The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-05 00:00:00

TRADE MARKS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second read-
ing of this bill, the principal object of which was to esta-
blish a place for the registry of trade marks, and also for
the preventing of colourable imitations being made of cer-
tain signs to deceive the public.
The bill was read a second time.
THE CASE. OF MR. TURNBULL.
The Marquis of NORMANBY rose to move the ap-
pointment of a committee to consider the whole of the cir-
cumstances connected with the reaignation of Mr.Turnbull.
The noble lord, having explained the reasons that had led
to the alteration of his course of proceeding, said that if the
committee was granted he would be in a position to show
that the resignation of Mr. Turnbull, which had been sup-
posed to be voluntary, had been owing to a direct interfe-
rence with the head of his department by Lord Palmerston
himself. He entered at length into the circumstances of the
case, protesting against the principles adopted by the Go-
vernment, which made religious opinions a bar to efficient
public service.

The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said that the secretary
of the Protestant Alliance had received a formal notice that
he would be prosecuted for the libel on Mr. Turnbull. As
the matter would thus come before the courts of law its dis-
cussion in Parliament would be highly inconvenient. At
the same time he felt bound to vindicate himself personally
from the charge of improper interference brought against
him, respecting which he entered into several explanations.
He denied that the objection to Mr. Turnbull arose solely
from his religious opinions, but he was liable to be carried
away by the warmth of his temperament, which rendered
him incapable of taking an impartial view of the documents
under his charge—documents referring to a most important
epoch in British history. It was as absurd to place such a
nian in such a position as it would be to make himself (the
Earl of Shaftesbury) an inspector of Roman Catholic
schools or a reporter on Benedictine monasteries. He sup-
ported these assertions by reading various passages from
Mr.'Turnbull's writings, lie did not charge Mr. Turn-
bull with dishonesty, but with the absence of that impar-
tiality which should attend such a position.
Earl GRANVILLE defended Lord Palmeriton from the
,attack made upon him by the Marquis of Normandy. Mr.
Turnbull had done his work well, and his resignation was
contrary to the ,ad vice of his friends. But, having re-
signed, it became a. question as to his fitness for his office,
and it was this view of the case that Lord Palmerston had
taken when .he expressed himself as adverse to the reap-•
pointment of Mr. Turnbull. There was nothing, he de-
clared, in the conduct of Lord Palmerston which could in
any way hurt the feelings of Roman Catholics.
The Earl of DERBY said that he knew nothing of the
case except that Mr. Turnbull, in the language of an Irish
newspaper, had renounced the errors of Protestantism, and
embraced those of Catholicism. The real point at issue
was whether an underhanded plot had been formed against
Mr. Turnbull, in which he had not received the support he
had a right to expect from the Government. As far as his
information went, Mr. Turnbull had discharged his duties
with probity and ability, and it was equally contrary tojus .
tice and policy that such a man should be.whispered out of
his office.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE expressed his full belief
that Mr. Turnbull was in every respect competent for the
performance of the duties which he was required to fulfil in
the Record-office. The only mistake he hail committed was
in sending in his resignation. The Government were, how-
ever, not responsible either for the appointment or the re-

tirement of that gentleman, and he did not believe that any
benefit would be derived from the inquiries of the proposed
committee.

Their lordships then divided, when there appeared—
For the committee
Against it
Majority against.. —l6
The motion was therefore lost, and their lordships ad-
journed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
. PRI VAT': BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a second time :—Belfast
and County Down Railway, Dunfermline and Queens-
ferry Railway, Edinburgh and Dunfermline Railway, Hat-
field Chase Warping and Improvement, and Mid Wales
Railway.