The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS, March 18.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his MIL 011 the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.

FREE TRADE.
The Marquis of NORMANBY presented a petition
iron Tivert,n in fav ur of free trade.
_ _ COPY HOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT.

Lord CRAN WORTllPr;;;aedseveral petitions in
'avour of c,pyhrld enfranchisement.

The LOA') CHANCELLOR presented a petition
from the solicitors of London to the same effect. His
Lordship expressed himself in favour of the prayer of
the petition, considering that some compulsory measure
on the subject, framed with due regard to vested rights,
would be of great service.

Lord BROUGHAM also supported the petition, and
expressed his satisfaction that a Bill had been introduced
in the other House on the subject.
Lord CRAN WORTH was also in favour of the com-
pulsory enfranchisement of cmpyholds, but he thought
that great care ought to be taken not to injure the rights
of the smaller eopyboldi.

Lord REDESDA LE was opposed to compulsory en-
franchisement. He himself had introduced and curried
a Bill which allowed enfranchisement under certain cir-
cumstances, the effects of which had been paralysed to
some extent by the Bill which had been introduced in
the other House.
Petitions in favour of compulsory enfranchisement
were presented by the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord
Brougham, and other Noble Lords.
THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION.
Lord BEAUMONT gave notice that he should on an
early day ask her Majesty's Government whether they
were prepared to lay on the table information relating to
the state of the Argentine Republic, more particularly on
certain points connected with the maritime and commer-
cial relations of that confederation with this country. He
should also ask the Noble Earl the Foreign Secretary,
whether he had received any information that another
outrage had been offered to a British subject—a naval
officer on shore, in the port of Leghorn, in his uniform.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that with regatd
to the latter part of the notice, be could answer it now.
The Noble Baron, however, had allowed himself to
trust too implicitly to an exaggerated rumour. The facts
were these:—A petty officer of the ship Firebrand,
being on shore at Leghorn, had given some slight offence
to the police authorities there, upon which they arrested
him, carried him off to the station-house, treating him
very roughly, and oven loading him with irons. Owing,
however, to the exertions of Mr. Scarlett, the Secretary
of Legation, the matter had been satisfactorily arranged,
apologies had been made, and the chief of police at Leg-
horn had been placed in prison eight days for his in-
temperate conduct on the occasion.
RIFLE CORPS.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH put a question to
her Majesty's Government, whether they intended to
adhere to the resolution of the late Government not to
give aid to any volunteer corps? For his own part ho
should look upon such a decision with great regret.
The Earl of DERBY said that, upon the fullest consi-
deration, her Majesty's Government had come to ,the
conclusion that the decision of the late Government not

to give aid to volunteer rill) corps was just and wise, and
they intended, therefore, to adhere to ir. He should not
at present give any reason for that decision, but when
the Militia Bill came under discussion their Lordships
would see that it had not been arrived at without good
'foundation.