The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-18 00:00:00

the member for Bucks is, but I do not know that the hon
member for North Warwick (Mr. Newdegate), for example,
is convinced. (Hear, hear.) But, be that as it may, We
ought to be indulgent, seeing that strange habits and pre-
judices are not to be got rid of in a day, and that the course
which France has taken in negotiating commercial treaties
with other nations is having a great effect in spreading free
trade throughout Europe. (Hear, hear.) Whatever re-
ductions are made to France we must strive to get, either
in virtue of our moral claims or by the favoured nation
clause. I think, then, we have every reason to be satisfied
with that commercial policy which has been pursued by
this country, and which gradually bring about in Europe
not only the conviction of the soundness of the principle,
but the adoption of the practice of free trade. (Cheers.)

The motion for adjournment was then agreed to.
IRISH POOR REMOVAL.

Lord J. BROWNE called attention to the circumstances
attending the removal of Patrick Bourke from Leeds to the
Westport Union in the county of Mayo, Ireland, and
moved for a copy of the report of Dr. Brodie, the Irish Poor
Law Inspector, on the investigation which took place into
the circumstances attending the death of Bourke.
Mr. VILLIERS defended the law from the charge of
inhumanity, and contended that, on the contrary, it was
marked by humanity.

Mr. BAINES corroborated the right hon. gentleman's
statement, and defended the conduct of the Leeds guar-
dians.

The motion was agreed to.
INLAND REVENUE AND CUSTOMS ESTABLISH-

MENTS.

On the motion of Mr. HORSFA I L, a select committee
was agreed to for the purpose of inquiring into the propriety
of consolidatingthe Inland Revenue and Customs establish-

ments.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION TO PRISONERS.

Sir G. GREY obtained leave to bring in bill to
amend the law relating to the religious instruction of
prisoners in the county and borough prisons of England*
and Scotland. The right hon. gentleman stated that the
bill was of course to apply to all denominations, but
there was no occasion to disguise the fact that it would
mainly apply to Roman Catholics, of whom, he regretted
to say, there were nearly 4,000 in the English prisons, and
who formed in some countries more than half of the en-
tire criminal population.

Major HAMILTON asked how the money to be paid to
the clergymen under the bill was to be raised ?
Mr. WHALLEY objected to the sanction which the bill
proposed to give to the rainiat ration of Roman Catholic
priests, when the constitution of the country emphatically
declared that the Roman Catholic religion was not to be
encouraged. The Roman Catholic prisoners had only to
ask for a priest now, and there was no one to interfere with
such a demand. Priests were in the habit of going to the
labourers' cottages, and, taking the children, baptised them
and kept a register of their names. (Cries of "Question.")
He would feel it to be his duty on the second reading to
bring forward evidence of the teaching of Roman Catholic
priests. (Laughter.)
Mr. MAGUIRE said all the friends of civil and religious

liberty must congratulate the Government on the spirit in
which the bill was brought forward. But he believed
there was an objection to the bill, and it was this—that he
thought it relied too much on the discretion of the magic'
trate.