The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 11, 1853.

N i LEAK; DAT FIXED RENTALS.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Leasing
rat ' Compam

Closing Prices
yesterday.

Bnstn•ee
this Jay.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at 5 o'clock.

The Duke of ARGYLL presented a petition from the
Medical Society of Edinburgh, praying for an amend-
ment of the law relating to the medical profession.
The South Shields Improvement and the Scottish
Midland Junction Railway Bills were read a second
time.

The Belfast and Ballymena Railway Bill ;was read a
third time and passed.
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.

ail toll ihai
vereeG,
The Marmalo,caqwlmuopaaosfilpyeßrsl of BATH presented a petition from cer
optel
rafae, parishesanntfryhemer
ttihincl
further
company,
rtmetprhp eeaaywinni
Salisbury.rp completede tTy
yei
edr,Whs
tifenuhf taaeutvrsi
feeersyststiouchiurilicets
isfe selfish jealousy, o u
been
ye,e
ns e
apta
pro-
ceeded to call the attention of the house to the conduct
n'llEielrwqaebyieetCwoemen
which,r
different
ti ffe contended,dehreetnhte
edniends
stcreotf Itiehafde
Wiltshire,
edthhoi
rine
ei
Gloucestershire, and Dorsetshire, as completely as
He thought an inquiry ought to be instituted as to the
conduct of the Government with respect to this line,
and he wished to ask her Majesty's Government
whether they would consent to the withholding of any
further powers to the Great Western Railway Com-
pany until after such an inquiry had been made.
Lord STANLEY of Alderley said that, with regard
to the past, the Government had no power to compel
railway companies to complete their lines, unless a clause
inVege
nsttohebterhleeeh house to grant
to that effect had been inserted in their act. For the
woulddsaltEabnhewiri
ilrrjdhtihydsadTie
whichvrnhi bieddoee
rtsetehhnpcodroeuvsviomota
sl vsdnpwhi dl
yaoebee
utreedcelea
stddmfatoehbe
dbrceeleni bayrsoryuulewwsi
scitenaphueipei
before
owrfedooidvpdt
tpni framingproviding
t o certainit
:oerdc
courts which he thought would have some effect on the
present state of the law on the subject.
The Bishop of SALISBURY concurred in the views
of the noble marquis, and he thought that that part of
the country with which both he and the noble marquis
were connected, were greatly indebted to the noble
marquis for the manner in which he had brought the
subject before the attention of their lordships' house.
After a few words from Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Wyn-
ford, and Lord Redesdale,
The Earl of MALMESBURY presented a similar
petition from Salisbury on the subject.
The matter then dropped.
CHARGE AGAINST THE IRISH GOVERNMENT.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH, in moving for an
address for a copy of the conviction of Messrs. Timothy
Feely and Edward Roche, before the justices of Galway,
for an aggravated assault upon F. G. Murphy, Esq., at
that place, in the month of February last, as well as the
decision and sentence of the justices on the case • also a
copy of any memorial or petition forwarded to the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland for the remission or diminution of
punishment awarded by the aforesaid justices against the
before mentioned parties on the said alleged assault, and
of any letter conveying the same ; also a copy of so
much of the Crown Book as contains the record of con-
viction and sentences passed at the last assizes at
Limerick in the month of February in the present year
upon John Flynn, Patrick Riley, Bridget Regan, Patrick
Roche, John Ryan, Patrick Howrigan, Owen Malony,
Patrick Daly, and John Ryan, for the several offences
in which they were engaged at the last election at that
place • and also a copy of any memorial or petition ad-
dressed to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for any re-
mission or diminution of the sentences above referred to,
or any of them, with the signatures appended thereto, as
well as any letter by which the same may have been ac-
companied, said he had come over from Ireland to
per form a very disagreeable duty, inasmuch as it involved
charges against the Lord Lieutenent of Ireland and the
Irish government ; but it was a duty from which he
could not shrink. The first came his motion referred to
was with respect to two persons who had been found
guilty of a violent assault upon a gentleman in Galway.
It appeared there had been a social meeting somewhere
about the commencement of February or the end of
January last, at which the band of one of her Majesty's
regiments of the line were in attendance, and after the
business of the meeting was over, they played " God save
the Queen." Two persons belonging to the Queen's col-
lege who were present hissed, whereupon a magistrate
who was there, and observed their conduct, went over
to them and remonstrated. On the following day these
two persons, whose nemes were Feely and Roche,
went to a place where they expected to meet with Mr.
