POSTSCRIPT.
In the House of Lords, Earl ST. GERMANS called for a decision on the second reading of his bill to legalize marriage with a deceased wife's sister. The debate was carried on, with considerable spirit, by the old advocates and old opponents of the change. The motion was supported by speeches from Lord ST. GERMANS himself, the Earl of ALBEMARLE, Lord RAVENSWORTH, Earl GREY, and the Earl of ELLESMERE and it was opposed by the Bishop of Ox.ronn, Lord DUNGANNON, Lord CAMPBELL, the Bishop of CASHEL, the Bishop of ST. DAVID'S, the Bishop of ExzrEn, and Lord CONGLETON. The form of opposition was a motion by the Bishop of OXFORD to defer the second reading for six months ; and that was carried by 43 to 24. No proxies were used.
In the House of Commons, the principal business was the considera- tion of Sir George Grey's Police Bill in Committee. On clause 1, MT. HENLEY moved an amendment, which in effect gave County Magistrates power to establish what police force they saw fit. This reopened the debate on the principle of the bill, which occupied much time. In the end, the amendment was negatived by 268 to 94; and the clause was agreed to. On passing to clause 2, which enables the Queen to require separate police districts to be made in counties, the Committee came more quickly to a division, and the clause was carried by 198 to 62. It was now very late, and the House resumed.
At an earlier hour, Mr. LAINO asked for explanation as to the reported intention of the Government in sending troops—ten thousand men—to Ca- nada. The troops were withdrawn in accordance with the new system of Colonial policy, and not to meet a temporary emergency : were they about to depart from the new principle ? If so, a more unfitting moment could not be chosen. He also wished to know whether a body of troops was to be landed at Costa Rica to act against General Walker?
Lord PALMERSTON said, the report that ten thousand men were to be sent to Canada is a " gross exaggeration" ; but if it were not so, would any man in his senses imagine that they were going to invade the United States with ten thousand men? The exigencies of the war had caused them to strip the North American Colonies of almost every regular soldier. They were now about to send some four thousand men, not to Canada only, but generally to serve in the North American Colonies as a basis for the proper defence of the military posts there. It is impossible to rely on the militia of those colonies for regular ser- vice. It would be very injudicious to throw them on their own re- sources for every means of defence. They afford an excellent militia ; but it is the duty of the Government not to leave those loyal, attached, and valuable colonies, without some foundation for the military support of the defensive militia they are now forming.
"That is all her Majesty's Government are about to do ; and I really think any person who raises a cry of alarm that we are going to invade the United States, when we are only sending some three or four thousand men to occupy the military posts of Quebec and Montreal, is idly trifling with the feelings of the country."
The report respecting the landing of tiwps at Costa Rica Lord Pal- merston jocularly authorized Mr. Laing to contradict on his authority. In the course of the evening, Sir CHARLES Woon described in ample detail the arrangements made by the Admiralty to take the Lords and Commons to the review and back again. He vindicated the Admiralty from any charge of negligence, and threw the blame on the railway. Two railway magnates, Mr. CHAPLIN and Mr. Hureank, traced the failure to the enormous traffic, and to causes beyond the control of directors-the machinery of the engine that broke down. Earl GRAN VILLE made an explanation in the Upper House which led to no debate.
In reply to Mr. BYNG, Sir GEORGE GREY stated that it is the intention of the Government to advise her Majesty to appoint a public thanks- giving for the peace ; and it is not improbable that that thanksgiving would be offered up before the display of fireworks take place.
Previous page
