The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-02 00:00:00

INFLUENZA.

Mr. PLUMPTRE said there was one omission in the
King's Speech, to which he could not help calling the at-
tention of the House. Since the House last met, this
country had been visited with an extremely severe
affliction, upon which subject the King's Speech to
his people, and of the condition of his people, was
totally silent. Some reference ought to have been made
in reference to this matter, to the will of the great disposer
of all events, and great dispenser of national prosperity.—
(Hear, hear.) He believed that at no time, in
any nation plunged in the deepest ignorance, had
an occasion like the present been allowed to pass
without some recognition of God's dispensation ; and he
very deeply regretted that no mention had been made of
this visitation. Both individuals and the country had suf-
fered much during the last six months. A great deal of pro-
perty had been destroyed by severity of weather, and at this
very moment there was scarcely a family in this country
(though they might not be in a very alarming state), who
was not more or less in a state of affliction.—(Loud
cries of Hear.) He should have thought it would have
been well at such a time to have recognised the great de-
fending power and wise Disposer of all events. He believed
the great truth of holy writ applied as well to nations as
to individuals—that " those who honour me I will honour,
but they who despise me, let them be despised."—( Hear,
hear.) It was on these grounds he protested against this
important omission.
Sir G. CLERK said that before that question was
put he wished to state his regret at another omission. He
had to express his disappointment, that among the various
topics brought under the consideration of Parliament in his
Majesty's Speech,. no allusion had been made, nor any in-
formation given, on a question which deeply interested
the inhabitants of Scotland.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
Ho referred to the Commission appointed two years ago, to
inquire into the religious instruction of the people of that
country. The Commissioners had completed their labours,
and upon such a subject as that of deficiency of supply of re-
ligious instruction to a people, he thought the Minister would
have afforded some information to Parliament as to whether
he had received those reports, or when he would call the at-
tention of the House to them. All persons who were sin-
cerely attached to religion, Loth in that country and in
England, were most anxious on the subject. He, there-
fore, hoped that the Noble Lord (John Russell) would be
able to inform the House if it was the intention of his Ma-
jesty's Government, as they were now in possession of the
Report,- to lay before the House that Report, and call the
attention of Parliament to it.—( Hear, hear.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL must say that he so far
differed with the Honourable Member who had spoken
last, that he thought it would not be advisable to
lay down as a constant rule not to be departed
from, that in every speech from the Throne, every subject
which was to be legislated upon should be introduced or
noticed. He did not think that he could lay down
any general rule.—( Hear, hear.) He felt if they
did so that the introduction of such words would
become in time a mere matter of form—(Hear)—and so far
from promoting the object which the Hon. Gentleman had in
view, the using constantly, and he might say trivially, in the
Speech from the Throne, terms of gratitude to Providence,
..could induce persons to pay less attention, and would ren-
der the subject less solemn than he thought it ought to be
made. He did not agree with the Hon. Gentleman
that there were any circumstances at the present time
which would make it necessary that they should introduce
such words into his Majesty's Speech. It certainly had
happened more than once, and it had occurred in the an-
swer which his Majesty returned to the Address of
that House last Session, that his Majesty said that he hoped
under Divine Providence to maintain the character and to
promote the welfare of his people. This acknowledgment,
approved as it had been by his Majesty's advisors, showed
they were not so forgetful as the Hon. Gentleman supposed,
and that they entertained sentiments which became aChristian
country. With respect to the observations made by 'the
Right Hon. Baronet (Sir G. Clerk) he trusted that he
could give what he believed would prove a very satisfactory
answer.—( Hear, hear.) The Right Honourable Baronet
might have expected that if the report of. the Com-
mission en Religious Instruction bad been received,
it would have been a proper subject for his Majesty to state
that it had been received. He had been informed that it
would have been ready ; but it was not received attdhienbHuori;
Office 'till Monday night, after the Speech had been ap-
proved of. The Report which respected only Edinbur,h,
had been received on Monday night, and immediately seta to
Lord Minto, who was joined in the Commission, in order
that he might have an opportunity of stating whether or
not he acquiesced in that Report. He (Lord John Russell)
expected that the Report would have been by this time on
the table of the House ; and he was sure that if it was
not here to-day, it would be here to-morrow.-_( Hear.)
Mr. HORACE TWISS considered that the name of
the Divine Being might very properly have been introduced,
because a measure with reference to the Established
Church of this country was pointed at specifically in the
Speech from the Throne, with a context which made it
impossible for any man to gather what the intentions of
Ministers were with respect to the Church. lie did not
consider it was a mere matter of form to connect the name
of Divine Providence with any measure relating to the
Church.
The question was then put, and agreed to.
PRINTING COMMITTEE.
Mr. HUME said it would be recollected that at the
commencement of last Session, a Committee was appointed
to assist the Speaker in printing and publishing the votes
and other papers relating to their proceedings. Many
questions were disposed of by that Committee to the great
satisfaction of the public, and the convenience of the Mem-
bers of that House.—(Hear,. hear, hear.) He wished
to renew that Committee during the present Session,
and he also wished to state that further good could be
effected by having circulated along with the votes the