The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-27 00:00:00

or which they felt the courts of law did not enable them
to enf,rce in any other manner. If that was so, he vea-
tured to say if the Atterney-tkneral had permitted his
name to be used for the purpose di scribed he would
have grossly tailed in his duty to the Crown—he would
have betrayed the interests of the public, and would have
deserved the severest censure of the House of Commons.
Another ground of objection had been put forward by
the lion. and Gallant Member opposite as repected the
allusion to the vote which the House bad come to on
the question. It had been truly said that the Commis-
sioners cf Woods and Forests, being trustees for the
public, ought to be responsible for the exercise of their
powers. He he'd this to be a point of the greatast im-
portance. The Commissioners of Woods and Forests
were Ministers of the Crown, appointed for the ma-
nagement of the Crown revenues for the benefit of the
public. Now, without reference to private rights, he
held as regarded the public, though they were strictly
accountable, they were not in his opinion account-
able in any other place than Parliament.—(Hear,
hear.) Is would be a most dangerous innovation
if they were to allow the Court ( f Chancery to call such
public officers to account for the manner in which they
performed their duties, instead of holding them respon-
sible to Parliament..—(Hear, hear.) As an illustration
of the danger iif such a proceeding, he might refer to
an Act of that statesman whose loss they all deplored.
About six years ago the late Sir Robert Peel admitted
by Order in Council foreign corn free of duty, though
an Act of Pailiament was in existence at the time
imposing a duty. What would have been more
easy than fit a collection of landlords to have called
on the Attorney--General—not for the public interest,
but their own—to file an information in the Court of
Chancery to reicind that order? The cases ap-
peared to him to Le analogous. If, with resp:et to
public fines and rents, they were to allow the At-
torney-General or private individuals to call the Com-
missioners of Woods and Forests to account in the
Court of Chancery, they would be establishing a most
dangerous innovation, which would be most injurious to
the best interests of the country. Of late years the
courts of law had manifested a strong deire to inter-
fere with the rights and privileges of that House.—
(Hear, bear.) That such a disposition existed in the
courts of law was notorious. In fact, a favourite adage
in Westminster Hall was, that every judge ought to ex-
tend his jurisdiction. Now, if they had an Attorney-
General who should hold public officers accountable to
the Court of Chancery the most serious results would
follow.—(Hear, hear.) It was with reference to such
a consideration that he had alluded to the vote of the
House as an important element in this case. A
majority of the House had confirmed the proceedings of
the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and so far
as the information complained of the Commissioners, as
trustees of 'the public, he considered it as an appeal
from the decision of that House, as to the conduct of
public officers, to the High Court of Chancery.—
(Hear, hear.) Ha did think that, as Attorney-Gene-
ral, he would have grossly neglected his duty if he had
sanctioned such a proceeding. These were the grounds
upon which he had acted. If he had consulted his own
convenience, nothing would have been easier for him
than to have considered the question a mere matter of
form, and have given the use of his signature. His doing
so would not have deprived him of the office which he
had the honour to hold, nor would it have interfered
with his advancement in his profession; but he must
have been blind not to have seen that by taking the other
course,—knowing the great influence of the press, which
took an opposite view—he would have to sustain a vast
amount of vituperation and blame.—(Hear, hear.) He
had adopted the course he had done because he firmly
and sincerely believed it to be the best; and so long as
he filled the office which he had the honour to bold, he
would undertake to say that as far as he could he would
discharge its duties on his own responsibility, with-
out throwing any part on the shoulders of others;
and that he would always endeavour to do tempe-
rately, but fearlessly, that which he considered to be his
duty. (Cheers.)

SUPPLY.
The House then wen; into a Committee of Supply on
he army estimates.
1,362,400/, being the remainder of the sum necessary
f,r defraying the expense of the land forces in Great
Britain, Ireland, and abroad.
Mr. HUNIE complained of the increase which had
taken place on the three branches of the service since
1828. He trusted the Government would take the whole
subject into their consideration, whether the Committee
should make their report this session or not. He
wished to see the distinction between the line and house-
hold troops abolishei, and every regiment take its routine
of duty at home and abroad.
Mr. F. MAULE said that he had no doubt the report
of the Committee would contain many suggestions which
would be of great benefit to the army. Tney had consi-
dered the questions of clothing agencies, as well as the
commissariat, and time and deliberation would be re-
quired before they could make their report. He would
undertake that, before the estimates were brought for-
ward in another year, they would give the evidence
heard before the Committee their most careful considera-
tion, and the Government would come to that House in

