The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-27 00:00:00

The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
CUSTOMS ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee.
SLAVERY.
Lord BROUGHAM said he had given notice that he
should submit a proposition to the House upon the sub-
ject of slavery this evening. In the absence of his
Learned Friend (tbe Lord Chancellor), however, he
should postpone his proposition till Monday next ; at the
same time, he thought it right to state that he could not
consent to postpone it beyond that period.
The Exchequer Bills Preparation Bill went through
Committee.
The Drainage (Ireland) Bill was reported, on the mo-
tion of Lord Wharncliffe, and ordered to be read a third
time on Thursday.
The Double Costs Bill was read a second time, and
.ordered to be committed on Thursday.
The Fisheries (Ireland) Bill, was read a second time
and ordered to be committed on Friday,
The Mines and Collieries Bill was reported.
The other Bills on the table were forwarded a stage,
and their Lordships adjourned till Thursday, at Ten
o'Cloek.

HOUSE OF CUMMOAS, July 26.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock.
Mr. Escourt, Mr. Vernon Smith, and the O'Connor
Don were sworn: in as Members of the General Com-
mittee of Elections.
BIBILDIGHAM SCHOOL ESTATE BILL.
Sir E. WILMOT moved the third reading of this
Bill.

Air. WYSE moved three clauses, the object of
which was to extend the benefit of the institution.
The first clause proposed that the governing body,
instead of being self-elected, should have a certain
number of the municipal body added to it, for
the purpose of allowing the voice of the
people of Birmingham to be heard. The se-
cond clause proposed that in future the accounts,
instead of being audited by the body itself, should
have two of the borough auditors joined with them.
The third clause proposed that elementary schools
should be formed as preparatory to the grammar
school. The object he had in view in proposing those
clauses was, that the institution should be rendered as
liberal as possible, while the letter of the original
charter was not violated. At present abuses existed,
and he thought that the clauses he proposed would
tend to remove them.
Sir E. WILMOT thought it was impossible that
the House could adopt the clause proposed by the
Right Hon. Member, because, if it were acceded to,
they would, in fact, alter the whole principle of
the Bill.
BROTHERTON did not think anything had
been said by the Hon.' Baronet that would justify
the House in excluding the clauses proposed by the
Hon. Member. He believed if they were adopted
they would be productive of great good to the school.
Sir C. DOUGLAS opposed the clauses, and de-
fended the Bill in its present state. He thought that
the supporters of the Bill, and the friends of the
school, had reason to complain of the Hon. Member
for Waterford who, having been invited to sit in the
Committee on the Bill, declined to do so, and now
came forward with propositions which would alto-
gether alter its character.
Mr. PROTHEROE supported the clauses, solely
on the ground that it was better to have such insti-
tutions governed by an elected than by a self-ap-
pointed body.
Sir R. H. INGLIS opposed the clauses.
Mr. WILLIAMS supported them, and hoped that
the Hon. Member for Waterford would take the
sense of the House.
After some further conversation, strangers were
ordered to withdraw, and the House divided, when the
numbers were—
For the clauses

Against them
Majority against the clauses —ss
The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
NOTICES OF MOTION.

