The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-30 00:00:00

Vaultress
Pug Orrock ...
Defiance ..

Longinus
2Eolus .

Medora

Hampton

Ingratitude
Ballet Girl

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS;
Their Lordships met at Half-past Twelve o'clock.
MR. MATIHER.

The Earl of MALMESBURY presented a copy of
the correspondence which had taken place with refe-
rence to the case of Mr. Mather, and, in doing so, said
he had great satisfaction in intimating that the diffe-
rences with the Court of Tuscany had been brought
to an amicable termination. This fortunate result
was owing to the eminent ability of Sir Henry
Bulwer, who, with his usual talent, had secured
the confidence and goodwill of the Tuscan Government,
and at the same time obtained a full and explicit recog-
nition of the principle which bad been insisted upon by
the British Government—namely, a liability on the part
of the Tuscan Government to give protection to all
British subjects, in accordance with the international
law which was recognised by independent states.
The Noble Earl concluded by passing a high
elogium upon Sir Henry Bulwer, in conse-
quence of whose exertions, he said, the relations
between the two countries were now more completely
friendly than they had been at any future period.
ANCIIeNT LAWS OF IRELAND.
Lord NIONTEA.GLE moved for a copy of the report
of Commissioners appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland to inquire, into the ancient laws and institutes
of Ireland.
After a few words from the Earl of DERBY, who
said he was not aware of the existence of such a report,
the motion was wi, hdrawn.
BUSINESS OF THE SESSION.
Lord LYNDHURST took a brief review of the busi-
ness of the session, and thanked the Government for the
firmness with which they had resisted the clamour that
was raised out of doors for a dissolution of Parliament
soon after they came Into office. The delay which had
taken place before the prortgation had turned out to be
of the greatest benefit to the country, for measures of a
far more valuable and important character had been
passed in the present session than had been passed for
many previous years. He therefore thought the present
Government were entitled to the grateful thanks of the
country.
Lord BEAUMONT denied that the credit of passing
the Bills referred to was mainly due to the present
Government. The credit should rather be given to the
moderation of the majority of the other House, and to
the assistance afforded by the Opposition in that and the
other House to the Government in enabling them to
get through the business that was brought forward. He
thought that in consequence of the haste with which
some of the measures had been passed they would be
found to be very imperfect when put into operation.
After a few words from Lord Brougham, Lord Beau-
mont, Lord Lyndhurst, and Earl Grey,
The Earl of DERBY expressed his grateful thanks to
the Noble and Learned Lord for the testimony which
he had borne to the course of proceeding
adopted by the Government during the present ses-
sion. Be should, however, be exceedingly ungrateful to
their Lordships and the other House if he accepted the
compliment which had been paid to himself and the
other members of the Government without admitting in
the frankest and most unequivocal manner that,
for the success which had attended the determina-
tion to which they had thought it their duty to
come, they were in a great measure indebted to
that absence of party feeling, both in this and the
other House, which had eminently characterised the
discussions in the present session, and also to the fair-
ness with which their propositions had been re-
ceived. Had that not been so, the period of time
would have rendered it exceedingly difficult
to carry into effect those measures which they
conceived to be of vital importance. If the
Government were entitled to any thanks, it was for hav-
ing resisted the importunity from various quarters with
which it was urged upon them to dissolve Parliament at
a period which would not only have been inconvenient
personally to themselves, but would have involved the
country in great inconvenience, and probably have led
to the postponement, if not.the loss, of many useful mea-
sures which they deemed it their absolute and bounden
duty to propose to Parliament. When he bad the honour
of first addressing their Lordships after assuming office,
he specified certain measures which the Government
deemed of paramount importance, and which they con-
sidered it was absolutely necessary should be passed be-
fore an appeal should be made to the country. First
and foremost among these was the Militia Bill, for in-
creasing the national defences of the country. Next
came the measures for legal reform, which were no
doubt recommended by the Commission that was ap-
pointed by their predecessors, but the machinery of
which was mainly owing to the zeal and knowledge
which was brought to bear on the subject by
the present Lord Chancellor. In addition to
these, they thought it important no longer to delay
carrying into effect a measure for giving
representative institutions to New Zealand. They were
also anxious to contribute to the health of the metropolis
by promoting a system of extramural interment, and
improving and increasing the supply of water. If, there-
fore, they deserved credit for anything, it was; for
having justly estimated the degree of public spirit which
they believed prevailed in this and the, other House.
This public spirit had permitted them to act on the
principle of abandoning all measures which might lead
to controversy, and had obtained for them their
support, regardless of all party considerations,
for carrying these measures which were im-
peratively required for the good of the country.—(Hear.)
It was a source of great gratification to bear that that short
session had been marked with as great an advance of
public business as had ever been effected in a longer
session, or with a stronger Government at the head of
affairs. He confessed that the opposition which had
been offered to her Majesty's Government had not
bin carried beyond the fair limits, and he be-
lieved that there was no proof that with re-
gard to those great measures which had been intro-
dae,•sl and carried by her Majesty's Ministers, they
had been in a minority in this or the other House of
Parliament. Upon one question, certainly, his colleagues
in the other House had been left in a minority, but
the reasons which led to it were not so much
based on the nature of ' the measure itself,
"3 it being considered a departure from the understand-
ing which was laid down at the commencement of the
smnoe., that no measure should be introduced which was
not of an absolutely necessary character. At the
same time,
he gratefully acknowledged that while
the Goverment had acted on this understanding
to the bFset of their ability, they had not
been met with any factious opposition and had en-
countered
ps but perfectly fair and honest opposition.
To their Lordships
he owed special thanks for the kind-
ness which they had shown him in carrying on the
necessary business of the
Government in that
House. Ho thought if they had followed the
advice that had been recommended by some gen-
tleman, and dissolved the Parliament on first
taking office, and have summoneda
new
one,
which
would probably have met about this time, he was per-
suaded that time would have been wanting for carrying
Out those great sad Important measures which
had lately passed through both Houses, and he
thought, too, that if they had been introduced at the
commencement of a new Parliament the public attention
would have been addressed to them less with a reference
to their intrinsic merits than to party feeling. He him-
self thought that they ought to be considered without any
reference to party feeling, he did not ywish that party
feelings should pervade all their discussions. It v,as his
aim and that of the Government to reconcile the
different classes of the country, and to obtain
the confidence of the country at large by doing what
they believed to be for the benefit of all.
Earl GREY allowed that many important measures
had been nassed, but ho did not think the Government
were entitled to take as much credit for tham as they
seemed to take. Their passing was rather to be attri-
buted to the political interregnum which
had taken place,
and to the fact of the Government having adopted the
measures of their predecessors—measures
.which they
had, is some instances, opposed when in opposition.