The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-25 00:00:00

THE SUN.
LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 186:

One, at least, of the numerous select committees
appointed during this session by the House of
Commons to inquire into matters of very urgent
importance yesterday issued the report of its pro-
ceedings. That report—regarding it, as we do, as
one of singular interest to the community at large
—we transfer in its entirety to our columns this
evening. Formidable though its length may appear
upon a cursory glance, it will prove upon examina-
tion to be a document in every way worthy of
perusal throughout. Superficially viewed again,
the results arrived at by this committee in the shape
of anything like explicit suggestions of change to
the Legislature may bear the appearance of
being very inadequate, both in extent
and in variety, under the circumstances. Yet
upon a strictly deliberate and dispassionate
scrutiny, these suggestions will be found, we cannot
but think, as bold, and comprehensive, and nume-
rous as it would be prudent for the House of Com-
mons to entertain at one time without risking the
peril of rash and even, it might be, unconstitutional
innovations in the whole scheme of Parliamentary
procedure. •
The facilitation of public business in the
popular branch of the Legislature the eco-
nomy of public time during the ordinary sessional
sittings of the House day after day, week after
week, between February and August inclusively—
those are the two chief objects held in view by this
select Committee during the course of its lengthened
deliberations and investigations. At the com-
mencement of their labours as a Committee the
members first of all carefully took into considera-
tion, as was obviously advisable, the successive in-
quiries and reports of their preceding Select Com-
mittees appointed at uncertain intervals within the
last thirty years to consider, like themselves,
whether, by any alterations in the forms and pro-
ceedings of the House, the despatch of public busi-
ness may be more effectually promoted. Having
'thoroughly digested these reports, having carefully
taken into account the standing orders of the
House, in any way applicable, directly or indi-
rectly, to the particular subject under consideration,
the Committee have decided altogether upon offer-
ing for the acceptance of the House of Commons
four very simple but really, we cannot but think,
most effective and comprehensive recommendations
It will be seen, when we have particula-
rized the wording and the tendency of these
Four suggestions proposed in the Report of the
Select Committee that supposing them to be
adopted and carried into effect by the House,
they would add one very impertant standing order
to those already in existence, while they would
add another Government night to each week,-so
that there would be three of those Government
nights Lebdomidally instead of two, as heretofore.
They would, in point of fact, we are disposed to
think, facilitate the transaction of public business
during the ordinary sessional sittings, and yet at
the same time refrain from injudiciously re-
stricting the right of independent members to
give voice to Public Opinion, and to elicit from
even reluctant Ministers, whenever advisable,
explanations that might be otherwise evaded, dur-
ing a whole session possibly, as—inconvenient.
'raking the four recommendations of the Select
Committee in the order in which they appear, and
the report of its proceedings, we find the first one
suggesting—" That the Committees of Supply and
Ways and Means may be fixed for every day on
which the House shall meet for despatch of public
business." A proposition, that, which, ou the face
of it, if but once acceded to, would necessarily and
very appreciably facilitate—would, in fact, as we
have said, materially facilitate—the transaction of
public business in the popular branch of Parliament.
Itwouldensure this good result by the simple divice
of affording the Commons House of Parliament—
and this
without lengthening its session—fresh
opportunities for getting through its labours in
practical
legislation. The second proposition of
the Committtee
runs to the effect " That on Friday,
throughout the session, orders of the day shall have
precedence of notices
reserved to her of motion, the right being
MAJEsTY'S ministers of placing
Government orders on
the bead of the list." A
eslion, that, suggmoreover mithout giving
the smallest reason whatever .
for jealousy to the
House general;y, could not but be peculiarly ac-
ceptable, one cannot but feel, ,1 be
the instant, to
the responsible ad-visors of the SOVEREIGN
.
Upon
the administration, now-a-days, devolves the bulk
of the labours previously divided between the
" powers that be " and the Opposition. Important
measures of all kinds being, as a rule, introduced
by the Government of the day, and as an excep.
'Lion merely,
brought forward at rare intervals by

the only place of interment, it seems but reason-
able that it should be open, on reasonable condi-
tions, for the burial of all who die in the parish. The
case seems to lie in a nutshell. If Sir G. C. LEwis
be right, interment cannot be refused, but only the
service ; and he advises not to refuse this. His
advice is good, but unfortunately it is mere advice.
Every country vicar can injure the Church by
throwing: the advice in his teeth. We know
that his law is disputed, and the offensive case
last week, at Burnham Market, seems against him;
but suppose him to be right, and the question be-
comes simply this—" If the clergyman will not
perform a service at a burial, shall the relatives be
able to procure the aid, under reasonable arrange-
ments, of another minister."

Now, we must own that, were it our own case,
we should feel no great concern about the ungen-
tlemanly and unchristian folly of the country
vicars. We were once, on a visit to the country,
n a village while one of these cases occurred. A
child's death, and in a highly respectable and intel.'