The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-24 00:00:00

THE

result of the investigation of the commission on the sub- I
ject of the union of the Danubian Principalities would
he submitted to the contemplated Conference at Peri.,
and until that had been done it was not in his power to
place the papers on the table.
FREEDOM OF ARREST IN IRELAND.
Mr. HATCHELL asked the Attorney-General for
Ireland, whether it is the intention of her Majesty's
Government to introduce a bill this session to abolish
the privilege of freedom from arrest at present enjoyed
by official debtors in Ireland, in accordance with the
recommendation of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce ?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND said no
such bill was in contemplation by her Majesty's Govern-
ment.
NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION.
Mr. SCLATER-BOOTH asked the Secretary for the
Colonies whether the scientific results of the North
Australian expedition would be published, and in what
form ?
Lord STANLEY said that no arrangements had been
made for publishing the results of the North Australian
expedition. Copies of the papers had been furnished by
the Geographical and Botanical Society, and another
portion of the results of the expedition had been sent to
the British Museum.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA BILL (No. 2.)
Viscount GODERICH asked the Chancellor of the
Exchequer whether it was still his intention not to
withdraw the Government of India Bill ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
thought it more consistent, on the whole, that the ori-
ginal understanding on the bill should not be departed
from, and that the bill should be suspended until the
discussion had taken place on the resolutions he should
have the honour of introducing on Monday next.
(Hear, hear.) He saw no reason for departing from that
understanding. (Hear, hear.)
Viscount GODERICH said on Monday, when the
right hon. gentleman made his motion with regard to
these resolutions, he should oppose it, and take the sense
of the house on it. (Hear, hear.)
CHURCH RATES AND INDIA.
Sir J. TRELAWNY said that as he was determined
to take the sense of the house on church-rates, he hoped
the Government would give him a day for that purpose.
(Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said he thought the right hon.
gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer was in error
in saying that an understanding had been come to to
suspend the Bill N 0.2 for the government of India. It was
his impression that We right hon. gentleman at the end of
a former short conversation in answer to a question from
the hon. baronet the member for Marylebone stated that
he did not mean to withdraw it, but to keep it in sus-
pense, and wait until the house had decided on the re-
solution. He had beard with great regret that declara-
tion—(hear, hear) —but he considered it was the decla-
ration both of the right honourable gentleman and his
colleagues, and not as arising from any undertaking on the
part of the house. He (Lard J. Russell) submitted to
him, and also to those who acted with him as colleagues,
although he had certainly concurred in his (L ,rd John
Russell's) opinion that the best mode of di cussing this
subject was by resolution. (Hear, hear.) He believed
the introduction of a bill and keeping it in suspense by
the same Government was a very unusual course, and
he therefore trusted the right hon. gentleman would not
adopt the course he had stated. He (Lord J. Russel!)
could not imagine that any resolution the house might
agree to would at allj wtify the Government in proceeding
with the bi'l in its present shape, because he believed
the house were opposed to the principle of electing by a
parliamentary constituency to seats in an executive
government. (Hear) Her Majesty's Government ought
to take one of two courses, either propose the resolu-
tions and act on them, or withdraw the present bill.
After some remarks from Mr. NEWDEGATE in reference
to church-rates,
Sir E. PERRY asked whether instructions had been
sent to India that terms of amnesty, including protection
to life and property and full toleration in matters of re-
ligion, should be held out to the inhabitants of Oude,
excepting in gross cases of heinous crimes ; and, if no
such instructions had been sent, whether in the opinion
of her Majesty's Government it was not expedient to
do so?
Mr. RICH called attention to the mutinous sepoys,
and said some inducement should be held out to them
to return to their allegiance to the government of the
Eas'. India Company.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, in
reply to the last two questions, instructions bad been
sent to India to the effect that, consistently with the
fulfilment of the due calls of justice, the claims of pro-
perty in India and the rights of the people should be
respected. (Hear, hear.) He believed that in giving
such directions the Government were taking a course
consonant with the feelings and wishes of the country.
With respect to the question of the hon. member br
Tavistock, whether the Government would be able to
give a day to the bill for the abolition of church-rates, he
roust say that Le agreed with the hon. member in think-
ing it a subject which had claims on the attention of the
house, and if he thought that by giving a day for going
into committee on the bill he should aid in the settle-
ment of the question, he would gladly do so. But he
could not bring himself to believe that going into com-
mittee on that bill would lead to so desirable a result.
He quite believed that a majority of the house was in
favour of a settlement of this question, and he would
have preferred, instead of giving a day to go into com-
mittee on the bill itself, to have askel leave that her
Majesty's Government might bring in a bill on the sub-
ject. (Cheers.) If he did not pledge himself to take
such a course, it was solely because of the pressure of
public business. He thought, however, that the propo-
sition brought forward by Mr. Puller on Wednesday lest
was one well worthy the attention of the house, and he
should be very glad if the principle of that proposition
could be brought to a fair discussion before them. He
took that opportunity of apologising to the noble lord
the member for West Riding f it the short reply he bad
given to the noble lord's question. When he gave that
reply he was not aware that the Government of India
Bill actually stood on the orders of the day. He thought
it bad been put off for a considerable per,od. It was
certainly his intention that it should be. It certainly
had been his wish before any other measure had been in-
troduced on the subject to have had an opportunity of
vindicating the general policy of that bill. The hoase
would recollect, that when it was introduced he confined
himself strictly to the statement of its plan, and offered
no argument on the details of the measure. He
thought that it was better, however, to take a
decision on the resolutions, and afterwards introduce
a bill founded on it. His reason for keeping the bill on
the order was to defend those parts of it that had been
attacked, and had not been answered. He did not per-
sist with the bill in the form on the paper, but if the
resolutions he should support were carried, he should
introduce a bill on them.
Lord PALMERSTON said be thought the course
proposed now by her Majesty's Government the only
one open for them tai take. He would not discuss the
propriety of proceeding by resolutions first, or oy bill.
The resolutions in committee must be the principles on
which the future bill must be drawn.
Mr. BRIGHT thought the course now, psysteettjek
most convenient in the present awkward position oer
Majesty's Government. With regard to church rates,
he assured her Majesty's Government the country rere
determined to have the question settled, and urgechthern
to fix a day for that purpose. He bad no desire to change
Governments, and wished to see the present Govern.
rnent in office so long as they would pass useful measures
for the country. (Heal', hear.) He asked her Majesty's
Government to reconsider the measere—reconsideration
was the best thing a Government could do, for it often
happened that "second thoughts were beat." (Hear.)
Mr. V. SMITH asked her Majesty's Government to
lay on the table the instructions sent to India, referred
to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer ? He hoped the
instructions were accompanied by admiration of the
conduct of her Maj* sty's Government as it greatly de-
served, though their conduct bad been improperly as-
sailed by the right hon. member fur Droitwitcb.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said that when a vote of thanks
to the Governor-General of India was given he consi-
dered his conduct hypothetically—(laughter)—being
based on the memorial from Calcutta, without Lord
Canning's answer. Since then the Government had re-
ceived Lord Canning's answer to it, and in almost if not
in every instance his answer was satisfactory.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY suggested it would be better
to drop both the India bills now before the house.
The motion for adjournment till Monday was then
agreed to.