Dr. BOWRING gave notice that he should, early
next session, move for a Select Committee to inquire
into the system of a decimal currency.
Mr. HUME gave notice that on Thursday
next he should move for a return of the several
items paid by the Secret Committee of the
Court of Directors of the East India Company,
out of the secret service money of Great Britain.
Also a similar return with regard to the Board of
Control. Also a copy of the communications re-
ceived by the Directors on the subject of the war in
A ftghanistan.
Mr. LITTON moved for a return of the several
instances in which new benefices and district cures
have been erected in Ireland, under the Act of 7th
and Bth George IV., chap. 43.—Ordered.
MEMORIAL TO SIR SIDNEY SMITH.
Sir F. BURDETT wished to ask a question of the
Right Hon. Baronet. Some time ago he (Sir F.
Burdett) had the honour of bringiug forward a mo-
tion on the propriety of erecting a testimonial to
the great merits of the Gallant Officer Sir Sidney
Smith. At that time the Government said they were
quite aware of the great merits and services of that
Gallant Officer, and that they were quite willing to
undertake the matter themselves. With this lie
(Sir Francis Burdett) was satisfied, and left the
subject in the hands of the Government. He begged
to ask the Right Hon. Baronet whether it was the
intention of the Government to erect a testimonial to
Sir Sidney Smith, and carry out the view they had
expressed.
Sir R. PEEL said that nothing could be more becom-
ing than the conduct of his Hon. Friend in this trans-
action, which he was induced to take up from re-
spect to the memory of a gallant officer. Last
session his Honourable Friend gave notice that
he should move that an address be presented to
the Crown from that House, praying that a grant of
public money should be made, for the purpose of erect-
ing a testimonial to the memory of Sir Sidney Smith.
The Noble Lord, on the part of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, undertook to propose to Parliament the
erection of such a testimonial. The Noble Lord
aided that her Majesty's Government had considered
whether other claims might not be equally worthy of
attention ; and they thought Admiral Lord Exmouth
and Admiral De Saumarez entitled to a similar mark
of respect ; and he stated it to be the intention of
Government to propose that testimonials should be
erected to those three ornaments of the naval service—
Sir Sidney Smith, Admiral Lord Exmouth, and Ad-
miral Te Saumarez. His Hon. Friend, he was sure,
would have brought this forward at an earlier period
of the session had it not been for the great pressure
of public business. He (Sir Robert Peel) felt
bound to fulfil the engagements entered into on the
part of her Majesty by her Majesty's representatives
in that House. He should propose that an address be
presented to her Majesty, praying that a testimonial
should be erected to the memory of those three
Gallant Officers. He thought the selection of the late
Government was a wise one, and he did not intend to
go beyond its limits. He considered it was right that
an engagement thus given to Parliament should be ful-
filled, and in fulfilment he begged to propose that
an address should be
.presented to her Majesty,
praying that a testimonial should be erected to the
memory of those officers.
Mr. BROTHERTON said he for one shoul,A enter
his protest against any grant of money. fkr-fhe Hon.
Gentleman was here compelled to sit down by loud
cries of " Order" and " Chair," and, the entrance of a
Message from the Lords, the pp4ort of which we did
not hear.)
Lord STANLEY P7Oted that the Lords' Amend-
ment to the New SoiAft ales Bill should be agreed to.
POI4.I.ITGUESE ARMY.
Mr. LAIKAJCHERE wished to ask the Right
Hon. BarJnet, the First Lord of the Treasury, whe-
ther ht; could hold out any hopes of any payment
being made to the unfortunate officers and soldiers
who served in the army in Portugal.
Sir R. PEEL said that in conducting the com-
munications with hreign Governments, he had
had to conteroi in a more than ordinary
degree with the impediments which arose from
changes t')F Governments. That impediment existed in
Portugal. The new Ministers professed naturally
enough that they were overwhelmed with busineps,
and required a little time to consider the matter. He
had the satisfaction, however, to state that he believed
that provisions were making for the payment of those
people by half-yearly instalments. Of course there
would be a question as to the claims of those which
would,"ne adjudicated upon.
BROTHERTON wished to say one word
'with respect to the erection of monuments in testimo-
nials to warriors. He believed that as long as
they honoured warriors they would keep war itself
in fashion, and he was anxious to see more Members
in that House who were disposed to cultivate the arts
of peace. He knew that sentiment was very
unpopular, but he could not refrain from entering his
protest against honouring men whom he conceived to
be unworthy of honour:
The amendments were then agreed to.
REV. B. ME I-4 VI L L

Mr. HENRY KEMBLE said he hoped that
he might be allowed to - vindicate the character
of a near and dear relative, upon whom he con-
ceived an aspersion had been thrown by the Honour-
able Gentleman opposite (Mr. M. Gibson) in the
speech which he had made upon his motion inquiring
into the distress of the country, the Rev. Henry
Mel rill. He did not believe that the
Honourable Gentleman meant to say any-
thing prejudicial to the character of that
gentleman, but at the same time he thought -his views
might receive an unfavourable construction. It
might appear from the Hun. Gentleman's speech that
he was a mere political parson, whose object it
was to ingratiate himself with' the Government
by supporting their measures.—(Hear.) In the
course of his speech, the Honourable Member
quoted very largely from a sermon of the Reverend
Gentleman, which had been reported in a publication
ea:led The Pulpit. Now, he thought it hardly fair that an
individual should be wade responsible for sentiments
which were published Withiout toy authority. He- Aid