Murphy, the magistrate who had remonstrated with
them, and upon meeting with him they assaulted him
and beat him most severely with a horsewhip. Feely
only, he believed, according to the evidence, actually
used the horsewhip ; the other one looked on, but did
not strike. A charge of assault was preferred before a
magistrate, and upon the facts being proved, the two
men were convicted and sentenced to a month's impri-
sonment with hard labour. This conviction took place
on the 3rd February, and on the 7th or Bth the Lord
Lieutenant, who had gone to Ireland, he believed, only
on the 27th of January, wrote down an order that the
hard labour was to be remitted. Nobody could say that
such a punishment was too severe for so gross an out-
rage, and the only reason he could conceive for this un-
timely lenity on the part of the Lord Lieutenant was
that it was exercised for a political object, and 'that he
hoped by such means to obtain popularity for himself
and for his government amongst one class of the popu-
lation. The other case to which he would call atten-
tion was one that occurred in Limerick. At the last
assizes in February for that town nine persons were con-
victed of riot, and were sentenced by Judge Perrin, who
had the reputation of being a very lenient and humane
judge, to periods of imprisonment varying from nine to
three months. His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant,
very shortly after his arrival, had thought fit to express
an opinion to the corporation of Dublin that he thought
the office he held was a necessary appendage to the
country, and he (Lord Westmeath) presumed it was in
carrying out that opinion, and with a desire to make
the office still more popular among the Roman Catholic
party—(for all the persons so sentenced were Roman
catholics, and the riot took place at an election where the
priests had been very active)—that his lordship commuted
the sentences of all these persons. Another reason why he
thought the object of these proceedings an the part of the.
Lord Lieutenant was to gain popularity, was that he ob-
served Mr. Kirwan was reinstated in the office he forfeited
by his conduct at an election about the same time. He
wished it not to go forth that he was making any attack
upon the Roman Catholic religion. Many most intimate
friends and some of his nearest relations were Roman
Catholics, and his feelings toward* that religion would
ever be those which ought to be entertained by those
whose ancestors had professed it. But respect for the
Roman Catholic religion was a very different thing to
submitting to conduct on the part of the Government in
Ireland tending to encourage there a body of persons
whose hands were against every man, and whose influ-
ence as priests was always exercised to prevent the re-
turn to Parliament of those who by their connection with
the land and the property of the country were the best
qualified to be its representatives, The upper classes of
the Irish Roman Catholics he knew to be loyal to a man,
and they were ever ready to prove their loyalty by any
act or any sacrifice ; but he was not so sure that the no-
minees of the Roman Catholic priests were loyal. They
sometimes said themselves they were not. But what
could they think of a Government that was playing into
the hands of gild/ persons—and what were they to think
of that position of Olive which had placed the affairs of
the empire in the hands of a majority dependent upon
a party who made the welfare of this mighty empire se-
condary to other considerations which they had in view
and who used their position to obstruct rather than to
advance the public interests I The Government seemed
to have proposed an alliance with the extreme Irish
party. They had thought fit to nominate to the im-
portant office of Solicitor-General the Iron, and learned
member for Athlone, who, however great his talents,
was considered not exactly the person who should have
been appointed to that office. In reference to that bon.
and learned gentleman, it became his duty to bring
under the uotice of their lordships a transaction which
he trusted the noble earl at the head of the Govern-
ment would now hear of for the first time, At the
last contested election for Westmeath, an honourable
baronet, Sir R. Levinge, was fi candidate,
the Solicitor-General for Ireland (who, he Mr. Keogh
believed, had
not an atom of ground in the county) came to canvass
for another gentleman, who was ultin.lately elected. At
a meeting in the town of Moat, held in the open
air, Mr. Keogh addressed the electors, The speech
the hon. and learned member delivered on that occasion
was heard by three Magistrates of the county, one of
whom thought.it is duty td COmmunicate the facts to
me, and he had since had conanetteication with the other
two magistrates, and the fact would tei deposed to if
necessary on oath by the three. The speed of the hon.
