The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-05 00:00:00

the peace of Europe, more particularly the
peace between
maintaining
this country and France, in which he did
not cordially concur. He agreed with his Noble Friend
that it would be lamentable indeed, if that peace should
be comprbmised for such interests as those lately brought
into question. But what he did lament was, that
it was notorious to all the world; that from such
causes, those interests had been compromised
and this country had been placed on the very brink of
warfare. He thought that this was reading a lesson,
which ought to be studied by the Governments of both
countries, because acquitting as he did ( f course her
Majesty's Government, for he was sure they would not
enter into any
.such hostility unprovoked or without a
motive, acquitting
also the Government of France. and
not only acquitting them, but acquitting— for he would
not, unless he did so, be doing justice to others—those
who were considered their opponents in France of any
intention of plunging this country into war, he would
call on their Lordships to consider, that what was small
and insignificant in itself, and not calculated to be fol-
lowed up by great consequences, might for the want of
magnified as ultimately to involve the interests
explicit explanation in the first instance become so
e did hope that her Majesty's Government
gradually
notions.
I occasion, when they had to interfere in
any matter, would in the first instance endeavour
to obtain an explicit explanation wish respect to it.
If they were in such a situation with the islands that
composed the great tract of Polynesia, they might be-
come so many plague-spots to the two countries. They
heard a great deal of protectorates. If they were to be
admitted into the system of nations it was most impor •
tant they should know, in the first instance, what rights
andfound
thatprivileges protectorates could give. In law books
they scarcely any authority was laid down on
the subject. If they looked in the last woks that had
been published, they found nothing but vague sentences
with respect to protectorates. There was one great in-
stance of protectorates—that which was admitted at the
treaty of Vienna with respect to the lonian Islands.
But that was resolved upon in support of the common
policy of Europe; but if a country was to assume a pro •
tectorute it was most important to know the ground
forward
ess
withta any measure which might
respect to any interest
be
upon which such an assumption was taken, and the laws
with respect to it. He did not consider himself com-
mittedin the country. Nor did he consider that be was
thereby acquiescing in the propriety of the continuance
of the income-tax. He, fur one, would not assent to its
continuance, unless it could be shown to be necessary as
bro
in a
means for relieving the population of this country from
ught this
ad
the burdens under which they at present laboured.
EN
The Earl of ABERDE wished to say a word or
two in reply to a portion of the observations of the Noble
Marquis who had just addressed the House. His Noble
Friend, without implying any censure, said that the dis-
cussions which had recently taken place between this
country and France, were in some degree caused by a want
of what he called a system of explanation. Now he
(Lord Aberdeen) begged to remind his Noble Friend
that the fact of the settlement of those discussions was
owing entii ely to that system of explanation which he
thought so necessary ; and he would further
remind him, that originally that discusssion did
not arise from any circumstances between the
two Governments with reference to a protectorate,
or any such question of the law of nations, but from the
insulated act of a subaltern officer, unauthorised, and
unknown by his own Government. It was from the mo-
derate views which were entertained by the two Go-
vernments that that settlement, which the Noble Mar-
quis had himself admitted to be so satisfiictory, had been
brought about. He (Lord Aberdeen) would only say.
' that in the representations which it was his duty to make
to the French Government, there was nothing which he
would not have recommended to his own Government
had they b, en placed in the same situation.—(Hear,hear.)
Lord CAMPBELL said, that as the Noble Marquis
had alluded to him, he would give notice, that unless the
Bill to which tie Nobler Marquis had referred should be
introduced by her Majesty's Government, he would have
the honour of again presenting it to their notice.
Lord BROUGHAM—Hear, hear. I quite agree with
you.

