Vault)] nut Vtutbiug inVarlunurtit.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OP THE WEEK.

MOOSE OF LORDS. Monday, June 7. Railway from Halifax to Quebec; State- ment by Lord Derby—Cape of Good Hope: the Constitution Ordinances. Tuesday, June 8. London Necropolis Bill, read a second time—Industrial and Provident Societies Bill, (Earl of Harrowby's,) read a second time—Surrender of Criminals (Convention with France) Bill; second reading. Thursday, June 10. Mr. Disraeli's " Advertisement" to the Buckinghamshire Electors criticized by Earl Fit,zwilliam—West Indian Distress, discussed on Peti- tions.

Friday, June 11. New Minute of the Privy Council on Public Education; State- ment by Lord Derby—Postal Convention with France, and Trail:atlantic Packet Sta- tion; Statements- Case of Baron de Bode; Select Committee granted to Lord Lynd- hurst—Surrender of Criminals (Convention with France) Bill, passed through Com- mittee, and to be minted as amended. Horse or Comzioxs. Monday, June 7. Morning sitting. Labour in the West Indies ; Statement by Sir John Pakington—Supply : Miscellaneous Estimates. Evening sitting. Railway from Halifax to Quebec ; Statement by Sir John Peking- ton— Militia Bill, read a third time and passed, after several divisions—Navy Pay Bill, considered in Committee—Poor-law Continuance Bill, passed through Committee— Passengers Act Amendment Bill, read a third time and passed—Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill, read a second time. Tuesday, June 8. Morning sitting. Maynooth; adjourned debate continued till the House rose at four o'clock. Evening sitting. Mr. Bennett Vicar of Frome • . Horsman s Motion for a Select Committee, can-led against Ministers, by 156 to 111—Mr. Feargus O'Connor "named" by the Speaker, for misconduct. Wednesday, June 9. Episcopal and Capitular Revenues Bill (Marquis of Bland..

ford's); Government Intentions stated, and order for second reading withdrawn

County Elections Polls Bill; Motion to go into Committee carried, by 166 to 82 - Bill considered in Committee— Mr. Feargus O'Connor committed to the custody of' the Sergeant at Arms, for disorderly conduct—County Courts Extension Bill, con_ sided in Cossenittee—Maynooth debate "Axed for Monday" the 14th.

Thmeaday, June 10. Morning sitting. Report on Supply Post-horse Duty ; Mr, T. Duncombe's Motion to consider the Dutv, untamed by 94 to 43—Amended Mirages of Canaan on Education promised—Naval Reserve, abandoned by Govern- ment—Supply Votes. Evening* sitting. Mr. O'ConnOr's insanity certilled—Carriage Duties ; Sir De Lacy Evans's Motion to consider in Committee, negatived by 57 to 17—Supply Votes—New Zealand Bill in Committee; debate and divisions; Bill Passed through Committee—Mr. Bennett's Case; Mr. Horsman's Committee to be nomi- nated ; difficulties arising, nomination postponed. Friday, June 11. Morning sitting. Social condition of the Working Classes; Mr. Slaney's Motion for a Standing Commission, debated and withdrawn—Supply Votes. Evening sitting. Mr. Horsman's Committee on the Vicar of Frome's Case; further nomination difficulties—Improvement of the Jurisdiction of Equity Bill, and Masters In Chancery Abolition Bill, both considered in Committee, and passed througla- Metropolitan Sewers Bill, read a second time.

TIME - TABLE..

The Lard'. The Commons.

•

Hour of Hour of Hour of How of Meeting. Adjournment. Meeting. Adjournment.

Monday 5h 7h 50m Monday Noon .... 4b Om

eh .1,0) 111 15m Tuesday 5h ... Th 30m Tuesday Noon .... 4h Om 611 .(m) Iti 30m Wednesday No Sitting. Wednesday Noon .... 5h 580s Thursday Oh 7b 5m Thursday Noon .... 4h Om 6h .(m) 211 Man

Friday Sit .. . 10it Urn Friday Noon .... 411 Oro

6b .(m) lh 3om

4 ; Tune, PA 4091 Sittings this Week. 9 ; Time. 529 43s; this Session, 56; — 1001 10m — this Session, Ts; — 502h Ism PUBLIC 13usiaress.

