The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-16 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-YESTERDAY.

The SPEAKER entered the house a few minutes before
two, and the swearing in of members was proceeded
with.
At two o'clock the Usher of the Black Rod entered and
summoned the house to the House of Peers.
The SPEAKER, accompanied by a large number of mem-
bers, then proceeded to the other house, and on the
Speaker's return he informed the house that he had been
to the House of Peers, and that he had heard read her
Majesty's most gracious Speech to Parliament.
The swearing in of members was then resumed, and
continued until 20 minutes to three, when
Mr. AYRTON moved for certain formal returns, which
were ordered.
OTWAY. brought up papers connected with

Abyssinia.
Mr. AYRTON, having made a few observations relative
to the presentation of petitions against the return of cer-
tain members of Parliament, the procedure of which had
been greatly altered by the law of last session, said
great inconvenience would occur if any discussion on the
subject was to take place that day in the absence of
the law officers of the Crown. The business therefore,
he hoped, would be confined to the issuing of certain new
writs, but as all would not be moved for that day, the
house would at its rising be adjourned until the 29th of
December. He would therefore conclude by moving that
the Speaker issue—

A new writ for Greenwich, in the room of the Right
Hon. W. E. Gladstone, now First Lord of the Treasury.
A new writ for Oxford, in the room of the Right Hon.
R. Cardwell.

A new writ for the University of London, in the room
of the Right Hon. Robert Lowe.
A new writ for Pontefract in the room of the Eight
Hon. E. Childers.

A new writ for Birmingham in the room of the Right
John Hon. Bright. (Cheers.)
A new writ for the City of London in the room of the
Right Hon. J. Goechen. -
A new writ for Southwark, in the room of the Right
Bon. Austin Layard.

A new writ for Halifax in the room of the Right Hon
Mr. S tansfield.

A new writ for Plymouth in the room of Sir R. Collier.
A new writ for Exeter in the room of Sir J. D. Cole-
ridge.

A new writ for Bradford, in the room of the Right Ron
William Forster.

A new writ for Ripon, in the room of Lord John Hay.
A new writ for Truro, in the room of Captain Vivian.
A new writ for Wareham, in the room of Mr. J. E.
Calera t, deceased.
The whole of the writs were issued, as a matter of
course, until Mr. Ayrton moved for the writ for the city
of London, when Mr. Goldney asked whether it
was right in the absence of any information whether
the seat of Mr. Goschen was claimed by the peti-
tion that had been presented against the last election
for London the writ should be issued.

Sir ROUNDEL PALMER was of opinion that the writ
ought to be issued, as it was certain the Secretary for the
Treasury would not have made the motion had he not
taken steps to ascertain whether the seat was claimed or
not. To this observation Mr. Ayrton replied that he had
taken that precaution before he made his motion. After
a few observations from Mr. T. Collins the issuing of the
writ was ordered.

Mr. Hardcastle gave notice of motion relative to
the :game laws ; Mr. Candlish, the coasting trade with
France; Sir James Elphinstone, against reduction of
workmen in dockyards; Mr. Sheridan, the repeal of the
ratepaying clauses of the Reform Act and the resurrection
of the compound householder; Mr. Maguire, to look into
the London companies that possess estates in Ireland ; Mr.
Stavely Hill, against the silk clauses of the French treaty;
Mr. Monk, for giving the franchise to members of the
revenue departments ; Mr. Fawcett, casting expenses of
elections on rates; Mr. Locke-King, assimilating the suc-
cession of real and personal property; Mr. Whalley, the
abolition of the income tax; and Mr. Vernon Harcourt
an amendment of the Law of Registration.

Tho house adjourned until the 20th December.

COURSE OF EXCHANGE—Last Evc?

Amsterdam Short ... 11 191- ... 11 191
Do
Rotterdam — ... 12 1 ... 12 11
Antwerp
—.... 25 371 ... 25 421
Brussels
Hatuburgh — ... 13 10 ... 13 101
Paris
Ditto
Mraseilles
Frankfort-on-the-Maiu ... 1201 .. 1201
... 12 20 ... 12 25
Vienna —
Trieste —
... 12 20 ... 12 '25
Petersburg
... 31/
Copenhagen ... ~ 9 18 ... 9 '2l
Berlin
Madrid..
Cadiz — ...
_4B _ ...
~..481_

LogLoru