The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-28 00:00:00

ROYAL COMMISSION.

The royal Consent was given, by commission, to the
Consolidated Fund (X 175,650), the Game Licences, the
Industrial Exhibition, the International Exhibition (Dub-
lin, 1865), and the British Kaffraria, Bill.
THE GRIEVANCES OF THE INDIAN ARMY.
Lord DONOUGHMORE presen.ted_petitions from seve-
ral officers in the Indian army, praying for a redress of the
grievances of which they complained.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Westminster Improvement Bill, the Waterford and
Passage Railway, and the Wexford Harbour Improvement
Bills were read a third time and passed.
CRIMINAL CONVICTION AT SLIGO.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH moved for copies of the
papers relating to the conviction of a young girl recently
tried by the magistrates of Colooney, in Sligo, named
Catherine Gaughan, on the 25th of February last
A complaint had been made by the young
female against Michael Hart, Hineford Hart, and
others, on the charge of assaulting and ill-treating
her in divers ways, and putting her; into duress and de-
taining her in confinement for some days, until she was
released by a magistrate's order ; and also of the con-
viction of Sub-Inspector Broke, and others of the
police, from having been present at that outrage
in open day and declining to interfere and rescue
Catherine Gaughan from the brutal treatment
to which she had been subjected ; and for a copy of the
decision of the inspector-general of the constabulary upon
the conduct of the individuals of ,the force incul-
pated on that occasion. The noble lord entered
into a detail of the facts connected with this
case, from which it appeared that the female in
question, who had attained the years of discretion, went
to Scotland, and there seceded from the Roman Catholic
Church. On her return to Ireland, this act led to the com-
mission of the offence which he had brought under the
notice of the house, in consequence of the failure of her

friends and the Roman Catholic clergymen to coerce her to
return to the creed from which she conscientiously departed.
He was not one of those who had any bigoted feelings to-
wards members of the Roman Catholic persuasion, among
whom he had many friends. He had used his influence
towards the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act.
He understood that when that act was passed it was with
the distinct understanding that no attempt would be made
to undermine the Established Church, but that im-
plied promise had been broken, of which fact
this present case was an excellent illustration. He con-
tended that in regard to this young female the police had
acted under the direction of a Roman Catholic clergyman
in 'violation of justice and law, and that such a state of
things was a disgrace to the present day. He re-
gretted to say that this was not an isolated case, show-
ing the practice that prevailed in. Ireland, because
from facts which had come to his knowledge he would bo
in a position to lay before their lordships another case,
which would prove that the Irish constabulary were
merely a machine in the hands of the Roman Catholic
clergy. (A laugh.) He could asssure their lordships
that he was quite satisfied as to the accuracy of his
statement, and he felt bound as a firm membbr of the Esta-
blished Church to warn theirlordships against the attempts
that were made in Ireland to subvert this Church by acts
similar to those he had brought under the notice of their
lordships, and which he feared were of too frequent
occurrence.
Earl GRANVILLE said that the Government had no
objection whatever to produce the papers referred to.
The Colonial Naval Defence Bill was, on the motion of
the Duke of SOMERSET, read a second time.
The Private Bill Costs Bill was passed through com-

•
mittee.
The Affirmation (Scotland) Bill and the Perth Provi-
sional Order Confirmation Bill were read a third time and
passed.
On the report of amendments to the Bankruptcy and
Insolvency (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill,
The Earl of LONGFORD moved the re-insertion of a
clause which had been Struck out by the select committee
to whom the bill had been referred, on the ground that the

On the return of the SPEAKER,
Mr. WATKINS presented petitions in favour of the Che-
mists and Druggists Bill.

Sir F. KELLY presented a number of petitions in favour
of the repeal of the malt tax.

Mr. LOCKE presented a petition against the Justices of the
Peace Procedure Bill.

CATHOLIC STUDENTS.

Mr. SCULLY moved for an address for copies of all
correspondence from the Ist day of January, 1864, up to
the making of the return, between the Foreign-office in
London and her Majesty's representative at Brussels, or
between such representative and the Belgian Government,
or between the Foreign-office and the Belgian Minister in
London, or between the Foreign-office and the Home-
office, with reference to the bourses or endowments hereto-
fore provided for the education of Irish Catholic students
in the University of Louvain ; and of any memorial or
correspondence to or with the Foreign-office and the Home-
office respectively on behalf of Irish Catholics with refer-
ence to those bourses or endowments.—Agreed to.
BISHOP COLENSO.

Mr. DUNLOP asked the Secretary•
of State for the
Colonies whether, looking to the recent decision of the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the case of
Bishop Colenso, by which, with reference to colonies with
representative Legislature, or in which the Church of
England had not been established by law, patents for the
erection of episcopal sees therein, purposing to confer
ecclesiastical jurisdiction, were pronounced to be contrary to
law, it was the intention of the Government to advise her
Majesty to abstain henceforth from issuing any more such
patents for colonies so situate, and also from nominating
successors under the existing illegal patents to bishops who
may die or resign, leaving the voluntary associations of
which such bishops were the chief ministers to provide
successors according to the rules and canons they have
adopted or may adopt for the government of their own
non-established communions ; and particularly whether
this course would be recommended in reference to Canada,
where by an act of the Canadian Legislature to which the
Royal Assent was duly given, all connection between
Church and State has been expressly abolished.
Mr. CARDWELL said with respect to Canada the prac-
tice of issuing patents has been discontinued. The bishops
there are selected by the Church in the colonies, and derive
their civil rights from the colonies. With reference to the
other matter referred to, the recent decision had led to the
necessity of giving that matter the most serious considera-
tion. No letters patent, however, would be issued until
that consideration has been brought to a close.
EPISCOPAL SEES IN THE COLONIES.

Mr. DUNLOP asked the Attorney-General to what
extent and effect, if any, patents erecting episcopal sees
in colonies having representative legislatures, or in which
the Church of England had not been previously by law
established, and purporting to confer ecclesiastical juris-
ilirtinn tuts vzueourtar
Sovereign of the United Kingdom, issued patents for the
erection of episcopal sees, in accordance with the religious
system established by law in only ono part of the United
Kingdom, England, in colonies which never were, at any
time, colonies of England, but have been, from their origin,
British colonies.

The AT T ORNEY-GENERAL gam :a mere a=m
cult to say what these letters patent provided than what
they did not. It had been determined by the Judicial Com-
mittee that there were no legal dioceses in the colonies to
which the late inquiry related, and that the letter patent
constituted no legal connection between the Church in
these colonies and the united Church of England and
Ireland. It was further determined that the letters
patent granted to the bishop did not introduce into
these colonies any part of the ecclesiastical polity of Eng-
land, and that they gave no legal power to the bishops
which they might not have under the voluntary system.
He found also in the judgment that letters patent were not
valid to create ecclesiastical corporations which the colonies
were bound to recognise.