The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-02 00:00:00

THE DUKE OF MODENA.

Mr. Marquis of NORMANBX explained the reason he
did not intend to proceed with his motion for the production
of certain documents which stood in his name for that even-
ing. He had been informed that the friends of the Duke
of Modena intended publishing his defence, and there
was no further necessity of moving in the matter.'

THE BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN INDIA.

Lord MONTEAGLE presented a petition from the na-

tives in India, in Bengal, Behar, Orissa, Bombay, Madras,
and Tajore, representing the state of British possesions in
India.

[LEFT SITTING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(THIS DAY.)

The SPEAKER took the chair shortly after two o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the Mold and Denbigh Junc-
ticn Railway were considered and agreed to. •

LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN IRELAND.

On the motion that the house at its rising should adjourn
until Monday,

Mr. BLAKE called the attention of the Chief Secretary
for Ireland to the great want which exists in the Irish Dis-
trict Lunatic Asylums of sufficient necessary appliances for
promoting the happiness and recovery of the insane.
The hon. member contrasted the internal arrangements of
the lunatic asylums in England with those in Ireland, and
contended that the latter were in a state that required
considerable improvement. He trusted that the right
honourable baronet (Sir Robert Peel) would devote
his attention to the subject of the treatment of lunatics in
Ireland, and that he would direct his abilities to remedying
the defeets of the existing system. He also commented on
the conduct of the inspectors of lunatic asylums in Ireland,
to whom he attributed some blame.

Mr. OSBORNE defended Dr. Nugent, one of the inspec
tors alluded to, and stated that he believed there was no
ground for any blame in regard to Dr. Hatehill.

IRISH BILLS.

Mr. HENNESSY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
what course he intended to pursue in reference to certain
Irish bills. He alluded particularly to the course that
had been pursued in respect to the registration of births,
deaths, and marriages in Ireland.

Sir R. PEEL said he quite concurred in the humane
suggestions of the hon. member (Mr. Blake) as to the
necessity and importance of doing everything that might
lead to alleviate the sufferings and restore the health of
persons labouring under the affliction of lunacy. lion.
members were aware that in Ireland as well as elsewhere
the time had passed away when lunatics wet e treated
with unkindness, but he agreed also with the hon. member
that it was desirable that the monotony of mind under
which those poor persons laboured should be relieved by
occupation and amusement. It did not appear that the re-
commendation of the commission which sat in 1858 in refer-
ence to lunacy, as to the propriety of introducing a system
of amusement and occupation into lunatic asylums, had been
adopted to the extent to which he thought would have been
advisable. He referred to the latest report of the
commission on the subject of lunacy, from which it
appeared that in a sanitary condition, aad as regarded
recoveries in lunatic asylums, Ireland, as compared with
England, Scotland, and France, had the advantage.
He assured the hon. member that he would do all in his
power in reference to this matter as well as other objects of
utility to promote the prosperity of Ireland. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CARDWELL, in reference to the remarks of Mr.
Hennessy as to Irishbusiness, said that the bill for remov-
ing the penal liabilities of Roman Catholics in regard to
mixed marriages had been withdrawn in accordance with
the wishes of the majority of Roman Catholic members.
The bills in respect to the registration of births, deaths,
and marriage k and market fairs, could not be proceeded
with in the abni ce of a number of Irish members.