The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-30 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1857.

At length, Lord JOHN RUSSELL seems to have
discovered the utter inutility of proceeding with
the Oaths Validity Act Amendment Bill. If any
doubt could have existed on the subject, it must
have been removed by the proceedings in the
House of Lords on Monday last, when the 7th of
August was appointed as the last day for second
readings of any
bill, sent up from the Commons, a
step directly taken against the above-mentioned
measure, as we have already explained. The bill
has not, however, been formally withdrawn, but
it has been postponed, and it is now more than
probable that the attempt will be made in the first
instance,:to enable Baron ROTHSCIIILD, whohas once
more been unanimously returned as one of the
Representatives of the City of London, to take
his seat by a resolution of the House on taking
the oaths in the form most binding on his eon-

science.
It would manifestly have been absurd for the
Noble Lord to have entared on such a discussion
at twenty minutes past five, when that discussion
should necessarily have terminated at a quarter
before six. Some of its opponents would have
spoken against time, and thus easily have made it
"a dropped order." Uc had not, therefore,
much discretion as to the postponement. But
while fixing the second reading for Monday next
—a Government day,
by the way—he
itex-
pressed a hope that means would b 3 found to
enable Banal BolasclaLD to take his seat

without its being necessary t) have any bill for
that purpose I" This distinctly and unequivocally
points to a resolution similar to that of Mr.
Dunwvies, and we have no doubt that the newly
elected Member for the City of London, who has
been willing t) encounter any personal risk, will
be prepared
" To screw his courage to the sticking place,"

and to brave all the penalties and annoyances that
the vindictive malice of disappointed opponents
may endeavour to heap upon him. Indeed, sup-
ported by the resolution of the House of Com-
mons, we cannot perceive that the danger will be so
very great as to disturb the natural serenity of
his mind, or to fright the isle from its propriety.
Despite " the prave 'ordEr of Lord CAMPBELL,
we doubt if any informer will dare to run
counter to the representative branch of the Legis-
lature, which has both the ability and the will to
vindicate its own constitutional rights and privi-
leges.

It is stated by a morning contemporary that
an act has just been discovered which will enable
the House to dispense with the formal words " on
th© true faith of a Christian." The words of the

section are as follows :
" And be it enacted, that it
.shall be lawful for
the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and
for all other bodies corporate and politic, and
for all bodies now by law or statute, or by any valid
usage, authorised to administer or receive any oath,
solemn affirmation, or affidavit, to make statutes,
bye-laws, or orders, authorising and directing the
substitution of a declaration in lieu of any oath,
solemn affirmation, or affidavit now required to be
taken or made ; provided always, that such statutes,
bye-laws, or orders be otherwise duly made and
passed according to the charter, laws, or regulations
of the particular University, other body corporate
and politic, or other body so authorised as afore-
said."

It is also stated that t 4 Attorney-General has
expressed surprise that "this statute should have
been so long overlooked, and that he will forth-
with be prepared to call attention to it, in his
place in Parliament." We have never, from the
very first, doubted that Baron ROTHSCHILD was
entitled to take his seat, and we energetically
condemned the grave mistake that had been com-
mitted, in proceeding by bill rather than by reso-
lution. The same power existed that authorised
the reception of an affirmation in lieu of an oath,
in the case of Messrs. PEASE and BRIGHT, and it
ought to have long since been acted on.
All the procrastination, heart-burnings, and
annoyances that have occurred during the
last ten years might have been avoided, and
the Lords would have been spared the humiliation
which they have so richly earned for themselves.
We shall, however, be contented if, albeit at the.
eleventh hour, the grievous error be amended and
a just course entered on. The House of Com-
mons have been in the position of the man who
saw and perceived the correct path, but followed
the wrong one. It may be convenient to say that
. the Act alluded to has only just been discovered.
But the subject had been too strictly investigated
—both in Parliament, in the law courts, and by
the community at large—as to prevent so gross an
oversight. There were, in fact, ample grounds
for the resolution, but it was desirable t ) make
a little political capital, and therefore impedi-
ments not greater than mole-hills were elevated
into mountains. Jt was never thought that the
Lords would have displayed such perverse obsti-
nacy. Lord JOHN might exclaim—" Had I
known he was so cunning of fence I would have
seen him hanged before I meddled with him."
He has, however, found a troublesome customer,
and may therefore prudently revert to the line
which he ought to have originally taken. Due
notice will be given of the time when Baron
ItOTHSCHLLD will appear V) Cl xini his seat, with
powerful credentials, endorsed by the mctEopolis
of Great Britain. We can scArccly doubt the
result, or imagine that it will not be such as the
1 honour, the independencs, and the character of
the Commons of the IJaited Kingdom impora-