The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-13 00:00:00

ORDNANCE DEPARTMENTS.

On the motion of Colonel DUNNE, retuins
were ordered of all persons in the Ordnance Depart-
ments who have retired since the let-day of Jan. 1853,
or been transferred from their offices to others by pro-
motion or otherwise, stating the age, service, cause of
retirement, or transfer, together with the retiring allow-
ance granted in each case, and in case of transfer or pro-
motion the office to which each individual was
transferred, and the salary of the office vacated
and of that to which each person has been appointed
similar return for the War Department, and all offices
under its control : and return of the names of officers,
civil and military, and of all other persons einployed in
the department for_clothing the army, stating the date
of each appointment, previous employment (if any), and
the age and salary in eauh,case.
The house adjourned at five minutes to three o'clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY).
THE WENSLEYDALE PEERAGE.

COMMITTEE OF PRIVILEGES.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at two o'clock.
Among the peers present were Lord Lyndhurst,
Lord Campbell, Lord Redeadala, Duke of Argyll, Earl
of Derby, Earl Granville, Lord St. Leonards, Earl of
Hardwicke, Lord Colchester, Lord Abinger, and Lord
Brougham.
On the motion of Lard LYNDHURST the House re•
solved itself into a Committee of Privileges, on which
the Lord Cms.xcELLon.lef; the Woolsack and took his
seat on the Ministerial aide of the House.
Lord REDRSDALI then presided.

Lord LYNDHURST said his present course now

was to prove the unconstitutional stretch of the prero•
gativo in granting life peerageq. He proposed that the
records relating to this question should be translated
and prtnted and circulated among their lordships.

Lord CAMPBELL said he was anxious Lord Wen'.
leydale should be heard by counsel, but as that motion
could not then be made, he should make it after five
o'clock when the house had resumed its ordinary sittings.
Lord ST. LEONARDS did not object to the motion.
It should be considered who should appear to resist this
attempt. It was the duty of the Crown to watch the
claims of persons claiming to sit in that house; but in
this case the Crown was in favour of the noble lord
taking his seat, and therefore oould not be said to be an
impartial advocate. It would be as well to consider for
whom counsel should be beard.
Upon the notion of Lord LYNDHURST, the Keeper
of the Records at the Tower was called to the bar of the
House, and produced the patent of the Earl of Hunting-
don, which he read, granted in the reign of Richard
11., and the words used in the patent were, "sua vita
duranti."

The witness proceeded to read the various patents and
documents, when

The LORD CHANCELLOR reminded the house
that the usual practice of the house in Committee of
Privileges was for the documents to be handed in and
thereby save the time of their lordships. He reminded
their lordships that it was necessary they should pro-
ceed with rapidity in the case, because it was the in-
tention of Lord Wensleydale, as Boon as he was re-
covered from an attack of the gout, to present himself
at their lordships' house with her Majesty's writ and
claim to take his seat. ,

Lord CAMPBELL said if that was theinteation of Lord
Wensleydale, he should move that he be not permitted
to take his seat until the Committee of Privileges should
have made their report on the validity of the patent.
He believed the Lord Chancellor was the only person
who considered the writ could be of any avail without
a valid patent.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said it mattered not
whether the patent was a valid one_ or not. Lori Wens-
leydale, he considered, was bound to obey her Majesty's
writ of summons.
Lord BROUGHAM said that it was the intention of
Lord Wensleydale to come to town as soon as possible
and take his seat. To use his own words, "as soon as
the law and the gout will allow me." (Laughter.)
Lord ST. LEONARDS said he felt certain that if
Lord Wensleydale came with a proper patent, entailing
the title on his heirs male, he would be readily and
gladly received ; but if he persisted in, taking his seat
otherwise, the opinion of their lordships' house must be
taken on the question.
GREY suggested that the noble lord (Lynd-
hurst) should have the assistance of a noble lord, to pre-
pare the precedents he relied on, and print them for
the consideration of their lordships, and subscribe a
formal resolution to the house thereon.

