The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-09 00:00:00

lordships with more commanding eloquence. Another
noble earl has the advantage over me in having had to do
with great military combinations in the plains of India;
but there is one qualification which I trust to bring to the
administration of the military affairs of this country, for
which I hope at least to establish a character, and that is
purity of intention in all that concerns the administration
of military affairs. I shall endeavour, if I can do nothing
else, at least to give the country this assurance—that no
person shall be employed in the administration of the army
whom I do not consider the fittest for the employment to
which I shall recommend hires to my Sovereign, or employ
upon my own responsibility. If in any transaction I
should be called upon to do acts which are painful to m -
self, but still necessary to the public service, I trust I
may be enabled to perform those duties in a manner
which will show that when the necessities of my country
call for it, that I can even sacrifice my own feelings in
the performance of the duty which I think incumbent
upon me. shall endeavour to do that which I think ne-
cessary for placing the administration of military affairs
upon the best footing as rapidly as I can, and I trust that
too much may not be expected of me. I succeed to office
without any antagonism to my noble friend who has left
it, and I do not know that I can bring to it more zeal,
more industry, or more honesty of purpose, than that with
which his whole political career has been marked. I may,
perhaps bring to it several years of administration of mili-
tary affairs under a former Government, and I may also
bring to it the circumstance of which I shall never cease
to be proud—that for twelve years of my life I served in
the ranks of the regimental service of the army, and having
so served I can give my fullest testimony to the high en-
comium which the noble earl has bestowed upon the regi-
in
ompepnotl o systemoi
ty
of
sotfa
tt
ihnegnrhi tai Bt
ritish ahramt
eyv
e; r andinaly wboeultdh
et adkeef
et
oth
of
motohtai Blsyristtiesmh atormbye
ains
pootrfheeert
aroedspaesetssa,tlisfbaeoltioeryve
aosutrharetgoif-
any army in the world. We may fail in the higher
branches of our service through the want of proper schools,
and be deficient in what is called the "staff" of the army;
but, so far as the regimental system is concerned, I be-
lieve it to be placed upon a good foundation, to be carried
on in a perfect manner, and I know of very little which is
required to improve the army. Having made these expla-
nations, and craving that kind consideration the house is
always disposed to give to those anxious to perform their
duty, I hope I may not be out of place in craving from
those out of doors that forbearance which is necessary to
all who undertake a position so responsible as that which
I have undertaken ; and I can only say that, should I find
myself from any circumstances unequal to the task which I
have undertaken, I will have the honesty at once to confess
that inequality, and will be prepared at once to surrender
to other and betterhands that important charge, which by
withholding from the hands capable of discharging its
duties would be most injurious to the public service and
best interests of the country. (Hear.)
Tho Earl of RODEN, in expressing his opinion that the
Government, as at present constituted, would receive the
support of their lordships, suggested the propriety of the
appointment of a day of national humiliation and prayer
that the Almighty would crown our exertions with suc-
cess.

The Fisheries (North America) Bill then passed through
committee, and their lordships adjourned until Friday
week.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-YESTERDAY.
The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock.
•
PETITIONS.

Petitions were presented by Mr. Bouverie, from Kilmar.
nock, against the distillation of spirits from grain ; by Mr,
Hutt, from the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, complain.
ing of the manner in which the transport service is con.
ducted ; from a body of Church leaseholders, against a clause
in the bill of Lord Chandos; which they complain was cal-
culated to set aside ,a pledge given by the legislature for
their protection ; and by Mr. Milligan, from the letter-press
printers of Bradford, for the repeal of the stamp duty on
newspapers.

