13 JULY 1839, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK

The systematic mismanagement of public business was implied in Sir Ronnar PEEL'S remark, now a fortnight old, that the time had arrived when it was usual for Ministers to select the measures they hoped to carry, and the Ministerial. leader to give the infor- mation which wo.:1d release Members anxious to return home. That only a few out of many bills would be pressed, was the pre- cumption well grounded on established practice. And that the rule has been followed out co its largest consequences during the present session, is well vouched by the Vote-paper and the de- bates. For instance, Lord JOHN instructed us that several Scotch bills would be abandoned. Ireland has been almost entirely neglected, though affording scope for much " practical legislation." The Municipal Bill will probably be thrown out by the Lords, who are not expert in jumping over two hundred and fifty clauses in a night. The Irish Bank monopoly finds a sturdy protector in Mr. SPRING RICE, who has managed to stave oil' all discussion of the question to the middle of July. Only within these few days have parties interested in Irish Railways been relieved from fear of de- struction by a superincumbent mass of Government jobbery. England fares little better than Ireland and Scotland ; almost every measure has been, or will be, postponed. Nothing towards improving the Registration of Voters will be effected, although the Attorney-General promised vigour some months ago ; the Turn- pike-bondholders are tantalized with reports of Committees ; the Beer-shop-keepers annoyed and threatened ; the Factory-owners kept in suspense as to the regulation of their immense concerns, by men who scarcely know the difference between a steam-engine and a spinning-jenny ; the Church Lessees are to have another season of uncertainty ; the Deans and Chapters also; "cheap justice," which the County Courts Bill was to have provided, put off indefi- nitely; the Timber-duties, condemned by the Government, cannot be "considered" by the House of Commons; and the great ques- tion of Banking and Currency is shelved, because it is "too late" eve, for br•dr-.4.hough a subject of more pressing importance can- not be imagined. The opposition to Postage Reform rests upon the "late period of the session," which Mr. SPRING RICE selected fat mooting the question. Canada, Jamaica, Australia, New .6e • And, Ili.. Colonies, require the cautious and matured atten- tion of the Imperial Legislature ; but none of them will receive it, b. Gnus° there is neither time nor inclination for the discharge of serious and difficult duties. Disgraceful as the state of business ha:- been at the close of every session for several years, it never was quite so bad as now. "Facilis desrensns"—the habit of idleness, procrastination, and slovenly performance of the little attempted, is growing upon Ministers and Representatives. hese general remarks are especially applicable to the present week. Mr. Hymn forced on it discussion upon the conduct of the Bank of England and the state of the Currency. He made out a case against the Bank, which nobody even attempted to refine ; but a large majority of a thin House retUsed to grant a Committee °t niquirY, beeml.-0 there was no hope of ally beneficial result at 'that period of the session." The Chime:11°r of the Exchequer

had continued to put off the motion from week to week, and then turned round upon Mr. Ilusin, and gleefully reminded him that lie was " too late" for a Committee.

So with the Timber-duties; upon which Mr. VILLIERS spoke ably and with full knowledge of his subject. He proved the folly and injustice of condemning the English consumer of timber—that is, all classes—to use the bad and dear of Canadian growth, instead of the cheap, durable, and serviceable wood of the Baltic. Mr. POULETT TnomsoN entirely agreed with Mr. VILLIERS and Ni'. WARBURTON as to the impolicy of continuing the present discri- minating duties; but he could not believe Mr. VILLIERS to be serious in the design of doing any thing—at " that late period of the session!"

A majority of 223 to 28 have decided that it is nut the duty of Parliament " to apply itself, without delay, to legislating for the permanent government" of the Canadas. Sir WILLIAM MOLES- WORTH'S motion in these terms was rejected. Sir WILLIAM scarcely deigned to notice the " mockery of a Government" which Lord Joint RUSSELL represented,—though he reminded the Home Secre- tary of broken pledges to settle the Canada question this session,— but addressed Sir ROBERT PEEL, as having the voice potential, and on him laid the responsibility of delay. Sir ROBERT wrig- gled out of the responsibility, excusing himself at the expense of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, whom he had duly warned of the conse- quences of procrastination : while helpless Lord JOHN avowed, that "the state of parties" was the real reason why hetad not grappled with the state of Canada. But who are to blame for " the state of' parties "—which, being interpreted, is the inefficiency of the Government ? The Whig Ministers made " the state of parties." The Lower Canada Government Bill, which has gone through the Committee, provides for the permanency of ordinances issued by the Governor and Special Council of Lower Canada, but their authority is not extended beyond the year 1840— the original limit. Thus, while Ministers propose to put off the union of the two Canadas till 1842, the provision for the actual government of Lower Canada reaches only to 1840. The deficiency must be supplied next session ; and the Lower Canadians, who now calculate that Sir JOHN COLBORNE is to rule over theth till the union of the provinces, will be. informed of ano- ther change in the Ministerial intentions, and in the course of next spring they will learn what is to be done with them in the autumn following. Sir Joint COLBORNE, it seems, recommended that the powers of the Governor and Special Council should be prolonged beyond 1,842 ; but Ministers only extend the operation of their acts, not the official existence of those functionaries themselves. Verily, this Canada question is now in precious confusion. The Jamaica Bill, shorn of its principal clause, and reduced to the PEEL standard, has been accepted by the valiant RUSSELL. These people have a passion for disgrace, otherwise they might have spared themselves the humiliation of protesting against a pro- ceeding which from the first they must have been prepared to sub- nut to.

The menaced resistance of the Tories to Mr. SPRING RICE'S Postage proposition, has assumed a tangible form ; and we are watching its movements.*

To the Lords address, which prayed her Majesty to rescind the Order in Council appointing an Educational Committee, the Queen has returned an answer rather cleverly drawn up. It mildly rebukes the Peers for the insinuation implied in their address, that her Majesty was inattentive to the interests of the Establishment, and disposed to treat with neglect the advice and assistance of the House of Lords. She declares that such is not the case, but that she had appointed the Committee with a deep sense of her obligation to support the Establishment ; and as to the claim of the Lords to give an opinion on the subject, the Committee's accounts will be annually laid before them, and thus the opportu- nity be afforded for the exercise of their Lordships judgment upon them. On the whole, the Archbishop of CAimantair and his supporters have gained little by their demonstratiJn.

* The result of the debate on Mr. Gour.uunles motion will appear in tl e Postscript.