NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Is spite of Epsom Races, a good deal of business has been done in Parliament this week ; though not of a kind either very promi- nent or admitting of formal classification.

The Lords have referred the bill for increasing the number of Chancery Judges,'and abolishing the jurisdiction of the Exchequer Court in Equity, to a Select Committee. The motion to send it " upiatairs' came not from the learned author of the measure, but front Lord LYNDHURST ; and the Lord Chancellor delicately inti- mated a suspicion that it might be smothered or mutilated by his predecessor. Whatever his intention, Lord LYNDHURST was not

without a fair pretence for removing the discussion to a more pri- vate and select tribunal. Lord LROUGHAM and Lord COTTENHAM had boom fighting a battle of details. " Figures," which CANNING

declared to be more deceptive than " filets," were appealed to on both sides ; and, not content with modern tittles and contemporaneous

eanerience; Lord HaRDW 7 • ;7 1';'S pertbrinances in 1756 were ap-

114k:a to for :hat two additional Vice-Chancellors are, anti are not, needed in " qaestion cannot be settled here," said Lord LYNDIlunbT ; " let es talk. it over up-stairs." Poor Lord

COTTENHAM, acing unable to offer any effectual resistance, suc- cumbed. And then the Law Lords recommenced their talk, and continued till the Dictator Duke, more suo, exclaimed — " If

you are to discuss the question in a Select Committee, don't discuss it here ;" and the rebuked Peers were silenced. Lord

BROUGHAM'S friendly notice of Lord LANGDALE'S performances as

Master of the Rolls was an amusing episode in the debate. It appears that the business is rapidly leaving the Rolls Court—not because of the Judge's inefficiency, Lord 13noronam assured the Rouse—oh dear, no!—but because it is the "fashion" in West- minster Hall to leave one court and go to another. We potently believe it. But who sets the fashion ? howdid it come to pass,

when Lord LYNDHURST sat as Chief Baron, that his time was con- stantly occupied with Equity-business, which gives small trouble to Lord 11.11INGER ? Sir JOHN LEACH, too, was quite the "fashion" among lawyers and suitors ; whilst few enter Lord LANGDALE'S Court—unless with Mr. PEMBERTON tin their counsel.

The second reading of Lord Amminons's Church of Scotland Bill seems to be indefinitely postponed : Tuesday the 16th instant has been named for it, but should other business interfere, Lord ABERDEEN is quite ready to give way. His Lordship has disco- vered his inability to " settle the question " ; and may yet perhaps be forced to admit the superior cunning of Lord MELBOURNE'S do- nothing policy to his own project of interference.

It is shrewdly suspected that Mr. Matonneson established the basis of a satistlictory treaty with Naples ; Which, bad his acts been

sanctioned by Lord PALMERSTON, would have prevented the still

pending Sulphur quarrel, as the abolition of all monopolies was in- cluded in the arrangement proposed. But Mr. Tsmean' Lord PALMERSTON'S brother, is Ambassador at the Neapolitan Court,

and it was his function to make treaties. Mr. Temeau, however,

was absent front his post, whilst Mr. Mart-mat-am was negotiating with the Prince of CASSARO; and what would have been said if' a

subordinate interloper had contrived to perform the duties which

the Minister Plenipotentiary had neglected ? So Mr. Mato:al:1;01es treaty was pronounced crude anti impracticable. Whether it really

deserves that character, remains to be seen. The Government refused to produce it—a suspicious circumstance—in compliance with a motion by Lord LYNDHURST, to whom the management of this sulphureous subject has been confided. The Lords have also conversed together about the Corn-laws. Earl FITZWILLTAM has announced the forin of his motion—a reso- lution to declare the expediency of reconsidering the laws which regulate the importation of foreign grain. Lord Frrzwimossi is managing the case with tact, firmness, and good-humour : he re- pelled the attacks of the landownere, impatient to negative his mo- tion before they knew what it would be, wit!: perfect equanimity.