The Cmiticsmoit of the EXCHEQUER reviewed the state of public busi- ness on Monday, in a style of gay congratulation, intended to remove the effect of Sir James Graham's grave impeachment. It had been his intention originally to eipreas his views on that day, if Sir James Graham had not made the appeal and memorable speech of last week ; but the tone of that speech had the more necessitated some statement on his part. "The statement of that right honourable gentleman was cal- culated very much to arrest public attention, and to produce a very consider- able effect in the House, especially among those not very familiar with the details of the subjects the right honourable gentleman spoke upon. Certainly, he conveyed an impression to the House and to the country that the state of public business was extremely unsatisfactory; that there was a vast accumu- lation of business, with a very slender prospect of its being disposed of; and that at the end of the present session there would be no possibility of dealing with the accumulation before us of business, all of which, as the right hon- ourable gentleman very truly stated, was of a highly important and pressing character." "Under these circumstances, I felt an unusual responsibility placed upon me, in the position for which I am every day more aware I am not calculated. I felt it was a terrible responsibility to incur, that under the guidance which I had been able to give to the business of the House, assisted by the kindness of honourable Members on both sides of the House, I had brought public business not only to a perilous but a disgraceful position. Well, Sir, under that feeling I have examined, with all the assiduity the cir- cumstances of the case required, the state of public business before us. Feel- ing that I am responsible for its general position, I have endeavoured to see if I could in some degree escape from the consequences of neglect of duty, or from the results of that incapacity with which, though the right honourable gentleman was courteous enough not to charge me, he must have felt I was liable to be r.ccused. Under the challenge and appeal of the right honour- able gentleman, I will examine very briefly the business now before us, and the prospects and ultimate fate of all the bills to which lie referred."

Preserving the order which Sir James Graham's perspicuous arrangement had made familiar to the House, Mr. Disraeli followed him measure by mea- sure through his "colossal list." In the group of law, there are three measures in regard to which they were told that "not one step had been taken beyond their introduction,"—the Common-Law Procedure Amendment Bill, the Equitable Jurisdiction Bill, and the Abolition of Masters in Chancery Bill : Mr. Disraeli now had the pleasure to inform Sir James, that all those bills had been read a second time. Two other bills, the Suitors Bill, and the Wills Bill, "the magnitude, diffi- culty, and importance of which, it was impossible to exaggerate," had now entirely passed that House. He thought it would not be arrogant or :pre- sumptuous to hope that all those measures would pass through the Legisla- ture and become law without at all interfering with that termination of Par- liament which is now so rife in every one's mouth. Of the group of Colo- nial bills, the New Zealand Bill, "whose importance was only equal to the number of its clauses," had not only gone into Committee, but nearly gone through Committee. The Hereditary Casual Revenues Bill, to confer an im- pel taut boon on the Colonies, a bill of only two clauses, will scarcely excite great party feeling or receive any great opposition. Two other bills, though the word " Bishop " does appear in their titles—and he knew how unfortunate the word sometimes was in exciting debate in the House, and in calling forth the irregular energy of the honourable and learned Member for Youghal—he scarcely, thought would be opposed ; especially as one of them consisted of only two clauses, and had already passed the other House of Parliament. The Colonial Bishops Bill was so essentially just in its provisions and slight in its dimensions, that he hoped it would receive the sanction of Parliament. Connected with the department of Public Works there were three bills on the table. The Intramural Interment Bill had so much concurrence, that he hoped to pass it quickly, and with but slight opposition ; and the Water Bill would come down to them criticized by a tribunal to which the House al- ways looked with great respect ; and be thought himself warranted in be- lieving that it might be passed without postponing the termination of the session. "AB to the third, the Metropolis Buildup Bill," he said, "as there seems such a keen desire to resist legislation on the part of some honourable gentlemen, from the fear that they may be overwhelmed with it, and alit is necessary, in order to give honourable Members an opportunity of making any observations in reply, that I should conclude with some motion, I am prepared to move, at the proper time, that the order of the day for the second reading of that bill should be discharged." These were three of the "great divisions" into which Sir James Graham had divided the subject. Mr. Disraeli could now say, "all our measures of Legal Reform are fast arriving at that safe harbour to which I believe they are destined ; all our Colonial bills have also made very great progress since the Thursday when the attention of the country and of the House was called to the unprecedented position of Parliamentary business ; and of the two bills which are under the charge of my noble friend the President of tie Board of Works, one of them has been referred to a Select Committee, which, as I before said, will tend to make its progress through the House more rapid, and the other has received out of doors and in the House such a degree of favour that I cannot doubt it will in due time pass into a law." But the attention of the House was called in terms of impressive solem- nity to otber circumstances, particularly to the state of the Committee of Supply. Notwithstanding all the promptitude and expedition they had

