TOPICS OF THE DAY. ""3 MINISTERIAL PROGRAM ME FOR NEXT

SESSION. CABINET Councils have begun for the winter season, wider so peculiar a combination of circumstances that the public will scurcely wonder to hear of very uncommon results. This is the point of time at which the Ministers of the Crown usually k.segin to consider their plans of action, or inaction, for the next sesaion ; but this year they enter upon that preparatory employment with unusual incentives to diligence. The state of public affairs pre- seats -an aspect at once of urgent demands for prompt inni decisive action, and of formidable impediments to such action. In every possible direction, " something must be done"; and yet every- thing seems to be rendered impossible, either from its inherent difficulty or the want of will in those who have to deal with it. On the other hand, the position of the existing Ministers is one especially favourable to action. It is manifest that no party de- sires seriously to assail them ; they are threatened with no ouster ; if any danger awaits them, it lies in the weakness of inaction. So that the imperative demands of the country hartnonize with the suggestions of their own situation. It is the perception of that fact, no doubt, which has inspired their councils with so much unpreeedented energy, and has dictated the vigorous course of policy that is to take possession of Parliament next session, and so strongly to fortify the position of its authors.

A course of policy shaped to the exigencies of public affairs will be impeded by formidable obstacles ; but merely to contem- plate such a policy implies that its projectors have determined to see no more lions in their path, except those which indomitable resolution and active courage can dispose of. The most sanguine courage, indeed, cannot wisely overlook real and incontrovertible difficulties, which must require time either in the working out of their solution or in constructing the needful measures and ma- chinery for overcoming them.

We do not at this early dare pretend to anticipate the substance of the Speech with which Ministers will advise her Majesty to meet her Parliament; but we shall be violating no confidence if we trace the statement of events arid circumstances which will justify the Ministerial programme. We believe the country has seldom read a royal speech so pregnant as the following paragraphs.

If present appearances be not belied, her Majesty will be able to congratulate Parliament on a revival of trade, of which the factory districts already feel the effects; and it is to be hoped that other classes will ultimately feel a proportionate beitsfit. This auspicious change, although partly due to a favourable turn in the seasons and a bounteous harvest, is also to be noted as fol- lowing upon the successive developments of free trade.

It is to be regretted, however, that the influence of those mea- sures and of that revival has not kept pace with some expecta- tions. There is no guarantee that the prosperity of the factory districts is not of that transient nature which those interested in it have been but too severely taught to mistrust.; while the progress of agriculture does not seem to outstrip, as it ought, the progress of that distress of which all sections of the landed interest have so constantly complained. The severe pressure of fixed charges, private encumbrances as well as the burden of local rates, is at- tested by the movement among a class eminent for their loyalty, the owners of land, to effect a transfer of those burdens to other classes. A similar pressure on a class still less able to bear it is shown by a rising demand among the farmers for relief in the shape of diminished taxation and reduced rents. Recent inquiries have shown that the condition of the labouring classes engaged in agriculture, long an opprobrium to our advancement in civili- zation, has not improved ; while wages exhibit an universal ten- dency to decline beneath the lowest level of recent times. It is to be hoped that this depression is in some degree compensated by greater cheapness;; but in the mean time it neutralizes the tendency of that cheapness to improve the condition of these long- enduring classes. Ireland is comparatively tranquil, and seems to be reviving under the providential influence of better seasons ; but with the abatement of vhose sufferings which were borne by the people with a touching resignation only too passive, revive also the party rancours that from time immemorialhave torn that unhappy land. For c.onnex ion, more or less direct, with a transaction of that kind, her Majesty's representative in Ireland has felt. bound to dismiss from the commission of the peace three Magistrates, one-of them a Peer. After a long and patient observation of events, it must be admitted that these animosities appear to be kept alive, on the one side, by the natural solicitude of the Pro- testant party for an Establishment which has never obtained a firm footing in the country, is threatened with an increasing force of hostility from many quarters, and rests precariously on the waning amount of public opinion among a minority both in Ireland and in England ; and that on the other side, the animosities are fomented by the jealousies of the long-proscribed Roman Catholics, the subsistence of whose priesthood is dependent on the voluntary contributions of a needy people, and is modified in value by the degree of interest that can be produced in a highly excitable race. The Poor-law, lately introduced as a necessary measure of beneficence and safety, has failed to confer the bene- fits intended, partly for want of auxiliary measures; and although emigration has. removed a great number of persons, the conse- quent adYantegte. have been seriously abated by want of due reg ulatitef. '

