The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-22 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT.ARY OATHS BILL.

[The following appeared in the third edition of The
Sun of last night.]
The adjourned meeting of the liberal members of the
House of Commons was held at three o'clock yesterday
at the King's Arms, Palace Yard, to receive the
report of the deputation appointed to wait on Lord
Palmerston in reference to the Parliementary Oaths Bil',
and to deliberate on the course to be adopted. Mr. E.
Horsman in the chair. There was a tolerably full at.
tendatice. Baron Rothschild was present.
The CHAIRMAN having stated the object of the meet-
ing, which was to ask the Government to give its sup-
port in the first instance to Lord J. Russell's bill, and to
postpone the consideration of Mr. Dill wyn's resolution till
that bill was disposed of one way or another, said that
the deputation appointed at the previous meeting bad
that morning waited upon Lord Palmei sten, and had
received from him an assurance that her Majesty's Go-
vernment would support the introduction of Lord John
Russell's bill that night. (Hear, hear.) His lordship also
stated that at present the Government were ignorant of
the exact provisions of Lord J. Russell's bill, and it was
impossible for hire then to form an opinion as to the pro-
bability of its ultimately passing both Houses of Parlia-
ment. In a case like the present the Chairman urged
upon the meeting the necessity of their proceeding cau-
tiously, and step by step. The only question now
for the consideration of the meeting wag,
what reception and support it should give to
Lord J. Russell's bill. Should it not meet with their
views, or should it be rejected, it would then be their
duty to consider what further course they should pi e
sue. (Hear, hear.) The deputation had received from
Lord Palmerston an assurance, which no one
could doubt, of the desire of the Government to
see the question settled—(hear, hear)—and, in re-
ference to the want of unanimity on the question
in the Cabinet as displayed in the recent discussion in
the House of Lords, his lordship explained that it did
not arise from any change of opinion in the members of
the Cabinet, but that the views of the noble lord
alluded to on this subject were known to the Cabinet
on its original formation. It was impossible for
any one to doubt Lord Palmerston's sincerity
in his desire to give effect to the principles of his own
bill, and it should be remembered that the Government
in a question of this kind bad a somewhat difficult card to
play. The Government could not be expected to pledge
itself to the particular course it should pursue
before events had arisen to justify it. He
considered it was the duty of the meeting
to plaoe every confidence in their political leaders, and
to act earnestly and unanimously with them, the effect
of which might be to lead to a successful result. (Hear,
hear.) It was obvious that the future course of the
Government and the Liberal members of the House of
Ceinmons must greatly depend on what occurred that
night in the house. (Hear.) They had very formidable
opponents, and the cause was not altogether free from
difficulties, and he thought the only thing that would
peril their success would be want of unanimity among
themselves. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the meeting
would confine itself to the immediate course to be now
taken, and not discuss the advisability of Baron
Rothschild, in the event of the failure of
the present bill, appearing at the table of the
house and demanding to be sworn in the manner
most binding on his conscience. To precipitate that
course now would only produce the most lamentable re-
sults. It would subject the Baron to great personal
mortification, and the Liberal party to a great defeat.
(Hear.) The right hon. gentleman said that Lord Pal-
merston, having consented to give the support of the
Government to the introduction of Lord John Russell's
bill, and, in the event of that failing, to give Mr. Dill-
wyn's resolution his consideration, he urged upon the
meeting the necessity of confining themselves to the
consideration of the course they should pursue in refe-
rence to Lord Palmerston's announcement.
Mr. AYRTON asked if a shorthand writer was present
that morning when the deputation waited on Lord Pal-
merston. It was most important that the meeting
should know bow the case was represented to his lord-
ship, and his exact reply.
The CHAIRMAN said that reporters were not present.
It was not usual for them to be present at deputations
at the noble lord's private residence. His lordship com-
municated freely with the members of the deputation,
and gave them permission to communicate what had
transpired to their friends and the public.
A discussion ensued, in the course of which it was
urged that it was the duty of the House of Commons
to assert its privileges, the same as the House
of Lords on the life peerage question, and
also that, by a little more pressure from without,
the House of Lords would be obliged to give way to the
popular feeling. The following resolution 'was agreed
to unanimously .
" That Lord Palmerston having announced the in-
tention of the Government to support the introduction
of Lord J. Russell's bill this evening, it is inexpedientiaisbad
to consider our future course until the meeting
an opportunity of knowing the contents of thebill,
and
the probability of its being allowed to pass this session.
The meeting was adjourned sine die.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
Toceedings.

EFFECTS OF LOAD CAMPBELL'S BILL.--In the win-
dow of a certain publisher's shop is be seen the
following significant announcement :—Selling off, sixty-
five per cent. under cost price, in consequence of Lord
Campbell's bill ; aseiz,urc hourly expected. Going into
the ham and beef line.