The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-25 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS, June 24.

Their Lordships assembled shortly after Five o'clock this
evening.
Lord CHARLEVILLE informed the House, that in con-
sequence of Lord Gardner's neglecting to attend his Commit-
tee, the consideration of the Glasgow Bridge project had been
postponed.
The Duke of RICHMOND observed that many of their
Lordships were not aware of the great inconvenience arising
both to public interest and private enterprise from such neg-
lect of duty as the N ible Lord (Gardner) had evinced.
He was sorry to perceive the disinclination on the part
of his Noble Friend to attend the duty imposed upon him
and should move that a substitute be appointed to sup-
ply the place of the absentee Nlember, and that Lord Gardner
be ordered to appear in his place in that House on Thurs-
day next, to explain the reasons of his non-attendance.
He, therefore, took the iiberty of proposing to their Lordships
that the Select Committee be requested to recommend another
individual in his place that the parties may not be put to a
useless loss of time and expence, and that Lord Gardner be
requested to state in his place on Thursday next his reasons for
not attending the Committee.
Lord BROUGHAM considered that Lord Gardner must
have laboured under some misapprehension and did not intend
any disrespect to their Lordships. It was a mistake to sup-
pose that the attendance of Noble Lords in that House was
voluntary, as every Peer was bound to attend, and the
precedents compelling attendance were numerous, and a fine of
1001. had in some eases been imposed. In one case a Peer was
fined because he did not attend when requested, and he was
committed to the Tower for refusing to pay it.
Lord CAMPBELL had lately searched the journals of
the House, in which he found innumerable instances
of the House compelling the attendance of Peers
not only fcr the service of the House but on
Committees. It also appeared that all Peers were compelled
not only to attend in their places when the role was called, but
they were not allowed to leave the House until it adjourned.—
(Laughter.) In the time of Charles I. they were not allowed
to leave the House until the debate was finished. He rejoiced
that the motion had been made.
The Duke of WELLINGTON had not the smallest doubt
that their Lordships had the power of enforcing the attend-
ance of Noble Loris, and that the Nt.ble Lord had not
attended the Committee this morning from:mere inadvertence.
He thought it totally unnecessary to adopt any measures in
consequence.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE thought they should no
only consider the subject before the House, but with respect to
the great quantity of railway business before it.. Those who
were in the habit of attending the Committees had a great and
onerous responsibility thrown upon them—( Hear, hear)—as
they were entrusted with great and important interests in con-
nexion with the railway schemes before them. He put it to
the House, whether they ought not to call upon those Peers
in the country who had taken out proxies, to attend and bear
their share in the additional labours thrown upon other Noble
Lords.

Lord BROUGHAM said he intended to move that
their Lordships should consider what steps they ought to adopt
in consequence of the immense mass of railway business before
them. He was about to move that a Committee of the House
should communicate with the Commons' Committee on the
subject. If all their Lordships were to attend, it would be
utterly impossible to get through all the Railway Bills.
The LORD CHANCELLOR put the motion that Lord
Gardner be requested to attend in that House, on Thursday,
at five o'clock, to exp!ain his reasons for not attending the
Committee.—Agr ed to.

ABERDEEN RAILWAY COMMITTEE.
A NOBLE LORD said, as Chairman of the Committee, he
begged to report that it had mijourned until half-past two
o'clock to-morrow, in c,nsequence of the non-attendance of
Lord Ormond.

..-- -
Lord ORMOND said he was out of Own when the sum-
mons was left at his residence, and that he did not, in conse-
quence, receive it until it was too late to attend to-day.
CONIMON LAW PROCESS BILLS.
Lord CAMPBELL said, at the earnest request of those
for whose opinions he had a great respect, he had to lay two
Bills on the table of the House, from which he trusted the
public would derive great benefit.—(" Hear, hear," from Lord
Brougham.) If he had bad only to consult his own ease and
comfort he would have washed his hands of these Bills, but
being charged with a public duty he felt hound to bring them
under the consideration of the House. Yet the public were very
nearly losing a very great benefit.—(" Hear, hear," from Lord
Brougham.) When this subject was last before their Lord-
ships the name of a respected friend of his (Mr. Sergeant
Murphy) was mentioned in connexion with it. He was sure
their Lordships would bear in mind that he said nothing dero-
gatory of that Learned Sergeant, or offensive to h m ; on the
contrary, he must say that if he had been present he would
have been aware that what he said ought not to
have given him the slightest uneasiness.—( Hear, hear.)
A misapprehension prevailed in some quarters as to these
measures. It was supposed they would intrench upon the
jurisdiction of the Irish Courts, and prove prejudicial to the
profession of the law in Ireland, but he could assure their
Lordships that a
greater mistake could hardly hare been fallen
into.
measureHe in hoped,t other
Hhowever,ouse upon
these a
misapprehensionsre c o nsidera n ofw
vanish, and the Bill would meet a better. fate.
Friend, L ordaBROUGHAMt portions would
agreed with his Noble and Learned
of the measure had been grossly thmis-
apprehended.
The LORD CHANCELLOR felt that he owed the Hon.
and Learned Sergeant some
apology
formerofor an observation which
had fallen from him on a
re-
marked that " these Bills were sacrificed to a occasion.j He had
but at the
time he made that remark he was not aware thate,"
any
corres-
pondence had passed on the subject between the o
andbleLearned Lord and the Hon. and Learned Sergeant. He made
the remark, however, in perfect good humour, and with no
intention of wounding the feelings of the Hon. and Learned
Sergeant.
The Bills were then read a first time.
PROTESTANTISM IN MADEIRA.
The Marquis of BREADALBANE said, perhaps he might
be permited to take that opportunity of putting a question to the