Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

been assembled, and prorogued by the Lord | Ward to state that upon one occasion, High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands. when the hon. Member made an attack In fact, no Government whatever existed upon that Gentleman relative to his conin those dependencies, save the will of one duct in the administration of his Governman. When these papers were produced, ment, he had only found thirteen Gentlehe would be prepared to show that acts of men to support him. He (Sir J. Pakingmost brutal absolutism and ferocious ty- ton) had brought down to the House ranny had been perpetrated by Sir Henry some of the Correspondence to which Ward, which were more atrocious, and re- the hon. Gentleman alluded. With reflected more discredit upon the character of gard to the banished members of the Lethe British Government, than any conduct gislative Assembly, he wished, in common pursued by the Austrian Government to- justice to Sir Henry Ward, to read one or wards the Hungarians. The Ionians had two extracts from the Correspondence, in a free constitution when they were placed order to show the real character of the under the protection of this country by the conduct of Sir Henry Ward towards them, Treaty of Paris in 1815, and it was unjust and how far it was from meriting the to deprive them of it. He was anxious to character of absolutism which the hon. have these papers laid upon the table of Gentleman, in so off-handed a manner, the House, so that every Member might ascribed to it. Signor Domeneghini was have the papers in his own hand, and not one of the gentlemen so banished. To take the facts contained in them merely an interposition in his favour, on the part upon his statement. It would be his duty of his wife, what was Sir Henry Ward's upon an early occasion to call the attention reply-that of the ferocious tyranny imof the House to those papers. puted to him by the hon. Gentleman? Let the House judge :

Motion made, and Question proposed

"I shall be ready and happy to release Signor F. Domeneghini, whenever he thinks proper to comply with the conditions which I have felt it to be my duty to propose, by giving me his word that he will abstain from seditious attempts for the space of twelve months."

"That there be laid on the table of the House Copies of the Correspondence between Sir John Pakington, baronet, Secretary for the Colonies, and Sir Henry Ward, Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands, since February, 1852, when Sir John Pakington assumed office, including the Correspondence with the banished Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Ionian Islands respect-So that if he only promises to be a good ing the terms proposed to them for their liberation boy for the space of twelve months, he will obtain his full liberty. In the next despatch Sir Henry Ward then wrote with regard to the relegated members generally :

from exile:

"And, of the Protest by the Members of the Legislative Assembly respecting the Prorogation of the newly-elected Assembly at its first meeting (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 567, of Session 1852)."

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON said, he heard with very great satisfaction one statement of the short speech of the hon. Member for Montrose-and which he hoped the hon. Gentleman would not forgetnamely, that on obtaining those papers he was determined to bring the question before the House. He was perfectly ready and willing to produce the papers moved for, and had the hon. Gentleman asked him for them privately, he should have been just as ready and as willing to have placed them at his disposal. The hon. Gentleman, however, could not forego the opportunity which the Motion gave him of repeating those attacks on Sir Henry Ward and the Government of the Ionian Islands which he had already made on two occasions, in language equally harsh and equally unjust with that which he had chosen to employ that evening. It was but justice, however, to Sir Henry

"I took advantage of the farewell visits paid to me by all those members who have any pretensions

to a character for moderation to make a fresh offer to the gentlemen now in confinement under the high police power at Cerigotto, through the medium of Count Lunzi and Signor Corrianiti, two of the members for Zante. I was sincerely in hopes that the Session would not have terminated bled me to put an end to all questions connected without a law being passed that would have enawith high police. But as this expectation has not been realised, I must now decide what course to take respecting these prisoners, and I have resolved to propose, once more, to release them, profrom taking an active part in politics for twelve months.”

vided they will give me their word to abstain

Next, there was the case of Signor Montferrato; and here he (Sir J. Pakington) would state to the House not only Sir Henry Ward's proposition to the banished Member, but also the answer which that Gentleman thought proper to return :—

"Before I set out on my visit to the southern

islands, I had the honour to inform you that I had directed my secretary, Mr. Fraser, to acquaint

Signor Montferrato, who was relegated to the island of Merlera under the high police power in October, 1851, that I was willing to allow of his return to Cephalonia upon a simple promise that he would abstain from taking any part in political agitation for the next twelve months. In making this proposal, I neither asked nor expected from Signor Montferrato any renunciation of former opinions, but made the condition of his release analogous to what would be termed in England, in the case of a man convicted of seditious practices, entering into his personal recognisances to keep the peace for one year. As Signor Montferrato, in his reply, which I have the honour to enclose, not only rejects this very reasonable proposal, but tells me plainly that 'as soon as he is freed from the bondage of high police, he shall devote all his energies to the prosecution of the work so violently interrupted until it is brought to its legitimate end-the liberation of his country,' I have no alternative but to leave him where he is, until

he learns to entertain more rational views."

Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands. For his (Lord John Russell's) part, he thought that the Governors of distant dependencies, who were called on to act in cases of difficulty, were entitled to have their case fairly stated by those who were entrusted with office at home, and that they should not be subjected to misrepresentation. He owned, therefore, that he was extremely pleased to find that the right hon. Gentleman had discharged his duty in this instance with such alacrity and with such ability. It ought always to be recollected that those persons who were opposing the Government in Zante were not opposing it for the sake of obtaining more liberty under that Government, but for the purpose of severing the connexion between them and the British Crown, and placing themselves under some other form of government. It ought also to be recollected with respect to the powers of high police, Sir Henry Ward had offered to relinquish them upon exceedingly liberal terms. These persons so complaining were only endeavouring to incite the people to insurrection against British authority, and Sir Henry Ward had erred rather upon the side of too great liberality than from any desire to exercise any undue authority.

These extracts would, he thought, convince the House that the object of these seditious enterprises was really to throw off the authority of Her Majesty, and to establish some other form of government. Now, as to the remonstrance of the Parliament, which had not long ago been brought under his consideration, he was surprised to see that it had only received three sig natures; but, upon looking to Sir Henry Ward's despatch, he found a full explanation of this significant fact. Parliament MR. HUME said, he was very glad that there was constituted of several parties, as the noble Lord (Lord John Russell) had it was in this country, who had all joined spoken, because he and the Government for party purposes to resist the Govern- were all in the same boat upon this subment measures; but when the remon-ject: one was as bad as the other. Sir strance came to be signed, there were only found three persons who would join in the particular form of words in which it was drawn up. The ultra-liberal party would not agree to any form of remonstrance, as they believed, by subscribing to a document of that kind, they would be acknowledging the authority of the Crown of England, which they were by no means willing to do. Now, this showed how necessary it was to exercise caution in dealing with these gentlemen; and if the hon. Member for Montrose had applied to him in private, instead of making a public attack upon the Governor, he (Sir J. Pakington) would have at once assented to the production of the papers, and have shown him that the conduct of Sir Henry Ward, instead of having deserved censure, entitled him to great praise for his extreme mode

ration.

LORD JOHN RUSSELL said, he was glad that the right hon. Gentleman the Colonial Secretary had taken the present opportunity to defend the conduct of the

Henry Ward had offered to give up the powers of high police if they would give up the liberty of the press, and publish only what he pleased. This was the proposition which he had made to the Ionian Parliament; and because they had refused it, he had prorogued them. They were quite right not to give up the palladium of their liberties. Sheridan, in one of his eloquent speeches, said, "Give me the liberty of the press, and I care not what you do-I will meet the strongest opposition." So far as to asking questions, they were all witnesses how he had been treated already. He would not expose himself to any insult, and all his questions should be put publicly. He pledged himself within ten days after those papers were laid upon the table of the House to bring the matter under its consideration. As to thirteen Members only voting with him, he would remind the right hon. Gentleman that in 1829 he proposed the repeal of the Corn Laws, and upon that occasion he was left in a minority of thirteen. He

had, however, lived to see that Motion | tion of the right hon. Member for the carried.

Motion agreed to.

RAILWAY AND CANAL BILLS.

MR. WALPOLE said, in the absence of his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, he had to move for a Select Committee to consider the principle of amalgamation as applied to Railway or Railway and Canal Bills about to be brought under the consideration of Parliament.

Motion made, and Question proposed

"That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the principle of Amalgamation as applied to Railway, or Railway and Canal Bills, about to be brought under the consideration of

Parliament."

MR. ELLICE would suggest that the right hon. Gentleman should state the extent to which he proposed that the inquiry

should be carried on in the Committee.

MR. GLADSTONE said, he thought it would be very desirable to extend the terms of the Motion. There were other means of effecting amalgamations besides Amalgamation Bills, and other proceedings which attained the same purposes as Acts

of Parliament. It was desirable the Com

mittee should consider the whole of them.

University of Oxford (Mr. Gladstone).

