The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-17 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

A petition was presented from the people of Maidenhead,
praying that no alteration should be made in the Common
Prayer used in the churches.

THE CONDEMNED PRISONERS IN IRELAND.

Lord LIFFORu rose to lay upon the table of the house
a petition, which he had given notice of, from the people
of Glasnevin, in Ireland, praying that a memorial
might be presented to her Majesty praying
that the unfortunate persons now under sentence
of death in Ireland for political offences might
have their sentences commuted. The petition emanated,
said the noble lord, from those who had taken up arms
to protect the cause of peace and order; and though they
deeply regretted that those men should so have offended,
yet they earnestly prayed that her Majesty would exercise
her royal clemency. Although aware of the heinous
crime those men had been guilty of, could not but point
out to their lordships that this outbreak was quite different
from any other that had occurred in that country. It was
an attempt against a throne that had been established 700
years -that it was against a country which the most mag-
nificent army and navy, and this by a people who had no such
advantages. Their conduct had been quite different; they had
visited the houses of the gentry and had been quite cour-
teous in their demeanour, they had committed no outrage ;
some had been mere swindlers, some had been dupes, and
some enthusiasts. His lordship then alluded to the speech
of Burke, and stated that though he was misguided they
were noble words, and if capital punishment was visited
on him he would be translated into a martyr.
The petition was ordered to lie on the table.
FORTIFICATIONS BILL.
Lord LONGFORD moved the second reading of this
bill, and it was agreed to.
The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-7'ms EVENING.
Thu SrEfiElt took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:
.—Blyth and Tyne Railway, London and South-Western
Railway, Prescot Gas, Rixton and Warburton Bridge and
Tyne improvement.
THE METROPOLITAN GAS BILL.

The Sheriffs of London and Middlesex presented a peti-
tion from the City of London against this bill.
DISTRESS IN GALWAY.
Mr. GREGORY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether he had received any communication from the
Law Life Society expressing the intentions of that corpora-
tion to give employment and support to their tenantry
during the present severe distress in the west of Galway ;
and whether he would order a report from the Poor-law
Inspector as to the steps taken in fulfilment of thatpledge.
Lord NAAS said he had received further information,
and it was to the effect that unfortunately great distress
prevailed, but the society had set on foot certain works on
their estate with a view to give relief to the suffering
people. He would take care that reports were made
frequently as to the state of the distress.
THE FRENCH EXHIBITION.
Mr. BENTINCK asked the Vice-President of the
Council on whose responsibility and judgment purchases
were to be made at the Paris Exhibition ?
Lord R. MONTAGU said last night he stated that no
purchases had been made in anticipation. With respect to
the usual South Kensington vote, it was under the con-
trol of the President and Vice-President of the Council,
assisted by the art referees, Messrs. Redgrave and Robin-
son. If something was reported as worth purehasimg, it
would be considered by those having control of the vote,
who, with the assistance of the gentlemen named, would
take the matter into consideration.
THE ANNUITY TAX.
Mr. MONCRIEFF asked the hon. [umber for Feeble-
shire whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Go-
vernment to introduce any measure relative to the :An-
unity Tax in the burgh of Canongate,:lidinburgh ; and, if
so, when such measure would be introduced ?
Sir G. MONTGOMERY said it was the intention of
the Government to introduce a bill on the subject in the
course of the next fortnight.
RE-APPEARANCE OF THE CATTLE PLAGUE.
In answer to an Ross. MEMBER,
Lord R. MONTAGU said it was tree that the cattle
plague had reappeared in the metropolis, and there were
eight infected places. Last night, out of 73 cows, 25 were
attacked. The disease was also rife in Germany. An
Order in Council had been passed on tilos subject this day.
Mr. R. HUGESSEN asked whether 73 represented the
whole attacked?
Lord R. MQNTAGU said 73 cows in one district were
c4leked,

SCOTCH REFORM BILL.
Mr. BOUVERIE asked whether members Ni onld be in
possession of a copy of the bill?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE R said he
was anxious that the committee should define tl lie meaning
of the word " house," as there was a clause in the Scotch
bill which depended upon it. He thought the committee
would most probably decide the matter that eve ning.
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.
The debate was resumed on the question. that the
words proposed by Mr. Watkin " provided that no-tene-
ment shall be considered a dwelling-house for the purpose
of this act, which contains less than two ro ems." The
hon. member said his object in moving the ad, lition of the
words to clause 3 was solely to prevent " household
suffrage" degenerating into " hovel suffrage," be-
cause he did not think that huts in which
great number of persons were crowded shuruld form. a
qualification fur the exercise of the elective fran-
chise. The bill as it stood held out inducements to create
votes by the erection of hovels quite unlit for human
habitations. The great object was to exclude the Hovel
from the operation of the bill, and make household suffrage
what it ought to be. _ _

Capt. MELLOR opposed the amendment, as lie con-
sidered it would neutralise the decision already come to by
the house with respect to the lodger franchise.
Mr. PEASE thought that the proposal of the IPan.
member for Stockport would fall snort of the object he
intended, and therefore he had taken the liberty of
making certain additions to it, when he thought it
would have the desired effect. He proposed to add
at end of Mr. Watkiu's amendment the following words
—" And the said two rooms shall not together contain loss
than one thousand six hundred cubic feet of space, and
that no room or rooms shall be considered a lodging for
the purposes of this act that do not together contain one
thousand six hundred cubic feet of space, or separately
contain one thousand cubic feet of space."
Sir J. COLLIER said the proposal of the hon. member
who had just set down would not work well. It would
create all sorts of difficulty, because it would compell the
overseer, in cases of dispute, before the revising barrister
to give evidence as to cubical measurement of rooms for
which the vote was claimed.

Mr. LIDDELL said very. much difficulty would be
cleared away if the Government would give the definition
of the term "dwelling-house."
Mr. M‘LAREN said the amendment of the hon. member
for Stockport had nothing to do with the lodger franchisor
It related entirely to dwelling-houses directly rated to the
poor, which lodgers are not.
(LEFT SITTING.)

LONDON GAZETTE.-THIS EVENING.