Sittings this Week,

dented state of Parliamentary business ins said to call for, can say that some

Saw,of extenuating circumstances may be alleged ; for that now, on Mon- aay, instead of two hundred votes in Supply remaining to be passed, there are, I believe, only nineteen. And with regard to those nineteen votes, I cannot help thinking, that even with the determined spirit of the honour- able Member for Youghal, the honourable and learned Member may yet find other opportunities enough for the exercise of his indefatigable powers ; and that perhas when we go into Committee of Supply again with those nine- teen votes, we may experience even from him some little tender touch of re- morse." (Laughter.)

Of miscellaneous bills, the Navy Pay Bill would not meet opposition, so far as he could learn; and the Patent-law Amendment Bill would no doubt the more reedit)? command the attention of the House after revision by a Select Committee of the House of Lords. The Irish Valuation Bill, he heard on all sides, was a good bill—why give it up? The Whiteboy Acts Consolidation Bill, as a bill only to consolidate, and not urgent, he was prepared not to

log to Millions remaining ; and two hundred votes not passed, which were be considered as being simply y those honourable gentlemen, we shall attempt to continue that act : and I tell them I am prepared for their opposition ; which, however, I am sure will be conducted according to the spirit and practice of this House." Having gone through "the whole of the colossal catalogue," he asked the

House fairly to decide whether the state of public business was so unsatis- factory as had been pointed out on Thursday night. "I declare, Sir, that when I examine the Government measures that have not passed, with the most anxious desire to ask the House to support nothing which I do not con- ceive to be of the first necessity, with the most anxious desire that the la- bours of this Parliament should not be prolonged, I do not find myself justi- fied, with the exception of the slight and most insignificant instances to which I have referred, in recommending the withdrawal of any of these bills. They appear to me to be necessary ; and they appear to me also to be in a most satisfactory state of progress, so that all of them may be passed consistently with that termination of the session which we all of us antici- pate. I claim no credit to the Government for this state of the public busi- ness, and I say that most unfeignedly. It is a state of the public business, in my opinion, satisfactory ; but it is due and due only to the good sense and the good temper of the House of Commons."

Mn. Bineamarr, Picea. OP FROME.

Mr. HORSMAN moved for a Select Committee "to inquire into the cir- cumstances connected with the institution of the Reverend Mr. Bennett to the Vicarage of Frome."

He referred to the steps he had already taken in this matter, and their failure of success. The inquiry by a Royal Commission did not meet with the approval of the House ; and the voluntary inquiry by the Government proved that the parishioners of Frome had very doubtful redress against Mr. Bennett for his doctrines, and were without any redress whatever against the Bishop of Bath and Wells for the institution of Mr. Bennett.

