The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-30 00:00:00

not think of saying a word on the subject to which he has
referred ; but, in concluding, I shall withdraw my motion.
I tanst say that I use the word "gladly " adv is, dly, be-
cause, of course, my noble friend and her Majesty's Govern-
imlnt must feel that independent members o Parliament
ar4 now relieved from that responsibility, wt,i, h I for one
think rested on me, to notice the propositi ms tl at have been
stated in the other house of Parliament to have been made
to the Russian Government, together with the intimation
that no injury would arise to the public service from any
discussion of these propositions. (Hear, hear.) I thought,
that if the house had been silent after what I have just
stated had taken place in the other house, we should have
been held in honour and good faith to be bound by that
silence more or less hereafter. I can assure your lordships
and my noble friend that no one could more gladly leave the
question in the hands of the head of the Government than
I do. But I think the position of her Majesty s Govern-
ment after what has occurred is one so novel, that I have
no doubt it will be necessary for the question to be hereafter
discussed. Feeling relieved from all responsibility in the
matter, I now most gladly withdraw /Joy motion.
The Earl of DERBY—I can of course have no objec-
tion to the course which the noble marquis has pursued. and
I think that after the request made by the noble earl opposite
it would be impossible for the noble marquis to take any
other course. At the same time, I think that if injury were
to be done to the public interest by discussion in this house,
great injury might likewise be done by discussion in the
other House of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) And I think it
would be a great convenience if the principal members of
Government in the two houses had some concert or arrange-
ment with each other as to what would and what would not
be injurious to the public service. The noble earl appeals
to the noble marquis to postpone his motion, because dis-
cussion of it in this house would be prejudicial to the public
service. But when a motion is made to discuss the same
question in the other house of Parliament, up gets the
Prime Minister and says he has not the slightest objection
to the discussion, that no injury can be done by it, and he
actually votes against postponing the debate. (Hear, hear.)
And then, when left in a minority, and the question not
coming on, he takes the unusual course of stating the pro.
positions to the house, and explaining the whole of the
points presented to the Russian Government—propositions
which are at this moment reserved for future consideration.

(Hear, hear.) I suppose we must adopt on the authority of
the noble earl the doctrine that it is dangerous to the public
interests to discuss this subject in the House of Lords,
whilst, on the authority of the Prime Minister, it is a ques-
tion which may be discussed with perfect impunity and with-
out any danger to the public interests in the House of Com-
mons. (Hear, and laughter.) lam at a loss, I confess,
how to reconcile the different views taken by those two high
authorities, but in this house we must bow to the authority
of the noble earl. At the same time, I do most entirely
concur in the view of the noble marquis that, if we do
keep silence on this question, it is at the request of the Go-
vernment, and we are thereby relieved from the respon-
sibility of the course which has been taken. I will not
enter into the question, but I cannot help saying that the
circumstances of the present time are likely to lead to so
much difficulty and embarrassment, that the house would
not have done its duty if it had kept silence but for the spe-
cial request of the Secretary of State who is himself mainly
responsible for the conduct of foreign affairs.
Earl RUSSELL—I take upon myself entirely the re-
sponsibility of asking my noble friend to withdraw his mo-
tion. I do so on my own responsibility, being charged with
the special function of foreign affairs. He may draw any
inference he pleases from my making that request. I do not
think it at all necessary to defend the course taken by my
noble friend in the other house. (Laughter, and Hear,
hear.) A particular course may have been expedient ten
days ago, which is not expedient now. Ido not think it
unusual that after such an interval one Minister may think
a course expedient which differs totally from that which
another Minister deemed expedient in the previous week.

(Cheers and laughter.)
The Earl of DERBY—The difference between the two
Ministers can only be reconciled in one way, which is by
supposing that much greater attention is paid to anything
which falls from your lordships in this house than to what
takes place in the other House of Parliament. It is only
in that way that the difference can be reconciled. (Cheers
and laughter.)
Earl GREY—I hope that is the proper interpretation.
and that it is not that perhaps this house is supposed to be
so indiscreet, so wanting in judgment and discretion, that
it cannot be trusted to the same extent as the other house.
(Great laughter.)
The motion was then withdrawn.

The Metropolis Turnpike Roads Acts Amendment, the
Local Government Supplemental (No. 2), and the District
Parochial Churches (Ireland) bills were read a second
time.

The Waywardens' Contracts and Inclosure (No. 2) bills
went thr(•ugh committee.
The report on amendments made on the Officers of Royal
Naval Reserve Bill was received.

The Leases and Sales of Settled Estates Acts Amend-
ment Bill was read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at the usual hour.
FETITIO N.

Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Ashton-under-
Lyne, and another from a place in Oxfordshire, against
recognising the independence of the Southern States.
ROYAL COMMISSION.

At 20 minutes past 4 o'clock Col. CLIFFORD, the Yeo-
man Usher of the Black Rod, summoned the house to the
House of Peers to hear the Royal assent given by commis-
sion to certain bills, for which see Lords' report.