The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-21 00:00:00

!NTAININt.4, JITN'E gi, INS

1M PE Iti AL PAR lAA ENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS DAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
The Wadhurst and West Farleigh Roads Bill, and
the West Bromwich Improvement Bill were read a
third time and passed.
The Keighley and Kendal Road Bill was considered,
and ordered to be read a third time.
PETITIONS.
Petitions were presented—by Mr. Hadfield, from a
Mining Company in Derbyshire, complaining of a bill
now before the house for levying fines on mines ; by Mr.
Deasey, several petitions from various places in Ireland
in favour of Tenant Right.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT BILL.
The house then went into committee on this bill, re-
suming at clause 124, in continuation from the adjourned
discussion on 12th inst. ; this clause, as amended, was
ordered to stand part of the bill.
Cause 125 was postponed till Tuesday.
Clause 126, after some consideration, was agreed to.
On clause 127,
Sir B. HALL moved the insertion of a provision re-
lative to the powers of levying lighting, sewerage, and
general purposes rates, and the means by which these
rates were to be administered.
Mr. HENLEY objected that the poorer classes would
suffer Irons the levying of these distinct rates as pro-
posed, irasmuch as these distinct processes of levying
and legal proceedings in default of payment would have
to be put in force, and would bear very heavily upon
them.
Mr. WILLIAMS defended the addition to the clause.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY concurred in the remark
that the operation of these rates would be productive of
much grievance to the working classes.
Sir B. HALL thought the clause, as it originally
stood, would have met the views - f the honourable
gentleman opposite (Mr. Henley), but he had
felt bound to alter it in accordance with the
previously expressed wish of the house. At the same
time he thought the powers given to the district board
were such as could enable it to keep clear of the conse-
quences anticipated by the hon. gentleman.
Mr. HEN LEY wished to avoid levying four rates,
involving four sets of expenses. What was done in
St. George's, Hanover-square, he should like to see car-
ried out in this instance.
After a few words from Mr. CHAMMIRS, suggesting
that long amendments, such as that proposed by the
right hon. baronet, should be given notice of,
Sir B. HALL, in reply, said it was quite impossible
to adopt this course, as amendments frequently were
only suggested as the bill proceeded. He also took
occasion tn observe that the course be Mended
to pursue was, if possible, to get through the bill as it
at prevent stood to-day, and after reporting the bill to
obtain leave to go into committee upon the other clauses
of which he had given notice, and which he had pro-
mised hon. members should have time to consider.
Sir W. CLAY said the Committee did not seem to be
aware of the bearing of the clause as it now stood.
Now, there could be little doubt but that its operation
would be very injurious to the elective franchise in
the.metropolis. As be understoad the matter, these rates
would be all comprehended in one, and collected with
the poor rate. As the law at present stood, all 101.
householders who had paid their poor sates before the
middle of January were entitled to a vote ; but if these
rates were associated with the poor rate, there could be
no question that many ratepayers would be unable to pay,
and consequently would be struck off the list. He
should therefore suggest that the poor rate should be
separated from the others.
After a few words from Mr. Henley, Sir J. Shelley,
Mr. Williams, and Captain Perry,
Sir B. HALL said a few words in reply and
The clause as amended was afterwards agreed to.
Clauses 128, and 129 were also ordered to stand part
of the bill.

[LEFT SITTING.]

LA TV INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

The house sat to-day for the purpose of hearing Eng•
lish appeals. The lords present were—the Lord Chan-
cellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell, Lord St,
Leonards, the Earl of Scarborough, and the Marquis o
Drogheda.
-

this investigation, he had no wish to evade the respon-
sibility be had incurred.
Mr. Hail then adjourned the further hearing of the
case until to-morrow.

ROBBERY AT DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—One of the
"cleanerA," an old woman, about fifty of years of age,
was placed at the bar, charged with stealing several
articles of wearing apparel belonging to the ladies of the
corps de ballet. Some of the property was discovered on the
person of the prisoner by Mr:. Louisa Miller, better
known as Madame Louise ; and the other part, with a
number .of pawnbrokers' tickets, was found at the pri-
soner's lodgings. The prisoner was fully committed for
trial.

