rests, or ought to rest; it is not any mere cavil which leads us to say that we, at least, can find no principle, no resting ground for the sole of our feet, between this measure and the total abolition of all prohibitions in cases of affinity. I have always felt that the social, the moral, and the religious considerations bearing on this question are inseparably connected with each other; and the moment you attempt, for the purpose of facilitating any one single kind of marriage, to sever those considerations, and to deny that religious or moral considerations affect it, to my mind it is an inevitable consequence that you will be unable to maintain them as applicable in other cases, in which other civilized communities have dispensed with other prohibitions which, for the present, you propose to maintain. I will not, however, rely only on my own apprehensions in this case; that they are amply justified will be at once seen by the House when I have read part of an article which appeared in an extremely able, consistent, and advanced journal-The Pall Mall Gazette-on the day after the second reading of the Bill, of which it approves. On June 12, The Pall Mall Gazette said "There is no doubt that a movement is going on all over the world for the relaxation of the strictness of the conjugal tie. Protestant countries have always had a tendency to be laxer with regard to it than Catholic countries; but no Protestant country in time past has gone such lengths as some States in America now do, and some of our Colonies seem inclined to do That there is a critical issue before the civilized world in relation to the sanctity of marriage is very probable." I should not like to have it on my conscience that I had accelerated the progress of that movement in this country. As for the consequences of this kind of legislation in the future, the same journal, a few days later, printed the letter of a clear-sighted and intelligent correspondent, who thus wrote "The only legal preventive to love and barrier to marriage is, or ought to be, consanguinity. No Act of Parliament can make a sister-in-law into a real sister. Consequently, a man has no right to be more intimate during marriage with his wife's sister, than with his wife's cousin, friend, or young lady visitor." Thus it is not only those who oppose the Bill, but those who support it, who foretell the breaking up of these, which to so many in all classes, and to myself among the number, are among the dearest, the most sacred, and most intimate domestic relations. I, for one, am not willing to renounce, or to have taken from me, the right to be more intimate with my wife's sister, than with her cousin, or friend, or lady visitor. Having said this much, which I felt I could not avoid saying, I must necessarily give my vote against the Bill. On Question (leave being given to The Lord MIDDLETON and The Lord MOSTYN to vote in the House)? 140; Not-Contents 145: Majority 5. Their Lordships divided:-Contents formed last year, the income of the Irish House adjourned at a quarter past Seven MR. GEORGE RUSSELL: If the hon. Gentleman will allow me, I will answer this Question. The Local Government Board have made inquiry, and find that, after repeated warnings, proceedings were instituted against William H. Kennard, in May, 1882, for not complying with an order of the Justices for the vaccination of his child. The fine imposed with costs after warrants of distress and commitment amounted to 35s., and this sum was paid. Proceedings were again instituted in May of the present year. Kennard pleaded guilty, and was fined 208. and costs, and, in default of distress, was sen tenced to 14 days' imprisonment. The return to the warrant of distress was "No goods." Kennard was supposed to leave Shoreham for Brighton, and gave at the police-station an address at Brighton which was found to be false, and he was subsequently apprehended at Shoreham. The warrant of commitment did not impose hard labour, and it is untrue, as stated in the Question, that Kennard had to sleep on a PUBLIC BILLS-Resolution in Committee-Ordered plank bed. The superintendent of police -First Reading-Companies Acts Amend-states that Kennard, on the day he came ment [246]. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Thursday, 28th June, 1883. MINUTES.]-SUPPLY-considered in Committee Ordered-First Reading-Marine Policies (Colli- Considered as amended-Friendly, &c. Societies QUESTIONS. 18:0:6 VACCINATION ACTS-WILLIAM MR. P. A. TAYLOR asked the President of the Local Government Board; Whether his attention has been called to the imprisonment in Portsmouth Gaol of William Henry Kennard, of Shoreham, Sussex, for the non-payment of a fine under the Vaccination Acts, he having already paid 358. on account of the same child, the sentence having been passed by the Steyning Bench of Magistrates, and the said W. H. Kennard having been compelled to pick oakum and to lie upon a plank bed; and, whether any circular has been issued by the present Government, addressed to Magistrates or Guardians, in deprecation of repeated prosecutions under the Vaccination Acts? out of gaol, informed him that he had been treated by everyone in the prison with a great deal of kindness. No Circular has been issued by the Local Government Board. The views of the Board on the subject are set forth in a letter which has been published as a Parliamentary Paper, and are generally well known. It has been the practice of the Board to send a copy of that Parliamentary Paper to the Board of Guardians whenever it appeared to be desirable to do. THE TRUCK ACT-MEDICAL ATTEND. MR. BURT asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to an article in The North Eastern Daily Gazette of the 7th instant, in which it is stated that certain firms of ironstone mine owners in the Cleveland district have for several years past made deductions from the wages of the miners in their employment for medicine and medical attendance without the sanction of the workmen, the medical men being selected by the employers, and being in some cases very objectionable to the miners; whether, if the statements made in this article be correct, the mine owners are not committing a breach of the Truck Act, and rendering themselves liable to heavy penalties; and, whether he can take any steps to put a stop to the practice complained of? SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said he had received a long Correspondence from the Inspector of Mines in this district, which stated the communications which that official had had with the miners on the subject. It would not be possible, within the limits of a reply to a Question, to state all the points, and the hon. Member would probably like to look at the Correspondence. In that case it was very likely that an arrangement of the points in dispute might be arrived at which would be satisfactory to all parties concerned. MADAGASCAR-ENGLAND AND FRANCE-IDENTITY OF POLICY. LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE : Further Reports giving much information as to the Slave Trade in Morocco have been received, and will be shortly laid before Parliament. Speaking generally, they show