The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—YESTERDAY.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock:

THE SPIRIT DUTIES.

The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from
the distillers in Ireland praying their lordships to reconsi-
der the measure passed last session for increasing the duties
on spirits.
ROYAL MARINE BARRACKS BILL.

On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, this bill was read a
first time.

SECOND READINGS.

The following bills were read a second time :—Bristol
and South Wales Union Railway, Ederfield Chapel to
Little Bolton Road ; Dublin, Wexford, and Wicklow Rail.
way.

THIRD READINGS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed
Walbridge Gas, and Isle of Wight Water.

SUB-DIVISION OF BENEFICES BILL.

Lord LYTTELTON gave notice that on the 18th ho
should move that this bill be referred to a select committee,
and on the same day bring in a bill to restrain incumbents
from giving certain leases.
LAW OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES BILL.
This bill passed through committee, and was reported.

THE DRUSE CHIEFS.
The Earl of CARNARVON rose to inquire of her Ma-
jesty's Government the decision of the Turkish Govern-
ment in regard to the Druse chiefs now prisoners at Bey-
rout. He wished to know whether the sentences had been
remitted, and whether they had been restored to liberty?
He condemned the legal proceedings against the Druses,
and said the evidence which convicted them would be worth
nothing in an English court of justice, and he felt if ever
there was an attempt at judicial murder the sentence on
the Druse chieftains was one of them. He considered,
as we had sent out a British Minister to that country, we
were bound to see that justice was fairly and temperately
administered by the authorities in that distant country.
Lord W ODE HO USE said he should have been glad if the
noble lord had postponed his question until the papers had
been laid on the table of the house. The papers con-
tained the fullest information on the subject. With
respect to the Druse chiefs, there were two dis-
tinct classes. Eleven of them surrendered themselves
up at Beyrout, and were now under sentence of death, and
Bat another place. With regard to those not at Beyrout
it had been proposed to execute some five or six, but the
British Government had recommended that only one or
two should be executed ; and in that recom-
mendation the French Government had concurred.
With regard to those at Beyrout a difference of opinion
prevailed with respect to the fate of the prisoners. He could
not state what the ,intentions of the Turkish :Govern-
ment were—whether it was intenied to carry out the ori-
ginal intention, or to commute the sentences by some lesser
punishment than death.
MARINE MUTINY BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

The Earl of ELGIx entered the house during the time
the Earl of CARNARTON was speaking, and was most
warmly welcomed by the members of the Government
present. The noble earl took his seat on the front bench
below the gangway.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS.

The Sheriffs of the City of London appeared at the bar of
the house and presented a petition from the Corporation of
the City of London, praying that in the case of these
lines of railways which were seeking to obtain
termini in London, whereby a large number of the working
classes would be displaced from their present habitations,
provision should be made for the conveyance of the work-
ing classes from the stations of such railways at cheap rates.