Ridged, a strong desire to emigrate is shown by great numbers

Ireland but also in England : but the numerical weak- theia'of the dePartment specially devoted to the management of 'eithigration, prevents the public servants from fully meeting the odtitetinds on their attention.

"'AIWA-hiding to the Colonies, her Majesty cannot but admit that ithigylithie hi. a state far from conducive either to her own satisfac- °tem 'of the wellbeing of the empire ; but still their condition is affitilhe tti promis'earnendment on the application of suitable mea- sures. In Canada, there have been disturbances, in which her irfaieatty's'Opreeentative endeavoured to preserve a dignified neu- trality'r but to do that he was compelled to leave the scene of con- flict in the capital of the province, for a temporary retirement into rural privacy : the movement, however, which was then initiated,, to 'transfer that part of her Majesty's dominions to the neighbouring Republic, has not yet attained success. In 'the --West Indies, the pressure of distress under the varying and still -uncompleted experiments of the Imperial Legislature has occa- sioned- the manifestations of a permanent discontent; but the disaffection has not yet assumed a decidedly rebellious form, nor

one which' not be neutralized by wise policy and friendly demeanour on the part of the Imperial Government, personated hytiovernors eminent for high qualities and not identified with past dissensions. At the Cape of Good Hope, the somewhat re- bellious exhibition of feeling excited by the measure for making the South African settlements a receptacle for convicts, has been soothed by the judicious and ample concession of the Go- vernor to the demands of an unanimous community, although those demands were totally at variance' with the instructions transmitted to his Excellency by her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies : the dangers of open rebellion, therefore, alike disastrous to the 'Colony and embarrassing' to the Imperial Go-

vernment, have 'been a*rted. The strong feeling expressed in -Australia against the admission of convicts will probably yield to the intelligence that the nieasure is revoked; and the mistake of sending convicts, on the plan lately announced, to the district of

Moreton Bay, which is a part of New South Wales, will be rectified. The abandonment, however, of the last, and the failure of every preceding scheme for dealing with this great national evil, will render' it necessary for Parliament to aid in revising the system of secondary punishments with a view to the disposal of con- victed prisoners. The withdrawal of the Australian Constitution (No. 2) Bill will have relieved the anxiety created in the Australian Colonies by both versions of that measure; and if time natural 'distrust has been occasioned by the repeated changes of this bill without any declared cause, the promulgation of truly liberal institutions, coupled with the choice of Governors respected and popular, and plans for enabling the Imperial Government to avail itself of assistance in its councils from the accredited representatives of -the dependencies, will impart an unprecedented degree of con- tent to that vast section of the empire.'

