Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

make men virtuous by Act of Parliament. But there was one effectual mode of arresting the progress of this great evil, by substituting for those intoxicating drinks others of a more harmless nature. If, by any well-devised system of immigration, they could increase the production of sugar, and lower the price of tea and coffee, which must always depend greatly upon the price of sugar, he thought they would do more to suppress intemperance than by all the "liquor laws" that could be devised. There could be no question that the re peal of the discriminatory duties on sugar had given a great impulse to slavery. He did not call in question the policy of repealing those duties, for he did not think that the people of this country, after having made such great sacrifices in abolishing slavery could be called upon to add to those sacrifices; but it seemed to him to be a most inconsistent policy, on the one hand, to say that we would admit slave-grown sugar into this country, and on the other to fetter, in every possible way, the efforts of the colonists to procure free labour, lest by chance some of the immigrants might experience inconvenience. He believed that free immigration, if properly conducted, would be of great and material benefit to our Colonies, and at the same time of equal advantage to the people of this country. That was the material aspect of the question: how did its moral aspect stand? The noble Earl who last spoke observed that the best mode of arresting the slave trade was the encouragement of immigration, and the consequent reduction of the value of slavelabour produce. What was the position in which we now stood with regard to slavery and the slave trade? No doubt the people of this country had set a noble example to others by the course it had taken in respect to the slave trade, and had shown that they cared not what sacrifices they incurred provided they could only free themselves from the reproach of permitting slavery in their dominions; but so long as other nations could point to the present condition of the West India islands, we could hardly expect them to follow our example. He believed, however, that by promoting free immigration those islands might yet be restored to that flourishing condition which they had certainly not enjoyed since the great work of negro emancipation was accomplished. With regard to the slave trade, remember the position in which we were now placed. If there were

any reliance to be placed on the accounts which had appeared of the communications that had passed between the noble Earl the Foreign Secretary, and Mr. Dallas, the American Minister in this country, it would seem that our ships of war had no power whatever of stopping a slaver on the high seas, in case she chose to hoist the American flag. We had even been obliged to abandon the blockade of the island of Cuba; and the operations of our squadron were now literally confined to watching the African coast, preventing the shipment of negroes from that quarter, entering into treaties with the native chiefs, and encouraging them to cultivate the arts of peace. It was, however, quite clear that every cargo of free immigrants would reduce the demand for slaves, and so become an assistance in putting an end to the slave trade: and this mode of proceeding had the advantage of being unattended with expense to this country, while the maintenance of our squadrons for suppressing the slave trade was attended with a vast expenditure. He did not wish, however, to substitute the one plan for the other, for the slave squadrons might be maintained at the same time that endeavours were made to foster tropical produce by the aid of free labour. He was glad to say that better prospects were opening for the West India islands, and several immigrants, after having returned to their native land, had gone back again to labour in the islands. One serious obstacle in the way of immigration had been the want of women; but that was in a fair way of being supplied, and women were beginning to immigrate. He was satisfied that the colonists would do their part, and he hoped that Her Majesty's Government would do theirs and strengthen the colonists' hands; for whether we considered the interests of the people of England, or those of the immigrants themselves, or the interests of the colonies, it was evidently the duty of the Imperial Government to aid the latter, as far as possible, in obtaining an adequate supply of free labour. He was, therefore, glad that the Government had intimated their intention of agreeing to the Bill with Amendments, and he hoped that it would be printed and placed in the hands of Members of Parliament.

THE BISHOP OF OXFORD said he did not rise for the purpose of opposing the Bill, which was not before the House, but to impress on his noble Friend (the Earl of Carnarvon) the great importance of the

