The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COINTAIONS.—(Tnis DAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at a quarter past twelve
o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

- -
The Lords' amendments to the Burnham Tidal Harbour
Railways, and the London. Chatham, and Dover Railway
(Metropolitan Extension) Bill were considered and agreed
to, as were the following bills :—Lord de Freyne's Estate
and Caithness Roads.
The following bills were read a second time :—Beauchamp
Almshouses Estate Bill, Domvile's Estate Bill, Earl of
Longford's Estate Bill, Viscount Lorton's Estate Bill, and
Giustiniani's Naturalisation Bill.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Sir J. SHELLEY said he felt bound to protest
against the way in which business was brought before
the house. They were now called on to vote a large sum of
money without the knowledge of most of the members,
Who had left the house last night before its adjournment,
and the press contained no announcement in the usual
form as to the business that would be proceeded with at
this day's sitting. (Hear.) If the votes to which he referred
had been postponed until the evening, then there would be
no ground for complaint. Last year a similar course had
been adopted, and an absurd vote agreed to, with reference
to the filtration of the Thames, and he thought the time
had arrived when a different course should be pursued. Had
the e Liberal members been on the Tory side of the house
tney would have been open-mouthed at the practice to
Which they had recourse, in endeavouring to smuggle im-
portant votes through the house. (Hear, hear.) 'Under
'nose circumstances he felt bound to protest against the
conduct of the Government, though his ownparty. (Hear.)
THE CASE OF THE REV. L._C.P:_ FOX, ROMAN

CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN.
The O'DONOGHUE called the attention of the house
to the dismissal of the Rev. Mr. Fox from the chaplaincy
of the South Dublin Union by the Irish Poor Law Com-
missioners. He apologised for delaying the house in going
into committee, but the subject, which he felt bound to
bring forward, had created considerable sensation in Ire-
land, and he thought it was entitled to be inquired into by
that house. Mr. Fox asserted most positively that he had
done nothing more nor less than his duty, and
it was for disoharging that duty that he was
dismissed. It appeared that the matron of the
union had received information which induced her to be-
lieve that some of the female paupers had stolen some of
the clothes of the institution. They refused to be searched
in the presence of the male officers of the union, and a row
ensued while they were being searched, which led to the
police being called in. The women were then taken
before a magistrate, who investigated the charge,
and was about to inflict severe punishment on them
when the Rev. Mr. Fox interfered, and gave a different
Version of the affair. The consequence was, that
the magistrates considerably mitigated the sentence,
notwithstanding that the male officers of the Union con-
tradicted the statement of the Rev. Mr. Fox. This took
place on the 7th of April last, and on the 12th of the month
the master of the Union made a report to the guardians rela-
tive to what had taken place before the magistrate. After con-
c3n.sidering that rep.ort the guardians requested the Poor Law
commissioners to institute an enquiry, and accordingly
that body directed a sworn investigation to take place.
Mr. Fox was examined :and swore that he witnessed the
most indelicate conduct of the male officers of the Union
in searching the women, one of whom was thrown down
and her clothes turned over her head. This statement was
corroborated by some of the females, but was denied by the
parties implicated. As the hon. member was proceeding,
Mr. BLACK said he must protest against the time of
the house being occupied with the consideration of an Irish
row, when there was so much important business to be
transact9d. (Cries of " Hear, hear" and " Order.")
The SPEAKER said the hon. member (T he 0' D onoghue)
was in possession of the house. It was a matter entirely
for his discretion to what length he would occupy the at-
tention of the house.
The O'DONOGHUE then resumed, and contended that
the Rev. Mr. Fox was most unjustly dismissed, and con-
cluded with an earnest appeal to the house to do justice to
a clergyman who had stood forward in behalf of poor
young females, whom he considered were most unjustly
treated. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CARDWELL said that the Poor Law Commis-
sioners were not responsible for what took place in a work-
house, the management of which was vested in the
guardians, and in this case they were merely responsible
iar the manner in which this inquiry was conducted.

[LEFT SITTING.]