The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-12 00:00:00

THE BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER.

Sir E. N. BUXTON, in the absence of Mr. Horsman,
asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether it was
true that the Bishop of Gloucester had renewed the
lease of Horfield; and, if so, whether there was any ob-
jection to laying a copy of the lease before the House,
together with any communications that might have
passed with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners on the
stibject?__ _ _ _

Lord J. RUSSELL said he had communicated with
the Ecclesiastical Commission, and had ascertained that
they had no jurisdiction in the matter to which the Hon.
Member referred. '
NEW AMERICAN TARIFF.
• J.ord J. MANNERS wished to know whether the
Government had received any dispatch respecting the
recent proposed alterations in the tariff of the United

LABOUCHERE said the last dispatch received
by the Government was dated on the 28th of February,
and it stated that a Bill had passed the House of Repre-
sentatives amending the law, which was previously very
faglty, respecting imports, but this Bill had not become
law.

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.
On the motion that the House at its rising adjourn
till Monday,

Sir G. GREY said he wished to correct a statement
which ho made yesterday, in answer to a question from
the Honourable Member for Montrose, with respect to
the admission of the public to St. aul's Cathedral.
He stated yesterday that an arrangement had been made
by" the Dean and Chapter and the Ecclesiastical Com-
missioners for the purpose of throwing open the area of
St. Paul's to the public free of charge. That statement
was perfectly correct, but be then went on to say that in
anticipation of the order of the Privy Council the Dean
and Chapter bad already opened the area of the cathe-
dral. He had received a communication from the Dean
today, saying that this was a mistake, and that
it was necessary to adhere to the present charge for a
short time longer, pending the carrying out of the new
arrangement, but that he had every reason to hope that
the building would be opened to the public without
charge by the Ist of May next.
PATENT LAWS.
In reply to Mr,CARDWELL,

Mr. LABOUCHERE said it was the intention of
Earl Granville to introduce a Bill that evening into the
House of Lords for the improvement of the patent laws.
The motion that the House at its rising adjourn till
Monday next was then carried.
JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL.

In answer to a question from Mr. AGLIONBY,
Lord JOEIN RUSSELL said that he proposed to take
the second reading of this Bill on Monday, the 12th of
May.
ST. ALBAN'S ELECTION COMMITTEE.

Mr. AGLIONBY moved that Henry Edwards be dis-
charged from the. custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms,
without payment of fees. The ground of his motion
was, that the proceedings of the Committee were
entirely • informal, in consequence of their having
adjourned over, more than twenty-four hours
without having obtained leave from the House.
Well, they did adjourn for more than twenty-four hours.
This might have been an act of kindness, but it was
to come to any decision without having reference
to the orders of the House. There had evidently been a
breach of those orders, and therefore the House could
not act upon the decision of the Committee. They had
adopted a course which no doubt was quite in accord-
ance with the impulse• of good feelings, and which was
calculated to save expense and the feelings of the par-
ties concerned.—(Hear, hear.) But they should re-
member that they were not to act upon feelings, but
upon the directions of Parliament. He would, therefore,
simply content himself with putting the motion.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that this was
without doubt a great and important question. It ap-
peared to him that certainly a mistake had been com-
mitted by those appointed to make the inquiry. Were
even the Act of Parliament entirely complied with by
the Committee, it was perfectly evident that the state-
ments made before it could not be gainsayed. He did
not desire to enter at all into the question, but it was
plain that Edwards had been duly committed to the
custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms, and that be could not
be released under a month without an express order of
the House.

Mr. G. BANKES wished to know whether the Hon.
Member for Cockermonth had any particular interest in
relieving Edwards from his present confinement?
Sir F. THESIGER said that the facts of the
case were all patent to the House. and it was
clear a breach of the privileges of the House had been
committed. Yet, notwithstanding this, it was quite com-
petent for the House to entertain the question as to
whether Edwards should be retained in custody or not;
but on constitutional grounds it was his impression that
the House should come to no decision until they had the
evidence before them.

