The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-02 00:00:00

OTAHEITE.

Lord BROUGHAM rose to move for copies of the
correspondence which had taken place between the
English missionaries in. the South Sea Islands and the
Government, relating to the affairs of Otaheite. lie
understood there would be no objection to the produc-
tion of that correspondence.
The Earl of ABERDEEN had no objection to pro-
duce the correspondence. Last year a Noble Marquis,
who was not now in his place, had put a question to
him (the Earl of Aberdeen) connected with the subject,
and he had assured the Noble Marquis that he need be
under no anxiety as to the manner in which the
missionaries would be treated, for the French Go-
vernment had assured him that they should en-
joy every protection, and had guaranteed to them the
free exercise of their functions. Papers, which had been
laid on the table of the House, showed that such had
been the case, and he had great satisfaction in stating
that he had not received any complaints from the mis-
sionaries in those islands on the subject. It was only
two days since that he had received a deputation from
the London Missionary Society, which had assured him
that there was no cause of complaint on that
ground against the French Government.—(Hear.)
The French authorities had treated them entirely in the
manner promised by the Convention. With respect to
the recent proceedings of the French Admiral at
Otaheite, he had only to say that the acts of that officer
were disowned by the French Government.—(Hear,
hear.) He thought it right to state that this had
been entirely done by the spontaneous and voluntary
act of the French.—(Hear.) He (Lord Aberdeen)
had not written to her Majesty's representative in Paris,
and not one word of remonstrance had been offered by
the Ambassador himself. For he (Lord Aberdeen) was
from the first convinced, that when the thing was known,
the feeling on the part of the French Government of
what was due to their own honour and to justice,
would lead to that result—(l-ear, hear.) He made this
statement as explicitly as possible ; but he was quite
prepared to see that the Ministers of the King of the
French would be assailed by the war party with accu-
sations of having succumbed to Britain. The war party
would not fail to avail themselves of the opportunity—
(Hear, hear)—and in the same manner he thought that
whatever had been done by himself, and whatever had
not been done, would be set down by the partisans in
this country of the French war party as a base and cow-
ardly submission to France.—(Hear, hear.) But the
war party was as little to be regarded in France, as for-
tunately it was in this country.—(Hear.)
Lord BROUGHAM expressed his satisfaction at the
statement of his Noble Friend. Every one who knew
his Noble Friend would—and ho believed all men of all
parties would—be as mucn satisfied with that statement,
as if each individual knew the facts of his own proper
and personal knowledge.—(Hear, hear.) The effect of
the full and peremptory manner in which his Noble
Friend had made the statement would be a complete
answer to the war party on the other side of the Chan-
nel. He would not say more on this subject, because he
was astonished and pleased to find that the existence of
that party was altogether disavowed ; and his Noble
Friend and himself were accused of creating that party
out of their own imaginations—(Hear, hear, and a laugh)
—for they cried " Name name," whenever allusion was
made to them. They said that he and his Noble Friend
laboured under a delusion that any war party existed
in France for the last three years. They said now it
was only a creation of the imagination, and he hoped it
would not prove a reality before the end of the present
session.—The returns were then ordered.
COLAws.
The Earl of YARBOROUGH presented a petition
from a place in Leicestershire, against any change in
the corn-laws.
PROTESTANT AND
_NATIONAL EDUCATION

(IRELAND),
The Marquis of NORMANBY gave notice that on
Monday next he would present a petition, which, al-
though local in its character, related to a subject of ge-
neral interest. The petition complained of the conduct
of the Board of Charitable Bequests in Ireland. In re-
fusing to pay certain legacies for educational purposes to
the petitioners, who were clergymen of the Established
Church. The refusal was grounded on the adoption of
the national system of education by the petitioners.—
(Hear.) He thought it his duty to call the attention of
the House to this case of great hardship, and he would
then leave the matter in the hands of the Government.
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
Lord BROUGHAM gave notice, that on Monday
next he would call the attention of the House to the
progress of the new Houses of Parliament.
The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 1.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at a few minutes before
Five o'Clock.

RAILWAYS.

Sir. G. HEATH COTE moved the second reading of
the Salisbury Branch Railway Bill.
Mr. B. WALL said that he was opposed to this
Bill altogether, and he was disposed to enter his oppo-
sition in the present stage. He certainly would oppose
the third reading, unless very material alterations were
made in the Committee.
After a few words in explanation, from Sir G.
HEATHCOTE, the Bill was read a second time, and
ordered to be committed.
The York and Scarborough Railway Bill was read a
second time, and referred to a Committee.
SEVERN NAVIGATION BILL

This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

vv
METROPOLITAN CIRCULAR RAILWAY.
Mr. STANDISH presented a petition from Harrow,
in favour of a project for the formation of a railway on
the atmospheric principle, to be carried round the
metropolis.
Mr. ESTCOURT said that he thought it his duty,
as Chairman of the Standing Orders Committee, to
oppose the reception of this petition. The petitioners
had not complied with the Standing Orders, and they
were not entitled to have their application entertained.
The persons who first took this project of the circular
railway in hand applied for powers to construct a rail-
way in the ordinary manner, and upon established prin-
ciples. Subsequently they proposed that it should be
constructed upon what was called the "atmospheric
principle." He was unwilling to encourage such irregu-
larity; and, besides, the plans of the projectors were
not matured, and the project appeared to bealtogether
impracticable.
Mr. STANDISH said that the petition was placed in
his hands as he was coming into the House, and he was,
consequently, not prepared to give any explanation on.
the subject. •
After a desultory conversation, the petition was or;
dered to lie upon the table, not being referred' to the
Railway Committee.
CORN-LAWS.
Lord OSSULSTON presented two petitions from the
county of Northumberland, one signed by 359 persons,
praying for protection to agriculture, and trusting that
the House would discountenance the proceedings of the
Anti-Corn-law League.
GAME-LAWS.
Mr. WALLACE moved that the petition from the
counties of Renfrew, Ayr, and Lanark, on the subject of
game -laws, be printed with the Votes.—Agreed to.
RAILWAYS.
Mr. GLADSTONE brought up the Report of the
Select Committee on Railways. He moved that the
Report be printed with the Votes, and he trusted it would
be in the hands of Hon. Members to-morrow.—
Agreed to.
THE PRESS.—THE STATE TRIALS.
On the motion of Mr. S. HERBERT, that the Order
of the Day for going into Committee of Supply be read,
the
respective
.rackson, on account of any communications
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE rose to " move for a return of
all
and Johnmoneys paid to Frederick Bond Hughes, Charles Ross,
made by them to Government relative to the repeal
agitation in Ireland, distinguishing the amounts paid to
each
also, the dates of the several payments, specify-
ingp
of
fty
eratiowshtricuhositor
given to
together with copies