Although her Majesty continues to receive assurances of friend- ship from most of the Powers the state of our relations with foreign countries is not altogether satisfactory. In France, the aspect of .affairs is obscure and the government not so unequivo- cally conducted as to male its course intelligible abroad : the alliance of the two countries, however, cannot become embar- rassing, if we enter upon a perfectly frank and consistent course before other nations. Hungary has been invaded by Russia at the instance of the Emperor of Austria; and the attempt of "the Hungarians to retain and amend their ancient constitution as that of an independent kingdom has been put down : but Eng- land was not a party to this suppression of national rights, since her embarrassing position with Sicily in that respect was not suffered to be a precedent ; and in Turkey a more positive protest against invasion effectually prevented that violation of public law which took place in Hungary. It is evident, therefore, that the influence of this country has not diminished when it is asserted with sufficient resolution; and in future, a-policy clearly defined, openly carried out, and consistently pursued, will retrieve our -position as one of the leading powers of Europe. Her Majesty will be able to congratulate the House of Com- mons on the fact that the revenue is not declining. Neverthe- less, the Estimates to be laid before the Representative Chamber -will be framed according to the utmost economy consistent with the efficiency of establishments and the maintenance of the pub- lic faith. It is with regret that the pressure of the public bur- dens on all classes is perceived in the demands for diminution and readjustment of taxation : but a candid view of the state of our finances moderates the expectation of any considerable pre- sent relief in eat A large settioetif the public expenditure is for naval and mili- tary purposes; Mit a wise economy forbids all reduction that would impair•the reqUisite efficiency of any arm, or cause the improved condition Of the privatesoldier to retrograde. The better relations of the Motherl'entrY With the Colonies, however, will facilitate a new system' '61'100166W defences, and allow a large reduction of the 'Army Wife Safely Made at no distant eitiy- while,it is te, be hoped that the example of perf ct o enn s' V' and steadfast consistency in otteill ld}se the

LIE

true guarantee for peace E

our forces generally. q 10 eisa *'s between the nations—as to viiir state of Grreat Britain ithiti4MVitt airStg ids that the present is ab Ya ' • _ . 5 LI 0 --41k itE• , 1115:afle',?chlar•P'i ffig2 :protracted Rwever, that a

labour rendered more necessary every year 'by the 'statutes that are added to the volumes, ought not to be left to volunteers, but should be taken up with all the responsibility and resources of Government. Measures ready prepared, that are hindered for want of sufficient power in their promotecs, will be pushed to

completion without further delay. With a,Flre and diligent ap- plication of the highest abilities and the sine - • b hoped that the law may be rendered consiAc with justice, easy of access to all classes, and to the people at large. An auxiliary to the better apprehension of the laws of the land, and to a more faithful obedience On the part of her Majesty's subjects, will be the active advancement of education ; which is indeed the most hopeful auxiliary to all steps for the improvement of our social condition. Heretofore the Government has not found means to keep in advance of the necessity or of public opinion in this matter ; but the growing conviction in the most influential classes, coupled with the more enlarged and exalted views now taken as to the functions and duties of a Church connected with the State, inspire a confidence that the most powerful influence will at length be brought to bear on this important subject with fa- vourable effect.

The deadly epidemic which visited these realms so severely in the autumn is gradually disappearing ; but, under Divine Pro- vidence, the visitation will not have proved vain. The inter- pretation of the chastisement, now sanctioned by the reverend fathers of the Church, accords with the most enlightened views of science and religion, in accepting the infliction as a memento that the laws of Nature and of the Supreme Governor of the Universe have not been duly carried out by human instru- mentality : the state of our great towns and even of our rural districts—the bad drainage, the miserable abodes of large num- bers of the industrious classes, the defective supply of water, which should be pure and abundant, the practice of interring the dead among the living—the state of the country in these re- spects has been revealed to our view, and the necessity of instant and thorough amendment has been recognized by the highest au- thorities both in the State and in the Church.

Such the condition of the country, as a frank exposition will show it to her Majesty's Parliament, Of course,, all that is needed cannot at once be brought about by "bills "; but, spurred by the necessity, and by a More lofty ambition, Ministers will at once institute a great beginning. As an essential preliminary, the months intervening before the opening of the session will be diligently improved in the thorough -digestion and prepa- ration of all the measures which it is practicable to introduce ; and no measure will be initiated which Ministers have not fully resolved to carry. Impossible as that may seem from past ex- periences; t is no doubt that so much wisdom energy., and - btilil instantly place an incalculable accession of pc4erild'the bands of Ministers : the popularity a their new polid?Will increase that power ; so that we are not in a condition to predicate the negative of their capacity.

representation in Parliament conform )f the United Kingdom in wealth an extension of the suffrage, with securitia should obtain from the people an exta vernment, an extended support in flat tended interest in the maintenance of

The state of the law has engaged' te attention of many eminent men: it is no'W •sett zeal, is to e tiWith itself and J. - airily intelligible