The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-11 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Lord CAMPBELL presented several petitions against
Papal aggression.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY presented several
petitions to a similar purport.
The Marquis of BREADALBANE presented a
petition from various British subjects in India, com-
plaining of the law of marriage in India.
Lord BROUGHTON announced his intention to in-
troduce a Bill to remedy the evils complained of by the
petitioners. _ . .

Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from St.
Alban's against free trade and in favour of retrenchment.
He did not agree with the petitioners. He was in favour
of all proper retrenchment, but not of such retrench-
ment as the petitioners asked for, which was a reduction
in the salaries of the Poor-law Commissioners, of the
Ministers, and of great Officers of Stare.

The Elrl of WINCHILSEA presented several peti.
tions eorophiniog of the Papal aggression.
EQUITABLE JURISDICTION OF COUNTY

COURTS.

Lord BROUGHAM presented several petitions in
favour of an extension of the power of the county courts.
He would now introduce a Bill giving these courts
original jurisdiction in equity, as was prayed for by
some of these petitioners. The most respectable soli-
citors and the members of the Law Incorporated Society
had stated that they could not advise a suit in equity
where the matter in dispute was under 1,0001., and
therefore this was proof that some such extension of the
jurisdiction of county courts was necessary.
DESIGNS ACT EXTENSION BILL.

On the motion of Earl GRANVILLE, the Commons
amendments to this Bill were agreed to.
PATENT AMENDMENT BILL.

Earl GRANVILLE introduced a Bill for the amend.
ment of the law of patents.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.

Lord STANLEY presented several petitions from
various owners and occupiers of land complaining of dis-
tress; also a petition from Preston praying that the rate-
payers might have a control over the expenditure of the
county rates. The Noble Lord then postponed the pre-
sentation of the petition from Guiana until Monday.
The Earl of MALMESBURY presented several pe-
titions complaining of agricultural distress. The Noble
Earl complained that nothing had been done to relieve
this distress, and complained that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer had withdrawn even those offers of relief
which were included in the repeal of the duty on clover-
seed, and of relieving the counties of a portion of the ex-
pense of maintaining lunatic asylums, thus aggravating
the feelings of the agricultural community.
MERCHANT SEAMEN'S BILL.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH wished to know
whether it was the intention of the Government to in-
troduce any measure for the amendment of the Mer-
chant Seamen's Bill. That Bill had given great dis-
satisfaction, and he wished to know whether any further
measure was to be introduced to amend the Act, or to
regulate the distribution of the Merchant Seamen's
Fund. He had understood that some measure of amend-
ment was to be introduced, but it had not yet been
proposed, and he believed that if such a measure were
even now introduced there would not be time to consider
it. He wished to know whether any measure of the sort
would be introduced, and if it was intended to press it?

Earl GRANVILLE said that he admitted the neces-
sity for alteration in the laws regulating the Merchant
Seamen's Fund. The Government intended to introduce
a Bill on this subject immediately after the recess. The
subject of the amendment of the Act of last session had
occupied the most attentive consideration of the Govern-
ment. _ _

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH thought that in all
those discussions the Government had given an undue
weight to the representations of the shipowners, and he
thought they might have carried the Bill last session.
Earl GRANVILLE exphtined, and the subjec
dropped.