The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-01 00:00:00

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a second time :--Bombay,
Baroda, and Central India Railway Company ; Galway
Harbour and Port Act (1853) Amendment; Norwich Corn
Exchange; and Bray Commons.

PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented from different dissenting
bodies praying to be admitted to the same privilege with
reference to endowed schools as the members of the Church
of England.

NEW WRITS.
On the motion of Mr. BRAND the following writs were
ordered :—For Northampton, on the elevation of the Right
Honorable Mr. Vernon Smith to the upper house ; for the
comity of Wicklow, vacant by Lord Probyn having ac-
ceptal the office of Comptroller of her Majesty's House-
hold ; for the city of Lichfield, vacant by Lord Alfred
Henry Paget being appointed Chief Equerry and Clerk
Marshal ; and for the western division of Gloucester, in
consequence of Mr. Kingscote having been appointed
Groom in Waiting to her Majesty.

MR. GILPIN.
Mr. W. 0. STANLEY gave notice that to-morrow he
would draw the attention of the house to the statement
wb'ch had been made by Mr. Dennis at a public meeting,
to the effect that an attempt had been made to corrupt Mr.
. .

Gilpin en the late division.
MANNING THE NAVY.
Sir J. PAKINGTON gave notice that he would ask the
First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was the intention
of her Majesty's Government to carry out the recommen.
dation of the report on this subject.
Mr. WILLIAMS asked the late Secretary of the Admi-
ralty if any commission had been issued with respect to the
reduction of the naval expenditure ?
Sir J. PAKINGTON said he did not remember.
THE MATRIMONIAL AND DIVORCE COURT.
Mr. E. JAMES gave notice that he would draw the
attention of her Majesty's Government to the accumulation
of arrears in this court, and to ask whether it was poposed
to introduce any measure to remedy the consequent injus-
tice inflicted on suitors.

NEUTRALITY IN THE WAR.
Lord ELCHO gave notice that, on Tuesday week, he
should move the following resolution :—" That, in the opi-
nion of this house, the correspondence respecting the affairs
of Italy which has recently been laid before Parliament
shows that the late Governmenthave perseveringly directed
their efforts to the maintenance of peace, and the amicable
settlement of the differences between the contending par-
ties ; and that, while they have preserved the strictest neu-
trality, and conducted these complicated negotiations with
patience and impartiality, they have at the same time up-
held the honour and dignity of this country. That it is
further the opinion of this house that the policy of neutra-
lity and mediation between the contending Powers which
has thus been pursued by the late Government should be
adhered to by her Majesty's present advisers." (Opposi-

•
Lon cheers.) •
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Lord PALMERSTON brought up by command of her
Majesty copies of correspondence with the commissioners
at the head-quarters of the Austrian, French, and Sardi-
nian armies. Having moved that these papers should lie
upon the table, the noble lord said—l avail myself of this
opportunity to make a very short statement to the house,
not so much as to those circumstances in regard to which
the public are already perfectly well informed, as with re-
spect to the course of business which we shall propose to
the house. It is well known to everybody that upon the
Allure of the efforts of my noble friend, Lord Granville, to
form a Government, I was honoured with the commands of
her Majesty to endeavour to construct an Administration.
The first step which I took under those circumstances was
to address myself to my noble friend the member for
the city of London, between whom and myself an agree-
ment already existed that, whichever of the two might hap-
pen to receive the commands of the Soveraign to form an
Administration in the place of that which had given in its
resignation, we would co- operate for the purpose of forming
an efficient and strong Government. (Hear, hear.) My
noble friend, with the utmost promptitude and generosity,
immediately consented to give his co-operation for that pur •
pose, and undertook that which is at all times one of
the most important departments of State, but which
under the circumstances is, beyond all others, of national
importance—l mean the direction of our foreign relations.
My noble friend and myself were able to surround ourselves
with colleagues eminent for their public station and re-
markable for their ability and knowledge of the administra-
tion of affairs. and I trust that we have succeeded in pre-
senting to this house, to Parliament, and to the country an
Administration which, by the distinguished elements of
which it is composed, will command, attain, and secure the
confidence of this house and of the country. (Cheers.) I
need not say, Sir, that in some respects the duty which I
had to perform was painful to my feelings, because I was
unable to ask and obtain the assistance of many of those
personal and political friends with whom it had been my
pleasure and pride upon a former occasion to co-operate in
the public service—men whose talents, zeal, and ability in
the discharge of the duties which were imposed upon them
entitled them not only to my esteem and confidences but
also to the approbation of their fellow-countrymen. The
Administration having been formed, it now becomes our
duty to consider what course of proceeding it will be our
duty in the present state of the year, and in the present
state of the business before Parliament, to propose to this
house. There are two great questions which pre-eminently
occupy the attention of the public; one, the state of our
foreign relations as connected with those important events
which are now passing in the south of Europe ; the other,
that question of the amendment of the laws regarding the
representation of the people in Parliament, which has so
recently and so anxiously engaged the attention of Parlia-
ment and of the country. The course which we intend to
pursue with regard to that first great question is the course
which has been chalked out for us by those who preceded
us—(Opposition cheers)—and which has been recom-
mended, or is intended to be recommended, by the resolu-
tion of which notice has been given by my noble friend—
that is, a strict neutrality in the contest which is now
waging. (Hear, hear.) I trust that nothing can occur
which should involve this country in hostilities, which, as
far as human foresight can go, seem to turn upon matters
which, though interesting the sympathies one way or the
other of the people of this country, are yet so remote from
their direct interests that it would, I think, be unpardon-
able in any Government to endeavour to involve this coun-
try in the contest. (Cheers.) It will be our duty, as no
doubt it would have been felt to be the duty of the late Go-
vernment, to avail ourselves of any favourable opportunity
which may occur in the course of these events to tender the
good offices of England, either separately or conjointly with
other Powers, for the purpose of restoring to Europe the
blessings of peace ; but I am sure that this house will feel
that steps of that kind ought not to be lightly taken, that a
great country like this ought not to tender advice or inter-
pose offices until it sees that the march of events renders it
likely that those good offices or that advice will be accept-
able to those to whom they are tendered, and that lightly
and without sufficient consideration to commit the country
to steps of that sort would be derogatory to the dignity of
the country and useless with regard to any good which
might bo anticipated from the adoption of such a course.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the other great question—
the amendment of the laws regulating the representation of
the. people in Parliament—l think It is almost needless for
me to say that, considering the season of the year, conside-
ring how short a time must elapse before the return of
August, and possibly of September, will so thin the attend-
ance in this holm that no question of great importance
ought to be submitted to its deliberations, and considering
the amount of inevitable business which we have to go
through, it would be trifling with so great and important a
subject as that of Parliamentary Reform if we were to at-
tempt to introduce into this house during the present ses-
sion a bill upon that subject. (Hear, hear.) That it will
be our endeavour and determination to avail ourselves of the
'earliest moment of the next session of Parliament to pre-
pare and produce a bill, I can give the assurance of myself
and my colleagues. When that next session will commence
must depend very much upon the course of events, and upon
the courn of business. X wish to withhold any opinion