The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-27 00:00:00

APPEARANCE OF THE HOUSE.
When the STRAKER took the chair the attendance o
members was not more than usually large, but as the
hour of public business approached (half-past four)
the benches on both sides began to fill rapidly. The
subordinates of the Government were early in their
places, while Mr. Hayter, " the whip," was here, there,
and everywhere, chatting with members ; no doubt upon
the passing ministerial changes, and sounding them upon
the view they were disposed to take of Lord John
Russell's resignation, or the motion of Mr. Roebuck.
The strangers' gallery, the Speaker's gallery, the distin-
guished strangers' gallery, and the seats beneath
them were choked up with visitors, as were also
the seats usually appropriated to peers. The two side
galleries were filled with members, particularly the one
facing the Treasury benches—while judging from the
sound of -voices which came from that immediate
quarter we should say the ladies' gallery was not with-
out its fair share of occupants. Mr. Disraeli, attended
by the leading members of the Opposition, came in
about 20 minutes past four o'clock, and soon after-
wards Lord John Russell, accompanied by Mr. Vernon
Smith, came in and took a seat on the third
bench behind the Treasury bench, being the bench
which Sir F. Baring, Mr. Labouchere, and the other
members of the old Whig party out of office had already
appropriated to themselves. Some eshert interval
elapsed before Lord Palmerston, Sir J. Graham, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir G. Grey, and the
other members of the Government holding seats in the
Cabinet came in, but by this time both sides of the
house had become completely thronged, as there was
evidently a manifest impatience to hear the explana-
tion that bad already been promised, and no doubt
was looked forward to out of doors with equal anxiety.
The Secretary of War was not in his place, which led
to several questions connected with the war being post-
poned until Monday.
RESIGNATION OF LORD J. RUSSELL.
Lord J. RUSSELL then rose to make his promised state_
meat to the house.• He said, —At the request of my noble
friend at the head of the Government, I have postponed till
this day the statement I wish to make with respect to my
resignation of the office which I lately had the honour to
hold—that of President of the Council. I shall go at once
into the matter, fearing that the statement I have to make
may be prolonged more than I could wish it should be. On
Tuesday last, when I was presont in this house, the hon.
and learned gentleman the member for Sheffield gave notice
of a motion for a select committee " to inquire into the
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however, fully considered the course that I ought todstoanmkoete:
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motion that might be made, and I should say, likewise,
that it depended much on the quarter from which it might
coma, The honourable and learned gentleman the mem-
ber for Sheffield, it is evident, is in a position to evince
no hostility to the Government, which he has supported,
and I could not conc3lv3 tlrtt be hal A'l'Y other object than
that which we have all at heart—the rigorous prosoeu.
'ion of tho war, (Cheers.) Nov, Sir, with respect to