The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-31 00:00:00

THE Sir N,_ LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 31, 1558.

bankers and merchants of the city of London desired to
live the commissioners power to punish fraudulent
,ankrupts or -insolvents by sending them to the House
,f Correction. Now, he must say that he never would
consent to invest any man with the arbitrary power of
ending a person to prison without the intervention of a
miry ; and therefore he could not consent to that propc-
itiou, although he might observe in passing that his hon.
end learned friend who prepared the bill originallyseemed
o have given his adhesion to it. The offences pecu-
;ar to bankrupts, such as the falsification of accounts,
he concealment of property, and the like, would re-
inira a great deal of consideration, because the language
.f the bill as originally framed was not sufficiently pre-
ise to exclude from the operation of the punishment
limes various dealings which he believed were con-
idered to be perfectly legitimate in the city of London
—among others, the accepting of accommodation bills.
're mentioned this in the hope that during the recess
.heir lordships would direct their particular attention to
his portion of the bill. He himself should devote all
he time in his power to it, and should endeavour, as
mutiously and guardedly as he could, to frame those
lausee so as to meet cases of real delinquency. He
loped that he bad kept his word with their lordships,
end that he should not be considered to have entered too
ninntsly into details. He had endeavoured to make his
remarks serve rather as an index to the bill, pointing
ut the more important provisions which it contained.
Ile trusted that those who took an interest in the sub-
ject would give him the benefit of their assistance and
advice in considering most carefully the clauses of the
ill, in order that at the commencement of next session
the Government might be enabled to introduce a
measure which would prove beneficial to the public, and
would receive the ready acceptance of the whole com-
mercial c Anmunity. (Hear, bear.)
Lord CAMPBELL would cont .nt himself with express-
ing his entire approbation of the course which had been
aken in this matter by hia noble and learned friend on
the wooleaek, in having deliberately considered the sub-
ject, and having favoured their lordships with an mar-
line of the measure which he proposed. This certainly
was no party question, and all must be anxious to as-
sist his noble and learned friend in framing his measure
so that it should be generally acceptable to the public.
Ho tru-ted that his noble and learned friend would con-
-dder whether means could not be adopted for abolishing
the distinction be".ween traders and non-traders, and he
suggested t'let a p-rusal of the Scottish bankruptcy laws
might enable bim to arrive at a solution of that ques-
tion. The Scotch laws upon the subject generally were
worthy of consideration ; for be believed that under
them the expense of working the commission and dis-
tributing the effects of a bankrupt did not exceed a
charge of 7 per cent. upon the estate, al contrasted with
about 30 per cent. under the English law.
Lord CRANWORTFI expressed his satisfaction at
the lucid statement of his noble and learned friend on
the woolsack. In most of the propositions of his noble
and learned friend he entirely concurred, though, of
course, he could not be expected to give in his assent
to all the &tails without further consideration. He
was gla 1 that the noble lord proposed to amend be-
fore consolidating, for of course until it was settled
what the law on the subject was to be it was impos.
sable to proceed to consolidate it. He sincerely hoped
;hat in the course of the next session a comprehensive
measure of amendMent and consolidation on this subject
should pass into law.
The bill ,s then vad a first time.
CONSOLIDATED FUND APPROPRIATION BILL.

This bill was read ;third tine and passed.
The Cumir,- r 2;) Life Commons
agreed to the Lords' amendments in the Local Govern-
ment Bill ; that the C mmons did not persevere in their
eb;ections to the amendments in the Government of India
Bi.l oa which their lordshlp3 ineistE d ; that the C ,rnmons
disagreed from the Lords' amendments in the Divorce
sold Matrimonial Ciuses Act Amendment Bill.

Torir lordships the❑ res ,I,ed not to insist on their
am.ranenis in the last measure.

The house adjourned shortly before 9 o'cl)ok till a
qua:ter to 2 on Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(YESTERDAY.)

The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
THE OPIUM TRADE.

Numerous petitions were presented condemning the
opiu o trade in Chinn.
ELECTIONS BY VOTING PAPERS.

Mr. ROEBUCK pregented a petition from a gentle-
man who advocate,' elections by voting papers
TRUSTEES AND EXECUTORS.

Mr. ROEBUCK asked the Attorney-General if it was
the intenti‘ n 4,f Government t 3 bring in a bill next
session of Parliament to relieve trustees and executors
from the present severe laws affecting them, and to en.
large their pavers for the better administration of trust
estates.

The SOLICITOR-GENERA.L, after referring to the
qusstion, and what had been done in respect to it, Said it
would be somewhat presumptuous in him afterthe difficul-
ties felt in so many quarters to make any promise
on the subject. He should be prepared, if it lay in his
power, to remove the vbjections feit, and if he succeeded
he should be ready to submit a bill to the attor ion of
the house next session, but only on the supposition that
he thought the difficulty could be overcome.

RETURNS.
Numerous unopprwed returns were ordered.
SERGEANT BRODIE.

In reply to Mr. CONINGHAM,
General PEEL said it was impossible for him to say
what private communications had passed between his
predecessors and Sergeant Brodie, but no official docu-
ment cr remonstrance frone Sergeant Brodie rat in the
office of the department over which be (General Peel)
presided. Sergeant Brodie was appointetl f iceman f
the saddlery department, subject to the came terms
of distnival as others, and it was not customary
to make allowance for anything that was done privately
before quitting office. Sergeant Brodie was dismissed
cn the 18;h of September, and so far from refusing thp•
gratuity offered to him, he (General Peel) had seen a
receipt from Sergeant Brodie, dated September 19th,
acknowledging its receipt. The alterations suggested by
Sergeant Brodie in the saddlery had been submitted
to the Insp,ctor-General of Cavalry, who be 1
decided against their adoption, and it was not customary
to giveremuneration in cases where the suggestions were
not alopted. With regard to the last question, be had
to state that Captain Smith received 101. a day as
salary in addition to his half-pay.