The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

• -
HOUSE OF LORDS-YESTERDAY,

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock. _ _ .

THE MARRIAGE LAWS.

Lord WODEHOUSE presented petitions numerously
signed in favour of legalising the marriage with a deceased
wife's' sister, from Birkenhead and Liverpool.
THE BANKRUPTCY BILL.

The LORD CHANCELLOR presented several petitions
In favour of this bill.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Clifton and Durdhata Downs (Bristol), the Garston
and Liverpool Railway, Marlborough Railway, and Exeter
Railway Bills were read a second time.
The Great Northern of Scotland Railway and the Leigh
District Gag Bills were read a third time and passed.
THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

Lord LYVEDON presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants and taxpayers of Calcutta and of Bengal Proper com-
plaining of the system of government in India. The
noble lord said he differed from some of the statements in
the petition, but in others he entirely concurred. The petition
contained the names of persons of great importance in
India, and also the names of nearly all the gentlemen in
the legal profession in practice there. The complaints
of the petitioners were the great increase which
had lately taken place in the taxation of thea
country. Her Majesty's Government had taken the unusual
ui
course of sending out a special financial commissioner,and
various heavy imposts had been peoplemadeonthe
there. The pttitioners particularly referred
increase of the Mysore grant, which was said to the
to ab-
sorbed half the sum produced by the income tax. Raving
applied to the legislative council for information, the peti-
tioners had been repulsed, and this he considered the real
grievance of the petitioners. They moreover complained of
the manner of the military expenditure of the Indian Go-
vernment, while they stated that the military expenditure
at home was economical at the expense of India. Tho
petitioners also complained . that there were no exact
' estimates of the cost of the Indian army—(hear, hear)—
nail they most earnestly urged that some steps might be
taken to remedy this state of things for the future. Another
of the prayers of the petition was that the members of the
Council of India should have seats in Parliament, and also
that the number of those gentlemen might be increased.
lie thought there was great objection to the Legislative
Council of India, and thought it absolutely unnecessary
for the well being and good government of India, and ho
concluded by asking in which of the two houses the mea-
sure relating to India would be brought forward.
. Earl DE GREY and RIPON said he was unable to state
the precise time at which the bill would be brought for-
ward relating to the Council of India, but it was in
a very forward state, and would be brought under the con-
sideration of the other house very shortly. The noble earl
had touched upon the Mysore grant, but the ultimate re •
suit of that transaction would be that, whereas, under for-
mer arrangements, certain districts were set aside for sup-
plying the wants of the Mysore princes, that family
would now be provided for by an annual charge of
£17,000: He thought their lordships would come
to the conclusion that the arrangement made for those
• princes was much more conveniently provided for than for-
merly. With reference to the motion for papers on this
subject made in the Legislative Council in Calcutta, he was
surprised to hear his noble friend approve of that part of the
petition. He altogether deniedlhat the Legislative Coun-
cil was a Parliament, or had the right to exercise the func-
tions of a Parliament. He thought it highly desirable to
have depots at home for the regiments in India; and
with respect to the India accounts relative to the
military expenditure, papers relative to them would be laid
very shortly before Parliament. He altogether denied that
the Secretary of State had power to make an uncontrolled
charge on the revenues of India.
The Duke of ARGYLL defended the passing of, the act
of 18:53.
• The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said he condemned
from the first the constitution of the legislative council.
He saw from the first their desire to nibble at the religion
of the people, and he attributed to that council more anything else the outbreak of the late mutiny. If the
Government entertained feelings against the council, he
trusted they would have the courage to abolish a body
which was inconsistent with the honour, the credit, and the
strength of the goverment in India.
After a few Words from the Marquis of Clanricarde and
Earl Grey, the subject dropped, and their lordships
adjourned.

ROUSE OF COMMONS —YESTERDAY.
INDISPOSITION OF THE SPEAKER.
At a quarter to four o'clock the Clerk of the House read
a letter from the Speaker, stating that from illness arising
from rheumatism he was unable to attend the house this
evening, but that he hoped to be able to resume his duties
on Monday.
Mr. Blissny, the Chairman of Committees, then took
the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the South Eastern Railway
(Capital, &c.) Bill were considered and agreed to. The
Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway,with amend-
ments, was also considered. The Lancashire and Yorkshire
Rail way (Bootle Branch, &c.) Bill was read a third time.
The Newcastle and Under Lyme Marsh' Land Bill and the
Sneyd's Branch Railway Bill were considered and ordered
for third reading.

