The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-02 00:00:00

NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Mr. DUNDAS inquired whether the Government
intended to further the bill introduced by Lord John
Russell, on the subject of National Education, or
whether they intended to postpone any further proceed-
ing in regard to it until the return of the noble lord.

Sir G. GREY said that, the further proceeding in the
bill had been postponed in accordance with a suggestion
from the noble earl himself until after Easter.
IRISH BUSINESS.

On the motion that the house at its rising do adjourn
until Monday,
Mr.' NAPIER called the attention of the house to the
legislation for Ireland, and the state in which the Irish
business stood, by which great injustice was done to
Ireland and the Irish representatives in the house. He
complained of great neglect and delay in reference to
the progress of measures through the house.
Lord PALMERSTON said he was not at all sur-
prised at the anxiety clisp'n,yed by the hon. gentleman
en the ; but he thought the lion. gentleman did
the house great injustice in charging it with neglect in
~his matter, considering the amount of time bestowed on
Irish business last session. He did not begrudge the
time which had been so occupied, ind he was sure there
was no hon. gentleman in that house who would feel
disposed to treat any measures for the welfare of the
interests of Ireland with indifference. (Hear, hear.) As
to the Jurors' Bill, he could appeal to the caltdour of
the hon. gentleman whether he attributed the circum-
stances attending the delay in the progress of that
bill to any fault on the part of the house. He hoped
thehon.gentlemen would not consider the Government at
all presumptuous invoting for a postponement of important
Irish business until an Under-Secretary of State for
Ireland, and responsible law officers of the Crown had
been appointed. (Hear, hear.) Hitherto any delay had
arisen from causes over which the Government had no
control.

Mr. WHITESIDE said his hon. friend never charged
the Government with wilfully neglecting Irish business ;
he had only complained of the state of doubt in which
every bill before that house connected with Ireland at
present stood. Under these circumstances he (Mr.
Whiteside) thought his hon. friend was qutte right in
calling upon the Government to explain its intentions.
Sergeant SHEE, who excited some amusement by
speaking from the Ministerial side of the house, de-
fended the conduct he had taken in reference to the
Landlord and Tenant Bill, which had been adverted to
by the noble lord at the head of the Government in the
course of his reply. He assured the noble lord
that he and several of his honourable friends
bad determined not to support, the Government,
unless it would set these Irish questions at rest; and the
noble lord well knew that no Government could succeed
or have a strong foundation which was not supported by
Irish members.

Mr. F. FRENCH said his complaint was not as to
the way in which Irish business was treated by being
brought forward at a late period in the evening, but the
unintelligible nature of the business when it did come
on. Look, for instance, at the Militia Bill. He trusted
his noble friend would take this matter into hie con-
sideration.

Colonel DUNNE also complained of the' confused
state of Irish business.
The motion before the house was then put and
carried.

NEWSPAPER STAMP REPEAL.
In reply to Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, -
Mr. WILSON stated that it was not the intention of
the Government to proceed with the second reading of
this bill until Monday.
ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COMMITTEE.
Mr. ROEBUCK said ho had to perform a disagreeable
duty in asking the house to make this committee dis-
agreeable, because much misconception had arisen in
regard to it. The committee had unanimously come to
the conclusion that the committee ought to be secret,
but have divided as to the means of accomplishing this
end. One way was by excluding the public and admit-
ting lion. members of this house—and another was by
excluding the public, and asking hon. gentlemen to be
kind enough not to insist upon themselves. Under
these circumstances, the committee had determined
to appeal to the house to make the com-
mittee secret in the fullest sense. In making
this request the committee asked the house to have
confidence in them in executing the responsible
trust confided to them. The committee felt this diffi-
culty—if the proceedings were threwn open they would
be published daily, and accusations would go forth to the
world. But there was a still greater reason in the minds
of the committee which he was only at liberty to shadow
forth. We were at present in alliance with a great
Power, and to maintain an amicable understanding be-
tween the two countries, lie premised was the permanent
desire of the house. Therefore they had felt that if public
there would not be that opportunity afforded to witnesses
of speaking their minds without fear and reserve, which
was absolutely necessary to the efficiency of the inquiry.
Tie felt himself unable to repress his sense of the respon-
sibility which the committee had undertaken—(hear)—
but at the same time if the house would have confidence
in their discretion, he trusted it would consent to the
committee being secret. He would therefore conclude
by moving that the committee be made secret. (Hear.)
Lord SEYMOUR wished to state the reason why he
had himself objected to the committee being made secret.
At present the house was precisely in the same position
in regard to the inquiry as it was before the committee
was appointed, for they had transacted no business, and
had examined no witness. The common course of
committees was to be thrown siren, and he should have
been glad if this one could have been made the same.
But there were obvious difficulties in the way of such an
arrangement. In the first place, the room would he
inconveniently crowded by the impulse of curiosity.
Then there might be difficulties as to the
manner in which evidence or portions of evidence was
accepted or rejected. But the house was sacrificing a
great deal of counterbalancing advantage, on the other
hand, by making the committee secret. He considered
the attempt to make this committee secret was a very
foolish one. The hon. gentleman said all the members
considered tho committee ought to be secret. Such was
in fact, not the case. It was presumed that if members
came in they would betray what they heard; if he (Lord
Seymour) could not trust hon. members, how could he
trust the members of the committee. (Cheers.) He did
not think excluding members of the house would do any
good. With regard to the press matters would naturally
ooze out ; but, if anything appeared in the press, they
would all naturally feel humiliated from the fear of
being suspected of supplying the information. There-
fore, he did not see the policy of excluding the peers.
He would only say, if the house determined upon
making the committee secret, let them take all the re-
sponsibility ; for his part, he did not seethat any ad-
vantage could accrue from it.
Mr. VILSON PATTEN rose, and was

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

THE LONDON GAZETTE.

(THIS EVENING.)

I. PAR-DEPARTMENT, MARCH 2.
Lord Palma-tire yesterday received a Despatch and its
Enclosures, o f which the following aro copies, addressed to
his Grace thi Duke of Newcastle, by Field-Marshal the
Lord Raglan, G.C.8.,

Before Sebastopol,
February 17,1815.

_
MY LORD DUKE,
I have the, satisfaction to acquaint your Grace that the
weather has improved since I last addressed you, and the
country is &lemming drier.
Two days ego the thermometer WAS up at GO, It wee

somewhat lower yesterday, and early this morning it was
down below freezing point, and at this moment it is
_ _

I mention these particulars in order to show your Graco
how variable this climate is.

No movement has been mr.ae upon the part of tho
enemy. The garrison of Sebastopol is engaged in deepen-
ing the ditches, and improving the defences of the south
front, and in constructing works on the north side of the
harbour.

I have received information that the Russian army, in
the neighbourhood of Bakshi-Serai and Simpheropol, is
suffering much from the want of provisions, and from pri-
vations of all kinds.

I am happy to be able to say that the railway is making
considerable progress, and that every hope is entertained
that in the course of a very short time it will be available
for transit as far as Kadikei, which will accelerate the
conveyance of stores up to the camp.
I enclose the return of casualties up to the 16th inst.
I have great pleasure iu stating that Colonel Bell, of the
Royal Regiment, who received a slight wound in the side
from a musket-ball, when commanding in the trenches on
the night of the 14th inst., experiences very little incon-
venience from it, and has felt well enough to continue to
discharge his duty with his accustomed zeal.

I have, &c.,