suggestion which had been made by the take upon the subject; because, whilst noble Earl opposite (Earl Grey). His desiring to be accurate, and to omit no noble Friend had used the words, that point in the sequence of events which there were parts of the Bill which Her Ma bore upon this question, he had stated jesty's Government would require the local that there were blots and blemishes in Legislature to alter. From this it was to the Bill, which the colonial Legislature be inferred, that in the judgment of the would be required to alter; but in doing Government the alterations to be required so, he had not laid sufficient stress upon were important. Now, he wished his noble the fact, that every one of those blots and Friend to weigh well the exceeding disad- blemishes was really, in itself, unimporvantage to which the Government would tant, when considered with regard to the be put in enforcing what they believed to general operation of the Bill. It would, be necessary for the great end they had no doubt, be advantageous to the completein view, if they let this power pass out of ness and entirety of the measure, that those their own hands; for in the local Assem- blots should be amended; but he did not bly there might be persons who would foresee the possibility of any practical endeavour to outvote those who had given evil resulting from them, though they the pledge that the alteration should be might be left as they now were. More made; and then, in what position would than that, the noble Earl must be well the Government be, if, having understood aware that, even supposing-which he that the alterations would be made which himself had no reason to suppose the they deemed to be important, they were colonial Legislature did refuse to make defeated in the House of Assembly of Ja- the alterations that were desirable, there maica, and the Bill became law with those were powers in the hands of the Colonial defects which they themselves thought Minister for bringing them to reason, if he should first be struck out of the measure? might use the words, should that become The more important that it was both for necessary. But he must say, that the the native races, and for our West India colonial Legislature, throughout the whole Islands, that properly conducted immigra- of these transactions, had shown an hontion should be encouraged and fostered, ourable desire to meet the Government with the more anxious was he that no such mis- the most perfect good faith. No doubt it take should be committed; because, if the was a disappointment to them to hear Bill worked badly for the immigrant when of the disallowance of an Act in reference it thus became law, and there were to be to which they had erred, as he believed, admitted cases of abuse in the West India unintentionally. But they at once adIslands, and a cry arose in this country dressed themselves to the task of remedy. against the principle of free immigration ing the error with good faith, and had itself, grounded upon the evils which had honestly endeavoured to carry out the been allowed to creep in, it would be far principle laid down in the despatch of his more difficult afterwards, when the jealousy noble Friend, the then Colonial Secretary. of the people had been excited concerning it, to establish and foster a proper system of immigration than to prevent the evils attaching to the subject at the outset. He would suggest to his noble Friend, therefore, whether Her Majesty's Government should adopt an intermediate course, and say-not that they would not present the Bill for Her Majesty's sanction-but that they would not present it with those blemishes; and in the meanwhile have it printed with the correspondence, and laid upon the table of the House, so that it might be possible for their Lordships to form their own judgment with regard to the importance of those matters, before it was presented to Her Majesty for her approbation.

THE EARL OF CARNARVON was afraid that he had led the House-into some mis

House adjourned at a quarter-past Six o'clock, to Thursday next, half-past Ten o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

Tuesday, February 8, 1859.

MINUTES.] NEW WRITS ISSUED.-For Enniskillen, v. The Right Hon. James Whiteside, Steward of Hempholme; For Greenwich, v. John Townsend, esq., Steward of Northstead.

NEW MEMBERS SWORN.-For Linlithgow (Coun-
ty), Charles Baillie, esq.; For Boston, William
Henry Adams, esq.

PUBLIC BILLS.-1o Sale of Poisons; Marriage
Law Amendment; Church Rates Abolition;
Church Rates Commutation; Elections, &c.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY-QUESTION. |clusion that in accepting the offer of a site SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY said, he wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if a gal lery for pictures is building, and in what locality? If so, what will be the expense of such building, and out of what moneys voted by Parliament will such expense be defrayed?

their independence would be not at all compromised. I hope and trust that the House will agree that the view which they took was the just, proper, and honest one. This being the state of the case, and it being settled that the building in Trafalgar Square shall be devoted to its original purpose, and its original purpose aloneTHE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE- namely, the reception of the pictures for QUER: The question of the hon. Baronet the National Gallery-an announcement refers to a matter of greater importance was made about that time by the proper than might be at first supposed. It really authorities, on the part of his Royal Highrefers to the question of a National Gal-ness the Prince of Wales, that he expected lery. The House will recollect that last his residence, Marlborough House, would Session, wearied by the continued unsettle- be ready for his reception with all convement of the question, and having no confidence that any further inquiry by Select Committees or Royal Commissions would produce a very satisfactory result, there seemed to be a general feeling that the Government should attempt to cut the Gordian knot and bring the question of the National Gallery to a final settlement. I undertook on the part of the Government, in deference to the feeling of the House, to obtain that result if possible, and I have the pleasure of informing the House that I have succeeded in accomplishing that which appeared to be the general wish of the country. The whole of the building in Trafalgar Square will speedily be entirely devoted to the National Gallery. I was so anxious on the part of the Government to bring this long-vexed question to a satisfactory settlement, that I was prepared to offer to the Royal Academy terms which were conceived in a liberal spirit. We were prepared to recommend Her Majesty to grant them a site, and I may say we are prepared even now to recommend this House to vote a sum of money to raise a building. But the Royal Academy, animated by a spirit which the House will appreciate, and which is worthy of that distinguished body, considered that if the expenditure for that purpose were defrayed out of the public funds, their independence would be compromised; and being in pos. session of sufficient property themselves, they announced their determination to raise the building for themselves, and declined any public contribution. Taking into consideration, however, various questions, into the merits of which we need not enter, the position they occupied and the claim they might be said to possess from having had a residence furnished, if not granted, by the Crown originally, and enjoyed so long, the Royal Academy came to the con

