The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-19 00:00:00

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
North and South Western Junction Railway—Salisbury
Gas--`,qtlisbury Railway and Market House—and West
Riding and Grimsby Railway.
NEW WRIT—QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.

Mr. BRAND moved that a writ should issue for the elec-
tion of a member for the Borough of Merthyr Tydvil in the
room of Mr. A. Bruce, who had accepted the office of Vice •
President of the Committee of the Council of Education.
Sir w. HEATHCOTE drew attention to the question of
their being five Under Secretaries of State in the house,
and moved as an amendment that the motion for a new writ
should be postponed until the constitutional question should.
be decided.
Mr. HEADLAM contended that such a course would
be most inconvenient.

After some remarks from Mr. WHITESIDE,
Sir W. DUNDAS sail that if it were proved that five
under secretaries of state ought not to be members of the
house, than the last appointed under secretary (the Marquis
of Hartington) was the member who was not occupying a
place in this house according to the provisions of the sta-
tutes. (No, no.)
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the course pro-
posed by the hon. baronet (Sir W. Ilsathcote) was a most
unnecessary proceeding. It would be improper to postpone
a writ until after a subtle and refined discussion had Taken
plaCo on a constitutional question. He referred to a case in
point in 1808, whea there wero only three Under-Secre-
taries in the h fuse as a precedent in the present case.
_ _ _

Mr. DISRAELI and Sir GEORGE GREY made a few ob-
servations, and the motion was then withdrawn.
THE GOVERNMENT POLICY IN REGARD TO
THE DANISH QUESTION.

Mr. DISRAELI gave notice that when the hon. member
for Liskeard brought on his motion in regard to the policy
of the Government in regard to the hostilities between Den-
mark and the German Powers, he would move the previ-
ous question.
THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.

Mr. H. SEYMOUR asked tke Secretary of State for the
Home Department if the Government intended to introduce
this session any bill relating to the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sion.

Sir G. GREY said that he had communicated with the
commission, but he was not prepared to pledge himself to
introduce any bill on the subject.
NATIONAL SCHOOLS IN IRELAND,

Mr. O'REILLY asked the Chief secretary for Ireland
when the return relative to religious instruction in national
schools in Ireland, ordered last session, and again early this
session, will be laid upon the table.

Sir R. PEEL said that the return had been received at
the Castle last Saturday, and would shortly be laid on tha
table.

CAPTAIN GORDON.

Col. SYKES asked the Under Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether any information had been re-
ceived at the Foreign-office that Captain Gordon, of the
Royal Engineers, who was in command of Chinese troops
in the service of the Futai of Shanghai, had condoned the
treachery of the Futai in putting to death the Taeping
princes at Loochow and plundering the city, and against
which Captain Gordon himself, Major-General Brown,
commanding the British troops in China, and all the
European Consuls at Shanghai, had published an indig-
nant protest; whether he had consented to continue in
the service of the Futai notwithstanding these indignant
protests.
Mr. LAYARD said that the Government were in com-
munication with the Chinese Government on the subject.