LOND-ON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY BILL.
Mr. CHAPLIN moved the second reading.of this bill.
Mr. HILDYARD moved, as an amendment, that -the se-
cond rea ling of the bill be postponed till that day month,
The question involved was one of material importance to the
house. In the year 1853 the Great Western and Bristol and
Exeter companies proposed to construct a line running out of
the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth, and passing thrbugh
Axminster to Exeter. That bill was opposed by, the South-
Western Company, whose traffic it would have injured. They
did not contend that there was no necessity- for such a rail-
way ; their plea was that the proposed line was not the proper
one either as regarded the local or national requirements, and
they promised that, if the Great Western Bill should be thrown
out, they themselves would construct a railway in the district.
The 'hon. member for Berwickshire, who was at that time.
ch'airman of- the South-Western Company, went before the
committee, being authorised by a general meeting of his share-.
holders, and-distinctly pledged himself to introduce a bill in
the next session for that purpose ; and the wituomes. exa-
mined by the committee, including several public officers;
having stated that the line proposed .by the South-Western
Co'inPany would be of greater advantage to the country than
that 'projected by the Great Western and Bristol and Exeter
Companies, e bill originated by the latter was rejected.
But at a subsequent meeting of the South-Western Company.
the shareholders determined, by a major;ty, not to redeem
the pledge which 'had been solemnly given by their chairman
to a committee of the House of Commons, and the come-
quence was that an important district of the country had up
to the present time been deprived of that railway accommo-
dation which they would unquestionably have obtained but
for the interposition of the South Westein Company upon
false pretences. Unhappily, for a long time Parliament
could not get at the wrongdoers, but the day of retribution
had at last arrived, for the South-Western Company was
now driven to apply to the Legislature for another object,
and the,house would not do its duty if it did not take that
opportunity of marking its sense of the conduct of the com-
pany in 1853. He had no wish to obstruct the bill now
before the home ; ou the contrary, he believed it would
further the object which he had in view, namely, an extension
in the direction to, which the_South Western Company pledged
themselves in 1653, but lie thought it right to move the post-
ponment of the second reading for a month, because in tho
interim the company would have an opportunity, at their
usual half-yearly meeting, of reconsidering their f)rmer con-
duct, and of saying that, if the bill proceeded,
•they would
introduce into it a clause so worded as to compel them to
redeem the pledge they bad given through their chairman.
If they consented to that, no member of that house would
support the bill more readily than ho would do ; but, if they
declined, he trusted the house would do what was becoming
its own dignity and the great interests entrusted to Its
keel ug. (Hear; hear.)
Mr. CHAPLIN said he was not chairman of the
South-Western Company when the train aetions referred 'to
took place in 1853. lie had no doubt that his predecessor
was authorised to give a pledge to the committee ; hut when
the time came for fulfilling it the shareholders thou,glit they
would not be justified, under the adverse circumstances which
then existed, in adhering to the promise which they had
given, But he would like to know how an error or a wrong
committed in 1853 was to be rectified in 1855, when the bill
before the house referred to a different matter altogether
Moreover, the feeling which prevailed among the shareholders
in 1853 was five times stronger in 1855, and for his own part
he despaired of. effecting any change in favour of the scheme
proposed by 'the honourable member for Whitehaven. He
should not give any promise ou the subject, because ho did
not mean to commit himself; hut he thought it hard that a
railway company should be censured at . one time for con-
structing new lines and branches, and at another for refusing
to plunge headlong into works of the same description.
Mr. BECKETT condemned the whole Parliamentary con.
duct of the South-Western Company-, and called upon the
house to assert its dignity by rejecting the bill.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said lie was surprised that gentlemen
of character should undertake to conduct the affitirs of a com-
pany who had repudiated their engagements, and acted con-
trary to the commonest -principles of commercial honour.
(Hear, hear.) He thought that the house would read a very
useful lesson to the South-Western Company, if they told
them that they would not listen to any proposal they made,
without giving them another opportunity of considering what
deserved no other name than a breach of faitis ; and he should
therefore give his vote for the amendment.
Mr. DEEDES would vote for the' amendment -upon public
grounds, and because every promise made by the South.
Western Company had been violated, and the proceedings of
that house entirely set at naught.
Mr. HUTCHINS did not see what good the postponement
of the bill would do. Not one word had been said against
it. He had always spoken in the strongest terms against the
transaction of 1853 ; but the house ought to know that an
ex-Chancellor and several of the judges sent their proxies in
favour of the repudiation of the promise given to tho commit-
tee. He hoped, therefore, that the second reading of the
present bill, which had nothing to do with the affair of 1853,
would not be postponed.

