The Sun. — 1846-03-03 (London, England)

SPEAKER. took the Chair at Four o'clock. Mr. HILDYARD took the oaths and his seat for South Nottingham. Several Railway Bills were read a second time and ordered to be committed. Dr. BOWEING presented a petition from the sisters of Lieut. WYBERG who had been detained at Bokhara, and was supposed to have been barbarously murdered there, praying for an inquiry to be instituted as to his fate. The Hon. Gentleman gave notice of his intention to-morrow to put a question to the First Lord of the Treasury on the subject. Petitions were presented for and against a repeal of the corn-laws. Petitions were also presented against the embodiment of the militia. Lord Joitx Russzt.t. presented a petition from the shipowners of London in favour of the Government measures with respect to corn and timber. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from Goatacre, praying for the total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. C. Bicegnixy called the attention of the House to a petition that he had received, purporting to come from Cheltenham, though in fact it came from Manchester; and moved that it be referred to a Select Committee, to inquire into the manner in which the petition was got up and the signatures attached to it. The motion was agreed to after a short discussion, and the Committee appointed. Lord E. BRUCE presented a petition from Marlborough, Bedwin, and Pewsey, in the eounty of Wilts, in favour of the London, Newbury, and Bath Direct Railway. Sir R. PEEL then rose, pursuant to notice, to move a vote of thanks of the House of Commons to the Governor-Geneial of India, to General Sir HUGH GOUGH, to Major-General Sir HARRY SMITH, to MajorGeneral 'WALTER RALEtetit GILBERT, to Major-General Sir Jonx LITTLER, and to the non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, European and native, for the energy, ability, firmness, gallantry, perseverance,fortitude, and daring valour displayed by them at Moodkee, upon the left bank of the Sutlej, on the 18t1,, 21st, and 22d of December last, when they forced the enemy's entrenchments at Ferozeshah, captured most of his guns, and finally compelled the Seikh army, of greatly superior numbers, to retire within their own frontier, The Right Hon. Baronet, in bringing forward the motion, went at some length into our relations with India, assured the House that the policy of the Governor-General was not to extend the British Government ill India, thinking its possessions in that part of the world amply sufficient, but to preserve the native Seik's Governments, as/ar as it could be done consistently with the maintenance of the present possessions of England in India. The attacks that had been made by the Seikh army on the possessions of England on the left bank of the Sutlej were totally uncalled for in consequence of an act of the Governor-General of India, who had always acted on the defensive, although every attempt had been made to bribe his soldiers, especially the native troops. Those attempts at bribery he (Sir R. PEEL) was happy to say had been without any avail; the Sepoy troops stood firm as they had always done to the interests of England. Everything had been done that was considered necessary by the first military men in the country, by the Governor. General, in order to protect the British territory on the left bank of the Sutlej ; and when it was supposed that an attack would be made' by the Seikhs, the course pursued by the Governor-General was in accordance with the wish and desire of the British Consul in India, and he could notbut think that the Governor- General and the Commanderin-Chief, in the course they have adopted on that occasion, had acted with prudence and discretion. The Right Hon. Baronet then, at some length, proceeded to describe the actions that took place, actions which he believed, if it were possible, added fresh glory to the British army. The Governor-General had placed himself in every danger, and even placed his son in it, a boy only sixteen years of age, in order to stimulate the troops to stronger exertion. They had, he was sorry to say, to deplore the lon of Sir R. SALE, Major BROADFOOT, and many other gallant officers and men. He trusted that the House would give its willing and unanimous thanks to every man, without distinction, who acted on the day when so glorious a victory was obtained by the British troops. It was his intention, at a future day, to propose an address to the Crown to erect a monument to Sir R.