The Sun.
London, England, 1838-02-08 00:00:00

POST OFFICE REFORM.

Captain Pol:l4lll.p;e;:nTeia petition from Bedford,
praying for a reform in the Post Office department, ac-
cording to Mr. Rowland Hill's plan.
LONDON AND GREENWICH RAILWAY
BILL.

Mr. WOLVERLEY ---ATTVOOD brought up the
London and Greenwich Railway Amendment Bill, which
was read a first time.
Mr. AGLIONBY presented two petitions from places
in the Western Division of the county of Cumberland, on
the subject of Negro Slavery. The petitioners did not so
much complain of the grant, as that it had been imperative,
and they prayed the House to take measures to render it
effective. The Honourable Member than presented a
petition from Cockermouth, signed by 300 p ersons in favour
of the Ballot.

Mr. C. BULLER moved that the Order of the Day
for the report of the Committee on the Controverted
Elections Bill be read, for the purpose of postponing it to
that day week.
After a few words from Sir E. SUGD2N the motion
was agreed to.
RATING SMALL TENEMENTS.

Sir H. VERNEY postponed the second reading of the
Rating of Small Tenements Bill till after Easter.—(Hear.)
Sir E. KNATCHBULL suggested that the second
reading of the Bill should be taken without discussion, and
then refer it to a"Select Committee.

Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the more convenient
course was that which his Hon. Friend behind him (Sir H.
Verney) had proposed.
Lord G. SOMERSET thought it would be better to
take the second reading now, and postpone the discussion
till the Committee.

Mr. PRYME though the Bill so exceptionable that no
modification it could receive in Committee would make it
good.
Captain PECHELL was of opinion that it should go
to a second reading at once, for it was quite certain that it
would never pass into a law.
Mr. PHILIPS thought it should be referred, together
with the Bill of the Hon. Member for Coekermouth (Mr.
Aglionby), for the Recovery of the Possession of Tene-
ments, to a Select Committee.
Mr. BRISCOE had read the Bill, and from the begin-
ning to the end there was not a clause he could support.
He objected to the Bill • altogether, and thought referring
it to a Select Committee of little use, yet he would not so
far object to its being sent into Committee as to divide the
House. He thought the Government ought to take the
responsibility upon themselves of such a measure, and not
leave it to any private Member.
Lord SANDON rose for the purpose of ascertaining
from the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for the Home
Department whether he would move the Committee, or
leave it in the hands of the Hon. Baronet. He hoped the
Government would take it into their own hands, and that
by so doing the House would not be obliged to pledge
itself to the principles of the Bill.
Mr. WAK LEY expressed a similar wish.
Mr. AGLIONBY said the principles and details of his
Bill for the recovery of possession of tenements had no con-
nection or parallel with that before the House ; but if the
Government would take them up he had no objection to its
going with it before a Select Committee.
Mr: SANFORD hoped his Hon. Friend the Member
for Buckingham would adopt the suggestion which had
been thrown out, and consent to the Bill being referred to
the Committee.

After a few words from Mr. BAINES,
Lord J. RUSSELL said he was aware it was an unplea-
sant matter for the Government to interfere with. It was
said, on one hand, that by the enactments of the Bill the
occupiers of small tenements ire the country would be re-
lieved ; while, on the other hand, the occupiers in large
towns, if it passed in its present shape, would be subjected
to considerable hardship. He would consent to move the
Committee, and engage that some Member of the Govern-
ment should be placed upon it, but further than that he
would not undertake.

Sir R. PEEL trusted that when the Committee would
be appointed the Members would feel it their duty to con-
clude their labours as soon as possible.
Postponed until after Easter.
The Common Fields Improvement Bill was read a second
time.
On the motion of Sir M. WOOD the Hackney Car-
riages Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted on Monday.
Mr. MACKINNO'N moved the postponement of his
Patterns and Inventions Bill to that day fortnight.
BANKING COPARTNERSHIP BILL.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
the second reading of this Bill.
Sir E. SUGDEN objected to the clause which had re-
ferenc eto law costs, as not sufficiently providing for those
who had already commenced proceedings.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL understood that his
Right Hon. Friend concurred generally in the Bill, and
could assure him that any suggestion he might make in
Committee would receive the fullest consideration.

Ordered to be committed to-morrow (this day).
LAW OF LIBEL BILL.
Mr. O'CONNELL moved for leave to bring in a Bill
to amend the Law of Libel and Slander. He had twice
before brought in similar measures, to which there were
found objections. He had framed this in such a way that,
as all sides of the House were agreed upon the necessity of
such a Bill, it might pass. He understood it was not the
intention of the Attorney-General to offer any opposition
to his bringing it in.—Leave given.
In answer to a question from Mr. HERRIES,
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was his intention to more
the committal of the Irish Poor-law Bill first on Friday
next, and then to go into a Committee of Supply.
Lord J. RUSSELL, in answering a question put to
him by Mr. Maclean, on the subject of Canada, the pur-
port of which we could not catch, said he wished to correct
a misunderstanding of some words which he had used a few
nights back in replying to some observations of the Hon.
Member for Kilkenny. The Hon. Member had asked if
instruction would be given to Sir John Colborne to exer-
cise the functions bestowed by the Bill upon Lord Dur-
ham, previous to the arrival of that Noble Lord in the
Colonies, to which he (Lord J. Russell) had replied in the
affirmative. The misunderstanding which be wished to
correct was, that his answer implied an assent, with certain
reasons given by the Hon. Member in asking the question
of Sir John Colborne's removal from the Government of
Upper Canada. He (Lord J. Russell) had not assented
awareto tt o se
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gallant officer.
The House then adjourned.

A serious accident occurred on Tuesday to the
London mail while crossing the Dalkeith railway. It appears
that the guard had as usual at that point of the road, blown
his horn, in order that the railway might be clear while the
coach passed. This warning had, however, been neglected
by the attendants on a train of coal waggons, and the result
was a frightful collision, in which one of the leading horses
was killed on the spot, and the other so seriously injured that
it died shortly after its arrival in town. Fortunately no other
injury was done, except that the pole was broken, and the coach
otherwise damaged.—Glasgow Courier.
FRANKFORT, JAN. M.—Nothing but fires We
had scarcely heard the particulars of the burning of the
chateau of l'rinco Ernest of Coburg Gotha, where the Duke
Alexander and his young French bride were lodging, whe n
we now learn the destruction of Baron Cotta's printing esta-
blishment, or rather his foundry of types, at Stutgard. For-
tunately his bureaus were in the centre of the town, whilst the
type-foundry was near the gates. The King came to the
spot, and directed the efforts which soon got the fire under ;
but the water did almost as much harm to the books. The
Austrian Government, at the desire of Prussia, has offered
Archbishop Droste an archbishopric in Austria; but the old
prelate is obstinate, and refuses. Louis Phillippe has much
exerted himself in this affair, but he is powerless at Rome.
His efforts on the side of Belgium have, however, greatly con-
ciliated the good feelings of the Prussian Cabinet. The rail-
road from the Rhino to the Weser has been given up, and the
company dissolved.
NOVEL SPORTING.--A great number of eels were
killed last week in the pond near the road to The Brook, near
Liverpool, in a way that is not very common. Holes were cut
in the ice, to which the eels came to breathe, when they were
shot with guns. A large basketful was taken in this manner.