The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-11 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMEIT.

Both houses met yesterday for the first time after the
Christmas recess. The attendance was not nun serous
in either house. In the House of Lords, all the mini-
sters having seats in this house were present. Oa the
opposition benches were the Earl of Derby, the Duke of
Northuinberland, the Earl of Ellenborough, Lord. Col-
chester, and the Marquis of Salisbury. In the Hong eof
Commons the - attendance on the ministerial side' -was
numerous, but the Opposition benches were scantily
filled. Al the new members were present, and took
the oaths after their re-election. On the Opposition
benches we noticed Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Walpole, Sir Sohn,
Fakington, Sir F. Kelly, Mr. Spooner, and Mr- F.
Baring,

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

COMMON LAW PROCEDURE.

Lord CAMPBELL said he wished to lay on the table
a document of considerable importance, to which he
must solicit their lordships' attention. Parliament had
been pleased to depute, with some modifications a legis-
lative power to the judges to make certain regulations
with reference to proceedings in their respective courts.
By the bill which was passed last session with respect to
common law procedure, power was given to the judges
to make rules and regulations for carrying into effect
the intentions of the legislature, but under the modi-
fications that these rules and regulations were to be laid
before both houses of Parliament, and were not to be-
come law until the expiry of three months after their
being so laid before Parliament, so that both hons,es
might have ample opportunity for forming an opinion
with respect to thein. In the exercise of that power the
judges had' most anxiously framed a short set of
rules and regulations relating to the procedure in the
superior courts of Westminster-hall, and for carrying
into effect the intentions of the legislature in passing the
Common Law Procedure Act'of last session. He ven-
tured to- say that no men were more anxious than -the
judges were that the law should be administered with
all possible simplicity, exriedition, and economy ; and. it
was with these views, and on these principles that the
regulations which he held in his hand had been framed.
He had the satisfaction of stating that the Procedure
Bill of list session had worked admirably—that it had
greatly improved the practice of the superior courts, and
had rendered their procedure more expeditious, move
simple, and more economical. It was with the view of
carrying the improvement still farther that he now
moved that the document which he now laid on the
table. should be printed. The judges would feel bound
by the decision of Parliament on the subject, but, unless
Parliament interfered, these rulesandfregulations would
become law on the first day of Trinity Term next.
Motion for the printing agreed to.
• The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH gave notice that he
should to-morrow ask the Government whether there
was any objection to lay before the house a copy of a
letter addressed by the Secret Committee to the Go-
vernor-General of India in Council, regarding the line of
policy to be pursued with respect to the war in Ava,
and.arso to ask the 'Government for papers explanatory of
the intentions of the war in Ava, and the means by
which that intention was to be carried out ?