-
Lord CAMPBELL trusted that although her Ma-
jesty's speech was silent with respect to legal measures,
that during the present session several legal reforms
would be brought forward. The state or the ecclesiasti-
cal courts required that, as speedily as possible, measures
with respect to that subject should be broil-41A forward.
The law of debtor and creditor was in a very inconve-
nient and unsatisfactory state; and he trusted that his
Noble and Learned Friend, who now divided the wool-
sack (Lord Brougham was seated there)—would bring
forward some measures of legal reform before the close
of the present session.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he rose for the pur-
pose of offering a word or two in explanation, and in
answer to what had fallen from the Noble Lord, he
begged to remind his Lordship and the House, the t
when this Bill was introduced lsst session, the only
ground upon which it was opposed, had reference to one
or two particular clauses that affected only individual
cases. For a considerable time before the Bill had
passed it lay upon the table, in order that it might re-
ceive the inspection and correction of the law Lords. In
addition to that, copies of it were printed, and extensively
circulated ; and yet, notwithstanding that, no ob-
jection whatever was made, to any part of
the Bill during its progress through the House.
Nay, more, he had even called their Lordships' attention
to its provisions, as he was most anxious to have the
assistance of the law Lords, feeling that the Bill con-
tained many objectionable clauses. Ills Noble and
Learned Friend did object to some of the clauses, and
those were struck out, and in that state it passed. The
Bill certainly was one of a very complicated nature, and
contained many metaphysical niceties, and for those
reasons he was most desirous to have bad the aid of his
Noble and Learned friend in criticising it. He now
begged to assure their Lordships that he had a Bill
ready, which he would lay on the table during the
course of the present session, which, he trusted, would
have the effect of removing the anomalies it contained.
Lord BROUGHAM begged to say a word or two in
explanation. It was true that he had had charge of the
Bill originally, but, having been obliged to leave the
country, it passed from his heads into those of the Go-
vernment, and he was very glad of it. As to what had
been said by his Noble and Learned Friend about the
merits of the debtor and creditor clauses, those he would
Billt b et
the
able b
mostlwe a tso incessants
nh
ootw theb
y
eneouttnitoryw—gand
inhtoe;rebultet hheimho
eadeavours had been Riede to mislead the coun-
measure it had been
psaetydh:toha
The great outcry that had been
rat renypyr e
sume
npeoteennd
s. subject bujrei cote --s
raised against it was owing to the 201 clause, by which
it had been stated that small traders had been mate-
rially injured ; and he had been charged with insert-
ing that clause. Here let him observe, that though he
was favourable to that clause, it was not one of his ori-
gination. It was one drawls up by the predecessor of
the Noble and Learned Lord on t e Woolsack. As be
was not present he might mention his name, Lord Cot-
, tenhim—and as it originally stood it abolished all im-
prisonment for debt. One of its injurious effects was,
that it gave no power of execution upon a
clerk for instance, who though he might be in the
receipt of 2001. a-year, might run up a bill of 19!. with
a poor tradesman, and yet could not be come at because
he lived in a lodging house, and the furaiture could not
be touched as it did not belong to him.
Lord CAMPBELL explained.
Lord BROUGHAM repeated that the Bill was not
drawn tip by him.
The motion was then agreed to, and twelve o'clock on
Thursday was the time fixed upon for their Lordships to
wait on her Majesty with the address.
WAR IN SINDE.
The Duke of WELLINGTON read a letter from
Major-General Sir C. J. Napier, dated Currachee, May
20, 1844, returning thanks, on his own part, as well as
on the part of the officers, non-commissioned officers,
and soldiers of the armies, native and British, under his
command, for the vote of thanks which their Lordships
pleased to pass in acknowledgment of their
services.
The Noble Duke eoncluded by moving that
had been
the letter be entered on their Lordships' journals, which
was unanimously agreed to.
STANDING ORDERS.
The Duke of WELLINGTON moved the usual
standing orders, including the appointment of the Earl
of Shaftesbury as Chairman of the Committees of the
House.
• The Earl of SHAFTESBURY thanked their Lord•
ships for that renewed mark of the confidence which
had been reposed in him for the last thirty-five years. •
The LORD CHANCELLOR hoped that the Noble
Earl would continue in the enjoyment of the office for
thirty-five years more.
The motion was then agreed
to, and their Lordships
adjourned at eight o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 4.
The SPEAHMR returned to the House from the bar of
the House of Lords, and the House immediately ad-
jJurned to a Quarter before Four o'clock.

•
The House resumed at a Quarter before Four.
NEW MEMBERS.
The following Al-embers took the oaths and their
seats :—Mr. Somes, for the Borough of Dartmouth ; and
Mr. Clifton, for North Lancashire.
T IDIAN ARMY.
The SPEAKER HE
infoNrmed the House that he had,
during the recess, issued a new writ for the election of a
new Member for the borough of Dartmouth, in the room
of Sir John Seale, deceased.
The SPEAKER then read a letter from Major-Gene-
ral Sir Charles Napier, returning thanks on behalf
of himself and the officers of the Indian
army, for the honour conferred upon them by the vote
of the House acknowledging their services in the last
session of Parliament.
NEW WRITS.
On the motion of Mr. YOUNG,
new writs were or-
dered to be issued for the election of Members for the
following places :—For the southern division of Wilt-
shire, in the room of William Sidney Herbert, who
since his election bad acceptedthe office of her Ma
jesty's Secretary at War ; for the borough of
Buckingham, in the room of Sir Thomas Fremantle,
who, since his election had accepted the office of Chief
Secretary of Ireland ; for the borough of Stamford, in
the room of Sir George Clerk, who, since his election,
had accepted the office of Master of the Mint.
On the motion of Mr. HAWES a new writ was or-
'
dered to be issued for the election of a Knight of the
Shire for the county of Tipperary, in the room of the
Hon. Robert Ot way Cave, deceased'
NOTICES OF MOTION.
Sir C. NAPIER gave notice that he should, on the
13th of February, move for a Select Committee to in-
quire how the money voted since 1835 for the navy had
been expended; what new ships had been constructed,
and what improvements had taken place under the new
system.
Lord ASHLEY (who spoke in a very low tone of
voice) gave notice that he should, on Tuesday, Feb. 18,