The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-16 00:00:00

CABINET SECRETS.

The Earl of MA.LNIESBURY gave notice thit to-
morrow he would call the attention of the house to the
charge made by the First Lord of the Treasury against
a gentleman of the Foreign-office, for a violation of his
duty in disclosing the secret correspondence of his de-
partment.

COASTING TRADE BILL.
Lord. STANLEY, in moving the second reading of
this bill, stated that it had been introduced, in fulfilment
of the pledge in the Royal Speech, for the purpose of
removing the last of the restrictions imposed upon the
use of foreign ships in the coasting trade.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Stafford New Gas Bill was read a third time and
passed ;?also the East London Waterworks Bill.
The Kingston-upon-Hull Docks Bill was brought up
and read a first time.

PETITIONS.
Mr. WICKHAM presented four petitions—viz., one
from Bradford, one from Clackheaton, one from Horton,
praying that no more money be granted to Maynooth ;
one from Pudney, West Riding of Yorkshire, praying
that the said College be at once dissolved, and that no
money be granted in future for a purely Roman Catholic
education ; also, two petitions—viz., one from Horton, and
one from Pudney, both in the West Riding of York-
shire, praying that some effectual steps may be taken to
put down the illegal practices of the Roman Catholics
in this country.
Mr. ROBERT PALMER presented a petition from
the mayor and burgesses of the borough of Newbury,
against the consolidation of the rural police force.
Mr. HORSFALL presented a petition from the ship-
owners of Liverpool complaining of the repeal of the
Navigation Laws having prevented an efficient number
,of apprentices being bound to the merchant service.
SLIGO BOROUGH ELECTION.
Sir G. GREY brought up the report of the General
Committee of Elections, nominating the following as the
select committee to inquire into the late return for the
borough of Sligo—viz., the Right Hon. E. Ellice, Sir J.
B. East, the Hon. P. J. Locke King, Mr. J. H. Phil-
lips, and the Right Hon. Sir F. T. Baring, chairman.
UNIVERSITY REFORM.
Lord J. RUSSELL stated that the orders of the day
for to-morrow should be po•itponed until after the motion
of which he had given notice, for reform of the univer-
sities.

WIVES AND CHILDREN OF SOLDIERS.
Colonel HARCOURT postponed, until this day fort-
night, the consideration of the question of which he had
given notice on the above subject, in consequence of the
noble lord's (Lord J. Russell's) notice of motion as to
the University Reform Bill.
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS.
In reply to Mr. BELL, who asked the Chief Commis-
sioner of Works, whether th 3 Government intend to
introduce a metropolitan buildings bill this session ; and,
if so, whether it will be an entirely new bill, or one to
amend the act now in force,
Sir W. MOLESWOR,TII said, the Government were
not going to bring in a new act, but the subject of
amending the existing acts was under consideration.
COUNTY RATES, &c.
Mr. M. GIBSON rose to ask the Secretary of State
for the Home Department, when the bill for giving to
the ratepayers of counties a representative control over
county rates and county expenditure was to be
brought in.
Lord PALMERSTON said the bill would be brought
in immediately after Easter.

POOR In VAL.
reply to Mr. KNIGHT,REM whoO asked the President of
the
14t11 °1 1"r
Law Board if the information moved for on the
du
March, 1853, and amended to facilitate its pro-
etio
ho on the 21st Feb., 1854, can be presented to the
forthwith
before the eNn dEoSf April said,
the returns would not be ready
RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA.
In reply to a
any official question from Mr. DISRAELI as to
whether
communications had recently been
received by her
renewed negotiati Majesty's Government with respect to
oils with Russia for an amicable settle-
!Tient of the existing
Lord J. RUSSEt quarrel,
debthat up to his latest know-
ledge no such corornunicaiti-
coL,,,.,. ons had been received.
'w4IALL JDGESHIPS.
Mr, F. PEEL, referring to a
t arisin of
the Sligo borough election coraniltu ee,estion g out
as to the appoint-
ment of a gentleman (Mr. Stoner), to a colonial
judge-
ship, the appointment had not been confirmed.
ENCUMBERED ESTATES.
Mr. HENRY HERBERT wished to ask the
Secre-
tary for Ireland if it was in contemplation to brin
any measure to facilitate the sale of land Which does notn
come under the Encumbered Estates Act.
Sir J. YOUNG said the subject was under con-
sideration.
RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
Mr. RICARDO asked the President of the Board of
Trade whether it was intended to bring in any measure
founded on the report of the committee which sat last
session on the subject of railways and canal bills.
Mr. CARDWELL said a resolution founded upon the
resolutions of the committee was prepared, and would
be shortly brought in.
LAW OF MORTMAIN.
Mr. HEADLAM moved for leave to bring in a bill
to consolidate and amend the laws of mortmain, and the
laws regulating gifts to charitable or religious purposes.
This was a very large and important subject, and he
should not have ventured to bring it before the house
if the Government had been willing to undertske the
task themselves. (Hear, hear.l Having ascertained,
however, that they were indisposed to move in
the matter, he had no alternative, as chairman
of the Mortmain Committee but to introduce it himself. j
The hon. gentleman then proceeded to review all the
existing mortmain acts, remarking that legislation on the
subject commenced as far back as the time of M agna
Citarta, arid h.avinq .c he went Ca to explain the
object of the bill ne proposed to bring in, and the

technical changes which he wished to make in the law.
There was nothing in the bill which could in any way
resist or insult the religious prejudices of any sect in
the community, on the contrary, it would s em to pro•
mote the beneficent purposes of religious edu_ation and
charity, and under certain limitations it woo.. repeal
the statute of superstitous uses.
Mr. HADFIE LD seconded the motion, and regretted
that the subject had not been taken up by the Govern-
ment. However, it could not be in better hands than
those of the honourable and learned gentleman,
who had so ably stated the case of this bill to
the house. The public knew little or nothing of
death-bed bequests or grants—too many of them were
invalid, according to the provisions of some of the ex-
isting acts, and it was high time that the doubts which
the law raised were set at rest.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)