The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-29 00:00:00

AMERICA.

Mr. HORSFALL gave notice that on Tuesday next he
would call the attention of the house to this subject.
IMPORTATION OF OPIUM INTO JAPAN.

Sir E. PERRY inquired of the Under Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs if there was any provision in the
treaty with Japan to prohibit the importation of opium into
this country ; and if any steps had been taken to prevent it.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD said that by the treaty means
were adopted to restrain the trade in question.
OFFICERS OF THE LAND TRANSPORT CORPS.
Gen. CODRINGTON asked the Secretary of State for
War whether, in the offer of additional rank lately acknow-
ledged as due to certain officers of the Land Transport
Corps, it was made a condition that they should repay to
the Treasury part of their full pay, issued to them in the
years 1857 and 1858, for duty actually done with their
regiments in their present rank ?
General PEEL said that an equitable arrangement had
been made with reference to the officers alluded to.
TENDERS FOR PAPER TO GOVERNMENT.
Mr. COWAN asked the Secretary to the Treasury if
the Government had given its deliberate sanction to the
proceedings of the Board of Inland Revenue, in having re-
cently issued advertisements inviting tenders for the supply
of 1,250 reams of writing paper of an unusually large size
to be manufactured by the said board into postage enve-
lopes, such tenders to be lodged not later than the
31st current, and the said board not being bound to accept
the lowest tender; also, if there was any reason why any
paper required by the public should not be received through
the Stationery-office at the lowest price tendered, with ade-
quate security for the due fulfilment of the contract, and,
after due examination, accepted or rejected as might be ?
Sir S. NOR THCOTE said the subject was under consi-
deration.

CHURCH RATES ABOLITION BILL.
In reply to a question,
Sir J. TRELAW.NY said he was ready to postpone
the further stage of this bill till next week, lint he trusted
a day would be given him to proceed with it.
THE GOVERNMENT REFORM BILL.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would not be able to. appoint any day for that purpose. He
would take that opportunity of referring to the debate of
last night, and stating that in his opinion it was desir-
able that the discussion should be put an end to. (llear.)
He had no desire but to meet the views of the hon. mem-
bers of that house. He was placed in a situation
of very great responsibility, and he had received
a number of communications from members on both sides
of the house, and though he did not wish to interfere with
the rights of hon. members to address the house, yet he
trusted that the house would come to a vote on Thursday
evening. (Hear, hear.)

POSTAL SUBSIDIES, &c. (CANADA, &c.)
Mr. W YLD moved for an address for copies of the ad-
dress from both branches of the Legislature of Canada to
her Majesty, relative to Postal Subsidies and the Intercolo-
nial Railway, and of the correspondence between the dele-
gates from Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and
her Majesty's Government, relative to the Intercolonial
Railway from Halifax to Quebec.—Agreed to.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS ACT AMENDMENT.
Viscount RAYNHAM moved for leave to bring is a bill
to amend the act 16 and 17 Vic., c. 21, for the punishment
of men convicted of aggravated assaults on women and
children.—Agreed to.
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT AMENDMENT.
Viscount RAYNHAM moved for leave to bring in a bill
to amend the Act.l3 and 14 Victoria, for the more effectual
prevention of cruelty to animals.—Agreed to.
Mr. G. HARDY obtained leave to bring in a bill to in-
demnify such persons in the United Kingdom as had
omitted to qualify themselves for offices and employments,
and to extend the time limited • for those purposes respec-
tively.

EAST INDIA DESPATCHES.
Sir E. PERRY moved an address for copy of financial
despatches between the Government of India and the Secre-
tary of Statelor India, respecting new loans required for
India (in continuation of Parliamentary papers, Nos. 55
and 69, of the present session). And of all notifications of
the Government of India concerning the public debt (in
continuation of Parliamentary papers).—Agreed to.

THE REFORM BILL.
THE ADJOURNED DEBATE.

Mr. GLADSTONE resumed the adjourned debate. In
addition to the great ability displayed in the debate that had
taken place, there were other points deserving of notice, and
amongst them most prominent was the unanimity of opinion
prevailing in the house as to the necessity for;Reform. Such
being the case, he regretted extremely that those who
were accordant in sentiment on the substantial ques-
tion at issue, should have been divided, and the
cause of Reform delayed by this want of union
amongst hon. members, without which an adequate bill on
this subject was impossible. (Hear, hear.) The coursepro-
posed by the noble lord the member for the city of London
in bringing forward a resolution to defeat the second read-
ing of the bill was a practice he felt bound to condemn, and
ho would therefore vote against the resolution. He cer-
tainly considered the Government had acted unwisely in
not adopting the course recommended to them by the two
right hon. gentlemen who felt bound to tender their resigna_
tion on the introduction of this bill. Although the feeling of the
country was one of confidence and gratitude towards their
representatives, he thought the conduct of the House of
Commons, in reference to the question of Reform,
did not entitle them to much gratitude or con-
fidence. (Hear.) In the case of his noble friend, the
member for Tiverton, when he was Premier, he did not
bring in a Reform Bill in consequince of the war, and again
in consequence of the dissolution of Parliament, and finally
the dissolution of his Government. (Laughter.) The right
hon. gentleman adverted to other causes for non-legislation on
this subject which had arisen for some years past. He did not
say that these causes were not sufficient, but he thought
that, from the delay that had taken place in dealing
with this question, honoumble members would not
be doing their duty to their constituents if they
threw any impediment in the way of passing a reform bill.