and learned gentleman was as follows :—"80y,7017,---their
lordships should be aware that in Ireland all were ber
between the ages of 65 and 14, women as well as men—
(a laugh)—all who had brawny arms to wield a stick, or
to hit a mark with a stone—" Boys," said the hon. and
learned gentleman, "the days are now long, and the
nights are short—in autumn the days will be shorter,
and the nights longer—but in winter the days will be
very short, and the nights will be very long, and then
1.4 any one remember who voted for Sir R. Levinge."
in montli of January the Government were enabled
to obtain evidence' and
bring convictionrnec for arumber
to
of persons in this country and
in lelßow, their beinglord ehips
en-
gaged In the ribbon conspiracy.
with some of those
Keogh were exactly in accordance _
with the k.aBs words which
which had been expressed and
to that Moody con-
were used by the parties belongingt
th
of the
would find that the sentiments here en.unciated by Mr.
con-
spiracy,, as they were brought
Theou in
noble loerdwumrl3;ht Say
proceedings against them.
that these words were all "gibberish," but they were
well understood by the initiated. The words used by the
ribbon conspirators were—
Summer is approaching, the short days are gone ;
Friendship will flourish, then the days will be kept long.
Let freedom reign by land and sea,
And death to him who would betn y.
Now, their lordships would see there was a close resem-
blance between these words and those used by the hon.
and learned gentleman, and no doubt those to whom
they were addressed knew well their meaning. What
he wanted to ask the noble earl opposite was, whether
they were prepared, in the event ofa vacancy recurring,
to advance to the bench a man who did not scruple to
promote an election by means like these ? That the
words were understood in the sense he inferred there
was proof, for a man standing by said to the magistrate,
his informant, " You hear those words, sir ; what do
you think would be done to me when the winter nights
come, if I were to vote for Sir R. Levinge ?" It was
not for the purpose of attacking the member foF Athlone

Marquistor
uf
etWestmeath)hat
there
were
rme eparno,.
gab ur udas to theour
tt
the
theilanguagetsHgalueosf imputedt contestedo question
wa s nt to
tltehaces.
his
Solicitor-
General noble f
of friend i elnr deia(
matters.tnhtr
regard
no
not
withinmheoaffnne e
effect
nuhdptoho
talented
newdtahus
etyenl
ooe
fewgt
this
gentleman
eo house
pro-
perly
lan-
guagett hioooeoarnentitoh.
ys
npeacsoanmioliaedi
constituted
tntie learned
at
politicaluuwua
et
esti
such
aidhtno
fdw
was
yes
but, as to the effect of his having been selected to fill the
office of Solicitor-General by her Majesty's Government
shortly after the delivery of that language, and while it
was yet a matter of notoriety. The noble earl had said,
and he (Lord Derby) was bound to believe him, that he
knew nothing of this speech. Yet the speech was a
matter of general publicity ; in fact he believed affidavits
had been made as to the particular words uttered by the
hon, and learned member. He (the Earl of Derby)
therefor': could not help wondering that the subject
should not have been brought under the notice of the
noble earl at the head of the Government at the time
when the hon. and learned gentleman who made it was
about to be appointees to the post which ho then filled.
He (the Earl of Derby) wo bound to give implicit credit
to the noble earl opposite wligln he said he knew nothing
of the speech ; but he could uoi refrain from again ex-
pthreessinghis
ignorance, surprisethnoant-k—nhoewdledidgeneaft ayth,e noble earl upon
.it offensively—
the subject. Mr. Keogh, when the election for the
county of Westmeath was about to take place, ,acting on
the part of the Liberals, and being himself a cann.klate
for :14 seat, was reported to have said in public, "That the
nights were then getting short, and the days were long ;
the time eri:4s coming when the nights would be long and
the days short, and then they would know how to act
with those who mlstiv venture to vote for Sir R. Levinge
for the county of Weetacath." If he (the Earl of Derby)
were not mistaken, Mr. itersh had recommended persons
to go into the town of Athlone armed with shillelaghs, and
to use them, if need be. This iniglA, perhaps, be an in-
correct representation, but that sorneench speeches were
uttered there was no doubt. It was a meet unfortunate
matter, that after such speeches as these Mr. Keogh
should be appointed to a high post connected with the
administration of justice. It had the effect of making
people danbt the sincerity of Government, and had led
to the belief that a system of partiality existed, and that
these appointments were made without a due regard to
public tranquillity.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE complained of the man-
ner in which the noble marquis (the Marquis of West-
meath) had brought forward an accusation, without no-
tice, against an hon. member of the other house of Par-
liament. He recollected when he was a member of that
house it was the custom to talk of statements which
were nobleman doubtful as " Irish facts," and the facts
of the marquis fell within that category. The
manner in w.hich this accusation was brought forward
appear as though the noble marquis
certainly ai n
broughtl yma ads it itforward his motion solely with the view of
throwing dirt upon the hon. and learned Solicitor-
General, and he must bear witness to the admirable
manner in which the noble earl (the Earl of Derby) had
improved the occasion. The noble earl had expressed
surprise that the noble lord at the head of the Govern-
ment was not aware of the speeches delivered by Mr.