"Mr. WALPOLE regretted that Mr. Edwards had not
been called to the bar of the House and questioned upon
the allegations contained in bis petition. His petition
denied the charge imputed to him, and though he (Mr.
Walpole) did not think it expedient to raise the question
of ..he validity now, he yet thought it would be decidedly
unjust to retain Mr. Edwards in custody without at
once questioning him upon the matters brought
against him. He should therefore move as an
amendment that Mr. Edwards be called to the
bar of the House, and questioned by the, Speaker upon
the truth of the allegations contained in his petition.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded the amend-
ment.

Mr. AGLIONBY could not agree with the amend-
ment. Mr. Edwards ought to have been called to the
bar before he was committed, and he should contend
that the House had no right to do it now. The question
now to be considered was simply had the
Committee power to report? He, for one, certainly
thought they had not; and therefore the committal of
Ur. Edwards was illegal. He had no objection to the
course proposed by the Hon. and Learned Attorney-
General, and he hoped the House would adopt it and
postpone the discussion until after the meeting of the
Committee.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL told the House that,
had it not been for the technical objection raised by the
Hon. Member for Cockermouth, 51r. Edwards would
long since have been called to the bar, and questioned
about the truth of his allegations. He felt the inconve
nience of keeping that person in custody until Monday,
but still, if the Hon. and Learned Member for Cocker-
mouth were authorised by Mr. Edwards to sanction
that course, why there was an end of the difficulty.
He thought the right course to pursue, and that most
agreeable to precedent, was to call the prisoner to the
bar of the House, and to read to him the minutes of evi-
dence, and then if be could clear himself of that evidence,
,he had no doubt the House would order his discharge.
Mr. AGLIONBY considered that as all the injury Clad
already been done to Mr. Edwards, it would be much
better to continue him in custody until Monday.—
(Laughter.) Ile was perfectly satisfied that he would be
liberated on Monday on the legal question, and without
being made liable for costs, and therefore he was in
favour of an adjournment of the question until that day.
Sir R. INGLIS reminded the House that the prisoner
was convicted on the express testimony of two creditable
witnesses, who were examined in his presence.
Mr. ANSTEY said it had been assumed by some
Hon. Members that Edwards had been committed for
the purpose of compelling him to do something to fur-
ther the proceedings before the Committee, but that was
not the case; he had been found guilty by the Com-
mittee of a successful attempt of tampering with
the evidence of important witnesses, who, thanks
to his exertions, had absconded, and were
now perhaps beyond the jurisdiction of the House.
He thought the petition of the prisoner considerably ag-
gfavated the contempt of which he had been guilty, and
his denial of be charge was anything but satisfactory.
After a few words from Sir F. THESIGER, the
figther consideration of the petition was adjourned until
ONFonday next.

ASSESSED TAXES ACT.
Mr. COWAN 'presented a patition from Edinburgh
gainst the house tax.
Mn th© motion that, the Speaker do leave the chair,
i.Mr. BANKES wished to know whether the Chancellor
If the Exchequer had yet made up his mind upon what
)ftnciple he meant to ascertain the assessment for the
souse-tux?

'The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that the rating would b 3 made On the annual value of the
house, to be ascertained as it best could be.
Mr. DISRAELI then said—l proceed now to the
onsideration of the amendment of which I have given
ziotice, on the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman the
chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir, the manner in which
Vie Government, and I may say, in a certain degree, the
*louse of Commons, have considered the position of the
dgricultural interest of this country since the meeting-
4ince the commencement of the session of Parliament,
gums to me so perplexing and so contradictory—so
Wanting, I may say, inconsistency—seemingly influenced
slo much by a spirit, however unintentional, of injustice—
trending so much, I think, to hurt the feelings, shake the
confidence, and offend the jest and honest pride of a
very important portion et her Majesty's subjects—
thtat .1 thought, Sir, before the adjournment of the House,
before we west 'auk to our constituents, I would make
an effort to induce the House and the Government dis-
passionately to coksider, and after a fair discussion, Watt-