The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-24 00:00:00

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLOCK,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS---This Evening.
The Lord Chancellor took his seat at the usual hour.
PRI V ATE BUSINESS.
The Cleveland Railway, Harruwgate Gas, Rugby Water,
Scarborough Water, and Accrington Gas and Water Bills
were read a sccond time.
THIRD READINGS.

The Market Harborough and Loughborough Road,
London and North-Western, and Lanca.hire and York-
shire Railway Companies, South Staffordshire Railway and
Denbe4 h Water Bills were read a third time and passed.
THE WAR IN AMEKICA.
Lord REDESDALE said he wished to know whether
he understood the noble earl the Sr- cretary for Foreign
Affairs to say that the United States Government had re-
quested the B itish Government to authorise the British
Consul to 'pen the sealed mail bags from this country to see
if amongst the letters anything b wring upon the question
at issue between the North and South, in order that it
might be conveyed to the American Government.
Earl RUSSELL, who spoke in a very low tone of voice,
was understood to say that such a demand had been made.
The Earl of DERBY was surprises that a demand had
been made that the sealed correspondence of a mail packet
should be opened by the British Consul in the presence of
an cfficer:of the United States, in order that the latter might
ascertain whether there was evidence enough to justify rim
in taking the vessel into a prize court for condemnation.
He should like to know whether that demand had been
denied or acquiesced in.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE thought the question
of such a severe nature that the noble earl would well c ,n-
-eider it and answer it on Monday next. He should like to
know upon what ground any British Consul had the power
t, open any letters. He did not think he had the slightest
right to do such an act. He hoped the noble earl would
take the opinion of the law officers of the Crown in the
question.

Lord CL ELMSFORD wished to know whether any in-
formation had been reeeived relative to accounts he had
seen m the evening papers—viz., that four more English
vessels had been seized ?
Earl RUSSELL said he had not received any official
information on the subj,2ct, but what was certain was,
that for many months English vessels had run
the blockade, and others had attempted to do
so without success. Some of those had been captured, and
more than likely the information referred to some of those
ships.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE addressed another
question to the noble earl, in a very indistinct manner.
Earl RUSSELL said he had given a copy of Mr. Seward's
Lett-r to Parliament, and he would take the opportunity of
asking the law officers of the Crown to look into the law of
nations on this point.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH asked how the British
consul was to discover a letter containing anything of a
treasonable nature. Was he to open it, or judge from
supervision ?
The Earl of HARDWICKE thought that the ploposi•
tion was nothing more than that a British consul should be
made use of t, att,ick British subj.cts.
Lord TAUNTON commended the prudence of the Go-
vernment. War was a very serious thing, and he hoped
that Eneland would cot allow herself to be entangled in it.
The Earl of MALMESBURY wished to know whether
the Govetnment had admitted or repudiated the demand ?
Earl RUSSELL said the Gov- rnment had expressed an
opinion, but had (as we understood the noble earl) issued
a modified ord-T. Until he had obtained the opinion of
the law officers of the Crown upon the questions he should
place before them, he should reserve his reply.
The subject then dropped.