The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

SOITSE OF LORDS--(YESTERDAY.)
The lobbies leading to the House of Lords this even-
ing presented a scene of the greatest excitement. In the
interior of the house the excitement rivalled that from
without. The space round the throne was crowded to
excess, and the galleries round the house were filled with
elegantly-dressed ladies. The gallery appropriated to
the members of the Rouse of Commons was also crowded
with members of the other house.
The LORD CHANCILLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, upon an appeal being made to
him by Lord LYNDHURST, consented to postpone the re-
committal of the Cambridge University Bill from to-
morrow till that day week.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from Scot-
land against the sale of intoxicating drinks.
SECOND READINGS.
On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the Surbiton
Improvement, the Newport Corporation, Stourbridge
Gas, East India Railway, and Madras Railway Bills
were read a second time.
THIRD READINGS.
On the motion of the same noble lord, the Medical
Invalid and General Life Assurance 1111 and the Lands
Improvement Company Bill, were real a third time and
passed.
The Newspaper Stamp sill and other bills were read
a first time.

MAYNDOTH.
The Earl of HARRONVEY; in reply to the Earl of
Winchelsea, stated that he had received a complaint
from the professors of Maynooth; stating that their evi-
dence had been privately used by Dr. Cullen to show
the propaganda at Rome that their opinions differed
from the high Roman authorities. He (Lord Harrowby),
in reply, had told them, that the evidence having ulti-
mately become a public document, and known to the
world, its early communication to Rome by Dr. Cullen
merely anticipated its knowledge there ; so that it was
erroneous to linpUte the private connection to the effect
that had,,been imputed.

donucT or THE WAR.
The Earl-of ELLENBOROI7GII, who had the following
resolutions on the paper,—.
"That a hurnble address be presented to her Majesty,
"To assure her Majesty of our continued support in the
prosecution of the just and necessary war in which her Ma-
jesty is engaged ;
" To declare the sincere gratification with which we have
regarded the perfect community of counsels between her Ma-
jesty and the Emperor of the French, and have seen friendli-
ness established and increasing between the French people
and our own—events full of hope for the future to other na-
tions as well as to ourselves ;
"To express our admiration of the many deeds of valour
by which the allied forces in the East have illustrated their
brotherhood in arms, and our satisfaction that the brave
army of Piedmont is now called to participate in their actions
and in their fame ;
"To declare our persuasion that, amid all their disap-
pointments, the people of this country still retain the gene-
rous feelings which led therniat the commencement of the war
willingly to place- all the means required from them at her
Majesty's disposal—that they' will still protect the weak
against thtaggression of the strong—and that they are not
prepared to-consent that Russia shall, by her increasing pre-
ponderance, so control the Turkish Government as actually
to hold Constantinople within her grasp ;
" To acquaint her Majesty that, while we admit and lament
the privations to, which war necessarily subjects all classes of
the people, we yet venture to assure her Majesty that they
would in so just a cause bear those privations without com-
plaint if they could feel that the war had been well conducted
—that the troops- had not been exposed to any hardships
which could have been avoided by forethought—and that
everything had been done to enable them to achieve decisive
success ;
" Humbly to represent to her Majesty that her people,
suffering privations on account of. this war, have as yet
had no such consolation ; that, on the contrary, we can lot
withhold from her Majesty the avowal of our conviction
that the conduct of the war has occasioned general dissatis-
faction and given rise to just complaints ; and that we must
humbly lay before her Majesty our deliberate opinion that
it is only through the selection of men for public employmeLt
without regard to anything but the public service that the
country can hope to prosecute the war successfully, and to
obtain its only legitimate object—a secure and honourable
peace ,
rose and said,—My lords, it is now more than a year that
we have been at war,--a period somewhat longer, I be-
lieve, than the war itself was expected to last by the Mi-
istry that entered into it,—and during that period we have
brought forward the whole military force of the country,
such as it is, and also the whole of its naval force. We
have had no reason to be dissatisfied with the conduct of
our soldiers and seamen (hear, hear); but, on the contrary,
they have rivalled the great actions of those who have pre-
ceded them in former wars, and have been led on all occa-
sions by English gentlemen with their accustomed spirit
and devotion. (Hear, hear.) We have been allied with
the greatest military Power in Europe—a Power, too,
almost our own equal in naval strength. There has existed
the moat cordial union between the forces of the two
rowers; and yet, my lords, obtaining, as we have of -
tained, so much glory, by the side of that glory we have
seen unusual suffering, and, notwithstanding all our
strength, united to that of France, notwithstanding all the
devotion of our troops, we have not as yet obtained any
decisive success, nor can any man say that, at the present
moment, there is any expectation of so doing. This alone,
my lords, would justify me in calling your lordships' at-
tention to the subject, and in asking you to consider what
may be the causes from which this failure has originated,
and what are the remedies which it may be expedient to
apply. Very recently, too, another event has taken place
which gives a still graver character to the war. The ne-
gotiations at Vienna have failed, and they have failed in
such a manner—that is, by the production on the part of

