POSTSCRIPT. SAT17RDAY.

The business transacted in Parliament last night was of a very varied character—in the House of Commons no fewer than eleven topics were started on the motion for the adjournment of the House until Monday week.

The business common to both Houses was the consideration of the Queen's message touching General Williams, and in both the addresses

were agreed to nem. eon. Earl GRAN-max moved the address in the Lords, and no one else spoke on it ; in the Commons' the mover was Lord PALMERSTON, the seconder Sir Joins PAXINGTON. In the speeches, some of the leading facts in the life of General Williams were mentioned.

The General is a native of Nova Scotia ; he was placed by the late Duke of Kent in the Royal Artillery Academy at Woolwich ; next he was sent on special service to Ceylon; he was also, at the instance of the late Lord Vivian, selected to instruct the Turks in artillery practice; and in 1843 Lord Aberdeen appointed him Commissioner to examine the boundary between Persia and Turkey,—a work which occupied him nine years, four of which he spent under canvass.

The other prominent subject in the House of Lords was a motion by the Bishop of OXFORD for the appointment of a Select Committee to in- quire into the present mode of carrying into effect capital punishments. That public executions should be a spectacle," as at present, he thought an evil ; and an inquiry would show that considerable alteration might

be made with advantage in the measure and nature of the publicity at- tending them. He showed a leaning towards the American system—the execution of criminals before prescribed witnesses ; he was not in fa- vour of strictly private executions. The motion met with favour, and it was agreed to. -

On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, it was ordered that no bill should be read a second time after the 22d July, except bills of aid or supply, or bills rendered necessary by the " real urgency " of the circumstances. In the House of Commons, Lord PALMERSTON moved that the House should at its rising adjourn until Monday week. He explained, that Government desired to adjourn only till Friday ; but to meet the views of gentlemen who did not wish to return from the country so soon, he gave up eight hours, which would be lost to the public service, and he hoped they would Make up for them bycarrying on business after mid- night. (General expressions of dissent.) On this motion for adjournment . THOMAS DuNcoarse put a ques- tion respecting the pardoned political offenders. Mr. HERBERT asked a

question, answered earlier in the week, respecting the Irish Militia. Lord

EBRINGTON inquired about the road through St. James's Park. Lord .HOTHAM raised the question respecting the continuing of private practice by Mr. PASHLEY, the Absistant Judge at the Middlesex Sessions. Mr. JAMES MACGREGOR brought on the state of Greece. Mr. GLADSTONE asked whether it was fitting to use the motion for adjournment as an op- portunity for discussing "the government of the world." Sir ERSKINE PERRY raised objections to the Dalhousie pension. Mr. KENNEDY called attention to the murder of Miss Hinds.

In reply to Mr. DUNCOMBE, Lord. PALMERSTON said that it was quite true, as stated in the morning journals, that her Majesty, "following

the impulses and dictates of those generous feelings by which she was so eminently distinguished, had determined to take advantage of the return of peace, and of the unexampled loyalty which prevailed from one end of her dominions to the other, to do an act of grace and clemency towards all persons under sentence for political offences, with the exception of those unhappy men who had broken all the ties of honour and fled from their place of banishment. The amnesty would be general, and would include Mr. Smith O'Brien, Mr. Martin, and those with whom they were associated."

In reply to Lord HOTHAM, Sir GEORGE GREY said that Mr. Pashley had authorized the Attorney-General to state that the business of his

court is not impeded by his attention to private practice. No stipulation was made that he should discontinue it when he was appointed; no such restriction is imposed by law.

The grievance brought forward by Mr. KENNEDY arose out of the trial of the murderer of Miss Hinds. It appears that after the prisoner, had

exhausted his challenges, one of the jurymen fell ill, and another was sworn of the jury. It was contended that this was in effect calling a new jury, which renewed the right of peremptory challenge on the part of the prisoner ; but when a writ of error was applied for, the Irish At- torney-General refused his fiat. Mr. J. D. FrrzozRALD vindicated his share in the matter. The prisoner was protected by counsel ; at the trial

he had two opportunities of objecting' but he took neither. The AT- TORNEY-GENERAL for England, Mr. WHITESIDE, Mr. NAPIER, Mr. BAINES and Mr. Wersow,. thought Mr. Fitzgerald had not improperly

exercised his discretion ; but it would have been better if at the trial the Crown had informed the prisoner that he had a right to challenge. Mr. MILinow and Mr. Burr took an opposite view. The House was further engaged in considering Sir George Grey's Po- lice Bill in Committee. A contest arose on clause 11, which provides for the proportional payment of the Police from the Consolidated Fund.

In deference to the feelings of the Committee, Sir GEORGE GREY framed an amendment, providing that the reports of the Inspectors shall be sent

to Justices of the County and the Watch Committee in boroughs before

the certificate entitling them to any payment from the Treasury is with- held. Sir HENRY WILLOUGHBY moved an amendment, to the effect that

"one-half" instead of "one-fourth" of the expense should be paid by the Treasury. On a division, it was negatived by 160 to 106. The op- ponents of any payments from the Consolidated Fund—" concealed Com-

munism" Mr. ROEBVCK called it—divided the House against the clause ; but it was carried by 186 to 76. The remaining clauses were agreed to, together with the preamble ; and the House resumed. Sir WILLIAM CLAY postponed his motion for going into Committee on the Church-rates Bill till the 19th instant • and Mr. SPOONED post- poned the second reading of the Maynooth College Bill till the 25th June, a date that excited merriment.

Both Houses stand adjourned till Monday the 19th, for the Whitsun holidays