The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-21 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 18G3.

In the House of Lords yesterday, Earl STAN-
HOPE gave notice that on Friday he would cal!
attention to the state of Western Australia with
regard to transportation.
Lord CARNARVON, in moving for a copy of the
ticket-of-leave regulations in Dublin ,said he thought
the President of the Council mistaken in saying
there was no supervision over discharged convicts in
Dublin. He was informed that they were care-
fully watched, and reports made as to their mode
of living.
Lord GRANVILLE said his information had been
obtained from the chief of the police in this coun-
try, who had learned it from the chief of the police
in Ireland. He understood that the only super-
vision exercised was that the convicts were
assembled once a fortnight to hear lectures. The
English and Irish systems would both be brought
under the notice of the commission which was now

sitting.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH moved for returns'
relative to transportation, and remarked on the
Itedpath else.

Earl GRANVILLE objected to the returns on ac-
count of the trouble and expense.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH then deferred his
motion till after the report of the Commissioners.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH moved for papers re-
lating to the affairs of Poland, marl asked whether
the Government could give any information
as to the origin of the revolt or the
Prussian convention. He denounced in strong
terms the tyrannous conduct of Russia,
he alluded to the warm sympathy felt
by the French, and praised Austria for her present
attitude. The Prussians had just celebrated the
glorious anniversary of 1813, and yet their rulers
expected them to aid in striking down the Poles,
who were engaged in a struggle similar in princi-
ples and purpose to their own. Such conduct was
contrary to nature, and would create a crisis in
the country. His lordship concluded a powerful
and eloquent speech by an earnest hope that all this
misery might end in brighter days for Poland, and
the re-establishment of constitutional government.
Earl RUSSELL replied that it would be inconve-
nient to produce the official despatches from War-
saw at present. He remarked that the outbreak
was not altogether unexpected, and commented on
the state of affairs in Poland during the last
eighteen months. The conscription had driven the
people to despair—the whole number being taken
from the towns alone, from lists prepared by the
police. He (Lord Russel)) hal expressed to the
Russian Minister his conviction of the imprudence
and injustice of the measure. He had received no
copies of an engagement between Russia and Prus-
sia, but a convention existed which enabled Russian
soldiers to keep:their arms on Prussian territory, and
to pursue insurgents, while similar facilities were to
be accorded to the Prussians in case of an outbreak
in Prussian Poland. He had censured this arrange-
ment when speaking of it to the Prussian Minister.
Lord MALMESBUItY asked whether refugees in
Prussia were to be surrendered, and expressed his
regret_ at the attitude of Prussia.
Earl RUSSELL said ho had no information re-
specting the surrender of refugees.
Their lordships then
adjourned.
In the House of Commons,
Sir F. SMITH asked whether, in case of the resig-
nation of Mr. C Watts, Chief
onstructor of the Navy,
it was intended to appoint
a _gentleman over the
heads of Mr. Lang and other distinguished master-
shipwrights of long standing in the Navy
Lord C. PAGET said it was the
intention of the
Admiralty to appoint Mr. Reed to the ofUee, Ho
was in every way qualified by experience and ahi.
lity, and his appointment was no reflection on the
gentlemen alluded to by Sir F. Smith, who, how-
ever eminent, were scarcely young enough for the
office.

In answer to Colonel W. PATTEN,
Mr. FORTESCtJE said there was no truth in the
report that Sir G. Grey had sent in his resignation
as Governor of New Zealand, nor had be applied
for more troops. There was no prospect of disturb-
ance in the colony.
In answer to Mr. BAXTER,
The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
no proposal had been made to change the point of
departure for the Atlantic Royal Mail Company
from Galway to an English port.
Mr. EWART asked particulars of the Prussian
convention with Russia.

Lord PALMERSTON said he believed some arrange-

ment had been entered into with regard to troops
being permitted to cross the frontier in pursuit, but
he did not know that the agreement extended to
the employment of force by either aide in assistance
of the other.

On the order for a Committee of Supply,
Mr. GRIFFITH having put a question respecting
the employment of forced labour in Egypt,
Lord PALMERSTON said that he understood the
present Pasha intended to abolish the system alto-
gether, which her Majesty's Government thought a
wise and humane proceeding.
Sir L. PALK called attention to the distress in the
manufacturing districts, and considered it wa3 the
duty of Government either to end it by recognising
the Confederate States, or else to stimulate, as much
as possible, the culture of cotton in Queensland,
Jamaica, and other colonies. Ho thought a Royal
Commission should consider the best means of
obtaining a permanent supply of cotton. He con-
cluded by moving an address to the Crown to issue
such commission.
Mr. MILKER GIBSON opposed the motion, as a
commission could do nothing more than had been
done. It was necessary that cotton should be cheap,
as well as constant in supply, It was better left
to private enterprise.

The motion was withdrawn.
Mr. MAGUIRE remarked on the distress in Ire-
land, and asked the intentions of the Government
for its relief.

