The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-09 00:00:00

Fri ish Government had then to determine. not whether
Eeyptian rule was bed and ought to be discontinued—and
worse rule never was evidenced—hut the qw-stion then to
decide was, whether the peace of the Turkish empire was
not endangered by the inefficu nt Government of Syria.
But, again, what had been done in respect of Greece ?
Why, the Turkish Gevernment had, by the adminittra-
tion of the Noble Lord, been found so bad there, that
they had allied with others to rescue Greece from that
dominion, and had actually succeed( d. Had the Noble
Lord, however, referred to those acts in which he himself
took so prominent a part ? Had he adverted to the en-
gagement entered into by Lord Ponsonby in regard to
the Government of Siria, imnuediately after the decisive
measures for securing peace had been adopted and con-
cluded by England ? On the 23d of May, 1841, he
found Lord Ponsonby writing to Lord Palmerston of the
dangerous state of the coentry, in which he was Minister,
and admitted that the very first Governor was a traitor,
and friendly to Mehemet Ali. Ile (Sir R. Peel) admitted
that the Porte had not fulfilled its engagements, there
had been a shabby evasion of pecuniary claims, now•ad-
mitt .d, now rejected, now frittered down to nothing.
He did not wish, he did not attempt to vindicate such
conduct, and short of.actual compulsion, no exertion had
been spared to enforce the satisfaction of just claims from
the Sublime Porte. He was ready to pay the highest
tribute of admiration to Sir Stratford Canning, for his
tact end meritorious conduct throughout the protracted
and intricate circumstances which had required so much
prudence, temper, and ability ; all of these attrie
boles: the Minister at Constantinople had proved
himself eminently possessed, and qualified to carry the
honour of this country and the safety of Syria and
Turkey fully into effect. Colonel Rose also was en-
titled to Cie warmest approbation, if not gratitude, of
the country ; it had been said that that officer had
unduly interfered in the course pursued by the Turkish
Government. '[he conduct of Colonel Rose through-
out the entire proceedings between Syria and the Porte,
the sacrifices he had made, the dangers he had under- '
gone, was a sufficient defence against any charge of
unnecessary int, rference, or excess of duty. Again, it
had been said that the Secretary of State had not given
sufficiently definite instructions to their officers abroad.
The Noble Lord should have remembered the
difficulty of sending any specific orders, at such a
distance from the scene of their execution. Time and
distance both in this case combined to render an un-
deviating coarse impossil le and abortive. He always
thought that the best mode of effecting a safe and suc-
cessful Government abroad was, in the first place, to
appoint able and effici. nt officers, and then to leave to
their discretion, the perfect adoption, or partial devia-
tion from any course marked out by the Administration
at home ; except under such understanding, the attempt
to carry out a safe policy in such a country as Turkey
would be preposterous and unsuccessful. On the 17th
of September, 1844, Sir Stratford Canning wrote to the
Gov. rnment at home that he had received information
that the Maronites and Druses had come to a satisfac-
tory understanding, and that the long pending question
of Mount Ire lemon might be deemed settled.
This was the impression of that Gallant Officer at that
tim n If the Nonle Lord did not think this statement of
Colonel Rose sufficient, he would refer him to an-
other. He would read to him a letter received from that
officer within the last three months, which would bear
him (Sir Robert Peel) out in what he had just said.
The Right Hon. Baronet here read the letter referred
to, which was dated Bey rout, July 1, and in answer to
certain dispatches approving of the steps h . had taken
to restore peace to Mount Lebanon. After expressing
his sincere gratification at this proof of the confidence of
her Majesty's Government, the letter went on to state
that the writer had acted with the desire of doing jus-
tice to all parties, and that while assurirg the Druses of
maintaining for them equal rights wilt the rest of
the religious persuasions of Mount Lebanon, he impressed
on them the necessity of showing in thin the same re-
spect and consideration to others which they expected
to be shown to them. There was a warlike chief there
who had been the cause of much fear and apprehension,
and whose depredations were much to be dreaded, the
hostile intentions of whom the writer (Colonel Rose)
had succeeded in arresting. This (continued Sir R.
Peel) had been the conduct of this excellent officer—
(Hear, hear)—not favouring one party at the expense
of another, but doing the best in his power to protect
the interests of all.—(Cheers.) He had shown that he
had no partiality for any one class of the Porte's sub•
jests in Syria over another, or that one should profit at
the expense of any other.—(Hear, hear.) Considering
that the five Powers were agreed on the policy to be
pursued respecting Syria, he e.,uld see no object to be
gained by the motion of the Noble Lord. lie had re-
ceived advices from the Porte that very day, inti-
mating that steps were taking to settle all these
differences. Whether this promised settlement was
likely to be soon carried out he could not say. On this
head he could not speak with much confidence. He
merely stated the fact to the House. Under these cir-
cumstances he was not anxious of' going into details on
the present occasion. Sir Stratford Canning had brought
measures under the serious consideration of the Porte,
and there was every reason to suppose matters would be
properly settled. Such was the state of affairs according
to recent accounts. lie would not go further into the
subject at present, beyond saying that it was the interest
of all the Powers that this country (Syria) should be
well governed. He had no other observation to make
on this immediate subject. He had no opposition to
offer to the production of the dispat dies and documents
required. He however considered it would have been
better to have waited until text session, when a more
complete series could have been presented. Before
sitting down he could not take leave of the business o!
the session without attempting to do justice to the Mew
hers of that House who had attended to its private
business. The greatest attention, he must sq.
had been paid to this department. Those who
had been engaged in attending on the Com-
mittees on private Bills had not the same
stimulus to exertion which the e who took part in the
public business of the House had. Those on the benches
of that House appeared more prominently before the
public ; they were engaged on more exciting subjects ;
and their success brought more gratifying results. Yet
he must say those who had attended to the private busi-
ness of the House had done their duty in the most satis-
factory mane er, and at great personal sacrifice. He
spoke not of Committees of Railway Bills alone, but in-
cluded all other Committees who had sat on private
business in that House. Take the Standing Orders Corn •
inittee, for instance. No one thought of naming it, yet
look at what it had done. It had sat 39 days—a far
greater period than ever it had done before. The
number of cases in ordinary years brought under its
consideration were about 6 ; this session the cases had
been 185. The Committee of Selection had sat forty-
one days, far beyond the ordinary number. The usual
number of Bills brought before it were 180 ; this session
there had been 350. The Committee en Petitions had
also sat more than its usual number of days. There
had been forty-five Railway Committees, each Commit-
tee having five Members, making in all 225 Members of
that House. These Committees had decided upon 163 Bills.
Of these Committees, nine sat from six to twelve da't s
each ; six, from 12 to 18 days ; three, from 18 to 24
(lays ; five, about 24 days, and to the honour of tlo.
Members of one Committee, they sat 83 days. This bad
be 'n done by the Members of these Committees, besides
attending to other important duties. He must say that
Members who had discharged their duty on private Bills
were entitled to a public expression of acknowledgment.
and he was sure that he would be speaking the senti-
ments of the Members of both sides of the House in thus
doing justice to the conduct of these Memb rs, and the
motives by which they had been guided. Nor had there
been the least suspicion thrown upon the integrity of the
Members who had attended to th s important branch of'
business. If they compared tbe character of former
Committees of that House with the present, they must
admit that a very great improvement had been made.
These Members, therefore, were entitled to carry away
with Viem the public acknowledgments of that House,
for the manner in which they had discharged their duty
as Members of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.)
An HoN. Meetnea thought that such a subject should
not be discussed in so thin a House, and moved that the
House be counted.

