NEWS OF THE WEEK.

QrBEN VICTORIA 01)0110(1 the session of Parliament on Tuesday. The contents of the Royal Speech were less remarkable than its omissions. "Foreign powers," her Majesty was instructed to state, " continue desirous of maintaining friendly rels dons " with this

country ; but " differences" at the court of' 'fcheram and events therewith connected, have oecasioned military preparations in India. Probably war on a large scale is now in progress, and

with a " foreign power." The Austrian and Turkish treaties, the approach to a settlement of the Belgian question, lamentation over the civil strife in Spain, and the disturbances in Canada, with C011- gratulation on the results of Negro emancipation in the West Indies, make up the commonplaces.

Of Government measures at home, the only direct aneounce- meat respects the old subject of Irish Corporations; but hien of

progression in Church matters, after the approved fashion of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and of " better enforcement of the, Jaw, and the more speedy and certain administration of' jostiee,'

are thrown out : they may mean any thing, or nothing. No extraordinary measures arc required to put down domestic dis- turbers of the peace : the Queen depends upon the efficacy of the law and the "good sense and right disposition" of the people. An intelligible intimation of' increased expenditure is conveyed in the desire "that adequate provision be made for the exigencies of the public service," and in the reliance on the Parliament "to main- tain the efficiency of those establishments which are essential to the strength and security of' the country." Having mentioned the subjects which Ministers selected for notice by the Queen, we come to those which were passed over in silence, though uppermost in all men's minds. Not a word about a flourishing revenue : there is to be enlarged expenditure—the current expenditure exceeds the current income. I his is ominous of fresh loans and taxes. Mr. Serum: Run: would not have with- held a crumb of financial comfort could his wallet supply it. Na- tional education was not touched; and they who expected some allusion to the state of' political feeling among the working classes, or to the Corn-law agitation, were disappointed. The Speech, indeed, is one of the least informing that ever was penned or uttered —a tissue of stale remarks on precisely those points which the Public care least about. The ceremony of opening Parliament with it Speech from the Throne, is in a fair way to become ridiculous. We turn to matters °futon: interest. It was impossible, on the first night of the session, to overlook a considerably altered state of things in the House of Commons. The men were the same, but their mood was changed. No enthusiasm On the Ministerial benches—no vociferous cheers—no insulting shouts while Radical Members were speaking. The Whigs were tame, and the Tories not comfortable. Government was not complimented for its efforts to earn the People's gratitude. Sycophancy was felt to be out of

place. When allusions to Ireland and 0.1.1'osNELE occurred, the ' Orangemen on one side and the O'Connellites on the other veiled not at each other as in former times. The indifference was symp- tomatic of the diminished bnportance of " the Irish questions." Mr. DeNeosinE moved, Mr. WARD seconded, and other Members supported, a Ritdical Amendment, not amidst deadening silence or

derisive clamour, but with the encouraging sympathies of a respect-

able minority. Eighty-six Members voted that the Reform Act has disappointed the nation and requires amendment. Their de- claration is recorded in the journals of the House. This filet tells decisively that a change has come over the spirits of not a few, through the events of last year. ' There is no change in the Ministers—unless it be still fur- ther towards Toryism. They were ill perfect harmony with Sir ROBERT PEEL. got a single important question or principle can

be mooted on which flil esssential difference is discernible. Lord Joins RessEt.r., with sonic, adroitness, tried to convey to his

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hollers an impression that he had not maintained the finality of the

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Reform Act, and the necessary predominance of the landed inte- rest, so explicitly or offensively as had been reported. But what is the use of quibbling about the collocation or exact meaning of particular words, when he thoroughly acts up to the spirit of the declaration in question ? He refuses to entertain a proposition to elter the Reform Act ; which act, he acknowledges, does secure a preponderance to the landed interest. The difference between Lord Joins RessErn, in November 1837 and February 1839 is simply this— that at the former period he manfully avowed the principle which regulates his conduct as a .Minister and :Member of Parliament ; now, though his policy and acts arc the same, he takes smile trouble --not much—to shuffle out of the odium. But the effort is vain. Ile dares not attempt to conduct the Government on any other principle than that which secures Conservative support. He is at Sir Romacr PEEL'S mercy. He was so on Tuesday, when the Tories formed a considerable majority of the whole House. Out of 512 :Members who appear on the Division-lists, 270 or thereabouts sat on the Opposition benches. There Will be no compromise on the Corn-laws ; the " predomi- nant landed interest" are resolved to maintain the present system : Sir Roluner PEEL was decided on that point ; and the country gentlemen, with angry scorn, reject the notion of a modification. Lord Jonx RussEr a. will not undertake to propose his fixed duty ; and he has intimated an indisposition to allow evidence against the Corn-laws to be heard. lie likewise lends his aid to the " landed interest " in stifling the efficacy of petitions. Mr. WARD brought this subject before the House on Thursday ; claiming the right, on presenting a petition against the Corn-laws from Sheffield, to argue in support Of its prayer. It was attempted to be made out that the practice of speaking on petitions was contrary to a rule of the House. lint the Speaker could only refer to a practice recently established ; and as Mr. WAnn and other Members announced their determina- tion not to be frightened by a shadow, but to resist any thing short of' a clear and recorded expression of the majorVs will, Lord JOB:: RUSSELL produced a formal motion fin' preventing incidental dis- cussions on petitions. 'rims the Home Secretary becomes the in- strument of as unpopular a measure as can well be imagined.

It is because the interests of the people are habitually disre- garded there, that the renewal of " constitutional agitation " within the walls of Parliament is sought. Very inconvenient—greatly ob- structive of the ordinary business of the House, the party politics, class interests, and personal brawls in which it delights to be occu- pied—the renewal of discussions on the People's petitions is never- theless become necessary to escape a still greater evil. By some means the People must find access to the Legislature's attention. They attain it very imperfectly by the election of Members; and now it is proposed to gag those few who are really what all profess to be—Representatives of the People. The " tin-canister" ( hart- ists, it appears, were not so far out in their reckoning at'ser

they were only wrong in assuming what the " Representatives" haveprosed. This consolation remains : through the treatment of petitions on the all-absorbing question of the Corn-laws, the num- bers of those who demand a fresh and extensive change in the 'con- stitution of Parliament will be augmented by adhesion from the middle classes.

After all, it will be difficult to gag determined men. No vote of the House, be the majority what it may, can utterly suppress discussions on petitions. The strictest forms allow of several modes of tiring out the banded factions. The Order-book may be crowded with notices to call attention to petitions, fourteen days in advance. These petitions may contain statements—portions of evidence which would have been made at the bar, and capable of being put to the House in the form of propositions; they may be nightly presented; and on every single proposition a debate may be raised. The Speaker says that complaints of individual , grievance have the privilege of an immediate hearing : now there is not a merchant or neinutlicturer—we might truly add, there is hardly a farmer, and not a single labourer or mechanic earning wages—but might prove personal injury from the operation of the Corn-laws : each may complain separately of his own grievance. In this way, the vote to prevent incidental discussion on petitions may be turned into an offensive weapon against the gagging majo- rity of the " predominant interest."

But, whatever may happen in the Commons, the house of Lords is still open. Lord Baoroussi cannot be aggcd. The

consideration of their complaints, denied to ti by the

Rcjimmed House of Commons, is found in mg A lg. c- tires. ConnErr's sentiment may be taken n Astlfitiiiikrk)sga

the Corn-tax—" Thank God, there is yet fls 'toe Alas for the Whig-Radical " pear-ripening:lei`

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