GENERAL ANSON said, that it was his opinion that the scope of the Motion should be much more extensive than it was now proposed to be. He should be glad to have the whole subject of the future legislation with regard to railways submitted to a Committee. There were nearly two hundred Bills coming before the House for amalgamation purposes, or running powers, and he viewed it as of the utmost importance that the House should undertake the question, and that they should not be afraid to grapple with it, but should lay down some principle to guide those great companies, the directors of which were frequently unjustly attacked and accused of a monopolising spirit, when their only. object was to afford a fair security to those who had invested their money in these undertakings. It would be quite as well, in his opinion, to defer the Committee for a day or two, and in the meantime the Government might consider whether it would not be better to make the Motion even more extensive than the terms proposed by the right hon. Member for the University of Oxford (Mr. Gladstone.) He had no objection to the Committee considering the questions of amalgamation and of fact, they were one and the same thing. of leases and agreements, because, in point

MR. WALPOLE said, that it would probably be better, in the absence of his MR. ELLICE said, he had had some right hon. Friend, to postpone for the pre-experience of this matter in former Comsent the appointment of the Committee.

MR. EVELYN DENISON said, he thought it very desirable that they should know what course was to be adopted on this subject. If, on the one hand, it were inconvenient to move the Committee now, on the other hand there would be great inconvenience in the postponement of the Motion for any considerable time. He almost thought that the general convenience of the House would be best promoted if the right hon. Gentleman would move for the Committee that evening, and would take some other opportunity of cxplaining the views of the Government as to the course they would pursue.

MR. WALPOLE said, he was not aware of the details of the measure which his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade was to have proposed; and, as there seemed to be some doubt whether the terms of the Motion were sufficiently extensive, he thought it would be better not to press it at that time, though he saw no objection to the sugges

mittees, and he knew that, unless the Government stated for the consideration of the House the policy that was to be submitted to the Committee, their labours would be of very little use indeed, so far as any practical result was concerned.

MR. GLADSTONE entirely concurred in what had just fallen from his right hon. Friend the Member for Coventry. If the Motion for the Committee were agreed to, he took it for granted that the right hon. President of the Board of Trade would be ready to state the views of the Government before the names of the Committee were determined on; because it was quite certain, if there were one question more than another on which the House most absolutely required the guidance and assistance and restraint and control of the Government, it was the question of railway legislation. The Government and the House together had made but a very indifferent affair of it heretofore, and if a Committee were to attempt to go into the question without a previous declaration of the policy to be

adopted, they would become an instrument | would be desirable without full inquiry, he

of mischief rather than of good.

MR. WALPOLE said, under these circumstances, he would rather not move the Resolution at present.

LORD JOHN RUSSELL presumed that the right hon. President of the Board of Trade would be ready to state what his views were when he proposed the Committee. MR. WALPOLE said, no doubt he would. His right hon. Friend intended to have done so that evening if he could have been present.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.
The House adjourned at Six o'clock.

-mmmmm

HOUSE OF LORDS,

Friday, December 3, 1852.
MINUTES.] Took the Oaths. Several Lords.
Sat First in Parliament.-The Lord Worling-
ham, after the Death of his Father.

NATIONAL EDUCATION (IRELAND). The EARL of CLANCARTY said, he had a question to put to the noble Earl at the head of the Government on a subject of very great importance to Ireland. A petition was presented a few evenings ago from a Presbyterian body in the north of Ireland, approving of the present system of national education in Ireland, and expressing a hope that no alteration would be made; and the noble Earl who presented that petition (the Earl of Clarendon) gave expression to the hope that the noble Earl at the head of the Government would state what his views were on the subject of the petition. The noble Earl was reported to have said in reply, that it was not the intention of the Government to make any change in that system of education. Now, he begged to state that there was a strong opinion on the part of a large body in Ireland, that some change in the system was extremely necessary. He believed that four-fifths of those connected with the Established Church were disinclined to co-operate in carrying out the existing system. They had strong conscientious scruples against doing so; and, for the purpose of bringing the sysem into full harmony with the religious institutions of the country, it appeared to him that it was most important that inquiry into its operation should be entered into with a view to ascertain what amendments could be advantageously introduced into it with that object. If it was thought, as had been more than once stated, that no alteration VOL. CXXIII. [THIRD SERIES.]

would recommend to the Government that they should allow the case to be inquired into, in order that such changes might be made as were advantageous, and the system of education brought more into harmony with the form of Church Establishment in that country. Perhaps the noble Earl would state what were his views upon this point?

