The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-31 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1848.

The summary of the events of the present session
with which the eloquent and witty Member for
Buckinghamshire so agreeably diversified the pro-
ceedings of the House of Commons yesterday, may
afford matter for serious consideration to its Members
during the leisure of the long vacation, and, we trust,
will lead to the adoption of some alterations in the
forms of the House, alterations which may easily
be brought into operation without that perfect free-
dom of discussion, which is its most important, in-
deed, its indispensable privilege, being in any degree
impaired. We have seen magnificent promises suc-
ceeded by scanty performance, and well-founded hopes
of the attainment of comprehensive and much required
measures of reform completely dissipated. There is,
there must be, a fault somewhere, but with whom P
Can the legislative defects of the session :be fairly
ascribed to Ministers ? Is the House itself, as an
aggregate body, in any and what degree responsible
for the blighted prospects of the Parliamentary cam-
paign ? Or, finally, should individual Members be
censured for the impediments they have interposed in
the way of the general business of the country ?
These are questions that will be responded to
by the parties interrogated, according to their re-
spective predilections. Some will feel disposed
to exonerate one or more of the classes
to, which we have above alluded, and to fling the full
measure of their indignation on the devoted heads of
others, who in turn will be pronounced free from
blame by their own associates or followers. Pro-
bably faults may be found on every side, and these
faults should be considered, not merely for the pur-
poses of censure, but of applying fitting remedies, so
far as may be practicable.
We are now at the close of a session of almost
unparalleled duration. Parliament has been as-
sembled for more than nine months, with but brief in-
tervals of relaxation, and yet the most important mea-
sures have been either wholly postponed, or materially
curtailed of their fair proportions, and these not mea-
sures of a trivial or insignificant character, but even
some that had been alluded to in the opening Speech
from the Throne, and the principles of which had
been affirmed, after prolonged discussions, by con-
siderable majorities. Need we allude to the proposi-
tion for a change in the Navigation-laws, a proposi-
tion which has on every side been admitted to be of
the moat vital importance to the national welfare,
and a necessary supplement to the great free-trade
measures of 1846 ? That was to have been pre-emi-
nently the Bill of the session. It was looked for as a
matter of justice to our colonies, who have an un-
undoubted right to complain of its postponement. They
were most properly deprived of the protection they
ha(l formerly enjoyed, and were they not, ex debito
justitiee, entitled to demand that the restrictions to
which they were also subjected, and which prevented
them from entering into free competition with other
nations, and selecting such markets for the dispose
of their produce, as they might think most bone.

ficial, should be abolished ? This, however, has not
been effected. Their exclusive privileges have been
taken away, but the price which they formerly paid
as more than an equivalent therefor, is still most

rigorously exacted. This is contrary to the first
principles of equity and justice, and should not be
tolerated by an upright and an honest nation.
Ministers, however, are not altogether responsible
for this untoward result. It should not be
forgotten that there are but two nights in
the week, eight in the month, and thirty-two placed
at their disposal even in a prolonged session, and
this brief period is too often invaded by the
practice so frequently resorted to by private Members
getting up discussions which consunie the greater
portion, if not the whole, of evenings that should be
applied to the voting of the necessary supplies. If,
then, eight or ten of these evenings are spent in pro-
longed discussions,
la.nd. repeated adjournments take
place beßfooreusetb,eoprer immary resolutions
.are affirmed
by the
the Speaker is permitted to leave
the chair, bow can Ministers be expected
to curry through their several
mab stages all the measures
the necessity for which
the
fully. recognized ?
'Witness the six days' debaytestom
which would be absolutely wnorthelNavigation-lawa,
• unsoteiscse will be done
but. that it
affords the assurance that tardy
and that ultimately there will bej reasonable cause
of complaint in that behalf to our colonies,
advocates of free and unrestricted trade,
in or to the
itswidest-,
and most comprehensive point cif vWitness
the ten days' debate on the sugar duties, beforeo
even the Bill was introduced to the R
three of which were absolutely wasted by House,
"missing dispatch episode," so facetiously brought for-
ward and pertinaciously adhered to, after any reason..
able man would have been convinced of his error,
by the noble associate of the Honourable Member 1

for Buckinghamshire.
Under these circumstances, we should be inclined
to make every reasonable allowance for the Minis-
terial fallings off. The Premier,- s so, most ably vin-
dicated himself and his I.e as from the charges