The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-01 00:00:00

RAJA OF SATTARA.

Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON postponed his mo-
tion relative to the documents connected with the
case of the Raja of Sattara.
SWITZERLAND.

Mr. URQUHART wished to know from the Noble
Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether it is
the intention of her Majesty's Government to interfere
in the civil dissensions of Switzerland, except as a
mediator invited by both parties to act ?
Lord PALMERSTON said that the answer to the
question of the Hon. Member might be given by
referring to the Speech of her Majesty on the subject,
delivered on the first day of th• session. The first
intention of her Majesty's Government was to
refrain from interfering at all in the affairs
of Switzerland, but, at the earnest request
of the Government of France, her Majesty's
Government had consented, in connexion with the
other four Great Powers of Europe, to offer their
mediation to Switzerland, with a view to bring about
an amicable settlement of hostilities. Her Majesty's
Governmeut, however, made it a condition
of joining with the other Powers, that it
should be left entirely optional with both or either
of the parties in Switzerland to accept or refuse that
offer, and the refusal of that offer by either party
should not be made the ground of hostile mea-
sures.—(Hear, hear.) He should, however, state
on the other hand, that there was a distinct
unaerstanding requested by the other Powers, that
that condition should not be considered as fettering
the other Powers as to the exercise of their own
rights. He thought it useful to remind the House
that by the declaration signed by the five Powers in
Nov., 1815, at Paris, the five Powers declared that
they guaranteed the neutrality and independence of
the territory of Switzerland, such as it wns defined
by the Congress of Vienna and the Treaty of Paris.
Mr. B. OSBORNE wished to ask the Noble Lord
if he had any objection to lay upon the table of the
House the papers which her Majesty's Government
had received relating to Switzerland ?
Lord PALMERSTON said he had no objection
whatever, and they should be laid before the House

Mr. URQUHART wished to know if Government
would be prepared to prevent any other power inter-
fering with the aid of force in the affairs of Switzer-
land.

Lord PALMERSTON said he was sure the
louse would excuse his not answering that ques-
ion.—(Hear, hear.)
THE LAW OF MARRIAGE.

Mr. RICE, seeing the Hon. Member for Buteshire
in his place, wished to ask him when the Commission
sitting upon the Law of Marriage was likely to make
its report ?
Mr. S. WORTLEY replied that the Commission,
since the Ist of November, had met regularly, and
collected a considerable body of valuahle evidence, and
they were now daily pursuing their inquiries. He
was in hopes that the Commission would be in a po-
sition to make its report early next spring.
SMALL DEBTS COURTS.

Mr. WALPOLE cal'ed the attention of the House
to the system that at present prevailed of multiplying
fees under the County Courts Act, and asked the
Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as it was con-
templated paying the judges of these courts by sala-
ries instead of fees, it was intended to pass a law
to prevent the continuance of the abuses he com-
plained of.
Sir GEORGE GREY said the practice had been
adopted in some county courts, but not all. The
practice was contrary to the intentions of the Act,
and he had been collecting information on the subject,
with the view of applying a remedy. He believed it
would be necessary to have a new table of fees.