WAYS AND MEANS.
On the motion for going into committee of ways and
means,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
had no intention of implying in what he said relative to
the instructions that bad been sent out to Lord Canning
that it implied any censure on his conduct.
The house then went into committee, when the follow-
ing resolution was agreed to without discussion and
with loud cheers :—" That towards raising the supply
granted to her Majesty, all draughts or orders f the pay-
ment of any sum of money to the bearer on demand, which
being drawn upon any banker or any person or persons
acting as a banker, and residing or transacting the busi-
ness of a banker within 15 miles of the place where such
draughts or orders are issued, are now exempt from
stamp duty, shall be chargeable with the stamp duty of
one penny for every such draught or order."
The house resumed,

going into committee of
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SUPPLY.
Onthe
v A.
I
was departing from the usual practice of the house in not
quested from a
making an explanatory statement of the army estimates
before proceeding to take the votes, and u
speech of the present Chancellor of the Exchequer
1853, in support of his objection. Unless someer io nxpune,
June,
tion were given the jealousy which prevailed in thepuabtln-
mind in regard to military matters would be strenthen
and the opinion would gut abroad that the military
mates were snitiggl,:d through by the Government in
older to avoid discussion. Upon the subject cf barrack
accommodation and the barack arrangements which
hall attracted much attention of late, anti upon which an
elaborate report had recently been publi>htrd, the public
were exceedingly anxious. There were many persons bath
in and out of the house who were by nomeans satisfied
with the state of our national defeneds, ad it was of con-
siderable importance th tt the Government shoulti Expl:tin
their views and intentions in this respect" 'if' disem-
bodiment of the militia was also a matter which attractedi
considerable attention, and in reference to which some
statement from the Minister for War was desirable. In
conclusion, he appealed to the hon. and gallant general
(Peel) if he was not at present prepared to make an ex
planatory statement, to put off the remaining army esti-
mates until he was.

Mr. DRUMMOND (who as usual was very indistincily
heard) remedied that this was the first time within hii
memory that the house had proceeded almost to the end of
the army estimates without any statement having been
made by the wasporasible minister explanatory of the state
of the national defences or the ends and objects for which
the force asked for was required. It was said the other