Before going into the case against the Bishop, he made a few statements confirmatory of his former allegations respecting Mr. Bennett. Mr. Stutzer, his authority for the facts of Mr. Bennett's proceedings at Kissengen, took no part in publishing the facts which he witnessed at Kissengen; he was not a volunteer, but was, as he says, "dragged into the unpleasant business by the hasty letter of Mr. Pratt" : he states now that he "took no more no- tice of these parties [Mr. Bennett and Sir John Ilarington] than such as a person exceedingly ill is forced to pay to those whose inconsiderate noisiness is the source of constant annoyance to an invalid" ; but when vouched as a witness, he "felt bound to substantiate every syllable he had advanced" ; and he now offers "to pay the whole expenses of any person who can go over to Kissengen and settle the whole." Mr. Horsman informed the House, in ad- dition to his former statements, "that Mr. Bennett, when travelling with his party, carried about in his box a consecrated stone for an altar, and that this stone was set up when they halted ; and Mr. Bennett, officiating as a priest, performed religions services before it." He also informed the House, that the announcement in the Roman Catholic Directory that Mr. Bennett had joined the Roman Church was brought under Mr. Bennett's attention, in a kindly letter written to him at the beginning of this year by Mr. Hastings, a clergyman, who with several of the other clergy at Frome would have called on Mr. Bennett if the statement had been denied : but Mr. Ben- nett took no notice of Mr. Hastings's letter, nor of a aecond letter, which ex- pressed a fear that as the statement was not denied by Mr. Bennett it must be understood to be true.

The case against the Bishop of Bath and Wells was based on the three propositions, that the Bishop had instituted Mr. Bennett, firstly, with a haste and with a determination to shut out the parishioners of Promo from that legal redress which they would have had if the Bishop had given them more time ; secondly, without having that certificate from Mr. Bennett's former diocesan which, by usage and by law, he was under an obligation to require ; and thirdly, without that due examination which was enjoined by law, and which the parishioners of Frome had a right to demand. Mr. Bennett's presentation was confirmed on Tuesday the 30th of Decem- ber; on Wednesday he visited Frome; on Thursday, January 1, the inhabit- ants moved, and a protest was got up signed by five clergymen and forty- eight heads of families. On the 2d, this protest was delivered to the Mar- chioness of Bath; and the day after they received her Ladyship's reply. On Wednesday, they memorialized the Bishop, giving their reasons against the institution ; by which, of course, they meant to ask his Lordship to make inquiry into the truth of what they alleged. They made this statement on the 7th of January ; on the 15th they received the reply of the Bishop, de- clining to accede to their prayer, and stating that he should proceed with the institution. On the very same day they wrote to him again' praying him to give them fourteen days' delay to consider whether it might be their duty to take any further steps in the matter. They received his answer on the 21st of January, and that very day they sent their solicitor to London to take the Opinion of Dr. Twiss. Their solicitor returned on the 23d, and they then learned for the first time the means within their power for delaying institu- tion. They received this opinion on the 23d, and a caveat was prepared on the 24th; but before that the Bishop had instituted Mr. Bennett.

The Bishop of London, so far from sending to the Bishop of Bath and Wells a certificate of Mr. Bennett's doctrine and life, sent only his counter-signature to the qertificate signed by three clergymen of the diocese of London, which was mentioned in the former debate; and that counter-signature he ex- plained by this letter.

order of the Church to my diocese would be scrionAy interrupted Jibe were to remain incumbent of that benefice. For the reasons which led me to form that opinion, I beg leave to refer your Lordship to a correspondence between Mr. Bennett and my- self which ens published in the Times newspaper of December 12, 1830.

"1 am wholly without information as to any change which may have taken place in Mr. Bennett's principles or opinions since his resignation of the cure which to held in my diocese.

"I am your Lordship's faithful brother and servant,

" C. J. LONDON. "The Hon. and Right Rev, the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells."