Keogh. He (the Duke of Newcastle) recollected not
very long since, when the election speeches made by Sir
F. Jielly were referred to in that house, the noble earl

' that he brought this subject forward, but to show the opposite (the Earl of Derby) had stated that he was quite
Government the sort of system they were giving encour- 1 unacquainted with what his own Solicitor-General had
agement to—a system which had shown itself at Six- I said, and that he had no time to read the newspapers.
mile Bridge and at various other places during the else- I (Hear.) But he (the Duke of Newcastle) was in a posi-
tions. Mr. Keogh was entertained at a dinner after his 1 tion to inform the house that these speeches were really
election, at Athlone ; and what would the noble lord never uttered by Mr. Keogh. He had the authority of
who introduced the ecclesiastical bills say when he heard Mr. Keogh's word for it, who stated that he had never
that at that dinner, in the presence of the Irish Solici- made use of any such language, and that what he did
tor-General, the health of the Pope was given with nine say had been grossly perverted. He (the Duke of New-
times nine, and afterwards that of the Queen, with only castle) had next to charge the noble marquis opposite
the usual honours ? He contended that the Govern- with having made his accusation in a very unfair man-
ment had no right to select a person holding sentiments ner, for he (the Duke of Newcastle) had been informed
such as those to fulfil a responsible position. (Hear.) that Mr. Keogh had, through a private friend, denied
In the hat of toasts the name of the Pope stood first, the truth of the language imputed to him. Neverthe-
then followed the Queen. The hon. and learned gentle- less, the noble marquis had not hesitated to come down
man (Mr. Keogh) was present at the arrangement of to the house and make the accusation, without having
these toasts, and took part in the dinner ; in fact, by his the candour to say one word as to the denial of the hon.
conduct upon the occasion he had shown himself unfitted and learned gentleman.
for the high office which her Majesty's Government had
The Earl of EGLINTON was quite at a loss to see
conferred upon him. The noble marquis concluded by the parallel between the case of Sir F. Kelly and that
saying that he had come from Ireland at considerable of Mr. Keogh. Sir F. Kelly was the actual Solicitor-
inconvenience to himself, but he had felt it his duty General of the then Government, and addressed the
to bring these matters before the house. constituency of the place for which he sought to be re-
The Earl of ABERDEEN said that he had no know- turned upon a question then in abeyance, which was to
ledge whatever of the circumstances connected with the be settled by the decision of the country at that very
election of Mr. Keogh, nor of the speech to which the election. Mr. Keogh, on the contrary, was a private
noble marquis referred. The noble marquis had given no individual at the time he made the speech imputed to
notice of his intention to bring that subject under their him, and although that speech, whether delivered or
lordships' consideration ; if he had, he (the Earl of Aber- not, was a matter of notoriety, it appeared that he was
deen) would have informed himself upon the subject. As appointed to a high and responsible situation without
it was he could only assure the noble marquis that he had the noble earl opposite (the Earl of Aberdeen) having
no knowledge upon the subject to which so large a portion the slightest idea that such sentiments had ever been
of his observations referred. In answering the-motion of uttered. Of course lie was bound to believe the noble
the noble marquis he (the Earl of Aberdeen) was happy to duke with regard to what the Solicitor-General for Ire-
inform the house that Ireland was never so prosperous, land had stated, and also that Mr. Keogh meant what
never so free from outrage as at the present moment, and he had said. But what did the denial amount to ? The
he could not help thinking that the noblemarquis, being noble duke said that Mr. Keogh contradicted what had
desirous of finding fault, had been compelled by the pre- been stated by the noble marquis. He (the Earl of
sent state of Ireland to catch hold of a matter so trifling Eglinton) would not say that he believed the exact
and unimportant as that before the house. The noble words as put by the noble marquis, because he might
marquis stated that certain persons, being condemned have transposed the words, and thus change their mean-
by the proper tribunals, had been arbitrarily relieved by ing ; but he must attach some credit to what three
the Lord-Lieutenant. The first case referred to was magistrates of the town heard and were prepared to
that of two student's of Queen's College, and he (Lord swear to. (Hear, hear.) He had an additional reason
Aberdeen) wished to assure their lordships at the very for that belief in the fact that he had in his own poses-
outset, that of the persons concerned in these matters he sion an affidavit sworn before a magistrate by a person
was entirely ignorant, and that he had not the slightest whom he believed to be a respectable man, and who
conception as to whether they were Catholics or Protes- was present on the occasion, ascribing to Mr.
