The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-05 00:00:00

COUNTING-OUT.

There is a North-country proverb to the effect that
children and persons of weak intellect ought not to be
intrusted with edge-tools. There are persons whom it
seems equally dangerous to intrust with the application
of general principles. They set to work applying and
misapplying them, much to the same purpose that we
can imagine a child backing about at random with a
knife.

The evil of the scanty and irregular attendance of
Members of the House of Commons is admitted on all
hands. " Count it out !" says a sage of the class to
which we have been alluding. With all due deference
to the gentleman, we must " wear our rue with a dif-
ference."

A thin House is convenient for enabling Ministers to
smuggle through votes of money in silence. Now votes
of money cannot be recalled, •and concealment of the
particulars of national expenditure is inexpedient : there-
fore, when a slent money-vote is pressed in a thin
House, " counting-out" may justifiably be resorted to.
On the other hand, Ministers and a majority of the
House are sometimes averse to the discussion of prin-
ciples or measures which it is for the general interest to
have force:l upon public attention. The method of
stifling such discussions most frequently retorted to, is
by the absence of Members, to prevent a House being
lorme,i, or to keep it so thin as to afford an excuse for
not insisting upon 4 vote. The only way to defeat this
trick is by bringing on the motion, speaking through
the House at the
public, and insisting upon taking a
vote, to convince the shufflers that they can gain no-
thing but may lose something by absenting themselves.
When political leaders and their partisans absent them-
selves to suppress discussion,:" counting-out" is playing
their game. . _

The combination of these two cases seems to express
pretty accurately the rationale of " counting-out."—
Spectator.

PARLIAMENTARY -BUSINESS.

Prom the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons, April. 2.
COMMITTEES ON PRIVATE BILLS APPOINTED BY THE
COMMITTEE OF SELECTION.

1. British Plate Glass Company Bill,—Order referring the Bill
to Mr. Bernal, &c. discharged; Committee to be named and to
meet after the Easter Recess.

Bristol and Exeter Railivay Bill,—Order for Committee meet-
ing April 6, discharged.

3. Liverpool Docks Bill,—lion. W. B. Baring (Staffordshire,
North), Mr. E. Buller (Staffordshire, North), Mr. W. J. Blake
(Newport), and Mr. Alderman Copeland (Sloke.upon.Trent), se.
lected, and added to the Committee.

4. Cheveley Inclosure Bill, referred to Mr. Bernal, the Hon.
Eliot Yorke, Mr. Townley, and Captain Eaton. Committee to
meet April 9.6, at one.

5. Rhymney Iron Company Bill, referred to Mr. Bernal, Lord
Granville Somerset, Mr. Alderman Thompson, and Mr. Alderman
Copeland. Committee to meet April '26, at half.past one.
6. Newport Docks Bill, referred to Mr. Bernal, Lord Granville
Somerset, and Mr. Ortavius Morgan, Committee to meet April
'2 6 , at half-past one.

7. Plymouth (Eastern) Roads Bill, referred to Mr. Bernal, Sir
John Yarde Buller, Mr. M. Parker, and Mr. Collier.
S. Plymouth and Exeter Roads Bill, referred to Mr. Bernal, Sir
John Yarde Buller, Sir I'. Acland, and Mr. Divett. Committees to
meet April 4,6, at half-past two,

9. Ilawkhurst Junction Road Bill. Committee to meet Apr]
27, at twelve.

10. Canterbury Pavement Bill. Committee to meet April 27,
at twelve.

11. Henley and Dorchester Road Bill. Committee to meet
April 29. at tsselvc.

P 2. Nottingham Gas Bill: Committ. to meet April 29,at twelve.

The Committees on the last.mentioned four Bills will be nomi-
nated on Thursday, April :22, the day to which the Committee of
Selection is adjourned.

NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL OFFICE.
THURSDAY, APRIL 1.
1. Belfast and Cavehill Railway,—Second Reading, April 5.
2. Burgett's Naturalization,—Report, April 5.
3. Meerhrook Sough Drainage,—Report, April 5.
4. Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal (Cobbiushaw Reservoir),

Second Reading, April 5.
5. Monkland Canal,—Second Reading, April 5.
6. Newcastle.upon-Tyne Improvement,—Second Reading, April 5.
7. Patent Rolling and Compressing Iron Company (No. 2),—
Second Reading, April 5.
S. Abingdon Road,—Report, April 5.
9. Portbury Pier and Approaches,—Second Reading, April 5.
10. Polloc and Govan Railway,—Report (Clause to be added and
Amendments made), April 2.
FRIDAY, APRIL 2,
1. Meerbrook Sough Drainage—Two Clauses to be added on Re-

port, April 5.
'2. Accrington Gas and Waterworks—Report, April 5.
3. Forth and Clyde Navigation—Second Reading, April 6.
4. Tinsley and Doncaster Road—Second Reading, April 6.
5. Stead's Patent Wooden Paving Company—Second Reading,

April 6.
6. \Vaningore Inclosure—Report, April 6.
7. Victoria (Kensington) Road—Second Reading, April 6.
8. Blackburn Improvement and I)farket—Second Read., April 6.
9. Gamlingay Inclosure—Committee on Bill, adjourned till April

26 , at three.
10. Scdgley Road—Committee on Bill, adjourned till April 26,

at a quarter after three.
11. Atherstone Small Debts—Committee on Petition, postponed
from April 7, till April 26.
12. Bury (Sussex) Inclosure—Clause to be proposed on Report.
13. Walton (Essex) Improvement--Second Reading, April 6.
14. London and Blackwall (Commercial)Railway, Report, April b.
15. Stumpeross Roads—Report, April 5.
16. Stumpeross Roads—Third Reading, April 6.
17. King's Lynn Port—Second Reading, April 6.
IS. Northern and Eastern Railway—Further Consideration of

Report, April 6.
19. Northern and Eastern Railway (Hertford and Ware Branch)
—Further Consideration of Report, April 6.
O. Manchester and Leeds Railway—Report, April 6.
21. Eastern Counties Railway—Report, April 5.
Z. Manchester and Salford Waterworks—Consideration of Lords'
Amendments, April 5.

MR. VI ZA RD.—We can console the patriotic
Times, which was quite in a fury on Saturday at Mr.
Vizard having been appointed Solicitor to the Home-office,
%bile be holds the situation of Secretary of Bankrupts, by
informing that Journal and the public that Mr. Vizard
gives up the Secretaryship, which, in consequence of the now
arraogernents now making will be abolishe d. The want
a solicitor at the Home Office, such An officer being at
the command of the Treasury, of the Excise, of the Ad-
fm.elirt:latyn,da and
gorfeeavteerrysußm has
oardinbetehne
frequentlykidom paid for , has long been
pro-
fessional aisistance than Mr. Vizard will receive fur his
salary. Out of 1,5001. a year he w;11 hava to pa . y all his
clerks, and all the expenses of his duties.