The second reading of the Poor-Law Bill in the House
of Peers was postponed last night, till Friday next. The fate of that mea- sure is, we suppose, no longer doubtful. The argumentum ad crumenam prevails, as usual. The Duke of WELLINGTON and Lou! W INCHILSEA will both support the secoud reading ; and, at this time of the year, we do not anticipate protracted opposition to the details of the measute ; especiallty4is todamage the bill would not now be to ditto age the Ministey. The Marquis bf OVANDO!! moved the'Oemmons, on Monday, to address the CrOwn in favour of relief to the landed interest, by a diminution of "general or local taxation • " but the motion was rejected, by 190 to 179. The conduct of Mr. HUME, who voted for the motion, has been made the subject of very unfair attacks in the Morning Chronicle and the Globe. It is pretended that he voted against Ministers from factious motives, or from selfish ones, because he is himself a considerable landowner. But Mr. HUME spoke with energy against the landlords monopoly, as he always does, and denied that the landed interest in particular suffer from partial taxation. It was perfectly consistent with these sentiments that he should vote, according to his invariable practice, for the reduction of general taxation, by which all classes would be be- nefited. The secret of the ebullition of Whig vexation is simply this, that Mr. Hutu did not go out of his way, as he had done more than once before, to prop up the Tricky Ministry, on a critical division. But Mr. HUME well knew that it was not a question of "Reform or Toryism," on Monday night.
At length the House of Commons have agreed to obtain and publish an authentic record of votes on divisions. Mr. WARD'S plan was adopted, on Monday, by a majority of 76 to 32, notwith- standing that Mr. Secretary SPRING RICE tried to throw cold water on it. It was suggested that some Member well acquainted with his brethren should act as teller, in order to try the experi- ment fairly ; and Mr. He ME, who remarked that he thought he knew the name of every gentleman in the House, promised his services. Thus the Reformed Parliament has been badgered into effecting one rational alteration in its internal regulations.
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