As yet, he has received no support from Lord (loofa, os ; but the opportunity which Earl Ferawfamao's neol)a ol! t, :cut, of making another large and popular qucHoe hi=e-ao, i, nut likely to be lost by " the People's Advocate." The House of Commons was occupied for a cooshierable portion of two nights with the subject of Emig.ration. Mr. Ssoon Miasma- moved three resolutions, declaring flint empioym7a wes scarce in England, labour much needed in the Coloeies, and that it a as the ditty of the State to provide x f:!2._ passage for emigrants front the Mother-country to the Colonies The last resolution involved increase of taxation, and other dif- ficulties; which enabled Lord JOHN Ilu.s.-sssa and 'Mr. Vaissots SMITH to resist Mr. O'Bniax with advantage ; whilst, of course; he obtained so much the less effectord support from the advocates of the South Australian system. Ministers were reproached with the. robbery of the New South Wales Land-find; and set up the old excuse—tiOa it was wanted to defray the primary exigencies of Government, which the Local Legislature refused to provide for. It is plain that Si act of Parliament is the only guarantee against. misappropriation of an emigration-fund controlled by the Colonial Executive in Downing Street, who may at any time declare need- less espenditure to be essential to the welfare of the colony. Mr. Viral-lois protested against voting public money to re-' lieve the I:Ado-sailers from the evil consequences of their own Corn-laws; a remark which made Sir ROBERT INGLIS com- plain that Mr. Vii.nitas forced the Corn-laws into ercry dis- cussion! No doubt his pertinacity annoys those Members who had hoped to get rid of the subject for the session by their iumphant negative less than a week before : doubtless it is provoking to find the defbated enemy still in the field, howling uo,ra siteir flanks, and &eine:ally gallims them with well-directed sherp-allooting. Sir Rommr Terris saw no better reason for removini an unemployed labourer than a stopped power-loom to the Colonies!--as though the machinery required food, and had feelings and sympethies, like the human being. We suspect Sir ROBERT Pam. has ao:ey crude notions on this branch of political science; •., eis t'• iaeostiga- tion of which, nits., ss oor memory is in i;lo!, he has never in Par-

lianamt contri:noed any thin, original 0- lo The motion was met by 'alinisans with "the prevaao . Y. O'Renes did not divide a very thin llonse.

The proposal to insert in the Colonial Pe a -; lasee; dill, clauses authorizing the importation of Hill Coolies into f!1:• Mauritius, occasioned a rather animated debate. Lord Joss 111-ssm.s. pledges himself to take precautions against the iht.treatmcnt of the Coolies; and, bearing in mind the state of absolute starvation to which the Coolies are reduced in India, and the high wages they can cant in the ,Mauritius where labour is scarce, lie is disposed to renew the experiment of introducing them into that island. The only argument against this proposal is, the cruelty to which natives of the same district of Bengal have been subjected, and former evasions of the law proved against the planters of the Mauritius. Mr. CHARLES Bei.mat refused to " substitute revenge for justice," and wished to legislate with an enlightened regard to the interests of the Coolies and the planters. Dr. LUSHINGTON took the expression "revenge for justice" to himself; Adel declaimed vehemently against Mr. Boars a. and the planters; thereby show- ing that "the cap fitted him," and that he was not in a proper state of mind or temper to legislate on a delicate quastion. A small minority supported Dr. LUSHINGTON, and Mr. O'Coasou,, who followed in the same track ; and the Coolie clauses were added to the Passeneg rs Act.

The Chancellor of' the Exchequer has discovered that his tax of five per cent. on Baltic timber will tend to diminish, not augment the revenue ; so timber is to contribute its quota of taxation in a different way. On other articles, however, the duty will be levied, including those which were contracted to be delivered before the additional tax was laid. This regulation is the subject of much complaint ; and in the case of brokers and others dealing largely, ' it will inflict considerable loss. To prevent endless disputes, it has been found necessary to insert a clauee compelling the buyer to pay the duty,—though in many cases the purchase would not have been made at the advance of five per cent.; which must be sacrificed to effect sales in a market where competitors were sup- plied before Mr. Baluso's Budget-scheme was divulged. The discussion as to the treatment of imprisoned political offenders has been renewed. The consequence is, relaxation of the severity of FEARGIA O'Coxxon's punishment, and at the in- stance of the Home Secretary : which refutes the former excuse. that the said Secretary could not interfere without a previous

alteration of the law. An attempt hos been made to amend the New Prison Act, so as to enable the Secretary of State and the Magistrates to mitigate the discipline uf gaols at their discretion. The Lords, however, show symptoms of a determination to oppose the amendment—b,y way, we suppose, of gathering to themselves gratuitous odium.