Strangers were then ordered to withdraw ; and on our
return, there being only twenty-five Members present,
the House adjourned till to-morrow (this day) at Ten
o'clock.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(YESTERDAY])

HOUSE OF LORDS.

The Select Committee appointed by the House of Lord; to
inquire into the subscription contract of the London and York
Bill met at 11 o'clock, in Room No. 2 of the House of Lords.
The first witness called was Mr. John Haines, who appeared
on the deed as of the Treasury Chambers, for the sum of 5001.
This witness was under examination when our report left.
He was examined before the Commons.
The Chairman of the Lords' Committee is the Marquis of
Clanricarde.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The Select Committee on the London and York subscrip-
tion contract met at eleven o'clock ; Mr. Hawes in the chair.
The Committee sat up to a quarter to two this morning, but
notwithstanding their unwearied labour, they do not appear to
make much progress. A great portion of the time is occupied
in discussing points of form.
Thomas Sherman, Esq., a major in the army, who appears
on the contract deed as of 51, St. Mary Axe, and a subscriber
to the amount of 8,2501., and who was examined at much
length yesterday, was re-called this morning. He was under
examination when our report left.
The proceedings of both Committees are drawing rapidly to
a close, and the interest manifested in the proceedings
becomes more and more intense as the hour of four
o'clock approaches. The avenues leading to both
rooms are crowded with spectators whose countenances
show unequivocal marks of anxiety. Every new corner isre-s
re-
garded with suspicion. The professional men who have
access
to the Committee.room wear an air of mystery and gravity which
is quite amusing. When asked a question, theyizi only answer
by a negative noel, reminding one of a scene anoladnpslaeyr,
where four patriots come together upon the stage, preserving
total silence, and merely shaking their heads. One bystander
these
remarks to another, " Why,
wise men are very silent."
"there is a great deal
4 Oh, but," says the other,
to be conjectured from the
shaking
of their heads."
Notwithstanding the extreme caution, silence and secrecy
preserved, some rumours leak out, and the prevalent one is,
that although a few subscriptions on the deed have been in-
validated, and
alitlough a few eases of the same nature as those
which h
excited so much attention on the Irish Great
Western have been presented, nothing has yet transpired to 'ore
either Committee to vitiate the contract deed, or obstruct the
progress of the Bill. An Honourable Member, who
Supported the Bill, said, upon the last occasion that the subject
was under discussion in the House of Commons, that though
the contract deed was invalidated to the amount of 600,0001.,
there was yet enough of bon4 fide subscriptions to carry out
the scheme. No such amount has vet been struck oft, hut
there is one other fraud upon which the Committees may
decide against the scheme--carelessness and extreme want of
caution. Whether the projectors of it have deft :themselves
open to this or any other• charge, a few hours will probably
determine.
Carpenters and other mechanics were busily employed in pre-
paring fir tin prorogation, erecting seats along the corridor