NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE usual indications that a session of Parliament npproaclies its' end, have appeared this week. Lord STANLEY has relinquished his Irish Registration Bill; and then, as a matter of course, the Minis- terial sham mcasures—the purpose of their introduction having been fulfilled—were relinquished by Lord JOHN Rt'sSELL. The Registration and Qualification Bills for Ireland, the Right of Voting and Treating Bills for England, were " knocked down" one after another, like lots at an auction. Thus, as Sir 'ROBERT PEEL ob- served, five bills were "got rid of" in one evening. More have since disappeared, including Mr. Sergeant TALP013110'S Copyright 10; and several motions have been withdrawn. Members are busy in proenring "pairs," and Me. O'CONNELL huts taken his de- parture for Dublin or Darrynane. Lord STANLEY showed it bold front whilst sounding a retreat. Ile taunted Ministers with the unprecedented series of defeats they bad suti■sred; challenged them to a renewed encounter next session, and pledged himself to bring in his bill at the earliest possible period, so that the " vexatious" opposition might be baffled, and she bill become law as soon as if it had been passed during the present session. Meanwhile, the main principle el the
bill— annual registration—had been sanctioned by the House, nin't an attempt to combine with it an alteration of the qualification had been unsuceessfid.
Lord ions B.rsSELL maintained that the oppoaition bird been open, fair, and candid ; an assertion easy to make, but difficult to substantiate. Was it fair and candid to allege as a reason why Lord STANLEY'S Bill should not pass, that the Government intended to take the subject in hand, when no serious intention of Irgis- lation existed—a fact now obvious to everybody ? For the loss of Lord STANLEY'S Bill we certainly cannot grieve. The protracted discussion it underwent served to confirm our opinion of its demerits; and Lord STaxmor showed no disposition to qualify its disfranchising operation. We paid little attention to Mr. PinoT's measure, for we saw that it gave no satisthetion in
Ireland. •
The Conservative newspapers profess to regret the withdrawal of Lord. Srastray's Bill, and the frime.,; intimates that the Earl of DERBY'S death may prevent Lord STANLEY fe0111 fulfilling his pro- mise to reintroduce it next year. So 'much the better (hr the party : it is not by exhibiting themselves in the light of eager pro- moters of a measure exasperating to the people of Ireland, that Sir Romer Pim, will overcome his " chief difficulty." Lord STANLEY triumphed over Ministers ill several divisions ; but his successes were worse than what he himself termed them—" barren victories," for they produiced an accession of hatred in Ireland to himself and the well-diseiplined three hundred he brought into action.
The Duke of Welasmerosi has seriously damaged the Canada though not to the extent be threatened, lie has not intro- duced "a clause to suspend the measure lbr one year or two years,' but has changed the commencement of the Union from six months to fifteen months from the passing of the act. Thus opportunity will be given for tile opponents of the measure in both Provinces
to rally their forces. The Tories in Upper Canada and the dis- affected in the Lower Province will he enabled to send a stronger body of opposition into the United Legislature. The political agi- tation will be kept alive ; discontent among the half-friendly to British connexion will have time to grow ; the difficulties of' the Government will be increased; and the ultimate success of the Union Inuch endangered. Yet we can believe that the soldier Duke thinks to promote the tranquillity of Canada by prolonging the military government of the Lower Province, lle may live to learn the,greatness of his mistake. Lord LLTOT has succeeded in obtaining a Select Committee on the affairs of New Zealand. his Lordship had a good ease ; to which
he did a He ask d
justice in a well-arranged, discreet, and convincing speech. e only for inquiry, for the means of' clearing up the doubts and difficulties which the proceedings of the Colonial Office had thrown upon the position of the British Government and of British subjects in New Zealend. Lord Joins Ressm.m.'s reply was utterly contemptible. lie had no /nem s1a1it7i; and floundered terribly in the attempt to tind or make one. If Ids speech is correctly re- ported, he can only escape from the imputation of having imposed gross misstatements on the House by the acknowledgment of ig- norance disgraceful in a Colonial Minister. Mr. Under-Secretary VEUNON SMITII was even worse than Lord N. MS speech demonstrated the necessity of the inquiry he deprecated; and the combinntion of men of all parties was so formidahiv, that, to escape &felt on a division, Ministers yielded. .11.0Td JOHN Rus- sm.!, anticipates no practical advantage from the Committee's laboura; but they will not be unprofitable, if only a single witness, Mr. STEPHEN, Shall be ptlt to the question, and the proceedings of
the Colonial Office dragged to light.
Alr. GROTE IVIS f...,,ivun notice that be will call the attention of the lions° to the misappropriation of the New South Wales Land Fund. Another field of Colonial abuse will be explored, and another Downing Street job exposed. Mr. GROTE'S clients are merchants of London, whose petition he presented on Wednesday. To Nir. Ferznoy KELLY belongs the credit of having persuaded the Douse of Celt-1111ms to take another important step in the refbrin of the erimMal law. Ile has carried the second reading of the bill to abolish the punishment of death except in cases of actual murder and treason. Mr. Fox Manus announces opposition in the Committee ; but perhaps his threat may prove as impotent as Lord JOHN lit'S$ELL'S to stop the second reading.
