The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-14 00:00:00

STATUTE LAM COMMISSION.

Mr. LOCKE KING moved for a return of the under-
mentioned documents referred to in three repor-!-.8 of Mr.
B. her, of 1853 and 1854, already laid upon the table of
the house, but which are not printed with the said re-
ports :-Ist. A. " Digest of the Poor-Laws," prepared by
Mr. Coode, late Commissioner of Statute Law, of which
an imperfect copy is stated by Mr. Commissioner Ker
to have been laid by the Lord Chancellor on the table
of the House of Lords, and which he certifies to be " a
♦ery valuable specimen of a digest of the existing sta-
tntes." 2d. An expurgatory List of Statutes prepared
by Messrs. Anstey and Rogers, late Commissioners. of
Statute Law, and certified by them in their joint minute
of the Mat day of July, 1853, to be a list " carefully
enumerating such general acts as have appeared to be

repealed, virtually repealed, obsolete, expired, and vir-
tually expired," as an illustration of the absurdities of
some of the existing lawi on the statute book. The hon.
member stated that there was an act in existence
prohibiting an Irish Bishop from bringing an Irish ser-
vant with him into England, while another act prohibited
men from wearing a particular button hole.
The motion was agreed to.
RUSSIAN PRIZES.

Sir G. PECHELL moved for a return of all vessels
seized under the flag of Russia, since the 29th of March,
1853, with the names of the captains and the ships that
captured the same ; specifying the date of capture, the
tonnage, the cargo, the dates when proceedings were taken
in the High Court of Admiralty, the dates of condemna-
tion or restitution, the amount of proceeds of the sale of
the vessel and of the cargo, with the dates when the
same were advertised in the Gazette for distribution to
the captors.

Tie motion was agreed to.
PUBLIC PETITIONS.

On the motion of ➢Tr. B. CARTER, the following
members were appointed to serve on the select commit-
tee •n public petitions : Mr. B. Carter, Mr. Thornely,
Captain Jones, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Scott, Mr. Duncan,
Mr. Adderley, Mr. 0. Stanley, Mr. Whitmore, Mr.
Whitbread, Mr. H. A. Bruce, Lord R. Cecil, Mr. J.
Ball, Mr. H. G. Liddell, and Mr. Gregson.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.

Mr. DISRAELI said he gave notice yesterday that
he would take this opportunity of making an inquiry of
the noble lord the President of the Council, relative to
the intentions of the Government with respect to the

conduct of public business during this part of the ses-
sion. It would be extremely convenient to gentlemen

on both sides of the house, if the noble lord would give
the house some information on the subject. (Hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL— Sir, in answer to the right hon.
gentleman, I have to say that there are only two mea-
sures which the Government will think it necessary to
bring under the consideration of the house during this
part of the session. One is the bill which my noble
friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department
is about to propose shall be read a second time (the Militia
Bill), and the other is a hill which will be introduced in
the other house for sanctioning the employment of fo-
reigners in the military service of her Majesty. We did
hope we should have been able to present a
bill confirming the treaty which has been lately entered
into with America, but it appears that the bill is not yet
ready. Of course the length of this part of the session
will be limited to the time taken ep by these two bills.
I trust it will not be long, and that in the course of the
next week—perhaps this day week— we shall be enabled
to move the adjournment of the debate for the Christmas
recess. (Hear, hear.)