The duty of examination was established by the legal decision of Lord Ellenborough in Povah's case, which was frequently quoted and referred to in the late debate. Mr. Horsman contended that that "due examination" was "not entirely left to the will and discretion of the Bishop" ; that after the Bishop's attention had been directed to Mr. Bennett's published opinions about the Bible and the oath of supremacy, "it was not sufficient to say that the Bishop privately examined him and was satisfied with what took lace " • press forward. He expected opposition and delay on the Cnme and Outrage . but that, as " the object of the examination was to satisfy the Clurch at Act Renewal Bill. "It is the opinion of her Majesty's Government that , large, and as the scandal was notorious, the removal of the scandal should the Act for Preventing Crime and Outrage in Ireland should be renewed ; and, have been notorious also " ; and that if any change had taken place in Mr. inasmuch as that act consists of only one clause, giving honourable gentle- Bennett's opinions, it should have been communicated, not to the Bishop men opposite credit for as energetic patriotism as any body of men possess, alone, but also to Mr. Bennett's intended parishioners. Instead of the con- even should they put in practice all the resources of their rhetoric, I cannot duct of "a judge indifferent," as described by Hooker, the Bishop had taken believe, if they should avail themselves of all the opportunities which the the part of the most odious of characters, namely that of the partisan. constitutional forma of this House provide them with, they will be able to It might be objected that the House of Commons should not take cogni- defeat a measure so necessary to the peace, the tranquillity., and the pros- zance of Church affairs because it was not now composed exclusively of mem- rity of Ireland. With very great respect, therefore for the opinions held ben of the Established Church. "But why was the House not composed wholly used, they were given to understand that there were still estimates amount. "My Lord—I have to requestethatremy .counter-signature to this testimonial May have signed it, anel wto,im thneffe7rinssmloynd?ofeen:ye,oll'ai%lotn tiliter teocylergrYToeir-idr. 111!.° to be met by forty-two negatives of one honourable Member. "It will per- that which they verily believe. But I think it is my duty to state, that inIh. inbePr haps be some satisfaction to the right honourable gentleman to know, that, 1830, Mr. Bennett resigned the perpetual curacy of St. Paul's Knightsbridge and Monday having come, I, appearing to give that account which the unprece- that I accepted his resignation, because I was of opinion that the peace and Knightsbridge, of members of the Established Church ? Because the nation of ngland was not composed entirely of members of the Established Church ; and if they said that the House of Commons, as representing the nation was so far dissevered from the Established Church that it ought not to have Skeet cognizance of its affairs, then, ti fortiori, the nation must be so far separated from the Esta- blished Church that they ought not to have an Established Church at all. That was the legal and inevitable result of the argument, if pressed home : but he held, on the other hand, that the Established Church was the crea- tion of Parliament—that it existed by the breath of Parliament, and was subject to its jurisdiction ; and there was no duty of Parliament so obvious, no responsibility so undeniable, as that when it had established a church for the teaching of one religion, it should not be made subservient to the in- terests of another—that it should not allow a minister of that church to be- come the secret agent of another."

In conclusion, Mr. Horsman urged that the facts of the case were few and simple ; and that the whole examination need not last more than a week or ten days. If they were to shrink from it, the public reprobation, diverted from other parties, would point the finger of scorn at the House of Commons. It would tell them that their Church was a mockery, that their Protestantism was a pretence, that their loyalty was a sham ; and it would tell them that, in endeavouring to screen individual delinquents, they were perpetuating their powers, but that they were degrading Parliament and destroying the Church.

Mr. Horsman spoke for about two hours and a half. As he sat down, there was a short pause, and then cries of " Divide !" Mr. GLADOTONE was rising, when an interruption, occasioned by the disorderly conduct of Mr. Feargus O'Connor, occurred. At the close of this episode, the debate was resumed by Mr. Glainsroxii. A considerable portion of Mr. Gladstone's opening remarks was directed to the rhetorical colouring of Mr. Horsman's language, in a case which should be tried by legal rules, with judicial calmness. The honourable gen- tleman had long taken on himself this function of censor. In 1838, when he

i was an elder n the Presbyterian Church, the honourable Member made charges against that most excellent man Dr. Chalmers, which obliged the

latter to resort to the press, and to ,publiah a work demonstrating what lk. Chalmers called "the aerial nature" of the honourable gentleman's accusa- tions. Mr. Gladstone did not hesitate to say that the House of Commons Win

not the fit arena for such discussions, "though ho did not say it was possible to abstain from them altogether." When he spoke of the warmth with which statements were coloured, he admitted, on the other hand, that there were

