The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-06 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at the usual hour.
Lord COLVILLE of CULROSS presented a petition
praying for a partial or total repeal of the malt duty.
THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS AND THE
WORKING CLASSES.
The Earl of DERBY wished to call the attention of their
lordships to a petition he was about to present, which
related to the railways in the metropolis. The petition was
from the parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark, and
it stated it was inhabited by a number of very persons persons,
the whole parish being set down at 53,000 p, and
was already densely crowded. One railway had already
destroyed 100 houses, and 300 families had been displaced,
and what was worse there was no accommodation for them
in the neighbourhood. His noble friend the Earl of
Shaftesbury, some time ago, wished that clauses
should be introduced into all metropolitan railways
compelling them either to find accommodation for
those rendered houseless by their works, or that they
should give compensation. That had been found impossible,
and he (Earl Derby) was afraid that the resolutions already
passed by their lordships would also become no protection
at all, The prayer of the petitioners was that their lordships
should compel all railways at present before Parliament
which required to come into a metropolitan terminus to run
two trains in the morning and another in the evening,
to enable the working class to arrive in London
early in the morning, and leave it at the close of the
day's work, at the rate of ld for the entire distance. He be-
lieved one railway, the London, Chatham, and Dover, in-
tended to adopt an arrangement which, by the payment of is
per week, they would convey the working classes by an early
train in the morning, and a late one in the evening, to a
distance not exceeding ten miles. He thought it would be
advisable for their lordships to consider whether clauses
could not be introduced into all the metropolitan railways
before Parliament, compelling them to run certain trains
at fares considerably less than the ordinary ones, for the
accommodation of those who had been compelled to leave
the metropolis in consequence of the construction of those
works.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said such a system as
that referred to by his noble friend had been in force in
Paris, and had been found to be of the greatest service to
the working classes.
Earl GRANVILLE said the idea was a good one, and
no doubt her Majesty's Government would consider it.
Earl RUSSELL said one of the great difficulties that
stood in the way was, who was to purchase the land upon
which houses were to be built for the accommodation of
the working classes, as the railway companies were pre-
vented by Parliament from doing so.
The Earl of DERBY said he had said nothing about
building houses. He had confined himself solely to the
question for granting facilities to the working classes who
were compelled to live a short distance from the metropolis.
The subject then dropped.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Bedford Gas--Clayton, Allerton, and Thornton Gas—and
Wellington (Salop) Markets, with amendments.
FEDERAL ENLISTING IN IRELAND.

In reply to the Earl of DONOUGHMORE,
Earl RUSSELL again explained the course pursued
by the Government in reference to thsi case of the
earn ge.

The Earl of DERBY enquired how it was that the
United States Government could be ignorant of the illegal
enlisting that was going on when the men enlisted were
seen by the surgeon, paid by the United States, and
clothed in the uniform of the United States Navy.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said he had seen no
statement to the effect that the Kearsage was now refitting
in one of the English ports.
MALT FOR ANIMALS BILL.

The report of amendments on this bill were brought up

and agreed to.
THE COURT OF CHANCERY (DESPATCH OF
BUSINESS) BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
CONVEYANCES, &e. (IRELAND) BILL,
This bill passed through committee.
BILLS OF EXCHANGE AND PROMISSORY
NOTES (IRELAND) BILL

This bill was read a third time and passed.
REMOVAL OF CONSULS BY THl',. CONFEDE

RATE GOVERNMENT.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved for copies of
any correspondence that had taken place in reference to the
removal of British Consuls frum ports in the Confederate
States of North America, or in reference to their ceasing
to act. The Consuls were accredited to the Federal Go-
vernment, and the charge against them, in one case, was
forwarding, under an official certificate, letters to the
Northern States containing, bills of exchange for the pay-
ment of debts due in England; in another, that the Consul
had been instrumental in shipping specie on board an
English vessel of war, for transmission to England, to pay
the dividends on a public debt. He contended that these
acts were not illegal, as the state of war did not cancel
private or public obligations.
Lord RUSSELL admitted that in the case of Mr, Bunch
his exequatur had been unjustly taken from him by the
Federal Government; but in the case of Mr. Magee it was
considered, as English ships of war had been permitted to
enter the blockaded ports, it was an abuse of that permission
to employ these vessels for the transmission of specie that
might be used to obtain the means of carrying on hostilities.
In a third case the Consul had advised men who had been
compelled to serve in the Southern army to desert on the
field of battle. Had any complaint of such language been
made by the Confederate Government he should certainly
have reprimanded, and probably dismissed, the Consul who
had used it. But, without making any such complaint, the
President of the Confederacy informed these officers that
they could no longer be allowed to exercise their functions.
As the interests of British subjects could not be adequately
protected when they had no authority to apply to, he should
not think it wrong to establish a means of communication
with the Government of the Southern States, as that might
be done without acknowledging their independence. He
had no objection to the motion if the words were so altered
as to prevent any misunderstanding on this point.
The motion was then agreed to, and their lordships ad-
journed at a quarter to seven.

HOUSE OF COMMONS---Last Evening,
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BL SINE SS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed
Dublin and Meath Railway, Lancaster Local Board of
Health, and Market Harborough and East Norton Railway,

THE MALT TAX.

A very large number of petitions were presented from
different parts of the country praying for the repeal of the
malt tax.

THE CASE OF CAPTAIN MELVILLE WHITE.

In reply to Colonel FRENCH,

Mr. LA.YARD said that ho had received a comrAhhiee_
Lion promising satisfactory information relative to, the eiehme
of Captain Melville "White.
SURPLUS EX PENDITTaRE,

Mr. A, SMITH gave notice that ~,n, Tuesday, the 19th
inst., he would move for a select committee to inquire into
the surplus public expenditure, in order to see whether a
reduction in that branch 01 the public disbursements might
not be effected.