The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-02 00:00:00

DRAWING CUECKS,

Mr. CAIRD asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether (hafts or orders on bankers in the form of
" De:bit my account 10/,," or " Pay myself 10/.," but
not including the words " Bearer on demand," might
be drawn at and paid over the bank counter without a
penny stamp ; and whether, notwithstanding the recent
act, such unstamped checks were legal ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sal
drafts or orders to drawers were liable to the r. tamp
except where they were drawn by the person and pail
to him at the same time over the counter.

BOARDING AMERICAN VESSELS.
Mr. LINDSAY asked the Under-Secretary of State
fur Foreign Affairs if it was the case that merchant yes.
sell belonging to the United States, engaged in the trade
with Havannah, or the West Coat of Africa, had been
fired into, boarded, searched, arid detained by British
cruiserr ; and, if so, by what authority, or under whose
instructions the commanders of these ships had so acted.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD said the Government had re-
ceived no official knowledge of such circumstances hav-
ing taken place. A statement had been forwarded to
her Majesty's Government by their representative at
Washington, taken from a Now Orleans newspaper,
but no ~filcial communication had been made by him to
her Majesty's Government ; they were anxious to pre-
veat such occurrences, but the d.flieulty arose from
actual slavers hoisting the American colours. (Hear
hear.) Orders had been sent by former Boards of
Admiralty, to our cruisers off the American coast, to
use the greatest caution in these matters, and these in-
structions would be ca:eful:y repeated by her Ma-
jesty's present Government, without loss of time.
THE lONIAN ISLANDS.
In reply to a question from Geu. CODRINGTON relative
to the payment of 1,5001. and 8001.,
Gen. PEEL said that the above sums formed no part
of the 20,0001. paid to this country by the lonian
Islands.

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE,
Mr. M. GIBSON moved that the order for the die.
charge of Mr. W. Wilkes should be read.—Agreed to.
Mr. GIBSON then moved that Mr. W. Wilkes should
be discharged. By his petition to that house, he had
withdrawn the particular imputation of corrupt motives
against Mr. Clive, for which he was committed to the
custody of the Sergeant-at-A rms. He therefore moved
that Mr. Wilkes should be discharged on payment of the
usual fees,
Mr. ROEBUCK contended that Mr. Wilkes did not
by his petition withdraw the general charge of corrup-
tion against the committee in question, and in which the
honour of that house was concerted. 'Until Mr. Wilkes
made a full retractation, he (elr. Roebuck) should
oppose his discharge from the custody of the sergeant-
at-arms. (Hear, bear.)l Mr. CLAY also urgi'd that Mr. W. Wilkes should
not be di charged until he bad made a full retractation
of the charge at the bar of the house.
The SOLICITOR GENERAL thought the house
was not in a position to arrive at the conclusion asked
of them by the right hon. geotlemau the member for
Ashton-under-Lyne. I3t.fore Mr. W. Wilkes was dis-
charged, he (the Solicitor-General) considered ho ought
to be called upon to make a full retractation of the
charges contained in the article in question. He there-
f ire moved as an amendment that the considera,ion of
Mr. W. Wilke:i's petition be discharged. (Hear.)
Mr. KNATCHBULL-HUGUESSEN suggested that
Mr. W. NVilkea should be c filled to the bar of the house,
and asked if he retracted fully the charges contained in
the artice, and if not, the house would then know 44w
to deal with him.
Mr. M. GIBSON said there could be no doubt Mr.
W. Wilkes intended to withdraw any charge
_of
corruption against Mr. Clive. He contended
corrup-
tion this was a partiality, and not of _
; and if the house were to send to