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

T U

an early clay to call the attention of the House to the
state of the national defences of Great Britain and
Ireland.

MEXICO.

Colonel THOMPSON gave notice of his intention
on this day fortnight to call the attention of the
House to the facts and the effects of the invasion of
Mexico by the Americans.
TENANT RIGHT.

Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice of his intention
on Tuesday, the 14th of next month, to bring .1 a
13111 with respect to tenant right in Ulster and other
parts of Ireland.
QUARANTINE LAWS.
On the motion of Dr. BOWRING, all such papers
as had been issued from the public departments since
the last returns relative to the quarantine laws were
ordered to be laid upon the table of the House.
COUNTY COURTS.

- - -
On the motion of Mr. GRANGER, the following
returns relative to the County Courts were agreed to—
" 1. The total number of plaints entered in each
Court, from the time when the Act came into operation
to the Ist of December, 1847, specifying the number of
plaints above 101.; above 5L and not exceeding lu/.;
above 11. and not exceeding 5/.; and at and under 1/.
" 2. The total number of days that each Court has
sat within the above period, and the average number of
hours comprised in each sitting.
" 3. The total number of causes tried by each Court
during the above period.
"4. The gross total amount of moneys received in
each Court, from the Ist day of April to the let day of
December, 1847, distinguishing the amount received for
fees from the amount received to the credit of suitors.
"5. The total number of causes tried in each Court
with the assistance of a jury ; specifying the number of
such causes in which a verdict has been recorded in
favour of the party requiring a jury to be summoned."
IRELAND.

Mr. J. O'CONNELL put several questions to the
Government relative to the measures they intended to
bring forward to meet the distress of the present
winter in Ireland ; and was also desirous of knowing
when those measures would be laid on the table. He
also wished to know when the contemplated Bill for
the amendment of the law regarding landlord and
tenant in Ireland was to be introduced?

Sir G. GREY was sorry that the Hcn. Member
had not thought it right to give notice of the ques-
tions he had just asked. He had but that minute
received the list of the questions, and was, therefore,
not prepared to answer them satisfactorily. With
respect to the Tenant Right Bill, he could not pledge
himself to the precise time when it wouli ba intro-
duced, but he could assure the Hon. Member the
subject was under the consideration of the Govern-
ment.

Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL would give notice of
his intention to move an amendment on that subject
on the question of the House going into a Committee
of Supply.
RAJA OF SATTARA.

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

Mr. URQUHART wished to know from the Noble
Lord the Secretary fur 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
questions of the Hon. Member might be given by
referring to the Speech of her Majesty on the subject,
delivered on the first day of the 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
Government, 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
understanding 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 was 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
in due course.

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
House would excuse his not answering that ques-
tion.—(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, hart met regularly, and
collected a considerable body of valuable 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.