The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-31 00:00:00

be taken on the grounds of general prudence and
convenience." To recognize the reasonableness of
this opinion hardly requires, indeed, more than an
instant of reflection. "I take it," observes Mr]
GLADSTONE, in distinct explanation of his views on
this head, "I take it that there is a meaning in the
rules of the House when they provide that, on the
presentation of any scheme of legislation in the
form of a Bill, the duty of the House should
be to address itself to the scheme as a
whole, not that the House should then and
there only proceed to deal with the details."
Surely all this cannot for one moment
be doubted as at once the rule and the custom of
the House. Yet in defiance of both rule and cus-
tom, here is a resolution which, while strictly
within the exceptional regulations of the House,
does undeniably deal with mere sectional portions
of the measure—prior to the second reading of the
Bill ! " The resolution," observes Mr. GLADSTONE,
" may be quite Parliamentary ; you, sir, have
pronounced it to be so; I submit respectfully to
your authority—but—l express my own opinion as
far as my own opportunities go, that this is the first
occasion on which a resolution has been moved on
the second reading of a Bill, the purport and
matter of which resolution consist simply in deal-
ing with certain portions of the Bill, which por-
tions might be dealt with in committee." Nay,
we venture to go beyond these last words of Mr.
GLADSTONE and to say—which portions ought to
be dealt with in committee? The first reading and
the second reading are for the acceptance or the
rejection of a measure as a whole. Its considera-
tion in detail is reserved by the rules of the House
to be taken into account—in committee ! A reso-
lution upon the second reading, therefore—taking
exception to one or two fragmentary portions of a
complicated and comprehensive Bill—a resolution of
this unusual if not unparalleled kind, while it may
be strictly within the regulations of the House, and
therefore strictly Parliamentary, is undeniably, as
the Member for Oxford University ventures to sug-
gest, "one Jo which exception may be taken
on the grounds of general prudence and conve-
nience." In other and plainer words—lf it is un-
Parliamentary it is no less merely imprudent and
inconvenient.

However much we agree, nevertheless, with the
view taken by Mr. GLADSTONE of the character and
tendency of Lord JOHN'S resolution, we are in no
way disposed to coincide with the opinions ex-
pressed by the Right Hon. Gentleman in regard to
the motives dictating it. According to Mr. GLAD-
STONE, her MAJESTY'S Solicitor-General, described
by him as "a gentleman of distinguished character,
eminence, and abilities " " spoilt an effective
speech by dropping at the close of it words which
were not worthy of this House or of his position."
According to Sir JOHN PAKINGTON, on the other
hand, that effective speech was in that very portion
of it, in that effective peroration, there peculiarly
and especially, and above all, the most entitled to
commendation. Alluding to those impressive
words in which Sir HUGH CAIRNS reprobated the
factious and party move of the noble lord the
member for the City of London, the First Lord
of the Admiralty said, amidst the cheers of the
Commons, "We want a little more of such plain
speaking in this HOuse :" adding " The conduct of
our public men would be improved, and the conduct
of our public affairs likewise would be improved, if
there were a little more of this wisdom and
truthtelling." And, as if this were not
sufficiently explicit, Sir JOHN- observed still
further—" Instead of joining in the censure
of my hon. friend (Sir H. CAIRNS), I thank him
for the language he used." Yet for this honest,
truthful, manly language, Mr. GLADSTONE now
suggests that the Solicitor-General should make a
studied apology to the Noble Lord before the con.
elusion of this protracted debate upon his resolu-
tion. An apology !—for what ? For articulating
the thought that is in every mind, the conviction
that is in every heart, even the minds and hearts
of the mere Whig partisans ? An apology for call-
ing a spade a spade ! The suggestion is simply
ridiculous. Lord JOHN'S resolution has glaringly
and notoriously been framed for the express purpose
of subserving party objects and private ambitions—
for embarrassing a Ministry—for turning it out if
possible, certainly not with a view to forward the
interests of Reform by the very means which must
the most effectually retard its advance by causing
confusion and procrastination. For frankly saying
what everybody about him, within hearing of his
words, already believes, and knows and sees, the
Solicitor• General is asked to apologise. The sug-
gestion is simply ridiculous.

LATEST NEWS.

THE AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY.

The Royal mail steamer Tevoit, from Alexandria,
with the Australian mails, passed Hurst Castle at
11.40 a.m.

The following telegram has been received at
Mr. Reuter's office :

PARIS, WEDNESDAY.

According to good information, the Austrian
Government has refused Baden-Baden as the seat
of the proposed Congress.

The French Government leaves the choice of the
town to Austria, reserving only the condition that
it must be in communication with Paris by railway
and telegraph.
The report is current that the Grand Duke of
Tuscany has published a new manifesto, but its
contents are not yet known.

We learn from Venice that information had just
reached that city that the colonel of a Hungarian
regiment had been tried by court-martil, and sen
tented to be shot at Verona, for having attempted
to persuade his regiment not to fight against the'
Italians.. The sentence, we regret to add, was im-
mediately carried into effect.

MARSEILLES, MARCH 30.
Advices have been received from Constantinople
:0 the 23d inst.

The journals confirm the statement that 12 bat-
talions and 80 cannon have been despatched to
Schumla, and that another division will follow.
Letters assert that Count Lallemand, first Secre-
tary to the French embassy, demanded a peremp-
tory answer from the Grand Vizier in reference to
the threatening movements of troops towards the
Principalities, and that the Grand Vizier gave him
am evasive answer.

The Grand Vizier is very and his retirement
is anticipated.

AMERICA.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING.
The North German I,lord steamship Bremen,
Captain Wessels, has arrived from New York with
the United States' mails of the 19th.

She has 136 passengers, 150,060. dols. in specie
for England, and 120,000 dols. for France.
The Weser steamer, from Queenstown, arrived
out on the 18th.

The Asia steamer, from Liverpool, 14 days out,
arrived at New York just before the Bremen left.
The Hanoverian. barque Wursata arrived at New
York on the 18th.