many imprudences and many cases of foul play ; that the Church of England VMS torn and rent from head to foot with her divisions; but he naked the House, solemnly and sincerely, viewing the question apart from all personal interests of men and all the interests of the day, did it think that the reli- gious divisions were likely to be mitigated, that the cores and wounds of the Church of England were likely to be healed, by rhetorical declamation, by exaggerations of fact, and by misapprehensions and misstatements ? He had long held the opinion that it was a great absurdity that our law should not afford ready means of correcting a delinquent bishop ; and he would view with the greatest favour any judicious proposition for the purpose of pro- viding such means of correction. Mr. Gladstone went into some proofs that Mr. Bennett is popular among his new parishioners. As to his not attending the English churoli at !Cis- sengen, it should be remembered that Mr. Bennett was there as chaplain to a private family, and in the eye of the Church and the law, a chaplain and the private family in which he acted constitute a congregation, quite as regular as any congregation under the existing defective ecclesiastical ar- rangements could be called together in a place Rice Kissengen. As to the story of his carrying a stone about with him for religious purposes, Mr. Gladstone knew nothing whatever about that ; it utterly passed his belief, and if it should be made good he should be very greatly surprised. Taking the three charges against the Bishop of Bath and Wells' Mr. Glad- stone dealt with them seriatim. The effect of his reply to the first charge, of undue haste, was, that the whole time allowable by the law was allowed ; and that if the Bishop had allowed more, he wouid have been amenable to those severe penalties of our ecclesiastical code whose whole spirit has been for generations past to guard with the utmost jealousy the rights of patronage against any encroachments upon them by the prelates. The Bishop of Exeter had purchased dear experience of the strictness, jealousy, and difficulty of interpreting those laws, in the case of Brampford Speke, which had cost him a law-bill of somewhat above 30001. The ruinous, destructive, and crushing costs of these ecclesiastical suits, were enough to paralyze any Basiscopalian : however anxious, and willing, and eager he might be to do his duty, it could hardly be expected that a man would face such tremendous expensee. He had several such cases. There was a case of the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, a friend of the honourable Member for Cockermonth : that prelate had a prosecution against a clergyman for immorality which cost him 420014 and upon the principle that justice ought to be done even to a bishop, he hoped that these things would be recollected to mitigate the censures that were cast upon the Bishops when the incomes enjoyed by them were saoken of as extravagant. have been laughed at in the Court of Queen's Bench if adduced by the Bishop in defence against an action of "quare impedit" at Mr. Bennett's instance.

In answer to the second proposition, he asserted that Mr. Horsman was quite in error in considering that the 48th canon has anything to do with the matter. The 39th canon has for a long series of years alone regulated the admission of clerks. The certificate of the Bishop of London was not ne- cessary; his testimonial was not required ; and the letter he wrote at the ut- most imposed on the Bishop of Bath and Wells the obligation of examining Mr. Bennett.

In reference to the "due examination," Mr. Gladstone at once contested the doctrine that the examination was to be such as should satisfy, not the judge, but Mr. Horsman, or "the public" ; hinting "the frightful and odi- ous consequences of such a doctrine of judicial duty." In the course of the argument on this point, he touched on Mr. Bennett's opinion that the circula- tion of the Bible alone, as a means of propagating Christianity, is a fiction and absurdity: this was at one time the recorded opinion of nearly all our Bish- ops. " For many years after the institution of the Bible Society, that in- stitution was opposed by nearly all the Bishops of the Church of England, —he doubted if there was more than one exception,—and by the great mass of the clergy, because they contended (rightly or wrongly was not now the (1.1:leaden) that even among Christians, but peculiarly in foreign lands, the circulation of the Bible alone was not that use of it which our Saviour had contemplated as instrumental to the propagation of Christianity. Therefore, Mr. Bennett's opinion, right or wrong, rested not on any such monstrous pro- position as that the Bible was a fiction and an absurdity, but on the opinion entertained long before him by large bodies of the English clergy, that the Bible was not to be used as the sole means of propagating Christianity." Again, in reference to Mr. Bennett's opinion of the oath of supremacy, he stated that the Bishop of Bath and Wells has a different opinion about that oath from Mr. Ilorsman. He reminded them, that in the House itself they had more than once seen the most eminent Members taking different views of the oath; and at the present time two noblemen are excluded from the other House through inability to say what is the clear and de- terminate effect of that oath. These were reasons for avoiding any con- demnation of a high officer, a high spiritual judge, because he might not agree with gentlemen in that House in his interpretation of laws repre- senting the spirit and opinions of another period. The motion was vague and large in its terms, but it at least involved the principle that a prima facie case bad been made out against the Bishop of Bath and Wells for not having acted according to the letter and spirit of the law. Nothing on earth could induce Mr. Gladstone to vote for such a mo- tion; for such a vote would be contrary to truth, justice, and fairness. His first objection was to an inquiry einzplieiter into the circumstances attending the institution to the vicarage of Frame. If they were to have an inquiry connected with this important subject, let it be an inquiry into the spirit and enactments of the laws, which had been studiously framed by successive ge- nerations, with the view of almost making it impossible for our Bishops to do that which the parishioners of Frome charged the Bishop of Bath and Wells with not having done. If the honourable gentleman would move for a Com- mittee to investigate impartially the state of the law upon these ecclesiasti- cal questions, he would confer one of the greatest services which could be conferred upon the Church of England.