Russia of proposals-which were perfectly inadmissible—
(hear, bear)—as to afford the apprehension of a protracted
war as well as of a great contest. My lords, under
these circumstances I feel that if any apology be necessary
for now calling yourlordships' attention to the subject, it
is an apology for not-having brought forward this question
at an earlier period. But, my lords, since the accession of
Lord Palmerston to office there has been a sort of torpor in
public affairs, and theta has been nothing to induce any

man to bring forward a great public question. If it hai
rested with that noble lord the torpor which has existed i

parliament would have been extended to the public mind,
for the very first measure which he attempted to carry was
a measure for the purpose of stifling the Committee of In-

quiry into the state of the army before Sebastopol, a com
mittee voted by the great majority of the House of Corn
mons, and supported almost unanimously by the people o
this country. (Hear.) Strange and singular was the course
adopted by the noble lord for the purpose of inducing the
House of Commons to rescind the resolution at which it bad
arrived. He desired to bepermitted to appear in the world"
masquerade in the historical character of Richard 11., who
fell, as history points out, because he exercised undue
private partiality, instead of a desire for the public good,
in the appointments of persons to office, and because he
utterly disregarded the opinions of the public. But, my
lords, it was represented that Lord Palmerston was the
fittest person to conduct the affairs of the country in time
of war on account of his military experience. Now, cer-
tainly, that noble lord has during his political life, now
extended over a considerable period, for a long time held
the office of Secretary at War. Now, that office is not by
any means connected with the direction of war, but has
only to deal with the financial affairs of the army, but,
nevertheless, be has been represented, because he so long
held that office, as possessing great military experienen.
We have reoently found that Mr. Sidney Herbert, who
lately occupied the position of Secretary at War, very
properly, as I think, in the discharge of duties of a pub-
lic nature, assisted the noble duke who was then at the
head of the War Department, but that was by
no means done by him in the character of
Secretary at War, nor had the Secretary at War, as
such, anything to do with the direction of a war.
If Lord Palmerston, holding that office, acquired great,
military experience and established a great military repu-
tation, that circumstance must have been known to the
late Duke
Wellington, and would have certainly tended
of
to make him desire to retain him in the Administration of
which he was the head. Ido not mean to say that the
Duke of Wellington did not entertain a high opinion of
Lord Palmerston's military capacity, but I recollect one
circumstance which leads me rather to doubt that he did
so. I recollect sitting by the side of the Duke of Welling.
ton in this house during the unfortunate difficulty between
himself and Mr. Hnskisson, which led to the resignation
of a portion of the gentlemen who then formed the Coali-
tion Government. The Duke of Wellington was called
out of the house on the occasion to which I refer, and on
his returnhe said to me, "That was Lord Palmerston who
wanted to see me, in order to tell me that if Huekisson
went out he would go to. I made no reply, for it is not
for me to fire great guns at small birds." (Loud laughter.)
Such, at the time, was the opinion of the Duke of Welling.
ton. Now, I will not pretend to say that the small bird
rioa7 not in subsequent times have attained to the dimen-
.....Ziand, perhaps, the character of the eagle--(laughter)
the period referred to such as I have stated ap-
pe4red to be the opinion
'hurt e of the Duke of Wellington. But
forme& th 7 110 the public instructors of the country ir-
n„mary toPe?ple that the man of all others whom it we,-
Palmeeston.lieo in the position of Minister
vogue,wa or
man of the situ ;to use the phrase in "the
that unfortunate 'lotions will sometimes indulge hi
dividuals ; they win nen which occasionally afflicts in-
indulged in by the ben,grrY fancy. This weakness we,-
pened to the people- eitiXf this country, and that hep-
viduals who indulge in ".41"allY happens to inch -
elle° soon followed on the 7:fal'euels—narnely, repent-
I believe that there is hard]; ge.,,lie° of the weakness.
se the people of this country —t People so ready
up to the admiration of an . Pre themselves
individual
period. Fo.r. a short Period_ dual
for for a
short
short period— nothing can. exceed the r a very
which the • warmth
affection and admiration y maintain for °'
change soon comes over t Rome
individual, but a .
them and that
n followed b
warmth of affection is soo y a frigid d.ff
ual to the intensity of the ad • '47-
once, more than eq aura ,101,
before entertained. I fear that at the present mosaent the
is in that cold state, and that they
have of the people
disappointed at their adoption e-
have become gradually to t iof
the
desired see a the head ce
man whom they shortly ago
While Parliament has been iii
the Government. (Hear.)
which appear to be justüb-
p
a state of torpor the public has
been thinking, and the
• pub-
lic has come to certain conclusions,
as to the conduct of the war, and as to the mzmaiiiiliatrodliise
"""u14411 in future for the purpose of avoiding
"}iarTxttiitoth h have experienced. The people
oir-A swan
ai
ey
is necessary, vu the
seienikaa, this conclusion—that it
.regard th,112,1' trilt:iduale for public employments, to
am
ea° and not to act by favour.
Dot- a "ltvlort. 'that
.opinionit has been at
&U times the principle ; for
whenever ' for' ii short . en which I
have acted
time I have been in poises-
eau of power; and I can speiik from experience of its ad-