tants. One of these two students, it appeared, refused Keogh words almost identical with those attributed
take of his hat when "God save the Queen" was played, to him by the noble marquis. He was bound to believe
upon which a gentleman knocked it off. An assault that noble lords opposite had no knowledge of the
was committed in consequence, and the two students words ; he was also bound to believe Mr. Keogh's
concerned in it were sentenced to imprisonment for ten assertion until it was disproved ; but he thought the
or twelve days, with hard labour. Now, according to subject was one which, under the circumstances, ought
the statement which he (Lord Aberdeen) had received, not to be lightly disposed of, but to be made matter of
the very magistrates who passed thissentence sent to the inquiry either by their lordships, or before a select corn-
Lord Lieutenant, and recommended that he would remit 'Mae°. He had always considered the appointment of ,
that portion of the sentence which inflicted the hard Mr. Keogh to the office of Solicitor-General one of the
labour, inasmuch as the condition of the students was least reputable acts of the present Government.
such as to incapacitate them from undergoing this pun- The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he was very unwil-
ishment. That portion, therefore, of the sentence was ling to trespass on their lordship's attention by making
remitted ; and when the house considered the offence a second speech ; but he must say that if he was willing
and the youth of the parties concerned in it, he did not to carry political animosity to its utmost extent, he
think that their lordships would be inclined to find fault might commit the noble earl (Eglinton) by a very pointed
with the Lord-Lieutenant. (Hear, hear.) The next reference to the last sentence in his speech.
case was that of 10 or 12 persons in Limerick, who were The Earl of EGLINTON was understood to say that
engaged in a riot which occurred at the election of mem- he could not be committed.
hers for that place. They were sentenced to various The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he would tell the
terms of imprisonment, varying from twelve to three noble earl what he referred to privately.
months. A petition numerously signed was presented The Earl of EGLINTON—I rise to order. I will not
to the Lord-Lieutenant praying for a remission of be committed before your lordship by any hint or inu-
the sentences. The Lord-Lieutenant did not act endo. (Cheers.)
upon caprice, as the noble marquis had said, but The Duke of NEWCASTLE said, as noble lords op-
he heard the case through the judge by whom the posits cheered, he would state what he referred to. The
prisoners were tried, and it was only in accordance noble earl having declared that the appointment of Mr.
with the recommendation of the judge that the sen- Keogh was " one of the least reputable acts of the pre-
tences were remitted. He (the Earl of Aberdeen) be- sent Government," he begged to state that he had learnt,
lieved that this was the usual course upon all occasions. on the best possible authority, that a communication was
Indeed, his noble friend the Lord Lieutenant had assured made by a noble lord who held office under the noble
him that never, under any circumstances whatever, had earl opposite (the Earl of Derby) before the completion
he remitted sentences except with the concurrence of the of the arrangements of his Government, purporting to
judge by whom they were inflicted. Unless, therefore, come from the noble earl himself, to inquire whether
the house found fault with the Lord Lieutenant for lis- Mr. Keogh would take office under him. (Hear.) That
tening to any petition, or indeed to the representations was his answer to the noble earl (Eglinton). The noble
of anybody, touching the remission of sentences, he (the earl bad made two opposite declarations on this subject.