Colonel DICKSON endorsed the statement of Mr.
Maguire.
Sir R. PEEL admitted the distress produced by
three bad harvests, but said the total number in re-
ceipt of relief was 70,000. The Government could
not, therefore, apply the public funds, as they hoped
the distress was temporary.
After some discussion respecting the new rail-
way schemes, the other business was disposed of,
and the House adjourned.

The debate in the House of Lords last evening can-
not fail to be read with deep interest by all classes of
Englishmen, and, we may also add, with satisfaction,
at the unanimity with which all sides of the British
Upper House of Parliament joined in denouncing
the conduct pursued by Russia and Prussia. Lord
ELLENBOROUGH, in rising, said that his intention
was to ask whether the Government could commu-
nicate any information respecting the origin of the
outbreak, or the terms of the Prussian convention.
He purposely refrained from asking for any com-
munications which had been sent out by the Go-
vernment, as under the circumstances it might be
injudicious and inconvenient. He then proceeded
in fervid and eloquent language to express that
feeling of indignant sympathy which has so strongly
stirred the hearts of the people of this country. In
alluding to the unhappy conscription, he justly said
that it drove the people to uncalculating despair,
but if they had had time for reflection they could
have come to no other conclusion than that which
despair itself suggested. In fact the great argu-
ment against rebellion was gone. Men were com-
pelled to become soldiers ; to leave their families
unprotected, perhaps unprovided for ; to forsake
their estates, their trades, or their professions.
They were forced to enter a service which is hard
and unprofitable even to those who voluntarily en-
list in its ranks, but which to them was likely to be
little else than a prolonged punishment. All feel-
ing of security, of settled home life was gone.
How could plans or schemes be made even for the
morrow, when at the midnight hour the armed
Russian might suddenly enter and drag his
victim away for ever. Military service, however
distasteful, was inevitable. How much better then
to strike a blow for the cause of his long-trampled
country, and feel that the sacrifice of home, and
wealth, and family were at least made in a noble
cause, instead of at the bidding of her ruthless op-
pressors. Lord ELLENBOROUGH, referring to the
conduct of a previous Administration, expressed his
hope that the British Government would come for-
ward and declare that in their opinion the insurrec-
tion had been provoked, "and thus place themselves,
where the Government ought to be, at the head of
public opinion." That is certainly the attitude
which au English Government ought to assume at
the present crisis, and it is one which rumour in-
duces us to hope will be taken by the Imperial Go-
vernment—in this intervention at least cordially in
unison with their gallant and generous people.
When Lord ELLENBOROUGH came to speak of the
conduct of the Prussian KING and his Ministers,
he expressed the general feeling of indignant asto-
nishment. The very Power which, half a century
ago, rose, as it were, from its grave by the force of
the noble spirit of its people—their independence,
their determination to preserve their nationality,
—now, after celebrating the anniversary of that re •
surrection, proposes to lend all its energies
to crushing out a similar movement in a
neighbouring people. Well might Lord ELLEN-
BOROUGH prognosticate that in the event of
the KING putting a climax to his arbitrary con-
duct by sending his army against the Poles, a crisis
would be produced which would disturb Europe.
Let WILLIAM take warning from ALEXANDER that
rulers may try their people too far, and that when
once the chain is broken it is not easy to rivet it
again on the neck of an unwilling and indignant
I people.
Lord RUSSELL'S answer, though temperate in its
tone, was all that could be expected. A statesman
holding the responsible office of Foreign Secretary,
must weigh his words on such an occasion before
they go forth to be examined in the Cabinets of
Europe ; but, nevertheless, he could not avoid some
expression of his indignation. "In conversation
with the Russian Minister, and in writing to the
Russian Ambassador," said Lord RUSSELL, " I
could not forbear to express my opinion on the im-
prudent and unjust step which the Russian Govern-
ment had taken." The intelligence which the
noble lord at the head of the Foreign-office gave the
House was little more than that which they were
already in possession of, owing to the objections
which presented themselves to the production of the
reports supplied from time by our Consul at War-
saw. We concur with Lord RUSSELL in his opinion
that the outbreak of the revolution was not alto-
gether unexpected. It was not difficult to foresee i
the risk which the Russian Government so rashly
encountered by driving the Poles to extremities ;
and, as Lord RUSSELL observed, considerable mani-
festations of national feeling had been made for
1 some time past, although the attitude of the people
was peaceful. The gathering in the churches, the
mourning robs, the patriotic hymns, all were
signs of that deep undercurrent of Polish feeling
I which the Russians are now striving to repress.
Then followed the harsh proceedings of the Russian
Government on receipt of the Polish address, and the
exile of Count ZAMOYSKI, to be soon succeeded by the
cruel and iniquitous conscription. According to Lord
RUSSELL it was by the advice of Count WIELO-
PoLsiil that the conscription was enforced, and if
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as reported in the daily journals is evidently cor-
rect. Russian soldiers entering Prussian territory
whether in flight or in pursuit, are to retain their
arms and turn them to what account they can
against insurgent Poles; while in case of an up-
rising in Prussian Poland, similar advantages are to
be accorded to the subjects of King WILLIAM. No
wonder that the English Minister on hearing these
details told the Prussian envoy that his Govern-
ment by its means made itself an accessory to the