POSTSCRIPT
SATURDAY NIGHT.
The Irish Poor-law of last session, slightly altered, was again brought forward in the House of Commons last night, by Lord JOHN RUSSELL. Rejecting the statements of the Commissioners, and rely. ing on the opinion of Mr. Nicholls, confirmed by a Mr. Stanley of Dublin, Lord John calculates that the whole of the poor in Ireland, for whom it is necessary to provide subsistence, is only 121,386. And for these he proposes to find food and shelter in workhouses, refusing out- door relief. There is to be no law of settlement ; and no provision, on a large scale, for emigration: but the same facilities for encouraging emigration as the English Poor-law gives will be held out to the Irish labourer. A considerable part of Lord John Russell's speech con. sisted of statements of the increase of populmion and poverty in Ire. land, from the time of Elizabeth to the present ; but he did not think it necessary to enter into the details of his bill; of the effect of which, indeed, taken by itself, he appeared to have no very loth op•nion. To political improvements, chiefly, Lord John seems to look for the dimi. nution of pauperism in Ireland.
A conversation, in which several Irish Members took part, arose on the conclusion of Lord John Russell's speech. The general opinion seemed to be, that the bill of itself would not be effective ; but the disposition manifested was to let it pass as a beginning.
The other business of the evening was unimportant.
Mr. Waite, presented a petition from 150 electors of Bridgewater, complaining of the gross bribery by which the return of the Tory Meat. ber was secured ; and another, to the same effect, from Sir Thomas Lethbridge. The latter was withdrawn, at the instance of the Speaker, on the ground that, not being a party to a petition which had been pre. sented against the return fur Bridgewater, Sir Thomas could not sup- port that petition indirectly by a statement to the House. Mr. Coca. TENAY and Sir Wri.masi FOLLETT were very much annoyed by the Bridgewater petition, and complained that it prejudiced the case of the sitting Alernbers. Mr. LEADER gave his old constituents, and Mr. Ward, a sly rap, by assuring the House that the Bridgewater electors were not snore profligate than those of St. Alban's and other places. Mr. WARD is to move for alConouittee of Inquiry into the allegations of his Bridgewater petition.
In reply to questions from Mr. LEADER, Lord JOHN RUSSELL stated than a regiment from New Brunswick had been sent to Lower Canada, by the desire of Lord Gosford ; that he would not say whether more troops bud been applied for ; that be was not aware of any desertions from the army in Canada, though seditious persons had endeavoured to seduce soldiers from their duty; and that Government were resolved to support the party in Canada attached to the Crown.
Mr. Warsace alluded to the insinuation of Lord Lichfield that he had sent letters to the Post-office badly sealed, in order to found a charge of breaking them open. He had been given to understand, through a private friend, that the observation was not applied to him in II personal way. lie now repelled the insinuation ; and declared that all he had ever stated against the Post.office was substantially true. Sir. Wallace also drew attention to the large sums abstracted from let- ters; and moved for leave to bring in a bill for registering money. letters. This motion, however, Mr. Wallace withdrew, on the assu. ranee of Mr. SPRING RICE that he intended to introduce a similar measure.
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