Earl of Aberdeen) did not know what other course could He said he should believe that the statement made
have been taken. With reference to the case of Mr. against Mr. Keogh was true until it was disproved ; and
Kirwan, the noble earl did not think it was necessary subsequently he said he should believe Mr. Keogh until
for him, after what had already taken place, to say his denial was disproved. How could the noble earl re-
anything upon the subject. Coming back again to the concile those declarations ? The hon. and learned
motion of the noble marquis, he had not the slightest gentleman (Mr. Keogh) had not merely authorised him
objection to produce the papers referred to in the first to contradict the statement of the noble marquis, but to
branch of it. With regard to the second case, he must deny that on the occasion in question he uttered words
decline to produce the report of the learned judge upon which bore the signification of those attributed to hin2.
which the remission was founded. Such a thing had He distinctly and positively denied that there was a
never yet been done, because these reports were always shadow of truth in the allegation made against him.
considered confidential in their nature. It did not, how- The Earl of DERBY—My lords, I feel it to be my
ever, appear that the report of the judge would eome duty, after what has fallen from the noble duke to say
strictly within the motion. If it was understood that that I have heard the rumour to which the noble duke
the report was excluded, the noble earl was quite willing alluded. I heard it for the first time after the appoint
to assent to the production of the papers asked for, ment of Mr. Keogh had called forth a great deal of ob-
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE thought that the
servation in Ireland, and had been loudly condemned. I
noble lord opposite (the Marquis of Westmeath) had been
heard then that it was put about by friends of Mr.
greatly misinformed upon this matter, for he had made Keogh, that such an offer was made ; and I lost no time
several mistakes in the statement which he had made to
in authorising every person who may hear it to state,
the house. Thus he had stated that the assault was on my authority, that I did not know, nor had I ever
upon a magistrate, but such was not the fact. authorised, nor did I believe then—l do not believe now
The Marquis of WESTMEATH—Mr. Murphy is a
—that any such offer, proposition, suggestion, or hint
magistrate.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that it was was at, any time made to Mr. Keogh. (Opposition
cheers.)
not so. Mr. Murphy was no doubt a most re-
The Earl of EGLINTON—For my own part I dis-
spectable man ; he (Lord Clanricarde) believed him
tinctly deny having been a party to such a thing ; and
to be a young professional man of much ability ; I did not know that anything of the kind had ever been
but he was not a magistrate. The real facts of the
asserted. (Hear, hear.)
case were these. When the student, to whom refs- The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he would tell the
rence had been made, refused to take off his hat, he was
noble earl who it was that had made the statement.
turned out of the room, and in that proceeding Mr.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH replied. With re-
, Murphy made himself very conspicuous. Upon the
ward to the objection that he should have brought the
following day this student, with another, met Mr.
subject
forward earlier, be wished to observe that he had
Murphy, and his conduct of the preceding day having
been on the continent. It was undoubtedly true that
been referred to, an assault on Mr. Murphy was corn-
Mr. Keogh had sent to him a denial ; but, as respect-
mitted. That gentleman very properly made his conr-
able parties were ready to attest the accuracy of the
plaint to the authorities, and the two students were son-
words on oath, a mere denial was not sufficient.
tenccd, not to 10 or 12 days, but to one month's
After a few words from the Earl of CLANCARTY and
imprisonment with hard labour. When he (the Mar Elie Earl of EGLINTON,
quis of Clanricarde) added that one of these students,
The motion was withdrawn.
being rusticated, lost an entire of his academical course,
he did not think that the house would consider the THE TURKISH QUESTION.
