The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-27 00:00:00

TILE MILITIA.

Sir CHARLES DOUGLAS wished to ask if her Majesty's
Ministers had received any information from or respecting
any foreign power, which increases or modifies the necessity
which they oonsidered to exist for the introduction of a
Militia Rill at the time of their accession to office.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said on Mon-
day next, in introducing the Militia Bill, the Right Hon. the
Secretary of State for the Home Department will express
generally to the House the considerations which have in-
duced the Government to propose that measure. - (Hear.)
CLERGY RESERVES.

Mr. GREY wished to ask the Secretary for the Colonies,
whether it was the intention:of her. Majesty's Government to
introduce a Bill into Parliament with a view to carry into
effect the assurances given by the late Secretary of State, in
his dispatches to Lord Elgin of the 27th January and 11th
July 1851, with reference to the disposal of the clergy re-
servesbio Canada?
Sir J. PAKINGTON said the only answer he could give,
was, that the subject to which the question referred was now
under the consideration of Ministers.—(Hear, hear.)
BOROUGH HARBOURS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Mr. F. MACKENZIE wished to know from the Hon. and
Learned Member for. Leith whether he intended to proceed
with this Bill ?

Mr: MONCItIEFF had hoped the Bill would have
been taken up by the Government, as it was a very
important measure to Scotland. It would be impos-
sible for a private Member to carry it through,
as it required the assent of the Admiralty and the
Board of Trade, but in abandoning the Bill for the present
session he begged to give notice that should he have
a seat in the next Parliament he should renew it again.
THE TEST ACTS.

Mr. F. MAULE said a Bill stood on the orders for
Monday relating to the repeal of the Test Acts in the
Universities of Scotland, and he should be glad
to know what course Government intended to take in re-
ference to this Bill ?—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. WALPOLE could, not answer that question this
evening.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE
QUER it was agreed that the House at its rising should ad
journ until Monday.

SUPPLY.

On the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair for
going into Committee of Supply,
Mr. SLANEY rose and said he wished to address
a few words to the House on the subject of the
great question that was now agitating the country.—
(Oh, oh.) The Government were shortly going to appeal to
the people upon one of the most important topics that
could be addressed to them, and upon which a great differ-
ence of opinion prevailed. As a humble member of the landed
interest, associated with it by the ties of relationship
and education, he must be deeply interested in that ques-
tion, and he was therefore anxious to trespass for a few mo-
ments upon the attention of the House.—(Hear, hear.)
Some of the gentlemen around him had declared that the
land had not suffered through the repeal of the
corn-laws, but he knew that it had, for In his Own case he
had been obliged to reduce his rents.—(Hear, hear.) Still
he thought that measure was a step in the right direc-
tion, and although it might have been hurriedly
carried, and although a small fixed duty might
have been advisabls at one time for the purposes
of revenue, the ,day had gone by when they could hope to
tax the food of the people with safety. The landed
interest of the country, however,-were suffering from the
altered state of the law, and he wished now to point out what
he considered would be the best remedy for their case.
Fair play ought to be given to the landed interest, without
placing any burden on any other class of the community.
The cost of- transmitting-a given amount of land, compared
to that of transmitting a given quantity of property, was four
or five times greater, in consequence of the technicalities
of the law and- the complexity of titles. The greater
portion of the land was entailed, and what he proposed was,
that instead of requiring separate Acts to sanction sales by
trustees, a general Act should be passed of which parties
might readily avail themselves. This would give
a stimulus to improvements of all kinds, and greatly
benefit the 4 landed interest. There ought to be freedom of
enterprise in land as well as in other matters.—( Hear,
hear.) He thought also that if they had free trade
in corn they should also have free trade in capital,
He next suggested that a tribunal should be established to
settle disputes between parties. His last suggestion was that
there should be freedom of labour. If these propositions
were acceeded to he believed they would be hailed with uni-
versal satisfaction.