and their zealous aid; but I can tell the noble Lord that when they come to my office it is not Parliamentary Reform that they speak about, it is not financial interests that most concern them, but what they say is," Peace! Let the Government give us peace; it is the only thing that we require. Our energies are depressed, our commerce circumscribed, and our enterprise crippled; but let the Government secure for us peace, and then they will be entitled to the gratitude and confidence of their country." I thought, Sir, we had secured peace. I thought the time had arrived when I might have come down to this House and tell them that the dark disquietude that for three months has overshadowed Europe had passed away, had been succeeded by serenity and repose; but for this untoward, this unhappy Motion of the noble Lord that might have been. And I tell the noble Lord that when he goes to the hustings, of which he talks, and brandishes this Bill, he will find the minds of his constituents full of another matter, and that they will demand from him the reasons for the course he has adopted.

Sir, it is something more than a year ago that Her Majesty summoned Lord Derby to Her councils. Lord Derby then, as on all other occasions, expressed to Her Majesty his readiness, as a last resource, to serve his Sovereign: but he also felt it his duty then to explain to the Queen that his position in the House of Commons had been much weakened by the last general election, and that he could not count in the following of his friends, on more, probably, than one-third of the Members of this House; and, Sir, under these circumstances, Lord Derby humbly submitted to Her Majesty his wish that Her Majesty would reconsider her intention and deign to pause before Her Majesty commanded him to undertake so difficult a task. The Queen was graciously pleased to act on that suggestion, and Her Majesty did reconsider her intention. Her Majesty surveyed the condition of her kingdom and of her empire with that comprehensive and perfectly impartial spirit which all who have served Her Majesty know that she ever exercises. And it was under these circumstances, having reconsidered the position of affairs, that Her Majesty deigned to signify to Lord Derby that she deemed it was his duty to undertake the manageof public affairs. Sir, we have endeavoured, in pursuance of the command of our

Sovereign, to admnister the affairs of this mighty empire. That we have done so sedulously I presume to say; that we have conducted them not altogether without success I venture to believe. I know, Sir, that when we acceded to office there was a great fear in the public mind that this country was not defended as became England; but we now know, Sir, that the name of England carries due authority abroad, and that she can add to negotiation all that influence that results from the consciousness of power. I know that when we acceded to office there was great distress and depression in men's minds; a fear of increased taxation impending and disappointment from the suspicion that engagements for the reduction of taxation would not be fulfilled. But, Sir, the burdens on the public have not been increased, and the promises of reduction have been realized; and the state of our revenue is, in every sense, highly satisfactory. With regard to the more important branch of foreign affairs, I can say truly that although in that respect we had an inheritance of trouble, and probably during the period of our official existence we have had as many difficulties to deal with as could well fall to the lot of any Ministry, although during the last three months the question of peace or war has sometimes appeared to tremble in the balance, and to be only a matter of a moment, still we have so managed affairs that all immediate dangers appear to have vanished. There is now a prospect of arrangement, which, if concluded, will lead to the establishment of undoubted and enduring peace. I touch, Sir, on principal topics: doubtless there are others, and of importance, but I will not dilate on them now. We have, I think, introduced measures calculated to make law reform not merely a mockery and a by-word. If we are indebted for the pacification of India to the wisdom of our rulers and the valour of our chiefs, at least it must be acknowledged that this Administration did support and promote the success and heroism of those men by sending out to them, under great stress and difficulties, those supplies of valiant soldiers and those munitions that led to the triumphs they achieved. The noble Lord has talked, as he always talks, of a dissolution of the present Parliament. These are words that cannot escape my lips, and I must, with the permission of the House, refrain from touching upon that

Isult the convenience of the House by not entering into the general question involved in my Amendment. ["Hear, hear!" "Divide!" and laughter.] I shall, therefore, at once move that the words I have read be added to the Resolution. [Cries of "Withdraw!" and "Divide."]

Amendment proposed to the said proposed Amendment, by adding at the end thereof the words "and that at any Election of a Member or Members to serve in Parliament, the Votes shall be taken by Ballot."