that a very unsatis factory state of affairs exist in Morocco. The subject continues to occupy the attention of the Foreign Office. EGYPT-MAJOR BARING, HER GENERAL. LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL MR. ARTHUR ARNOLD asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in accordance with the declaration of Her Majesty's Go-spect to the Suez Canal? vernment recognizing "the Queen of Madagascar as absolute Monarch of the whole Island," and with the understanding between Great Britain and France "that the two Governments should maintain an identic attitude of policy in Madagascar, and act in concert in the matter," Her Majesty's Governin the matter," Her Majesty's Government has made representations to the French Government concerning the action and the claims of France in Madagascar ? (for Sir H. DRUMMOND WOLFF) asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether application has been or will be made by Her Majesty's Government to the Sultan for an exequatur to enable Major Baring to enter on his duties as Her Majesty's Consul General in Egypt; and, whether any understanding had been arrived at with tained in Lord Granville's Circular DeForeign Powers on the proposals conspatch of January 3rd, 1883, with re LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: No, Sir; no communication has been made to the Government of France since my reply to the hon. Member on Thursday last. MR. ARTHUR ARNOLD: I shall repeat the Question on this day week. MOROCCO-SLAVERY AND SLAVE MR. A. PEASE asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government have received any further information respecting the slave trade now being carried on on Morocco; and, whether their information confirms the report of the sale and mutilation of slaves which appeared in The Evening Standard of 19th June. Mr. Burt LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: Yes, Sir; the usual course of applying In answer to the next Question, I have for the bérat or exequatur will be followed. to say that certain observations, of an entirely friendly character, have been received from different Foreign Powers on the proposals in question; but no final understanding in regard to them yet has been arrived at. EGYPT-LAW AND JUSTICE-TRIAL OF LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been drawn to an extract in The Morning Post of Friday, 15th June, from The Egyptian Gazette, giving an account of the trial of Suleiman Sami; and, if so, whether he can ascertain whether it is the case, as stated in that account, that Suleiman Sami pleaded not guilty;", that his advocate, Jacobbi, requested permission to open the proceedings by lodging certain evidence taken in another case which bore specially upon the one before the Court; whether the Court refused such permission, and at once called upon the Public Prosecutor; whether the Public Prosecutor in his speech used the following expression: whether, at the conclusion of the speech of the Public Prosecutor, Mr. Jacobbi objected to the course taken in having heard the Public Prosecutor before the witnesses had given their evidence; whether Mr. Jacobbi applied that the depositions and other documents taken in the trial of Arabi should be brought before the Court, as they bore special reference to the trial of Suleiman Sami; whether the Court refused the application, and thereupon the advocate, Jacobbi, threw up his brief, after a long and elaborate protest, which he handed to the Court; whether that protest can be obtained and laid upon the Table of the House; what part, if any, Major Macdonald took in the discussions; and, whether he has made any report of the proceedings to Sir Edward Malet, and whether such Report can be laid upon the Table; and, in the event of no such Report having been made, whether Her Majesty's Government will call for one, and lay it upon the Table? The noble Lord added that he had the following Question on the Paper addressed to the Prime Minister, which he would put to the Under Secretary-namely, Why the despatch of Lord Dufferin, and the telegrams to Sir Edward Malet, together with some germane Papers, referred to by him on June 11th, with reference to the trial of Suleiman Sami, and which he promised to lay upon the Table as soon as possible, have not yet been produced, seeing that more than a fortnight has elapsed since these Papers were referred to and promised, and when they will be in the hands of Members? LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: In reply to the noble Lord's Question, addressed to me, as well as to that addressed to the Prime Minister, I may state that I have to-day laid on the Table of the House Papers which contain full information on the points referred to by the noble Lord. The reason why they have not been laid before is, that Reports from Egypt were expected of which the last only reached the Foreign Office on Tuesday last. LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL: The noble Lord does not say whether the protest of the advocate of Suleiman Sami has been received by Her Majesty's Government, and whether it will be laid on the Table of the House. I will be greatly obliged to the noble Lord, and I will put my Question to-morrow if he will answer it seriatim. LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: The Report of Major Macdonald gives full information on all these points. I think I may fairly appeal to the noble Lord to examine these Papers before he asks further Questions. EGYPT (MILITARY EXPEDITION)-COMMISSARIAT SUPPLIES (HAY). DR. CAMERON asked the Surveyor General of Ordnance, How much of the hay sent out for the use of the Egyptian Expedition was, on being landed, found caked and mildewed; and, whether the Commissary General at Head Quarters was consulted as to its purchase, or the mode in which it should be packed; and, if not, who purchased it and who was responsible for the method in which it was packed? MR. BRAND: A portion of the supplies first sent to Egypt arrived in a caked or mildewed condition, and had to be used for bedding purposes. It is impossible to say what was the amount of hay so damaged. This was part of the supply which, in consequence of the rapid departure of the Expedition, had to be pressed in perpetual pressing machines without respect to the weather, and frequently throughout the night. Of the supplies subsequently despatched, which were pressed under the ordinary precautions, I have no reason to believe that any portion was found unfit for use, and the general officer and veterinary surgeon reported favourably on the other consignments of hay. In reply to the second Question, I have to say that the Commissary General at head-quarters was not consulted as to the purchase of the hay, or as to the mode in which it should be pressed. It was purchased in the usual manner, under contracts, in various parts of England and Ireland, and it was pressed under the inspection of the local Commissariat officers. COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON AGRICULTURE-THE PROPOSED STAFF. MR. R. H. PAGET asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, If he will be good enough to state the ar |