the next session prepared to state the grounds upon
which they would either make changes in conformity
with the opinions of that Committee, or the grounds
upon which they abstained from making such changes.
Colonel CHATTERTON complained of the practice
of compelling the soldiers to pay for every good conduct
badge which they received. The cavalry officer, too,
was subject to much greater expenses than the com-
manding" officer of an infantry regiment, and the
pay of the former was, under the circumstances, much
worse than that of the latter. He (Colonel Chatterton)
wished to repeat those remarks he bad before made as to
the impropriety of allowing the married and single sol-
diers to occupy the same room iu the barrack. He had
heard that a great boon had been granted to the soldiers
in this respect, but he found, upon inquiry, that that boon
amounted to only 41 a week for the lodging of the mar-
ried soldier.
Colonel DUNNE said that when the report of the
Committee was presented, ho should make many obser-
vations as to the evidence that had been given before
that Committee. He hoped that the Government would
take immediate steps to put down that system by which
a corporal, when promoted, received for a time less than
he had previously been paid.
Mr. BRIGHT said there was one point which he
wished to bring before the attention of the Committee.
There was, it appeared, 17,500/. allowed to officiating
clergymen performing services at home and abroad. He
did not object either to that vote or the clergy. But he
had observed with great pain that the practice of coast-
cra'ing banners presented to regiments was continued.—
(Cries of " Oh, ob.") It was a practice which he thought
was well calculated tc give pain to a very large class of
persons, including the members of the Established
Church, and of Dissenting bodies, and more particularly
from the manner in which it was performed. There
was a case reported in the Freeman's Journal of the 28,h
March, 1850, on the presentation of colours in Phoenix-
park, Dublin, to the 55th Regiment. The Rev. C. Hor-
ton read the prayer. This gentlems.n, who was chap-
lain to the garrison, appeared upon the occasion in
question, and robed in full canonicals. After praying
for the Queen, and offering up a variety of petitions,
the Reverend Gentleman went on to say, " Having im-
plored thy blessing, Lord, ou the Quo n and the
Royal Family, we would now implore thy Wes dug on
the loyal and devoted subjects now present, and more
immediately on those engaged in the service and
defence of the country." The prayer then pro-
ceeded to say, in effect, that " Though the main-
tenance of an army was rendered necessary owing to
the wickedness and depravity of man, and was counte-
nanced in the pages of thy holy word, like the banner of
the cross of Christ, upon which the soldiers of Jesus
Christ relied in the day of trouble, and to which they
looked with an eye of faith, and were inspired with con-
fidence and energy, so may this earthly banner, conse-
crated to the service and honour of our Savereign, be as
instrumental as those laid aside have been in maintaining
the fidelity and loyalty of thy people, and that it may
stand forth in confirmation of the tame and glory of the
British Army. We call upon Thee, 0 Lord, to bless and
consecrate these banners in thy name, most mighty Lard
of Hosts. May they not be un urled in any but a good
cause, and may they be borne by strong arms and brave
hearts; may they be enabled to do all things through
Christ who will strengthen them. May Thou, 0 Lord,
shield and protect those over whom these colours shall
wave in battle, or if they fail as men have before fallen,
may they die as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and like
those who have triumphantly borne the banner t f the
cross. • • . . . May they be strong
in the Lord. May they this day put on the armour of
God and fight the good fight of faith and eternal life.
And for their encouragement may they treasure up the
words of the Great Captain of Salvation, Be thou faith-
ful unto dea'h and I will give then a crown of
life.'" Now (observed Mr. Bright), if there be any
person who really believed that this prayer could
give any advantage to the banners, or to them who
served under them, he could only say he believed it to
Le one of the grossest superstitions conceivable. If a
man did not believe that any advantage could be gained
from this religions ceremony, then he said it was a hol-
low imposture which should be abolished. From the
day when Constantine marched under the banner of the
cross, upon which this motto was inscribed —" In hcc
signo vinces," up to the present there was nothing more
approaching to superstition and imposture.—(ob, oh.)
There was here an awful confusion of things totally die'
tinct in the minds of the soldiers before whom this lan-
guage was addressed. They were sacrificing Christianity
ot itselfhu that
t whichin e n
Christiandme auviotubr ei
religion.n wholly to make
h o y
They
oppose Cm dhi
mixed
eiosdt itahunepi t yp
rho
hibneocl
is ter up
Ps
laecsr sacred
name and attributes of religion with such a ridiculous
ceremony as this. The case to which he had referred
worstthetnhoet mreo
religious,
tag sietomeu.
sp, h
albituei
ct c oahnuesgi
wdu eoaruApelerddat thethat
eato
rt
was the worst he had as yet seen recorded. The prshrinkayer
was
re mo no one
ryodictated
lu nots aoyni iygn
as
in
he could resort to, it was as blasphemous a prayer as
was ever offered in the face of Heaven.
Mr. F. MAULE, in reply to the Hon. and Gallant
Member for Cork (Colonel Chatterton)), said that he did
not think it a great exaction to ask the soldiers to pay
a trifle for their good-conduct badges, when they carried-
with them an increase of their daily pay. In respect to
the separation between the married and the single
soldiers, he could only say that he had done everything
in his power to effect such a change in their mode of
living in barracks as would secure this desirable result.
The subject, however, would still receive his best at-
tention.—(Hear, hear.) As to the question of the con-
secration of the colours of a regiment, it was one which
must be a matter of opinion with regard to its observ-
ance. It was a custom which had been handed down in
the army from time immemorial--(Haar, .hear)—whsn
new colours were presented to a regiment, to sanction
their psesentation by invoking upon them the blessing
of God. He could see nothing offensive in that—
(Hear, hear)—nothing superstitious in it.—(Elear, herr.)
Whilst he admitted it might not be necessary to attach
to those colours the regard of the soldiers who fought