MR. H. BERKELEY:-Sir, as this is a question which I have taken a prominent part in advocating for many years past, I trust to the courtesy of hon. Members to allow me to address a few observations to the House. First, I would request my hon. Friend (Mr. Wyld) not to press his Motion. Sir,-["Divide!" "Go on!"], I have always consulted those hon. Gentlemen who have done me the honour to place me in the front of the battle in this question as to the mode in which it should be brought forward; and I find it is the general opinion of the leading men of that particular party that it will be detrimental to the ballot to introduce it to the House in this manner. It is not, however, in deference to any man or any set of men that I have come to the conclusion that this is not the time or the occasion for propounding it. I do not think a man is called on to support any question, however important, if he be of opinion that it is brought forward in an improper manner. ["Divide!"] If my hon. Friend will give notice of a substantive Motion on this question, it shall have my cordial support. ["Divide !"] But if he persists in dividing now, I will certainly not go into the same lobby with him. I will not vote against the ballot, but I will certainly withdraw from the House. I entreat the hon. Gentleman not to place this question in this disadvantgeous position. [Loud cries of "Divide!" and

E. H.

Question proposed, "That the proposed words be there added."

MR. WYLD:-I wish to add an Amendment. ["Oh, oh!"] It is, "That at any election of a Member or Members to serve in Parliament, the votes shall be taken by ballot." I am sure, after the protracted debate which has just been brought to a termination, I shall best con

MR. MILNER GIBSON :-Sir, it appears to me that to commence the discussion of such an important question at such a moment as this would be perfectly unprecedented. ["Oh ;" and interruption.] I am in favour of the ballot-["Divide, divide!"],-but I respectfully submit to my hon. Friend that the best mode of submitting the question of the ballot to the House will be to give notice-[Interruption, “Divide!"] If he wants to take an unfair

division upon the ballot-if he wants to obtain the least possible support, he will go to a division now. ["Divide !"] As a friend of the ballot I trust he will not call for a division. If he does, I for one will not go into the lobby with him.

MR. CLAY rose amid loud cries of "Divide!" All that could be made out was that the hon. Member moved the adjourn

Question, "That the words of the pro

agreed to.

Main Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.

Resolved, That this House is of opinion, that it is neither just nor politic to interfere, in the manner proposed in this Bill, with the Freehold Franchise as hitherto exercised in the Counties in the Franchise will satisfy this House or the CounEngland and Wales; and that no re-adjustment of try, which does not provide for a greater extension of the Suffrage in Cities and Boroughs than is contemplated in the present Measure.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER:-It will, perhaps, be convenient to the House to know that I shall propose that this House at its rising adjourn until Monday.

House at rising to adjourn till Monday

next.

House adjourned at Two o'clock, till Monday next.

Norreys, Sir D. J.

O'Brien, P.

Kinglake, A. W.

Kinglake, J. A.

Bowyer, G.

Laslett, W.

Brady, J.

M'Cann, J.

Brocklehurst, J.

MacEvoy, E.

Butler, C. S.

Magan, W. H.

Buxton, C.

Maguire, J. F.

Caird, J.

Mangles, C. E.

Campbell, R. J. R.

Martin, P. W.

Cox, W.

Crook, J.

Crossley, F.

Dalglish, R.

Devereux, J. T.

Onslow, G.

O'Donoghoe, The Ogilvy, Sir J.

Pease, H.

Pechell, Sir G. B.
Philips, R. N.
Pigott, F.
Pilkington, J.

Price, W. P.
Pryse, E. L.

Ramsden, Sir J. W.
Ridley, G.
Robartes, T. J. A.
Roebuck, J. A.

Rothschild, Baron L. de
Rothschild, Baron M. de
Roupell, W.
Schneider, H. W.
Sheridan, H. B.
Smith, J. A.
Smith, A.

Stuart, Lord J.

HOUSE OF LORDS,

Friday, April 1, 1859.

MINUTES.] PUBLIC BILLS.-1a Sale of Gas.

THE SALT TRADE TO CHINA.
QUESTION.

LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY said, he had no intention to embarrass the Government in the Question which he was about to put to the noble Earl, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Salt was now successfully exported to India, and it had become of the greatest importance to the owners of our salt mines that the great Empire of China should be opened to their trade; and an application had been made to the Foreign Office that they would open a negotiation with the Chinese Government with that object. He begged to ask, Whether any instructions have been sent out to the Earl of Elgin to negotiate with the Chinese Government respecting the Admission of British Salt into that Empire,