course pursued by the Lord Lieutenant was over lenient. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said he had reason
With the election speeches of his hon. and learned to believe that the discussion which would probably have
friend, the Solicitor-General for Ireland, he, of course, arisen if he had persisted in the motion of which he had
had nothing to do ;he would, however, venture to say given notice for that evening, would at that moment be
that the noble marquis opposite had made words spoken inconvenient, if not dangerous, to public interests
during the heat of an election vastly more important He wished, therefore, with the leave of their lord-
than they deserved. ships, to withdraw it. He had another reason for taking
The Earl of DERBY said that, after the few words that course, namely, that the information on that grave
of the noble earl opposite (the Earl of Aberdeen) he and important subject was not in such an advanced
was bound to say that, with regard to the two cases state as he had reason to believe it would be when he
brought forward by the noble marquis (the Marquis of gave his notice. Although he thought some discussion
Westmeath) the statement of the noble lord was entirely must take place in that house within a few days, he could
conclusive. If the facts were that in the first case the not leave his notice on the paper, because it was inipos-
remission took place in consequence of the rcpresenta- Bible for him to fix upon a day on which it would be ad-
tions of the magistrates trying it ; and, in the second visable to bring forward the subject. At the same time
case, the sentence was remitted in consequence of a he must say, that the withdrawal of the motion for the
reference to the learned judge who sentenced the pri- present, probably only for a few days, would not lead
goners, and such remission was made in accordance with any parties to consider that Parliament or the country
the judge's recommendation ; then he thought his noble was in the least degree indifferent or lukewarm with re-
friend (the Marquis of Westmeath) had no sufficient gard to this great subject. The honour and the interest
ground to ask for the production of papers. If, then, of this country were involved in the maintaining invio-
he (the Earl of Derby) understood the noble earl at the late existing treaties ; and he well knew that their lord-
head of her Majesty's Government to state that these ships, and the people of this country too, were prepared
remissions had taken place in the manner he had just at all risks and all hazards to maintain the interests, and,
mentioned, and that they had not been made upon the above all, the honour of this country, which was involved
mere motion of the Lord Lieutenant himself—seeing the in maintaining the good faith of treaties and the proper
inconvenience which might arise from the production balance of political power, if unfortunately the necessity
of the judge's report—he would advise the noble marquis for incurring risks and hazards by the greatest calamities
not to press his motion. But, although he (the Earl of
should arise.
Derby) did not wish to dwell upon the .question, he
The notice was then withdrawn.
must say that it seemed to him that the noble earl and
BURIAL GROUNDS BILL.
the noble marquis opposite (the Marquis of Clanricarde)
had dealt too lightly with the other part of the speech of This bill was read a third time.
. _

HACKNEY CARRIAGES BILL.
In passing through committee, this bill received two
amendments—one providing that omnibuses should be
provided with lamps after sunset, and another designed
to abolish advertising vans.
DUKE OF MELFORD RESTITUTION BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
Their lordships adjourned at eight o'clock.

'LOUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at a few minutes to four
o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—Cork and Bandon Railway, East Kent Railway,
Gorbals Gravitation Water (No. 2), St. Helen's Canal
and Railway, Warrington and Altrincham Railway
(Stockport).
The reports upon the following bills were considered
and agreed to, and the bills were ordered to be read a
third time :—Halifax Waterworks and Improvement,
Shipley and Bramley Road, Spalding Improvement,
West Harptry Road, and Whitechapel Improvement.
The Battersea Park Bill was read a second time.
DEVON AND DORSET RAILWAY.

Mr. HILDYARD moved that the petition of the in-
habitants of Wilts, Somerset, and Dorset, and of pro-
prietors of land, complaining of the non-execution of
certain lines of railway, authorised to be constructed
under the Acts of the Great Western and Bristol and
Exeter Railway Companies, and praying for inquiry and
redreo (presented 25th February last), be referred to
the committee on Group NN, to whom the Devon and
Dorset Railway Bill stands referred :—That it be an in-
struction to the committee to hear the petitioners, by
their counsel, agents, and witnesses, upon the said
petition, against the bill.
Mr. CARDWELL suggested that the motion should
be postponed until the house was informed as to the
present state of the inquiry now going on before the
committee. At the same time, he thought it was rather
a hardship that the rules of the house as to the locus
standi of parties opposing private bills should operate to
the exclusion of the parties who signed the present peti-
tion. That was a subject which well deserved the con-
sideration of the house.
Mr. BOUVERIE admitted that the whole law of
locus standi was in such groat confusion that it was ad-
visable to allow, by hook or by crook, all parties to be
heard against railway bills which in any way affected
them. He approved of the suggestion of Mr. Cardwell
for postponing the debate.
Mr. SOTHERON also supported the adjournment.
Mr. S. HERBERT bore testimony to the inconve-
nience which the proposed lines would occasion in the
conveyance of troops, in consequence of the communica-
tion being interrupted by a break of gauge.
After some further discussion the motion was with-
drawn, Mr. HILDYARD giving notice that he would pro.
pose it again on Monday next.
• - PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented against the inspec.
tion of nunneries.

Colonel NORTH presented a petition from solicitors
in Oxfordshire against the annual certificate duty.
Mr. H, BERKELEY presented a petition from Bris-