nient despatch. His Royal Highness required that it should be ready for him next November, and we ascertained that it would take not less than eight months to put that residence in a proper state for the reception of his Royal Highness. The House is aware that for many years, through the gracious kindness of Her Majesty, Marlborough House has been at the service of the public. It became necessary, under these circumstances, to perform our part of the agreement with the Trustees of the National Gallery-that the Vernon and Turner collections should be placed in a proper receptacle until they can be received in the building in Trafalgar Square, and not only placed in a proper receptacle, but so completely under the control of the trustees and authorities that, wherever they might for the moment be deposited, no question could be raised hereafter as to whom they belonged, to what collection they pertained, and what authorities had the control and custody of them. Our first idea was to prepare the building known as the Carlton Ride for their reception; but when it was examined into it was found that the expense would be very considerable, that it would take not less than £3,000 to place the building in a condition to receive the pictures, and that, after all, it would not be fireproof. It was almost impossible to engage a building suitable for the purpose, and under those circumstances it was suggested that we might erect a gallery on that part of the land at Kensington Gore, which I may say is rented of the Royal Commissioners, under the arrangement of last year, for the convenience of the Government; that such a gallery would receive the Turner and Vernon collections until the building of Trafalgar Square is ready to receive them, and that

MR. KINNAIRD inquired, whether the right hon. Gentleman could inform the House what site would be granted to the Royal Academy for their new building? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER.-Part of the ground round Bur

MANNING THE NAVY.
QUESTION.

SIR CHARLES NAPIER said, he would beg to inquire of the First Lord of the Admiralty when the Report of the Commission for Manning the Navy, with the evidence taken before the Commissioners, will be laid on the table of the House; and also when the Return of Deserters, moved for last Session, will be laid on the table of the House?

they would be connected with the collection granted to the country by Mr. Sheepshanks. It was, of course, impossible, as Parliament was not sitting and could not be consulted, to settle the question definitely, but as is usual on such occasions, the Treasury had thought fit to take the respon-lington House. The Royal Academy will sibility of ordering the necessary altera- be connected with other public buildings. tions. As far as expense is concerned, The interior will be left to the disposition the first estimate which was made for this of the Academy; the exterior will be subbuilding at Kensington was not as great as ordinate to the design of the Government, the expense which would have been in- if the Government insist upon that concurred in the temporarily fitting up of dition. Carlton Ride, although it was thought expedient afterwards that the expense should be increased. It was thought expedient for this reason-it is necessary that the curators of the National Gallery, the agents of the Trustees, shall have complete control of the collection, that they may not pass under any other authority; and therefore it is necessary that apartments shall be prepared for them, and also that accommodation shall be given for the overflow of pictures now accruing to the National Gallery. Although, in consequence of this, there has been some considerable addition made to the original estimate, I believe the whole sum to be expended on this temporary gallery will not amount to the annual rent of the premises which we once contemplated engaging for this purpose. I trust the hon. Baronet will feel that every care has been taken that the expenditure shall not exceed a reasonable amount. The result will be that, I hope, at the end of two years the Royal Academy will be established in their new building on the new site; that the building in Trafalgar Square will be completely devoted to the national collections of pictures, including the Turner and Vernon collections, as well as others which may hereafter be left to the country; and that there will then be left to the country, for the expenditure which they are now incurring, a building at Kensington which will be of the greatest use to the Government on many occasions and for many purposes, when, as all who have had the management of affairs of this kind know, a want of accommodation springs up in an accidental and casual manner, the nonsupply of which is of great injury to the public service. I trust that the explanation which I have now given-which I should otherwise have given upon another occasion, but which I thought due to the House after the inquiry of the hon. Baronet -will prove satisfactory.

