The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-28 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

By Sir G. BOWYER from Dundalk, in favour of the.
Prison Ministers Bill; Mr. WESTREAD, from Roman
Catholics, York, in favour of the bill ; Mr. M‘MAnox,
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. FORSTER, from the Emancipation Society ( f
Bradford, praying the house to prevent the building of
ships in this country for the Confederate States.
TIIE RIOTS AT STALEYI3RIDGE.—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 ha
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
Staley 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. GU 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 n-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, well acquainted with the locality,
had earnestly devoted themselves to the relief of the dis-
tress; and they had thi oughout 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 condttct of the Mansion Huuse committee,
with regard to Staleybridge, was regarded in Lancashire
as exceedingly injudicious. (lean)
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 ItEAND 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 mtaut to originate after Easter. Was the right
hon. baronet aware of the accuracy of his assertion ?
Si► 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 tho
conduct of the operatives was beyond all praise. (Cheers.)
It was injudicious in the Mansion-house Committee to
have sent the money to Staley !midge without agreement
with ihe Lancashire Committee. The committee had un-
doubtedly been actuated by the most benevolent motives in
their dispensation of the funds entrusted to them, but it was a
matter for 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 worthy 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 tho Speaker and the house to the House of
Lords, to hear the Royal assent to several bills.
THE MEDITERRANAN COMMAND.

On the return of the SPEIRER, --
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 active
admirals and vice-admirals to undertake that command, or
in consequence of the reluctance of some of them to incur
the Expenses incidental to the appointment.
Lord C. PAGET replied that Rear-Admiral Smart had
been appointed by the-Crown 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.