The EARL of DERBY said, it was with great satisfaction that he had an opportunity of answering once again a Parliamentary inquiry put by the noble Lord, whose absence from that House had been a matter of regret to all who ever had the pleasure of listening to him. If the noble Earl had been in the House a few days ago, he would have heard the answer which he gave to a noble Earl on the other side upon this subject, namely, that having looked into this question, together with his noble Friend the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with an anxious desire to meet the conscientious objections of those who differed from the existing system of education, they were unable to see their way to any measure that would attain that object, without at the same time endangering the stability of the present system-that this they would regard as a great evil; and consequently that the Government were not prepared to bring forward any measure for an alteration of the existing system. But, if his noble Friend intended to ask him if he would agree to an inquiry into the working of the system, his reply was, that if inquiry was desired, either in that or the other House of Parliament, by any considerable number of their Lordships, or Members of the other House, and if a Motion were made to that effect, he had no hesitation in saying that he should have no objection to grant a Committee; and he thought that some advantage would be derived from the fullest information being afforded as to the practical working of the system in all its details.

House adjourned to Monday next.

[blocks in formation]

MR. WALPOLE, in reply, said, that after reading the evidence adduced at the committal of Mr. De Rose, he believed the magistrate could not have come to any other decision than that he had arrived at. At the same time, it was due to Mr. De Rose to state that, judging from communications subsequently received, and from new facts which had transpired relative to the case, he must say that he wished those facts had been brought under the consideration of the magistrate, the result of which, he believed, would have been that Mr. De Rose would have been acquitted of the charge then brought against him.

Home Department what had been the re- | House of Assembly. He had no objection sult of the inquiry undertaken by the Go-to proceed to answer the second and more vernment into the case of Leopold de Rose, important question of which the hon. Baroa Polish officer, who was imprisoned in net had been kind enough to give him Winchester gaol at the instance of Captain ample notice; and he begged to state to Cospatrick Baillie Hamilton, R.N. the House that he felt very great regret that the forms of the House precluded him from accompanying his answer to that question with the explanation which it would be strongly his desire to give on this subject. Bound, however, as he was by those forms, he would only state to the hon. Baronet that Her Majesty's Government had given the fullest and most anxious consideration to this difficult and important subject, and to the whole of the circumstances under which the question had been forced upon their attention; and his answer was, that, considering that this was essentially an Upper Canadian question, and that the Representatives of Upper Canada were as nearly as possible equally divided upon the subject; considering that the majority who had carried the Resolutions to which the hon. Baronet had referred consisted in a large proportion of Roman Catholic members of the lower province, whose religion had been amply and munificently endowed; considering that the Act of 1840 was proposed and accepted by all parties as a final settlement of this long-discussed and most difficult question; considering, above all, that that Act of 1840 was part of the arrangements which attended the Act of Union, and was intended to guard against those dangers to Protestant endowments which were dreaded at the time of the Act of Union;-considering all these circumstances, it was not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce any Bill for the purpose of repealing the provisions of that Act.

THE CLERGY RESERVES IN CANADA.

SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTH said, in putting to the right hon. Secretary of State for the Colonies the question of which he had given notice, he must first ask whether the right hon. Gentleman had received an Address to the Crown to which the House of Assembly of Canada agreed on the 17th of September last, by a majority of fifty-four to twenty-two, and in which they assured Her Majesty that they deeply regretted to learn the contents of a despatch, in which the right hon. Baronet had stated that it was not the intention of Her Majesty's present Government to fulfil a promise which had been made to the Canadian Legislature by the late Government. That promise was, that Her Majesty's Government would recommend to Parliament that an Act should be passed to enable the Canadian Legislature to dispose of the proceeds of the Clergy Reserves, subject to the condition that the vested interests of persons should be secured during their lives. He wished to ask what were the present intentions of Her Majesty's Government, and whether they intended after Christmas to recommend to Parliament the measure which he had just described?

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON begged to say, in answer to the first question of the hon. Baronet, which had not, however, been mentioned in the notice-paper, that he had received from Canada the Address to which the hon. Baronet had referred, and which was founded upon certain Reso

SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTH said, he should then give notice that, immediately after the Christmas recess, he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to enable the Legislature of Canada to dispose of the proceeds of the Clergy Reserves, subject to the condition which he had just mentioned.

[blocks in formation]
« EdellinenJatka »