The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 24.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool
s.eck at Five o'clock.

CHLOROFORM.
Lord CAMPBELL introduced a Bill for punishing
persons who criminally make use of chloroform
and other stupifying poisons. He proposed that a
first offence should be punished with imprison-
ment, and a second offence with transportation. He re-
gretted to be obliged to extend the criminal code, but new
crimes called for new punishment.
The Bill was then read a first time.
PETITION S.
The Earl of ST. GERMANS presented several peti-

'ions in favour of the Marriage Bill.
The Marquis of BREADALBANE presented several
petitions from places in Scotland against the Marriage
Lord BROUGHAM presented several petitions in
favour of the exten,ion of County Courts Bill.
The Earl of HARDWICKE presented several peti-
ti3ns from Cambridgeshire praying for protection to the
agricultural interest.
The Earl of lIARROWBY presented several peti-
tions against Papal aggression.
CERTIORARIS FROM THE COUNTY COURTS.
Lord BROUGHAM drew the attention of their Lord-
ships to the returns which had been made of the writs
of certiorari which had been issued to remove causes
from the county courts to the superior courts. They had
been few in number, and he concluded, therefore, that
the judgments of the county courts had given general
satisfaction.

MINISTERIAL CRISIS.
The Marquis of
,LANSDOWNE rose and said
My Lords, I rise for the purpose of moving that .I:hia
House at its rising do adjourn to Friday next. I feel
that in proposing this adjournment, it is due to the
House, with regard to the present state
of public affairs, that I should state all
the information which I can properly communicate
to your Lordships. I have, therefore, to inform
your Lordships that on Friday last, in conse-
quence of what had taken place on Thursday in
ttse other House of Parliament, her Majesty's servants
c,nsidered it their deity to tender their resignations
to her M&jesty on that day. Some of her Majesty's
servants—l myself among that number—were absent
from town at the time, bat on Saturday we determined
to tender our resignations to her Majesty. On the
same day her Majesty sent to the Noble Lord oppo-
alto, and he, as I understood, after due
cansideration, informed her Majesty that he was not
prepared to construct a Government. My Noble Friend
late at the head of the Government was then sent for by
her Majesty, and ho is now engaged in reconstructing the
Government. This is the present state of affairs. All I
can state at present is, that my Noble Friend
la'ely at ►he head of the Government has, on
redaction, thought that it is a duty which he owes to
her Majesty, and to the public to attempt the recon-
struction of a Government. Beyond this I shall
say nothing—l speak as the member of a Government
which exists no longer. I hold office nominally only;
I repeat I am only in office so long as our suc-
cessors shall not be appointed, and that therefore
at present I am not in a position to make any further
mmunication to your Lordships.
Lord STANLEY—I will make no opposition to the
motion of the Noble Marquis. Your Lordships will
understand that it is at present imposseible fur me,
under the circumstances of the country, to enter into
any details on the subject to which the Noble Marquis
had alluded; I have only to say that when I waited upon
her Majesty and had the offer made to me to construct
a Ministry, I laid before her Majesty wholly
and unreservedly all my views. Nothing could exceed
the graciousness, the condescension, indeed I may say
the kindness, with which her Majesty received my
communications ; but of what passed at that
interview, and what was the advice as a
Privy Councillor I tendered to her Majesty,
of course I cannot at present say one single word.
When the time shall come—when this political crisis
shall be passed over—then I shall be prepared
to state, fully and unreservedly, to the
House and to the country the advice which I tendered,
and the course which, as a public man and a Privy
Councillor, I recommended her Majesty to pursue.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE agreed that it
would be the duty of the Noble Lord, on a fitting oc-
casion, to fully and fairly state what had passed. With
regard to himself, he had only stated facts of which he
was cognizant, and he trusted, therefore, that their
Lordships would accede to his motion.
MARRIAGE BILL.

The Earl of ST. GERMANS trusted that their Lord
ships would see no objection in sitting to-morrow, in
order to discuss the motion for the second
reading of the Marriage Bill, a measure which is not at
10.1 connected with politics, but which is of great social
tinportance.
Lord CAMPBELL wished most strongly to impress
upon their Lordships the importance of allowing the
discussion to come on to-morrow night. There W 35
nothing political in it, and he fully concurred in the pro-
priety of abstaining from political discussion till Friday.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, on the understand-
ing that no political matter should be introduced into
the discussion to-morrow, would withdraw his motion.
The proposition for meeting on the following (this)
day, to proceed with the second reading of the Mar-
rie.ges Bill, was then formally agreed to.
COUNTY COURTS.

his motion with re-
Lord BROUGHAM postponed
spot to the County Courts, which stod on the paper for
Thursday, till Monday.
THE NEW VICE-CHANCELLOR.
Lord LANGDALE moved the second reading of the
PA for appointing
a new Vice-Chancellor, which was
agreed to.
CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT BILL.
Lord CAMPBELL nominated the Committee to
which this Bill was to be referred, and their Lordships
then adj3urhed-

TIOUSE OF CO.IIIIIOIVS, Feb. 24.
The TiI'EAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock, when
th
was au uuusuAlly large numbers of' Members
attendance.

NEW MEMBER.
Mr. SMITH Cumn took the oatha and his seat for
North Staffordshire.
SECOND READINGS.
The following Bills Were read a second time, asid
ordered to be committed:—
Bala Pool.
Briton Ferry, Docks, and Railway.
Cameron's Coalbrook Steam Coal and Swansea and ,Loughor
Railway.
Christchurch (Southwark) Parish.

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