since the 1st of last August, in- 

 sisting on the lo>alty of the whole people of that island.-sir J. 

 Graham declined to produce the papers, declaring that legal 

 proceedings were still pending, in connexion with the recent 



plot against the lite of the Lieutenant- Governor. He hoped, 



therefore, that Mr. Duucombe would abstain from pressing his 

 motion -Mr. Duncombe acceded, but not without some strong 

 observations upon one of the principal witnesses. This led to 

 further explanations from Sir J.Graham, and to some com- 

 ments from Mr Hume and Mr. A e lion BY, alter which the 

 .notion was withdrawn.-Dr. Buwring called the attention of 

 the House to the deiective state ot the quarantine laws, aud the 

 necessity and security of great modification* therein— Mr 

 Gladstone said that the majority of opinions still inclined to 

 the doctrine mat tne plague was communicated by contagion • 

 and, therefore, it would not be prudent or practicable to attempt 

 to precede the feelings and prejudices of other countries as well 

 as those of our own. But our quarantine regulations had 

 been considerably relaxed, and were far less restrictive than 

 those of Frauce or Austria. The Government, however had 

 invited these two Powers to a congress, in order that some 

 general understanding might be come to on the subject. 

 Both had assented, though the locality for the congress 

 was not yet named; and Austria had suggested a preli- 

 minary medical inquiry. He was sanguine, however, mat 

 before the next session of Parliament the Government would 

 oe able to communicate the result, iu the shape of an Inter- 

 national reform of the whoie system of quarantine.— Mr. Ross 



recapitulated those particulars in the condnrt or Mr rvi, 



Which have been the subject of so much ani -^ U 



for whioh T.r,r,. nh.nJiiJ c lzL*° _ much a " madversion, aid 



of a magistrate Yet six rnWFhs afterwarnVnT^ wsto"? 

 on the plea hat his health was renovated, as if illness had bin* 

 the superseding cause. These were not the tines to tanner 

 with the administration ot justice amongst a population alreulv 

 sufficiently alienated; and censuring the ChauJellor forweatlv 

 yielding to the influential names appended to a memorii 

 easily got up in Ireland, he moved an address'to the Crown for 

 the removal of Mr. CTDriscoll from the commission of the 

 peace.— Mr. D. Brow.ve seconded the motion.— Lord Eliot 

 admit ing the constitutional right of the House to interpose 

 against every wrong, was yet ot opinion that in order to justifv 

 an interference with any particular exercise of the prerogative 

 there ought to be proof that the prerogative had been exercised 

 corruptly or improperly. He acknowledged that the conduct 

 of Mr. O'Driscoll had been highly blameable; but thought it 

 had been a good deal overstated. The Chancellor had removed 

 him, not for any specific act, but for irritability, occasioned by 

 recent ill-health, from which ill-health he afterwards recovered- 

 and the Chancellor had then restored him, expressing a persua- 

 sion that what had passed wouid be a guarantee of his future 

 discretion. — A discussion followed in which Mr. M. O'Ferkail 

 Sir J. Graham, Mr. Sheil, and Mr. Bellew took part.— After 

 which the House divided, when there were for the motion 51 j 

 against it, 92 ; majority. 33.— On the motiou of Colonel Fox', 

 the correspondence with the Secretary of State relative to the' 

 charter granted to tne Royal College of Surgeons was ordered. 

 Wednesday.— The Wales Turnpike Trusts Bill passed through 

 committee. — The Corporate Offices Bill was read a second t.rr*. 

 — On the motion of Mr. Cowper, the House went into com- 

 mittee on the Slaughtering of Horses Bill.— Before any pro- 

 gress was made Mr. T. Duncombk moved that progress he 

 reported, and divided the committee. There were for hs 

 motion, 11 j against it, 104; majority, 93. The first clause was 

 omitted, and the remaining clauses agreed to.— Mr. F. Kkllt 

 withdrew his Appeal in Crimiual Cases Bill, on the promise 

 given by Sir J. Graham that the Government should take up 

 the measure in the next session. — On the bringing up the reyoit 

 of the Poor Law Amendment Bill, Mr. Borthwick moved the 

 addition of four clauses, viz., that suitable and decent accom- 

 modation should be provided in workhouses for every man and 

 his wife aged more than 60 years each ; that when from the 

 infirmity of either, though below that age, the attendance 0$ 

 the other should be requisite, the arrangement should be the 

 same as it both parties had been aged more than 60 ; that on a 

 certificate from one magistrate, of a case of temporary infirmity 

 or insufficient employment, the guardians should order out- 

 door relief during the continuance of such suffering ; and that 

 children under seven should not be separated from their mo- 

 thers being inmates of the same workhouse, with a provision 

 for the convenient access of mothers to all children in the 

 same workhouse aged under 13. Mr. Borthwick declared him- 

 self desirous to found his legislation upon two propositions— 

 that the law ought not to separate husband and wife, nor parent 

 and child ; and that the workhouse ought not to be the 

 lot of those who are in want from circumstances over which 

 they have no control. If wealth had its duties as well as its 

 privileges, poverty had its rights as well as its sufferings. It 

 might be that the Commissioners or guardians would humanely 

 provide in such individual cases for the objects he sought, 

 but he preferred to secure them through the general sanction 

 of the law.— Sir J. Graham was not aware that any such pro- 

 visions as had now been proposed were to be found in the old 

 law. The guardians had power by the present law to give the 

 proposed accommodation aud relief to man and wife under the 

 circumstances indicated in these clauses, and the access of 

 mo: hers to children was also provided for; but the principle of 

 Mr. Borth wick's third clause, for the general allowance oi out- 

 door relief, struck at the very root ot the existing Poor Law. 