Mr. HENLEY said that if the house passed this bill with-
out taking notice of the gross breach of faith in 1853, they
would open a dogr for all sorts of trick, chicanery, and dis-
honesty. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. P. SCOTT said that when ho found the shareholders
were not willing to redeem the pledge which they had autho-
rised him to give to the committee, he considered it his duty
to resign the office of chairman. Ho was still, however, &
intpli:coihnoluetsoortopostpone
ptohseconme
thea company,
in order
that his brother shareholders might have an opportunity of
Pcaonddnthatreading
this bill, he
asked
putting themselves in a Position to come clean-handed into
court. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CHAPLIN, seeing that the feeling of the house was
againt proceeding with the bill at the present moment, begged
to withdraw his motion for the second reading.
The
for a month second reading of the bill was accordingly postponed
.

place COLLIER,I
billb Seeing
LAW OF PARTNERSHIP. '
regesptoooastiikigwthhootlhaewr
oitf
partnership,isstill on
on,
the President of the Board of Trade
introducei in
Mh irs.his intention to
prin-
ciple of limited liability ; and, if so, whether ho can give me
any information as to when he is likely to introduce it ?
.Mr. CARDWELL—It is still my intention to move for
leave to introduce the bill of which I have given notice ; but
I cannot say whether I shall be able to do so on Monday or
not ; at all events, I will lose no time in giving the requisite
notice. (Hear, hear.)

POOR LAW (IRELAND).
On the motion of Mr. BLAND the following return was
ordered ;—Retnrn of the names of the Poor-law board in
Ireland, as also of the names of the Poor-law inspectors in
Ireland, with the dates of their appointment's, as also the
names of the several Poor-law inspectors removed within the
last twelve months, or about to be removed, in Ireland, with
the dates of their respective appointments, together with the
correspondence had on the subject of such removals o ain-
tended removals.

NAVY These estimates were broughtESTIMATES. in by Mr. COWPER,- AO
ordered to lie on the table.
Mr: WILSON brought up supplementary estimates
military and civil services, which wore also
the table. for the
ordered to lie on

INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF PRISONS IN IRELAND.
Mr. MACARTNEY—Seeing the Chief Secretary for Ireland
in his place, I beg to ask whether any vacancy has occurred
in the office of inspector-general of prisons in Ireland, by the
death, rasiguation, or superannuation of either
' Messrs
nellan or Galway • and in 'case of such vacancy having oc.
ae 17
boen filled
ap-
pointupbyti.teCon
c u r e d
n,
Sir J. YOUNG—I have no official information on the sub-
ject ; but I have heard from his
i ' te
tn
t what
of f a dates,,
ss
Excellency the Lord-Lieute-
nant that Mr. Galway has resigned his office of inspector-
general of prisons in Ireland, and in the same letter his
Excellency states that he .has filled up the vacancy by
appointing a gentleman named Mr. Paton Harvey.
THE BRIBERY ACT.
Colonel SIBTHORP was understood to ask whether there
was any prohibition in the act passed last session for the pre-
vention of bribery at elections, to a candidate diatributiug
coals or other articles to the poor' residing in or near the place
resent
which he wished to repreaeut, the recipienta
there might be a few persons although among
who either had voted or in-
tended to vote for, him ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that so
fda• as he-understood the question of the gallant colonel, it
seemed to be one of 4 legal character relating to the - con-
struction of an act of Parliament. In the absence (4 the law