THE DANISH CLAIMS.
• Mr. MACAULAY presented a petition from Thomas
Ward on behalf of himself and others, claimants against
the Crown for losses incurred in the Secret Expedition to
Copenhagen in 1807. The iron. and learned member read
sonic extracts from the petition, which stated that the
claimants were British merchants, and that a Royal Com-
mission had examined their claims and adjudicated
• in their favour in 1810. Their report was presented to the
House of Commons by her Majesty's Government, and in
1841 a committee of the whole house passed a resolution
voting a "money addre:s," which was presented by a
member of the Privy Connell to her Majesty, who expressed
her desire to give effect to the wishes of the House of Com-
mons in this instance. However, notwithstanding these
proceedibgs, the petitioners' claims were unliquidated, and
they prayed the house to redress the grievance, which arose
out of an exceptional event in the history of the civilised
world. The hon. member gave notice that he;ouldcallthe
attention of the house to the subject on a future occasion,
and move a resolution in reference to the subject.
DERRYMACASH RIOTS.
Sir W. VERNER moved for copies of the several infor-
mations and dying declarations in relation to any of the
cases of homicide, riot, illegal or party processions, or
other criminal offences, alleged to have been committed in
the county of Armagh in the month of July last, taken
before a magistrate ; also of entries in the Crown book in
reference to such proceedings, as well as other information
on the subject.—Ordered.
COURTS MARTIAL IN INDIA.
Mr. FREELANI) asked the Secretary of State fer India,
whether copies of the findings of the courts martial ap-
pointed in India fur the trial of officers charged with in-
sulting Mahometans while engaged in religious worship in
Egypt, and of any reprimands or comments on the proceed-
ing of the courts. martial by Sir Hugh Rose, had been re-
ceived by the Government; and whether there would be
any objection to lay such copies, if received, upon the table
of the house ?
Sir C. WOOD 'said that he was happy now to be in a
position to produce communications from Sir Hugh Rose,
and he would lay them on the table of the house it the hon.
member would move for them.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF NATIONAL
EDUCATION, IRELAND.
Mr. LONGFIELD asked the Chief Secretary for Ire-
land when he would furnish the return, ordered by the
_ house, of the names, Sze., of the members of the present
Board of National Education in Ireland ?
Mr. CARDWELL said that, by the returns of the
house, he found that the return had been laid on the table
of the house, and a portion of it had been printed.
THE LATE CAPTAIN BRABAZON.
General PEE G asked the noble lord the First Lord of
the Treasury, in the absence of the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, who was prevented attending from
illness, what steps the Government had taken to
ascertain whether the report of the murder of
Captain Brabazon, of the Royal Artillery, by the Chinese,
was true; and, whether the information received is derived
from the personal knowledge of the informants, or rested
merely on Chinese rumour?
THE ALLEGED OUTRAGE ON CAPTAIN MAC-
DONALD.
Lord R. CECIL called the attention of the house to the
outrages on Captain Macdonald at Bonn ;4 and asked the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he in-
tended to take any steps for the protection of British
subjects travelling in Prusaia. The noble lord
detailed the circumstances connected with the event, and
contended that it was important to English travellers that
state statement should be made by the Government on this
POt the 'llieet, and he censured in very strong terms the conduct
Prussian authorities as unjust, illegal, and
b: arbitrate He " thought the authorities ought to
Pursoi ti,
'valued of the danger which they incurred in
went to ourelar conduct. Before English travellers
ra
GOVernmew they ought to he made acquainted by their
with p,43.li,artuat travelling in that country was attended
r,enrded EnzhahZtPnts and annoyances, particularly as
CAP
Mr. GREGORY
atm..
TAIN :CItABAZON.
rf ith reference to the alleged fate
()aptain Brabaeon, who
w 7 Lodi, thrown as stated to have been decapi-
tated ca' ' 111. -1111° a cl.o aln,
that there. were so many it was asked why
- canml had not been cirage4
of the , t
boa of the Chinese in
diwehich it was replied
it that it would have been impossible to have discovered
the body of Captain Brabazoa out of the multitude of other
bodies. He
loca had been informedor 1,
thy-a
gentleman who was
ted in the neighbourhood e canna at the time in
question, that he had not seen a human body in the canal.
He referred also to documents from. Chinese authorities to
show that the statements as to the death of Cap.
rain Brabazou were inaccurate, And that he Was