THE .PRUSSIAN OR COBURO CRITICISM ON
THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sist,—lt appears by the newspapers of this morning
(Wednesday) that at a semi-public, semi-private dinner
held at the Trinity House, upon Saturday last, his Royal
Highness has been pleased to promulgate his views on the
working of the British. Constitution ; and as no doubt such
views will be eagerly published by every despot in Europe,
including all the Prussian, and Coburg, and Austrian,
and Orleans haters of freedom, it becomes the press of this
country to speak fearlessly on this royal production.
Had his Royal Highness confined his observations to
matters of opinion, in all probability I should not have ad-
dressed you, but have considered the expression of such
opinion as merely a silly overt act, useful in that chain of
evidence which is daily becoming more strong— that his
sympathies are far more in accordance with the principles
of Austrian and Prussian despotism than with those of the
British constitution.
Nor should this be a matter of surprise to any who re-
flect on the difficulty experienced by the strongest minds
of not merely discarding, .but of acting contrary to the
principles imbibed in early life, strengthened by education,
and cherished by relations, friends, and connections,
although such difficUlty renders it imperative on Parlia-
ment and on the press to watch with most jealous feeling
every attack upon that constitution which is loved by
Englishmen and hated by despots.
Bet as his Royal Highness, instead of confining his ob-
servations to the expression of opinion, has been pleased to
wander into the region of fiction, and to assert as facts
matters which are directly opposite to facts, both in letter
and in spirit, but which, if they were true, would go far
to establish the correctness of the opinion his Royal High-
ness has formed of the British constitution, I will, with
your permission, first point out those matters which his
Royal Highness has mis-stated, and then show the fallacy
of the opinions on the British constitution his Royal High-
ness has been pleased to express.
Ist Assertion—His Royal Highness is pleased to say
"that the Queen's Government can take no measure for
the prosecution of the war which it has not before hand to
explain to Parliament.
Answer—l aver, without the slightest fear of contradic-
tion, that such statement is, both in letter and in spirit,
directly contrary to the fact.
2d. His Royal Highness is also pleased to say " that the
Queen's armies and fleets can make no movements, nor even
to prepare for any, without their being publicly announced
in the papers."
Answer—Two subjects, one of not the slightest conse-
quence, the other of great importance, diplomatic ,Ily
mixed together. What possible injury can be done if the
papers publicly announce that the Queen's armies or fleets
have made a movement? And if GOvernment take their
measures so badly that their preparation for such move-
ments are publicly known, I would submit to his Royal
Highness that such crime is not owing to any defect in our
Constitution, but to the incapacity of Ministers.
3d. His Royal Highness is pleased to say that no mis-
take, however trifling, can occur, no want or weakness
exist, that is not at once denounced.
Answer—And thank God and our Constitution that it is
so ; for by being able to denounce such mistakes we take
the best means of preventing their recurrence. •
4th Assertion—His Royal Highness is pleased to say
" that the Queen's Ambassador can enter into no nego-
tiations without the Government having to defend him,
by entering into all the arguments which that negotiator,
in order to be successful, ought to be able to shut up in
the innermost recesses of his heart."
Answer—This assertion is also untrue both in letter and
in spirit. So far from the Government having to defend
any Ambassador for his conduct or opinions on any pend-
ing negotiation, the Minister has only to acquaint the
House that the negotiations are pending, and therefore it
would be prejudicial to the public service to debate the
matter or to produce any papers. to obtain an unanimous
expression of opinion that the subject should drop.
sth Assertion—His' Royal Highness is pleased to say
"that our Constitutional Government is undergoing a
heavy trial, and we shall not successfully pass through it
unless the country will grant its confidence—patriotic, in-
telligent, and self-denying confidence—to her Majesty's
Government."
This, however, contrary to the others, is the assertion of
an opinion and not of a fact, and therefore shall be com-
mented upon in another letter.
I am, Sir, your obed. servant,
June 13, 1855. AN EX-M.P.

PROPOSED VOTE OF CENSURE ON THE

ADMINISTRATION.

No small sensation was last night created in the better
informed circles, on the fact having transpired that Mr.
Roebuck had determined to bring forward a motion
which will be tantamount to a direct and decided vote of
censure on the Government, in relation to the war with
Russia. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman, it is ex-
pected, will give notice of his motion this evening. We
have not heard the precise terms in which it will be
couched, but it will, we are informed, be chiefly directed
to a condemnation of the conduct of the Aberdeen Ad-
ministration, in having sent out an expedition to the
Crimea without having made the necessary preparations
for so important an enterprise. The motion, we under-
stand, is worded with the greatest skill, and is reported
to have been framed by Mr. Disraeli, whom Mr. Roe-
buck consulted on the subject.. It is said to be drawn
out so ingeniously, that it will be difficult for either Con-
servatives or Liberals to abstain from voting for it. Mr.
Disraeli, we are assured, has guaranteed to Mr. Roe-
buck that his party, as a party, will support the motion.
Though it must, for the sake of form—Lord Aberdeen
being premier at the time of the sailing of the Crimean
expedition—be nominally directed against the Aberdeen
Administration, it must necessarily, if carried, prove
fatal to the Palmerston Government,--inasmuch as Lord
Palmerston, Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Lans-
downe, Lord Clarendan, and indeed nearly all the mem-
bers of the present Cabinet, were members of the Aber-
deen Adminstration.
We are further assured that Mr. Roebuck's motion
will, in a great measure, owe its existence to Prince
Albert's recent speech at the Trinity House, when his
Royal Highness virtually repudiated the right of the
people to canvass the conduct of Ministers, and repre-
sented the nation as having exaggerated the neglect and
mismanagement in relation to the war in the East,
" with a kind of morbid satisfaction." Those who are
co-operating with Mr. Roebuck in the new movement,
speak in terms of unqualified condemnation of this at-
tempt to deter the people from criticising the conduct of
the Government, and feel that the best way in which to
express their views on the point effeotually, will be to
force the House of Commons, by a deliberate and tangi-
ble act, to condemn the conduct of the Cabinet. The
motion, as might be expected, has caused the utmost
alarm in Downing-street. All that the Court and Go-
vernment influence can de, will, as a matter of course,
be done to defeat Mr. Roebuck's motion. It remains
to be seen with what effect.—Morning Advertiser.