The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVIIINING, MARCH 4, 1850

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

In reply to Mr. SANDARS,
Lord PALMERSTON said that no renewal of the
armistice had jet been agreed upon betwt en Denmark
on the one hand, and Frankfort and Berlin on the other,
but her Majesty's Government had been in communica-
tion with many parties, with the view of obtaining a
fixed prorogation of the armistice, as well
as for the purpose of ob'aining a final settle-
ment. There were difficulties on both sides which
had, as yet, prevented a renewal of the armistice, but
the armistice continued de facto, and would continue
until one of the parties gave notice of their intention to
bring it to a termination. He did not, however, think
that either party had any wish at present to give such a
notice.

ADJOURNMENT DURING EASTER RECESS.
In reply to an Hort. MEMBER,
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was his intention to propose
the adjournment of the House from Tuesday in Passion
week until Monday the Bth of April.
GREECE.

Mr. HUME wished t) know in what position our po-
litical relations stood with reference to Greece.
Lord PALMERSTON said the state of our relations
was thiP. It was thought necessary, after repeated ap-
plications, to make a peremptory demand upon the
Government of Greece, but that being refused reprisals
were commenced which his Hon. Friend would know
consisted in taking certain property, which was held as
security for the payment of demands.—(Hear, hear.)
Those reprisals were carried on to a certain
extent ; the good ( faces of the French Government
had been accepted; but by the last accounts it did dot
appear that the egent of the French Government bad
arrived in Greece. The diplomatic relations of this
country with Greece had, however, never been suspended;
and Mr. Wyse, although he bad emba►ked on board a
nran-01-Rar, had continued in diplomatic commu-
nication v. ith the Goverrment, and no courtesy
was Omitted On his side. On tf. e anniversary of the
birth or t!.e Queen of Greece, it appeared that our Am-
bassador had been saluted with all honours.—(Hear.)
MERCANTILE AND MARINE BILL.

In reply to Lord J. MANNERS,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he would not be able
to propose the second reading of that Bdl before Easter.
Sir F. THESIGER wished to ask the Attorney-Ge-
neral whether the answer which he had given to the
Hon. Member for Southwark was ene which he meant to
abide by?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he never
gave an opinion in that House which he was not pre-
pared to abide by. The law which expired on the 10th
of August was only a temporary one, and gave the
Crown the power to create a council for the order, peace,
and good government, and he thought that taxation
was a part (f good government.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that the question
which he bad asked, was one very different from that
which the Attorney-General had answered. The ques-
tion was, whether the laws made by the council were
legal, or illegal, and whether it had the power of taxa-
tion.

Sir F. THESIG ER—Will my Hon. and Learned
Friend allow me to ask him this question ? Has the
council now power to make laws for the taxation of the
coluny ?

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Certainly; or any
other question my Eon. and Learned Friend may wish
to put.

IRISH FREEMEN.
Colonel CHATTERTON wished to ask the Right
lion. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland if he had any
objection to introduce a clause into the Irish Registration
Bill, giving unresident voters residing within the bounds
of the county the right of voting.
Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE was not prepared
to give such an undertaking, bat it was open to the
Hon. and Gallant Member to move such sn amendment,
and take the sense of the House upon it.
IRISH REGISTRATION BILL.
The House then went into Committee on this Bill.
On the question being put that clause second, as
amended, should stand part of the Bill,
Sir R. FERGUSON believed there was a very general
feeling among the Irish Members that the introduction
f a franchise for joint rating, in counties, would be a
most mischievous and perilous institution. It would give
rise to the most fearful subdivision of the land, and he
hoped the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) would not press
the clause.
Lord J. RUSSELL was anxious to hear what :the
opinions of the Irish Members mere.
Mr. REYNOLDS said the Hon. Baronet (Sir R.
Ferguson) had stated that a system of franchise from
joint rating would be attended with great subdivision of
the land. He (Mr. Reynolds) believed it would have a
very different effect, and that effect would be, that where a
farmer was rated at any sum that would give a double
vote, his son would vote as well as himself in the same
way that mercantile partnerships did in boroughs
for the property which they held as partners.
He trusted that the omission of this clause would still
be made, and he was glad to hear that the Noble Lord
had declared that he was ready to abide in all, or at
least most matters of detail, by the opinion of the Irish
Members.

Colonel DUNNE would have been inclined to support
the clause, but that he saw that it would inevitably tend
to reduce instead of extending the franchise in Ireland,
and he felt compelled therefore to support the amend-
ment.

After a few words from Mr. FITZPATRICK in ap-
proval of the system proposed,
Mr. FAGAN said that in his county there were a
great number of joint occupancies, and unless the privi-
lege of the franchise were extended to those joint occu-
pancies the whole project of the Bill would be defeated.
Mr. GROGAN said the effect of this clause would be
the sub-division of properties in Ireland.
Dr. POWER supported the clause. He could not in
the least see that what was anticipated by the Hon.
Member opposite would be brought about by this Bill.
Mr. GRATTAN hoped that the Noble Lord would
not be deterred by all this talk from carrying out the
clause. - -

Mr. FOX thought that this clause would give oppor-
tunity in many instances for farmers to subdivide their
property in order to give a vote to their sons or
brothers.

Mr. CLENIENTS supported the amendment.
Under all circumstances it was very desirable that this
clause should be expunged.
Mr. SADLEIR said the Noble Lord at the head of
the Government must at once determine upon
withdrawing or retaining this most important
clause, as it was totally impossible to obtain
anything like unanimity upon a subject of this nature
amongst Irish Members. It was purely a politi-
cal question, and unanimity could, therefore,
not be expected ; but he thought it was highly
desirable that the clause should be continued. The
Irish Reform Bill had failed to carry out the inten-
tions of the Legislature, and as, after all, this Bill
would only give Ireland a stunted and meagre con-
stituency, they could not afford to sacrifice this clause.
The 5L franchise in fee, irrespective of occupancy, and
the occupatiou franchiet were both objecti9l2oole.

In reply to Sir W. MOLESWORTH, as to whether
it was the intention of the Government to proceed with
the Australian Colonies Bill, on Friday next,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the Government would
not proceed with the Bill, as he purposed, on Friday
next, to go into a Committee of Supply, and to take the
first two votes of the Army Estimates; and he intended
toafix Monday for going into the Navy Estimates. He
hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be suffi-
ciently recovered to make his financial statement on the
15th instant, the day which had been originally fixed for
the purpose.
In reply to another question from Sir W. MOLES-
W ORTH,
Lord J. RUSSELL said the Government would fix
the 26th for the Australian Colonies Bill.
DANISH QUESTION.