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ST- KATHERINE'S CHAPEL, MILFORD.

STEAM COMMUNICATION J. BETWEEN…

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HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.

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HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY. THE REFORM BILL. The House of Commons, at the morning sitting again went into committee on the Reform Bill, and resumed the consideration of Mr Lowe's proposal to introduce a clause for cumulative voting, by providing that in any contested elec- tion for a county or borough represented by more than two members, and having more than one seat vacant, every voter should be entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of vacant seats, and might give all such votes to one candidate, or distribute them among the can- didates as he might think fit. Mr \dderley, speaking on behalf of the Govern- ment, opposed the clause, which, he said, intro- duced a principle that was totally unknown to the constitution. The principle of the constitution was that the whole people should be represented by the whole, and when a member was elected he represented the minority as well as the majority. Mr Fawcett pronounced the proposal a logical one, for with three members in a constituency the majority would be represented by two and the minority by one. But it would not be logical to apply the principle to boroughs with two members only, for in that case the minority and the majority would be placed on an equal footing. Mr Newdegate would vote for the clause which was rendered necessary by the probable and not far distant extinction of the smaller constituencies. Mr Bright denounced the clause as one of the most violent attacks upon the principles of re- presentation that had ever been witnessed in that house; At no time had he been in favour of new-Iangled proposals. On the contrary, he had always asked the house to march along the ancient lines of the constitution, and thus far both the house iind the Government had done so. But now came the member for Caine with this puerile, in- significant, and utterly worthless proposition for arresting the tide of democracy as he called it, and preventing the ruin upon which he declared the house was rushing. In his opinion the house had better do their duty in reference to the matter before them, and leave these great changes to be made by those who came after them, in case they were necessary, and the measure the house was engaged in passing turned out to be a failure. Lord Cranborne argued that the clause was requisite as a means of counteracting the over- whelming preponderance which the bill would give to a particular class by the new franchise which it created. He contended that ap they were en- grafting a new principle of a democratic character upon the constitution they ought to engraft upon t, z, it also a protective principle, even though it were new. Mr Mill spoke at considerable length in favour of the clause as a portion of the scheme of repre- sentation known as 'Mr Hare's.' Mr Henley had no faith in the proposal as a counterpoise to what some hon. gentleman re- garded with apprehension, the influence which the new constituencies would exercise in the re- presentation. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in announcing his determination to vote against the clause, said that nothing could afford a greater contrast than the largeness of the principle it contained and the smallness of its application. Why, then, run the risk of so great a change with such small results ? If the principle were of the great ad- vantage which its supporters claimed for it, surely it ought to be applied more extensively and if it were good for constituencies returning three members, it would be equally good for those returning two. Apply the principle to boroughs with three representatives and the re- sult must be that in the great bulk of the con- stituencies which returned two members only political opinions would be completely neutralised. This being so, the government would thencefor- ward be in the hands of the constituencies who were represented by only one member in fact, the United Kingdom would be governed by the gentlemen who came from Scotland. With regard to the dangers which were anticipated from the democratic tendency of the bill, he frankly avowed that he had no fear on the sub- ject, and he entreated the committee not to allow such a hug-bear to be made the foundation of a new legislation that would have the effect of changing the whole character of the constitution. Sir G. Grey would vote for the second reading of the clause, for the purpose of afterwards amending it in accordance with the views ex- pressed by Mr Morrison. Mr Lowe having replied upon the whole debate, the committee divided, when there appeared for the clause, 173; and against it, 314. The clause was, therefore, rejected by the overwhelming majority of 141. On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chairman then reported progress. A SWEEPSTAKES FOR A VERDICT.—A jury em- panelled at the Bucks quarter sessions, held at Aylesburv this week, signalised themselves by the novel but very equivocal mode (after being locked up for four hours and a half), of arriving at a verdict by lottery. Twelve slips of paper were placed in a bat, on one of which was written the word 'Guilty,' and on another 'Not Guilty,' the remainder being blanks. Tne Guilty being first drawn, the jury went into court and gave their verdict to that effect. The case was that of a man charged with stealing two surgical trusses.—Bucks Herald. THE NAVAL REVIEW.-— Preparatory to the great event of Wednestray, the 17th inst, the Admiral Commander-in-Chief will, when convenient, take the port division of the fleet to sea for exercise. This division will comprise the Victoria, 102 (fla" ship); Irresistible, 60; Donegal, 81; Revenue", 73 St. George, 72 Royal George, 72 Duncan! 81 Lion, 60 Princess Royal, 73 Mersey, 36; Liffey, 31; Liverpool, 35 Phoebe, 35 Sutlej, 35 and Dauntless, 21. In order to retain the proper line of formation, a number of parti-coloured buoys will be laid down at Spithead. so that each ship on her return to the anchorage will be enabled to reform the line, the same position and equi- distant space, one vessel from the other, beinu maintained. On the day of the review a number of visitors will be allowed on board each ship, the Victoria and Minotaur excepted, it being under stood that her Majesty the Queen wiIJvisit thosf two ships prior to the fleet leaving the anchorage The Royal Albert Yacht Club, at Southsea, has been thrown open fur the use of commissione; officers of her Majesty's feet during the month o July.

THE BLIND BOY AND THE LIFE-BOAT,