The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-01 00:00:00

THE PAPAL STATES

The Earl of CLARENDON begged to draw the atten-
tion of his noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs
to a discrepancy in a statement he had made in that house
on one made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the
other house of Parliament on Friday last. The Chancellor of
the Exchequer stated that the French and Austrian Govern-
ments were willing to evacuate the Papal States, and that the
Papal Government was anxious that such a movement
should be made. His noble friend on Friday stated that at
no distant date the French and Austrian troops would
be withdrawn at the request of the Papal Government.
He thought that although both parties might wish to with-
draw their troops, they would be restrained from so doing
by neither being aware of the exact wish of the other,
nor of their line of conduct. He wished, therefore,
to know the exact information in the possession of
the Government, that no discrepancy might mar the effect
of the discussion.
Lord MALMESBURY said he was very glad to give all
the information in his power, but the noble earl's observa-
tions with respect to what ho tensed discrepancy,
seemed to assume a distinction without a differ-
ence. (Hear, hear.) . His honourable friend and
himself meant the same thing. The knowledge they
ball possessed was that the Papal Government requested,
of its own accord, the evacuation of its territory by the
French .and Austrian troops, and he could not see any
excuse for the French and Austrian troops remaining for a
single day after such an announcement. He had seen the
French ambassador since the discussion on Friday, and he
stated that his Government were quite willing to evacuate
the Italian territory.
Lord BROUGHAM asked the noble earl if he could in-
form him as to the object of the immense warlike prepara-
tions which were being made by a neighbouring power, and
whichf as was well known to most of their lordships, was
the real cause of the anxiety which was felt in Europe? He
did not soppose there was any just reason for alarm, since
the noble earl and his colleagues, notwithstanding these war-
like preparatims, had found time for the preparation of a
measure for Parliamentary Reform.
The Earl of 11/ALMESBURY said the information he
had received was to the effect that there was no real ground
for alarm on account t.,f the warlike preparations alluded to
by his noble and learned friend. The preparations were onto
be
carried on to a golater extent than was actually
necessary for the preservation of peace.
Lord BROUGHAM said ti2e answer was perfectly satis-
factory.
DEBTOR AND CREDITOR BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading
of this bill.
Lord ST. LEONARDS objected to the bill on the ground
that consolidation was not carried out so fully as it ought
to be. He thought that the bill he had introduced last
session was far better than the one at present under consi-
deration.
Lord CAMPBELL considered that as there was another
bill introduced in the other house of Parliament upon the
same subject (Lord J. Russell's bill), it would be desirable
that they should have both bills before them when they came
to consider this question of the law of bankruptcy and insol-
vency, and he would suggest to his noble and learned friend
the desirability of reading the bill a second time and refer-
ring it to a select committee with that view.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, though anxious to do all
in his power to facilitate the most complete investigation of
the subject, must decline to accede to the suggestion of re-
ferring the bill to a select committee, because he believed
the result of such reference would be that no bankruptcy
bill would pass during the present session. With regard to
the bill now before the other house, they did not know that
it would over come up to their lordships • at all events, it
could not come up until so late a period if the consi-
deration of the subject were deferred till then, legislation
this year would be impossible. Nor was there any necessity
for sending the bill to a select committee to discuss it clause
by clause. The bill was one of principle rather than one of
detail. Its great leading features were the abolition of im-
prisonment for debt; the getting rid of the distinction be-
tween traders and non-traders, and bringing the adminis-
tration of bankruptcy and insolvency into the same court ;
and the providing for the liquidation of debtors' effects by
private arrangement or public inquiry. That was all that
their lordships were called upon to affirm by the second
reading of this bill, and beyond this there was nothing more
than the details applicable to those principles. Ho must,
therefore, with all respect for his noble and learned friend,
decline to accede to his suggestion for sending the bill to a
select committee, from which, as it appeared to him, no
advantage could be gained, but which might occasion great
disadvantage in the delay which would in all probability
result. ,
After a few words from several noble lords,
The motion was then put and agreed to, and the bill was
read a second time.
Their lordships adjourned at half-past /seven,