The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-30 00:00:00

MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION.

Lord GRANVILLE said he wished to condense as much
as possible the observations he had to address to their lord-
ship. Their lordships knew the reasons that had led to
the resignation of the late Ministry. Her Majesty
had done him the honour to send for him on the occasion

r and honour him with the Royal command to form an Ad-
ministration; but he fancied a much more efficient Admi-
nistration could be formed than he could hope to accomplish,
by his noble friend. Lord Palmlrston was sent for,
and he had succeeded in forming a Ministry which had no
small claim to the confidence of the Legislature. He knew
they must not claim by what they had done, but they
_ _

looked confidently for that confidence by what they in-
tended
.to bring forward. (Hear,: hear.) There were,
however, some questions which called for an earnest and
immediate legislation, and foremost amongst them was the
question of the state of the representation of the people—.
(hear, hear).—in the other House of Parliament; but their
lordships would feel that at this particular period of the
session it would be impossible to treat this question with the
seriousness and importance it demanded. He thought it
would be a want of respect to bring forward this question now
when there would be no time for the house to fully consider
it, but it would be brought forward as soon as the house
re .assembled. There was another question of domestic
policy which called for a speedy settlement—the ques-
tion of the national defences. (" Hear, hear," from Lord
Lyndhurst.) When the noble lord behind him came to make
a motion in connection with his department, he would be
afforded an opportunity of showing that no blame was im-
putable to any one from having, as had been supposed,
reduced the preparations for naval defence. He (Earl
Granville) had no fear of an invasion, but it was
the duty of her Majesty's Government to preserve
the peace of this country, and do all that was pos-
sible to restore the blessings of peace to the
rest of Europe. When the noble earl announced
to the house that he had found it his duty to resign, he
stated that it was not his intention to offer any factious
opposition to . the new Administration ; but en-
perience had taught him that assertions of that
kind were not to be too implicitly relied on ; but
he felt certain that should the public service ever require
that all parties should unite, they would be found, as had
hitherto been the case, firmly united to.preserve the honour
and interests of this country. (Hear, hear.)
The Duke of RUTLAND condemned the conduct of
those who had brought on the war which was at present
raging in Italy. He thought the noble earl who had lately
filled the office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs was
entitled to credit for the manner in which he had conducted
the affairs of his department, and for the indefatigable in-
dustry which he had shown, but unfortunately without
success, to prevent war breaking out. He could not - for-
bear alluding to the line of conduct that had been pursued
by noble lords opposite in defeating the late Government.
It had not been done to improve their foreign policy, but
simply in the hope that they might, by chance, bring
together a Government that might be able to carry cut the
policy they had pursued.
Lord MALMESBURY rose, and was
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.)
The house re-assembled for the first time since the ad-
journment on last Tuesday week, when the SPEAKER took
the chair at four o'clock.