The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-30 00:00:00

NAPLES.

Major CUMMING I3RUCE begged to ask the
Nob:e Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether he could
give any information to the House in regard to the
obstructions alleged to have been thrown in the way of
the Protestant worship on the part of the British resi-
dents at Naples.
Lord PALMERSTON said difficulties had arisen
in consequence of the strict laws of Naples forbidding

any other than Catholic public worship in that country.
For a long course of time the Consul-General devoted
an apartment in his House for the worship of the British
residents ; and when the office of Consul-General was
abolished, and a Consul, with a reduced salary, was ap-
pointed, similar accommodation was still furnished in the
Consul's house. At last, however, the number of the
British residents inereast.td so much, that a new building
was required. The consent of the Neapolitan Govern-
ment was at first obtained for its erection, but,
acted upon by other influences, after the first
stone had been laid, that consent was retracted. Some
of the British residents still endeavoured to procure a
room to be fitted up as a chapel, but even this the
Neapolitan Government interfered to prevent. Negotia-
tions had been for some tima going on with
regard to a commercial treaty, wnich, however,
had been broken off by the sulphur question.
Fie hoped they would soon come to Some arrangement
with the Neapolitan Government on the subject of
freedom of religious worship for the British residents
at Niples, and the removal of the grievances of which
the Hon. Gentleman complained.
TRANSPORTATION.

Lord MAHON wished to ask the Noble Lord
the Secretary for the Colonies, if he would have any
objection to lay on the table of the House the Order in
Council recently issued on the subject of transportation
to Neil South Wales.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL would not object to its
production if the Noble Lord would move for it.
On the motion of Lord MAHON an address to her
Majesty, praying that she would be graciously pleased to
order the cops' of the said Order in Council to be laid
before that House, was agreed to.
THANKS TO THE CHAPLAIN.

On the motion of Lord John RUSSELL, & thanks
of the House were voted to the Chaplain fora sermon
preached before the House thts day.

MALTA.

Mr. EWART e.ished to ask the Secretary of the
Colonies whether he would object to lay before the
House the Report of the Commissioners appointed to
investigate into the state of Malta, more particularly
with regard to the subject on which he some time
since presented a petition to the House ; he
meant on the subject of the establishment of a repre-
sentative assembly in the island.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the Commissioners
had not made any report on the subject, but they had
given in a statement, and had acquainted him with their
reasons for postponing the publication of a Report.
Mr. EWART wished to know if the Noble Lord
had any objection to lay those reasons before the House.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL did not believe the reasons
were mentioned ire the statement, but he would look it
over to ascertain.

CANADA GOVERNMENT BILL.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved that the Order of
the Day for the House resolving itself into a Committee
on the Canada Government Bill be now read.
Mr. GOULBURN said he would take that op-
portunity of presenting a petition which he had only
received two hours since from Lower Canada, expressing
an opinion adverse to the passing of the Bid. He wished
to state that he did so, merely from the circumstance of
the petition having been transmitted to him from Canada ;
and as the petition was signed by 39,000 individuals, he
thiught it his duty to lose no time in presenting it.
The petitioners stated that from thefirst they had observed
that the Governor-General had stated in his despatch
that the re-union of the two Provinces was approved of
by the inhabitants of Lower Canada. The petitioners
stated that they were unaware of any steps that had been
taken to ascertain the feelings of the inhabitants of that
Province, except by calling a special council, of which not
above half of the Members were present. The peti-
tioners further stated that the Council did not repre-
sent the feelings of the inhabitants, and they particu-
larly adverted to the statement that had been made in
that House, that the former Bill was postponed for
the purpose of ascertaining the opinions of the
inhabitants of Upper Canada on the subject,
and they regretted that a similar course had
not been taken to ascertain the opinions of the inhabi-
tants of Lower Canada. 'l'he petitionc-s stated their
belle; that after the long separation of the Provinces,
their union would only produce disun'on and confusion,
and would be detrimental to the best interests of both
the Canr,clas. The petition also stated, that many of
the assertions in Lord Durham's Report relative to the
disputes that had taken place in the Provinces were
founded in error ; and, in conclusion, the petitioners
prayed that the Bill might not pass into a law. The
Hon. Member moved that the petition should be laid on
the table.

The petition was then ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. PAKINGTON then rose to move the amend-
ment of which he had given notice. He was duly sen-
sible of the great difficulty and the great importance of
the subject, anti Le approached it with no feelings of pre-
sumption, but with very great reluctance, and solely under
a paramaunt sense of public duty. He could not consei.t
to the Bill her Majesty's Ministers had brought into
that House. He was not prepared to say that at co
future period the union of the Canadas might not be
practicable, but at present he believed that union would
be fraught with danger, and would be highly impo-
litic. Entertaining these feelings, he considered it to
he the most straightforward and manly course ex-
plicitly to state his views, and the reasons by which
he had been influenced to move the amendment. At
the same time he must add be did not think he should
have adopted this course hail he not found, on investi-
gating this subject, that the vi,ws he entertained had
been suKorted by some t f the greatest and most illus-
trious statesmen of other days who ever adorned that
House or did honour to the country ; and
had he not also found he was supported
in those views by, he would not say a!).
but by a large majority of those public officers who, at
various times, had held authority in the Canadas up to
the present time, and even under the present Adminis-
tration. In stating the views by which he was influenced
upon this subject, he would not be tempted to deviate
into any lengthened comments upon the hiitery of
Canada for the last few years, neither would he
dwell upon the various causes that had led
to the kite rebellion, and which had caused
that great distraction and unhappy state of
disturbance which had now rendered it im•
perative that the Imperial Parlament should interfere
to settle the affairs of Canada. He did not approach
the subject with any party spirit. He did not wish to
infuse into his address any more of party feeling than
he could avoid ; but lie entertained the opinion which
be had expressed on a former occasion, that the rebellion
which had occurred in Canada, was mainly and essentially
to be attributed to thebad policy:of her Majesty's Govern.
went. His decided opinion was, that;had it not been for
the false system of conciliation adopted by her Majesty's
Government, had it not been for their long-continued
system of oppressing the loyal inhabitants and encourag-
ing the democratic and rebellious in Canada—(He4r,
hear)—had it not been for their bad and false policy
altogether, the rebellion never would have occurred, and
the distracted state of that country would not have now
called for the interference of the Imperial Legisla-
ture. Entertaining these opinions, it would be
no matter of surprise that he should regard
with distrust any measure brought forward by
her Majesty's Government, for the purpose of healing
those wounds which had been caused by their own
short-sighted policy. At the same time he did not for
a moment mean to impute to the Government that they
were acting with any duplicity or insincerity. He be-
lieved that the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colo-
nies was acting in perfect good faith in the objects he
wished to attain. It had been frequently stated that
the time had now arrived when the Canadas ought to
be separated from the parent country. He did not he- I
lieve that the Noble Lord entertained such an opinion,
—he could not suspect the Noble Lord of acting upon
any such disingenuous policy. He believed that the
objects intended to be attained by the Noble Lord were
the same as his own, but the Bill on the table he fully
believed would greatly tend towards that injurious end.
The objects which he held to be specially the duty
of that House to attempt to secure, were, in the first
place, to legislate for the good government and