The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-26 00:00:00

is suspected. (Hear, hear.) Innocence is no protection
there—(cheers)--and the utmost barbarities have been per-
petrated by the police of Sicily on the unfortunate popula-
tion of the country. (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman does
not know *hat is passing there; if ho did, I am sure his
generous feelings would revolt against the barbarities
which we hear and know are practised in that country. I
believe that no such case as that of M. Rosa which has
been brought forward has occurred; the report is entirely
unfounded. We don't know that there is such a person,
but, putting a hypothetical case—if any man flying from
the fangs of the police were to seek refuge on board a
British ship, there is no man I believe in this country who
would not deem that that officer had misconducted himself
who, under these circumstances, should drive such an in-
dividual back to be the victim of the barbarities I have
described. (Cheers.) These are matters of feeling on which
we must all think alike. It is no departure from our posi-
tion of neutrality in regard to the contest now going on.
No encouragement has been given to those who are sub-
scribing in aid of Garibaldi. The hon. and learned gentle-
man says the speech of my noble friend the other night was
an encouragement, because at the moment he compared
Garibaldi to an historical personage ; but if the hon. gen-
tleman has no other ground than that for asserting that the
Government has given any such encouragement, he is

rather straining facts and assertions in order to prop up the
opinions which ho wishes us to receive as sound. (Hear.)
Therefore, as far as this queston goes, there is no censure
to be applied to Mr. Elliot. With regard to the feelings of
the Neapolitan Government upon that despatch, I should
think when they read it, all they could have to say to it
would be

" . . Pudet hwc opprobria nobis,
"Et dici potuisse et non potuisse refelli."

(Hear.) In respect to the other points there is a great dis-
tinction between the two cases. In the one case there is a
positive statute, plain, intelligible, and simple, to the viola-
tion of which certain penalties aro attached—that is the
Foreign Enlistment Act, The other is an infraction of the
law of nations, which may be punished ; but every man
must see that a prosecution in this case would be much
more uncertain than in the case of offences against the Fo-
reign Enlistment Act. In the one case a warning was
thought necessary to certain people in Ireland who did not
seem to be aware of the state of the law ; in the other case
it was stated by a hon. and learned member opposite, that
the discussion in this house would be sufficient warning to
those who were supposed to be engaged in these subscrip-
tions, which were deemed to be contrary to the law of na-
tions. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HENNESSY said the noble lord's description of the
state of Sicily reminded him of a statement which had been
made some years ago by a colleague of his on a similar
matter. In 1857 the Foreign Secretary of the noble lord's
Government stated in another place, that Baron Poen*
had had an operation performed on him while still wearing
the chains which caused the wounds for which that opera-
tion was required. That statement was also repeated in
another form by the right hon. gentleman opposite, whose
book about Naples was full of the grossest misconceptions.
The moment that charike was made the Government of
Naples took steps to give it a proper contradiction. A State
paper was published to which were attached the certificate a
of the surgeons who performed the operation. They denied
the story about the chains, for the Baron wore no chains—
Mr. GLADSTONE—Oh, oh 1 Why I saw them myself.
(Loud cheers.)
Mr. HENNESSY—Did the right hon. gentleman mean
to say that he saw the chains upon the baron at the time
of the operation, . and that it was in consequence of the
chains; because that was what Lord Aberdeen stated in
the House of Lords, and what had been asserted by the
right hon. gentleman ? But they had now the declaration
of the medical officers that they saw no chains, no mark of
a chain, and that the disease for which the operation was
performed was of long standing. Yet it was upon such
statements as those that our Ministers insulted Naples, and
used language which must lead to a rupture of diplomatic
relations with that Court. (Great laughter.) With respect
to the religious question he would say nothing, but as to
liberalism either in Italy or anywhere else, he did not ap-
prove of it. (Hear,-and laughter.)

Mr. CARD WELL desired to remark that he had not
said any proclamation was issued in Ireland against foreign
enlistment. The warning given was merely an ordinary
.police notice.

Mr. P. O'BRIEN could not concur in his hon. col-
leage's defence of the Sicilian Government. He regarded
it as most abominable, and he hoped it would be overthrown
by the nationality of the people, under the guidance of the
Catholic clergy, and not by the exertions of Garibaldi, with
whom he had no sympathy.
DEFENCES OF THE COUNTRY.

- Col. DUNNE expressed a hope that the report on the
defences of the country would be laid upon tho table before
the house was asked to vote the army estimates.

The motion for the adjournment to Thursday was then
agreed to.

ANNUITY FRANCHISE.

Colonel SYKES gave notice that, in committee on the
Reform Bill, he should move the insertion of a clause con-
ferring the elective franchise on each male person of full age
holding a Government deferred annuity of £26 after twelve
months' residence in any county or borough.