Lord BROUGHAM concurred in the suggestion of
the noble earl, and said he thought it not desirable then
to enter into a discussion of whether Lord Wensleydale
should or should not be permitted, on the Queen's writ,
to take his seat. _ _

After some further discussion, it was arranged that
the documents should be put in, and afterwards trans-
lated, printed, and circulated amongst their lordships
for their consideration.

The documents were accordingly handed in.
Mr. Hardy, in answer to questions from Lord Broug-
ham, said he had not had an opportunity of making
searches for othei life patents than those now produced.
:He only:bad an intimation at 10 o'clock last night that
those doonments would be required. All the patents re-
cooded in the Tower were printed in an appendix which
their lordships then bad. It would take him till Mon-
day to search for life patents granted since Edward
the 4th.

The Earl of DERBY said it would expedite the in-
quiry if the Lord Chancellor would move for the pro-
luction of the precedents he relied on to *noble noble
lords to examine them.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had nothing to
move for. He relied on the presedents in the printed
h3ok, which was already accessible to their lordships,
RDA with the contents of which noble lords appeared to
be conversant.

A further discussion ensr.,d, when Lord LYND-
HURST said he hardly knew how their lordships could
proceed further that day, and was of opinion it was de-
sirable the committee should adjourn till Monday.
Lord CAMPBELL said he should move that- Lord
Wensleydale be heard, either by himself or by his
counsel.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that he had re-
ceived a communication from Lord Wensleydale,
wherein he stated that he had reoented no intimation
from her Majesty that the subject had been referred to a
committee, and that, therefore, he should decline to
acknowledge the authority of the committee.
Earl GREY complained that nothing definite bad
been brought before, the notice of the committee, and
called upon the noble lord to put before them a resolu-
tion of a formal character. He urged them not to pro-
ceed in the manner they had begun, which was likely to
bring ridicule on their lordships' house.
Earl DERBY said the question before the committee
was the validity of a patent that had been granted to a
Commoner. The house now sat in a judicial inquiry to
ascertain the nature of life peerages that had been
granted. He admitted that the Crown had a right to
grant the dignity of a life title, but he did not recognise
the right of such persons to sit and vote in their lord-
ships' house, and it was to ascertain that fact that the
committee was called on to investigate the precedents
alluded to.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said a select committee
should have been appointed in the first instance to in-
vestigate the question.
It was ultimately arranged that Lord Lyndhurst,
Lord Brougham, and Lord St. Leonard. should form a
select committee to examine, consider, and report on the
question to the Committee of Privileges, and the com-
mittee adjourned to Monday next at 2 o'clock.

The house then resumed.
Lord CAMPBELL moved that Baron Parke beheard
himself or by counsel on Monday next.
The Earl of DERBY called the attention of their
lordships to the fact that Lord Wensleydale's 'name had
been placed on the roll of their lordships house. He
would not then enter into a discussion on it, but merely
mentioned the fact, as his claim to sit in that house
was in abeyance.
The Lord CHANCELLOR objected to the terms of
Lord Campbell's motion, which mentioned the name of
Baron Parke and not that of Lord Wensleydale,and in
consequence
Lord CAMPBELL withdrew his motion, and asked
for leave to renew it on Thursday next. Ultimately
the noble lord consented that Lord Wensleydale should
be named in his motion.

The motion was then put and carried.
The house adjourneelst ten minutes to 4 o'clock.

Their lordships re assembled at five o'clock.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH gave notice that on
Thursday next he should present a petition from the
seamen of various ports, complaining that they were
compelled to go to sea in unseaworthy ships.
He should likewise ask on that day whether the.Govern-
meat intended to bring in any measure with respect to
the subject.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said he would
answer the noble lord's question now. Her Majesty's
Government did not intend to, bring in any bill to
amend the law on the subject during the present session.
HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICES BILL.
Lard STANLEY of ALDERLEY moved the first
reading of this bill.
The bill was accordingly read a first time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF CONIMONS.—(YINTERDA.Y.)
The Smuts took the chair at a quarter before four
o'clock.
NEW MEMBERS.
The Right Hon. Mr. WILvoLe took the oathe aid
his scat for Cambridge University.
Mr. RIDLIT took the oaths and his seat for New•
castle.