The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-29 00:00:00

sideration that influenced him was the fear of establishing in
the present case a most inconvenient precedent. If there were
any other mode of conducting an inquiry simihr to the present,
.
the opinion of the highest authority that House, the Right
Hon. the Speaker, on a form"r oec!sion, was against r,tablish-
He had no wish. to oppose any
aPiinnithnat tHoouhsiem. (118eirR believed b
inquiry, but that in„uiry should be conducted in the way which
is laid down by the best
iPn Peel) )u I,hv aas
a precedent,
perfect
authoritynasnvldert.hat
the decision of the chairman to be a just one, and must there-
fore give his vote against the motion.
Mr. HUME wished to know what the Act which had been
quoted had to do with the question? What object could men.
moving in a middling spher,have in petitioning the House, if
the allegations in their petitions had not some foundation in
truth? He did not think that the Right Hon. Baronet had
made out at all a good defence. Could any man say that,
prima facie, there was not good grounds for making the pro-
posed inquiry? He was surprised that her Majesty's Govern-
ment should give encouragement to bribery by resisting the
present motion.
Mr. LAW was of opinien that the Committee had not suffi-
ciently investigated the charges which had been brought before
them. He should support the amendment.
Mr. S. WORTLEY said by the terms of the Act) it
was at the discretion of the Committee to inquire into the
charges brought before them. If the decision of the Com-
mittee were not received, it was making that House a court of
appeal, which was against the spirit of the standing orders. If
any person believed that bribery had taken place he could pe-
tition that House, and his allegations would be inquired into
before a sworn Committee of the House.
Mr. WAKLEY wished to know whether the House were
not desirous of knowing how their Committees acted.
The House then divided, when there appeared,
For the amendment
Against it

Majority against the amendment... 32
SUPPLY—MISCELLANEOUS ESTIMATES.

The report of the Committee of Supply on the Miscellaneous
Estates was then brought up and agreed to.
Mr. HUME was desirous of disabusing the House of an im-
pression which was spread abroad in reference to the salary
of the Lord Chancellor. From certain information which he
received his salary from his office was 10,0001., and as Speaker
of the House of Lords 4,0001.
On the reading over the item for the Colonial-office,

Mr. VERNON SMITH wished to ask the Chancellor of
the Exchequer a question retative to the recent appointment of
a Mr. Rogers to an assistant-under-secretaryship at the
Cdonial-office. He wished to know whether the office was in
addition to the colonial staff, er whether the appointment was
in place of another gentleman who had previously filled that
situation, and if so why he was 'placed over others of greater
experience in that estahlishment ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEHUER said, that if
the Hon. Gentleman had given him the slightest intimation of
his intention to ask the question he would have made inquiry
upon the subject. He could state, however, that be was quite
correct as to the appointment referred to. The great pressure
of business in that department, and constant inspection and
supervision of colonial acts, pointed out the necessity of appoint-
ing an additional person Ito discharge the duties. A new
arrangement was contemplated for reducing the number of
those who filled the situation of chief clerks, whose salaries
would go to the payment of the salary of the assistant-under-
secretary.
Mr. HUME expressed his regret that any addition was made
to the colonial staff. He wished to see the colonies placed in
such a way as that they could manage their own affairs. The
present system ought to be done away with, and the Colonial
Government entirely remodelled.

The CHANCELLOffoIiheEXCHEQUER said that be
would be extremely sorry to deprecate the services of the
gentlemen in the Colonial-office, but the duties required to be
discharged by assistant under-secretary, required considerable
legal knowledge and acumen ; and many gentlemen in the Co-
lonial-office were not well versed in law.

Mr VERNON SMITH—Is Mr.liOgers a lawyer?
TheICHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—He is.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Twenty Minutes to Eight o'clock.

HEr. MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
THIS EVENING.

Will be performed (for the second time these two years), Clma.
rosa's Chef d'(Euvre, in Twn Acts, entitled,
IL MATRIIIONIO SEGRETO.

Carolina, Madame Grisi ; Fidalma, Madame Sanchioli ; Elisetta,
Madame Castellan ; Paolino, Signor Mario ; Count Robinson, Signor
F. Lablache ; Geronimo, Signor Lablache.
To conclude with the admired Ballot Divertissement (composed
by Mdlle. Cerito), entitled LA VIVANDIERE. Introducing the
Redowa, or, Original Polka of Bohemia, by Mdlle. Cerito and M.
St. T.con. Katlii, Madame Copere; La Vivandiere, Mdlle. Cerito ;
Postillion, 31. St. Leon ; Mayor, M. Bertrand ; a Traveller, M.
Venefra.