The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 26.
Their Lordships met at Five o'clock.
ROYAL COMMISSION.
The Royal Assent was given by Commission to the
Destitute Persons (Ireland) Bill, when the Lord Chan-
cellor, the Earl of Minto, and Lord Campbell sat as
Royal Commissioners.
PROGRESS OF PUBLIC BUSINESS.
Lord STANLEY rose in accordance with the notice he
had given last night to ask a question as to the progress
of public business. He then adverted to the state of
the business before their Lordships, or rather the state
of no business, and remarked that they were now in
the sixth week of the session, and with the exception of
what was on the paper for that evening, there was not
a single Bill or notice of motion on the books to submit
to their Lordships' consideration, and from what he
could learn as to the state of business in the other
House, where the estimates were under consideration;
it was not likely that they would have any for some time.
The Irish measures were postponed, he understood, till
the Bth of March, and in all probability woald not be
ready to be submitted to their Lordships before the 15th
of March. He must say, considering this state
of things, that they should have the origination
of some measures in that House; for instance,
those relating to the improvement of the law,
to prison disc►pline and other matters which he consi-
dered could be discussed in the first place by their Lord-
ships with more advantage than by the other House.
The questions, therefore, he wished to ask were—lst,
whether the Government intended to originate any
measures in that House before Easter, and if so, what
those measures were, and at what period they would be
brought forward ? And, 2d, whether it was likely that
any Bills would be sent up before that period from the
other House of Parliament?

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE replied that there
had been moresebsussi-ninnesstransacted during the first six
a than
statementduring th e
weeks of this
nut,
sus
when
ent appearedrainhseat. which same periodii
e
session, and by
bluassitn, that there was much
tNedoblethaLnordin
Atietnalelftßimilelas
fitrhsetr
into
tn arosether greatL Lordships'
rd. obstaclesh
tthh the in
i n tsreeosffi: itie°cen:
generally found the best course tolp.isn'tilrodouuscee, tal:emit into
6
thethe other
House. House\th
vianrdesbarridngtothetihne
amount of business
up in due course to
done, he might remark, that instead of only one
g
Bill having passed, as ailed ed, through all its stages,
there had at least been six important measures
passed since Parliament commenced—measures neces-
sary to meet the condition of the
people of Ireland. , He
made bold to say that this greater amount of
business than had ever been done wasa
during any first six
weeks of a session for a longperio4 of time: Re•
specting the state of business
begged leave to observe that this why
generally, he
it had not made greater progress in atshan
other
House was the fact, that a great part of- the time had
been taken up with the consideration in measures of a
temporary nature to meet the distress of Ireland. This,
and the discussion of a plan for the extension of rail:
ways in Ireland, bad done much to retard the
other business before Parliament. It had also
been found necessary at an earlier period than usual
to discuss the financial affairs of the country, as it would
have been impossible to decide on the measures neces-
sary for Ireland without dealing with the question of
finance, which was preliminary to them. The measures
for the further relief of Ireland, to which the Noble
Lord had alluded, would most certainly go forward on
the Bth of March, as the postponement had taken place
to make certain amendments which were deemed ne-
cessary for their more efficient working. He begged
also to observe that no time would be lost by
the Government in brinin forward other
measures which they thought the circum-
stances of the country required, especially
measures for the amendment and imrovetomtho treat-
ent of the
penal laws, and the laws which related
ment of criminals. It was the intention of the
Government to take eps as would lead to
the reformation of criminals—(Hear.) He trusted
this explanation would show that the Government
had neglected no opportunity of forwarding the business,
and that no blame was to be attributed to them if it was
not so edvsnced HAM Noble Lord desired.—(Hear.)
Lord BROITG thought there was good reason
of the present state of the business in
for complaining
.They were constantly complaining, and he
that House
thought they ought to have some redress. He was of
• ' that sufficient use had not been made of the time
opinion •
between November and the time they were arrived at,
for that peridd might have been employed in the pre-•
ation of Bills which were to come under the con-
r sueration of Parliament. With great respect for
their Lordships' House, and for the other House of
parliament, he must yet say that he always looked to