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON said, that in answer to the first part of the hon. and gallant Admiral's question, he could inform him that the Royal Commissioners on the question of the best means of manning the Navy were now considering their Report, and he had every reason to believe that he should receive it in a week or ten days, when he should at once lay it on the table of the House. He could only hope, with respect to the latter portion of the question, that it would be borne in mind on both sides of the House that returns of this character took a great deal of time and labour. The return of deserters could not be prepared in less than two months from this time at the earliest. Six clerks had been employed on this one ever since last August, and it would probably cost the country not less than £500. Perhaps he ought to blame himself for granting it, and certainly had he been aware of the expense and labour it entailed he should not have done so. He hoped the hon. Member, on future occasions, would abstain, as far as possible, from moving for returns of this nature, which involved an enormous expense, without being of a commensurate value or utility.

MILITARY HONOURS.

QUESTION.

MR. LAURIE said, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for War when it would be probable that the Turkish medal,

so long promised by the Sultan, will be issued to the army engaged in the Crimea; and whether it is intended that a medal should be awarded to the troops engaged during the Indian eampaign; and if the report is correct that several of the Queen's regiments are now ordered home?

GENERAL PEEL, in reply, begged to inform his hon. Friend that about half the Turkish medals had arrived in this country, and would be distributed to the troops immediately, those present with their regiments receiving them in the first instance; 47,000 had arrived, of which 10,000 had been appropriated to the Navy. He stated last year that Her Majesty had been graciously pleased to grant a medal to the troops serving in India, with clasps for those present at the capture of Delhi and Lucknow, and the relief of Lucknow, and also to the garrison of Lucknow. With reference to whether troops had been ordered home from India, he could only say that none had been ordered home except those who would, in the natural course of their service, have returned last year, but who were detained in consequence of the breaking out of the mutiny. He believed that about seven infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment would re

turn.

THE CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION

ACT.-QUESTION.

MR. H. BERKELEY said, he wished to ask the Attorney General whether, seeing the probability of an early dissolution of Parliament, it is his intention to deal with the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, so as to endeavour to correct its tendencies, or to permit the electors of Great Britain and Ireland to elect Members under its present enactments.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL replied, that the question was one of very great importance. The subject had received, and would continue to receive, the anxious consideration of Her Majesty's Government. He could not admit that the question had been left unconsidered in the last Session of Parliament; nor was he able at the present moment to state with any precision what course the Government intended to take. An early opportunity would be taken by some Member of the Government to bring the subject under the attention of the House, and to make a statement which he hoped would be satisfactory. Possibly that opportunity would

offer itself when the Reform Bill came under the consideration of the House.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

QUESTION.

MR. H. BERKELEY said, he begged to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it be true that Her Majesty's Government are about to grant a guarantee or subsidy to the Atlantic Telegraph Company; and, if so, upon what conditions?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, that several applications had been made to the Treasury for a subsidy for the purpose referred to; but, as no Resolution had been come to of the kind mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, it was not in his power to answer the question.

FUNDING OF EXCHEQUER BILLS.
QUESTION.

SIR GEORGE LEWIS said, he wished to inquire of the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any funding of Exchequer bills had recently taken place; and, if so, to what extent, and by what authority?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, there had been some funding of Exchequer bills, he believed to the amount of £7,600,000, by the authority of the Commissioners of Savings Banks. This course had been rendered necessary by the financial operations of the war. Several Votes had been taken in the shape of Exchequer bills, but the number in existence was such that it was not thought desirable at that moment to place more of them in the market. The same operation had been frequently resorted to by the Treasury, even under circumstances of less perplexity than the present, and of course it made not the slightest difference in the liabilities of the country.

SIR GEORGE LEWIS said, he did not know if he had caught the right hon. Gentleman's words correctly-that certain Exchequer bills authorized to meet votes of credit had not been issued. What he wanted to know was, whether the Exchequer bills which had been lately funded were in the hands of the Commissioners of Savings Banks, or whether they had been previously issued by the Government?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, the right hon. Gentleman had misunderstood him, if he supposed he had said that these bills had not been issued. Of course they had been issued. What he had meant to convey was, that from the large amount of those securities in the

« ZurückWeiter »