The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-27 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

By Sir G. BOWYER from Dundalk, in favour of the
Prison Minise rs Bill ; Dlr. WESTHEAD, from Roman
Catholics, Yolk, in tavour of the bill; Mr. M'AlAnoN.,
from grocers, Wexford, praying for the equalization
of the sugar duties ; Mr. PAGET, from Not-
tingham, and agreed to at a public meeting, and
signed by the Mayor in favour of the independence of
Poland, and praying that diplomatic relations with Russia
might be suspended until such independence was estab-
lished ; Mr. Fla asiEts , from the Emancipation Society rf
Bradford, praying the house to prevent the building of
ships in this country for the Confederate States.
THE RIOTS AT STALEYBRIDGE.—DISTURBED
STATE OF THE COTTON DIS'IRICTS.
Col. W. PATTEN desired to put a question to the
right hon. baronet the Secretary of state for the Home
Department, with respect to the condition of the cotton
districts. The right hon. baronet was aware that some
disturbances had taken place at Staley bridge and other
places. It would be satisfactory to learn from the right
hon. baronet, before the house separated for the recess,
that he was not alarmed at • what had taken
place, and entertained no apprehensions with regard
to the period that would intervene before the Parliament
re-assembled.
Sir G. GREY replied that yesterday he was in a position
to have answered the question satisfactorily, but to-day he
had received communications from both the civil and mili-
tary authorities in the districts referred to, stating that
some apprehensions are entertained as to the future, which
they attributed to the injudicious sending of £5OO to
Stale} bridge by the Mansion-house Committee. (Hear.)
He had sufficient reliance in the military, and especially in
the civil authorities, that any disturbances of the kind that
might arise would be easily suppressed. (Hear, hear )
Mr. CU BITT explained that the money was only sent
after repeated applications from the incumbent and other
gentlemen of Staleybridge, who urged that if some money
was IT t at once distributed riots and bloodshed could not
fail to result.
Colonel W. PATTEN said the name of his hon, friend
the member for Andover (Mr. Cubitt) was held in the
highest veneration throughout Lancashire on account of
the munificent sums sent from the Mansion-house for the
relief of the distress, out of the fund he had originated.
(Cheers.) But during the last eight months a body of
gentlemen in Lancashire, all acquairted with the locality,
had earnestly devoted themselves to the relief of the dis-
trass; and they had throughout laboured under the greatest
difficulty, in consequence of there being two sources of re-
lief—one in London, the other in Lancashire. (Hear,
hear.) The conduct of the Mansion House committee,
, with regard to Staleybridge, was regarded in Lancashire
as exceedingly injudicious. (Rear.)
Mr. CUBITT explained that the London Relief Com-
mittee was set on foot four months before any other person
took up the matter. (Hear.) Already £770,000 had been
distributed.
Mr, FE R.RAND knew of his own knowledge that
the great mass of the factory operatives were opposed
to the Staleybridge rioters, and indeed indignant at their
conduct. The operatives were looking anxiously forward
to the discussion on the distress in the cotton districts,
which he meant to originate after Easter. Was the right
hon. baronet aware of the accuracy of his assertion ?
Sir G. GREY repeated that the information he had re-
ceived amounted to this, that the great mass of the opera-
tives had given no countenance to these riots; indeed the
conduct of the operatives was beyond all praise. (Cheers.)
It was injudicious in the Mansion-house Committee to
have sent the money to Staley bridge without agreement
with the Lancashire Committee. the commit'ee had un-
doubtedly been actuated by the most benevolent motives in
their dispensation ot the funds entrusted to them, but it was a
matter fopr regret that two separate modes of relief existed.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BRIGHT considered it unfortunate from the begin-
ning that two channels of relief should have existed.
Doubtless, however, large funds were obtained in conse-
quence of the appeal being addressed from the Mansion
House. He hoped it was not too late to convey over the
fund; the gentlemen composing the Manchester committee
were well wot thy of being entrusted with any funds that
might be collected in any part of the world for the relief of
the distress.
The subject then dropped.
ROYAL ASSENT.

Col. CLIFFORD, Deputy Usher of the Black Rod,
summoned the Speaker and the house to the Rouse of
Lords, to hear the Royal assent to several bills.
On the return of the SPEAKER,
THE MEDITERRA.NAN COMMAND.
Sir J. HAY asked whether it was true that the Naval
Command-in-Chief in the Mediterranean was to be con-
fided to a rear admiral, and whether this appointment was
rendered necessary by the unfitness of the forty-eight aatics7
admirals and vies-admirals to undertake the,
ttheon:incur
in consequence of the reluctance 01ut.;73.7ne:
the expanses incidentalso thf
' Lord C. FAGST rep
at t ar-Admiral Smart had

been appointed by thetCrown simply because he was con-
sidered a very competent officer, and not because the officers
specified were deemed unworthy or did not feel inclined to
incur the expenses mentioned.