The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

CENTRAL AMERICA.

Lord MALMESBURY asked the noble lord opposite
(Lord Wodehouse) in what state negotiations were with
respect to Central America

Lord WODEHOUSE said he was happy to inform the
noble lord that the Bay of Islands had been
ceded to Honduras under conditions which would ensure
the security of her Majesty's subjects residing there. The
treaty by which this cession was accomplished had been
ratified by the Government of Honduras and her Majesty.
With regard to Nicaragua a treaty had been agreed on,
but not yet ratified. If the conditions of this
treaty were to some extent different from those
which had been discussed while the noble earl (Malmes-
bury) was in office, they were nevertheless of a highly
satisfactory nature. It would not, he thought, be consi-
dered advisable to produce the correspondence until the
treaty had been fully ratified.
The Earl of MALMESBURY wished to know definitely
with regard to the Nicaragua treaty if the Americans had
recognised the rights of passage over the isthmus.

Lord IVODEHOUSE was understood to reply in the
affirmative.

CHURCH RATES.

...Petitions against the abolition of church rates by the
Earl of DIXIE; and also in favour of their abolition by
Lord LYVEDEN, were presented to the house.

POOR LAWS.
The Earl of DEVON presented a petition praying for a
revision of the Poor Removal Act.
PROTESTANTS IN TURKEY.
Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE presented a
petition respecting the state of the Protestants in some
parts of the dominions of the Sultan, and entered at some
length into the grievances under which they laboured
with respect to spiritual instruction. He eulogised the
conduct of Dr. Cullen, wbo had, in the Midst of pre-
judices on all sides, established a place of worship
for them in that part of the world. Great as was the wish
of the Sultan to maintain that establishment in its integrity,
he did not think it was advisable for this country to leave
the whole of the work to the Sultan, but do all that was
possible to aid him in his praiseworthy endeavours. When
this petition was upon their lordships' table he trusted it
would receive the favourable consideration both of the house
and of her Majesty's Government. The petition was from
the committee of the Evangelical Alliance, and prayed for
the interference of her Majesty's Government to enable the
Protestant churches of the East to exercise their just rights,
as guaranteed to them by the Sultan's proclamation.
(Cheers.)

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY thanked the noble
viscount for the great interest he had taken in this question
of religious toleration in the dominions of the Sultan, and
thought, whether they considered the interest of religion
generally, or the unexampled triumphs, of which they had
proof, that Protestantism had achieved in Turkey, the noble
viscount was entitled to the deep gratitude of every friend
of religious liberty. (Hear, hear.) It was impossible, like-
wise, not to sympathise with the noble viscount in the high
terms of which he had spoken of the liberality of the reigning
Sultan, or to over-estimate the value of the labours of those
societies to which the noble viscount had alluded. Notwith-
standing the immense difficulties which existed in Turkey,
it was most gratifying to observe the progress which the
Protest nt religion had made in almost all parts of that
country. Again referring to the debt of gratitude which,
a 3 he said, the whsle human race owed to the noble vis-
count for the deep interest he had taken in the subject, and
for his long continued and successful efforts in the cause
of religious liberty in the East, the most rev, prelate was
understood to express his concurrence in the prayer of the
petition.

After a few words from several noble lords, the subject
dropped.

ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS JURISDICTION
BILL.

Lord CRANWORTH, in moving the scond reading of
this bill, which had come up from the Commons, explained
that the object of the measure was to render persons charged
with the offence of brawling in churches amenable to the
common law, instead of, as at present, to the ecclesiastical
law. The nob7e and learned lord stated that formerly a
person guilty of this offence was punished by exclusion from
the church, and if he repeated it he lost his ears. The
object of the bill was to make the offence a civil one, and it
carried out the recommendation of the commission of 1832.

Lord BROUGHAM supported the bill, and suggested
that it should be extended to Ireland.

After a few words from Lord WENSLEYDALE,
The Bishop of EXETER opposed the bill, and com-
plained that it had been passed through the other house
without the slightest explanation of its provisions, and
moved "That the present bill be read a second time that
day six months."

Lord CRANWORTII said if their lordships would give
this bill a second reading, he would postpone the committee
until Tuesday week, in order that the right rev. bench
might have the fullest opportunity for considering its pro-
visions ; in addition to which he could assure them that any
suggestion they might make should receive his most care-
ful attention.

The Bishop of EXETER said that after what had just
fallen from the noble lord he felt justified in withdrawing
his amendment. (Hear, hear.)

The bill was then read a second time.

The reports of amendments on the following bills were
brought up and agreed to :—Pawnbrokers Act Amendment
Bill, Larceny, &c., Bill, Forgery Bill, Malicious Injury to
Property Bill, Coinage Offences Bill.
OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON BILL.

On the bringing up of the report on the amendments,

The Marquis of WESTMEATH suggested that laying a
stone in the way of a railway train maliciously should be
made a felony, and indictable as murder when death ensued.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that by the common
law the offence was murder already when death ensued,
and manslaughter when the offence was committed through
carelessness.

The Marquis of WESTMEATH said that if so, the law
was nugatory, as there was no public prosecutor. Last
year 138 persons had been put to death in that way, and
1,827 seriously injured, and in no case had a prosecution
followed.

The report was then received and agreed to.
EXCHEQUER BILLS BILL.
This bill (£13,230,000) passed through committee.
The Common Lodging-house (Ireland) and the Bank of
Ireland Bills were severally read a second time.
Their lordships adjourned at 20 minutes past seven

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con-
sidered and agreed to, and the bills were ordered for third
reading :—Andover and Redbridge Railway, Midland
Railway (use of Railways in and near London), and West
Somerset Railway.
The following bills were read a third time :—Cardiff
Water, Carrickfergus and Larne Railway, Dublin and
Wicklow Railway, East India Coal Company, Matlock
Water.

ENLISTMENT IN IRELAND FOR THE POPE.
Mr. STEUART gave notice that he would ask for infor-
mation relative to the enlistment of troops in Ireland for
the Papal service, whether such enlistment was considera
objectionable ; and, if so, whether any steps would be
adopted by Government in reference to the matter