The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-05 00:00:00

safe if he followed their advice. He therefore fol-
lowed their advice rather than his own inclination.
He felt that the holder of the great seal should not stand
in the position of an accused person, and I felt that I
should retire from it, and meet any accusation in the cha-
racter of a private person. But my noble friend at the head
of the Government combatted that opinion, and he thought
with great justice it would not do to admit ',as a prin-
ciple of political conduct, or the consequence would be that
whoever wanted to . drive the Lord Chancellor
from office would succeed. When these charges were first
made he entreated to be allowed to resign. When the
committee of the House of Commons was moved for he
remembered his solicitations, but again be submitted to
to the wishes of his colleagues. When however, the
late mation was announced- in the House of
Commons, he again received my request that the motion
might be rendered unnecessary by his resignation. But,
my noble friend thought it was my duty still to persist, and
accordingly my resignation, anxious as he wished to make
it, was postponed in the manner he described till yesterday.
It was not his business to question the dnision at which
the other house had arrived with respect to him ; but ho
could assure their lordships that he had not been inten-
tionally guilty of any dereliction of his duty. lie ad-
verted to the different law reforms which he had, with the
assistance of Parliament been instrumental in pro-
moting, • and much regretted that ho had not been
able to bring to maturity what ha had so much at
heart, a full digest of the laws of the country ;
but ho trusted that that great work would. not be aban-
doned, but that both private members and noble and
learned lords would unite in its promotion. He looked
forward with confidence to the continuance-of the progress
that had been made in the improvement of the ad-
ministra tion_ of justice, and he referred particularly
to the alterations that had been introduced into
Chancery, the benefits of which world be soon expe-
rienced. • The noble and learned lord, in feeling
terms alluded to his long connection with Parliament, and
to the kindness and consideration he had invariably re-
ceived from their lordships. He then resumed his seat on
the woolsack amid much' cheering.
The house shortly after adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—This EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
ROYAL COMMISSION. •

Colonel CLIFFORD, the Yeoman Usher of the Black
Rod, summoned the. Speaker to the bar of the Upper
HOuse to hear the Royal Assent given by Oommission to
several private bills.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC COLLEGES.

Mr. HENNESSY asked the Secretary for the Home
Department a question with reference to a statement
alleged to have been made by Mr. Fortescue in his address
to the electors of Louth, to the effect that the conduct of
the Government, with refeience to the Catholic Colleges
in Ireland, had the approval of the Roman Catholic bishop.
He had received a letter from the Catholic Bishop of
Tuam denying the accuracy of that statement.
Sir G. GREY said that there had been no communica-
tion between the Government and the Roman Catholic
clergy on the subject, but he understood they were favour-
able to the course adopted by the Government.
The house then adjourned.

AQUATICS,