 He referred to the great amount of out-door relief afforded 

 under the existing law in proportion to the relief given in 

 workhouses, and recommended it to the House to reject these 

 clauses.— Lord J. Manners could not see why, if infringements 

 of the law were sanctioned, changes iu the law, in conformity 

 wi.h the authorised infringements, should not be made. The 

 clauses proposed by Mr. Borthwick were in accordance with 

 the principle of the ancient Poor Law, and, more important 

 still, they were in accordance with the general feelings of the 

 country. — Mr. Hawks, Mr. Darbv, Mr. Wortlek, Lord Stan- 

 lev, Mr. B. Denison, Mr. Brotherton, Col. Rolleston, Mr. 

 P. Howard, and Mr. Curteis opposed the clauses : Mr. B. 

 Escott, Sir C.Napier, and Capt. Pkchell supported them. 

 The House then uivided on the first of Mr. Borthwick'* clauses 

 — For the clause, 32;— against it, 95;— majority against the 

 clause, 63.— Mr. Borthwick having been defeated ou the one 

 declined to uivide the House on his other oauses.— Mr. S. 

 O'Brien moved tne addition of a clause making it imperative on 

 the Commissioners to provide chaplains for the several work- 

 houses.— Sir J. Graham feared that the interests of the fcsta- 

 blished Church would not be really promoted by any measure that 

 should force all districts to pay for her particular form of wor- 

 ship. As the law now stood, the Commissioners had the pow er 

 of directing the appointment of chaplains to any workhouses, 

 though they had not the selection of the candidates, wmen 

 belonged to the guardians ; and, in fact, out ot 513 unions hav- 

 ing workhouses, there were 411 to which chaplains had urns 

 already been voluntarily appointed. The proposed compulsion 

 would but kindle a flame of religious discord throughout me 

 kingdom. After some discussion the House divided— tor tne 

 clause, 19: against it, 82 : -majority, 63.-The further consider- 

 ation of the repcrc was adjourned.— ihe Clerk of the Mown m 

 Chancery Hill was lead a third time ana passed.-! he howl 

 went into committee of ways and means, and confirmed sev "«" 

 grants that had been previously agreed to.— ihe dranu jur* 

 Presentments (Dublin) Bill passed through committee. 



TAnrsrfoy.— The report of the Poor Law Amendment B 1 was 

 further considered. Several clauses were proposed »» Q - "£ 

 jected— aud two were added by Sir J. Graham. Tne o°Je" ™ 

 one of these added clauses was to enable the guardians of any 

 union to enter the asylum of sucn union tor the P u ( roo ' e " *"" 

 spection j the second provided that the Bill should "°t c "'" e 

 n.to operation until the day after it received the Royal as * e /"' 

 -Iu reply to Mr. Laboucherk, Mr. Gladstone stated at. 

 persons residing at Java, but not holding any consular «J»S ul V, 

 had been authorised by Her Majesty to perlorm tlie uu y m 

 giving certificates ot the origin of sugars. Ihe "utywou ia j 

 performed at Manilla by the Consul, whose salary was lOOW. 

 a jear, with an allowance for a clerk. In Java, at theowe 

 ports where Europeans were alone allowed to trade- Jiawv , 

 samaraug, and Sourabaya-the duty would be lj*^-™ ta J3 

 gentlemen resident, namely, Messrs. Boncorn, ™ *uii, ■ 

 Frazer. The salaries of those gentlemen had not a* >« 

 settled, but the maximum would be 200/. a year. I «ro 01 in^ 

 gentlemen were mercuauts, and the other, Mr. traz *V fhmll - n 

 in business.-The Controverted Election. » BUI passed through 

 committee. -The Joint-Stock Companies »eff ,8tf *J^ l "i i i Af 

 Railways Bill, the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, and ™ ae ^ 

 were read a third time aud pnaaed.-The report 0. t "■ l * m _ 

 Trusts (Wales; Bill was received.-Tue Hou;f»«t jn™ „ 

 mittee on the Criminal Justices (Middlesex; »' "•• "" ^ * 

 Mr. W. Williams moved an ameudiae«t_ t o ua> e^jp 

 words which fixed the payment of the »«"^ 1 fE. £ 

 the consolidated fund instead ^^^^J^^YOC the 



iority,35. The remaining 

 ges Jlrelnnd 1 BUI was read 







this the committee divided, w 

 amendment, Hi Against it, 4:« ; Majority, as 

 clauses were agreed to. — Tne Marrie* 

 a second time. 