Sir JOHN PAKINGTON seemed to think the allegations about Mr. Ben- nett seriously backed by evidence ; but he doubted the fitness and pro- priety of the House of Commons as a tribunal for such an inquiry. He expressed his astonishment at Mr. Gladstone's justification of Mr. Bennett's abstinence from orthodox churchgoing, at Kissengen, when the whole family to which he was chaplain was only Sir John Harington, "the Churchwarden of St. Paul's Knightsbridge, who distinguished him- self more by zeal than discretion in Mr. Bennett's case with the Bishop of London."

Sir PAGE WOOD did not dispute the power of the House to make the inquiry ; but he urged on Members, that it behoved them, as the great inquest of the nation, to act with a judicial mind. He set before them, in a legal review of the whole circumstances, a series of criticisms and arguments which he thought fully sustained his conclusion, that the Bishop could not in this case, consistently with his duty, have done anything else than what he did. The charge of indecent haste he disposed of by information as to the legal formalities of procedure. The Kissengen facts he assured the House that the Bishop was not competent to inquire into, because they would not have been a competent legal justification to any steps be founded on them. The quotations from Mr. Bennett's books would not have made a good legal defence to a "quare impedit," nor would the Bishop of London ff letter : if Mr. Bennett had answered that he was at the time of examination an attached and sincere member of the Church of Eng- land, and had explained away the doctrines complained of, the Bishop had no alternative but to institute him. Mr. Horsman's case of Povah was not in point : it referred to licensing a preacher under an act of Parliament, not to instituting a clerk under the ecclesiastical law.

But, though glad thus to be delivered from the consideration of Mr. Ben- nett's case, he had in fact formed his opinion of it. He admitted that it was a considerable grievance, that in the case of a clergyman lying under such suspicion as Mr. Bennett did, from the things which were said to have occur- red abroad, and from admitted passages in his books, which had not been cited in this debate,—he admitted that it was a grave thing that, under the existing state of the law, there was no power on the part of a bishop to refuse to institute such a person; and he confessed he looked to a reform of the law in that respect both in principle and practice ; for the present House of Com- mons having shown itself so anxious about the reform of the Court of Chan- cery, he felt certain that the next House of Commons would not allow the Ecclesiastical Courts to pass unscathed. The present debate might tend to promote that result ; and if so, it would be a useful result, and perhaps the only useful result it would have.

Colonel BOYLE addressed the House for his parishioners in Frome, in favour of the motion. Colonel YORKE followed him on the other side, on behalf of the parishioners who support Mr. Bennett.

The CiteNcELLon of the EXCHEQUER then endeavoured to dissuade the House from adopting the motion. He took the general disposition of the House to be one of extreme reluc- tance by any vote to throw a censure on the conduct of the Bishop of Bath and Wells ; for they had seen that had the Bishop thrown any difficulties in the way of Mr. Bennett's institution, be might, and very probably would, have incurred very perilous consequences. At the same time, Mr. Disraeli ook the liberty to say, that if the law did not provide a remedy —a fact, however, which he still doubted,—then it would be the duty of the House to endeavour to supply one; and if there were not—which in his mind there certainly was not—sufficient facility, or sufficient opportunity, for parishioners to obtain relief and redress, that was a fit subject for their inquiry and legis- lation. But the Committee asked for would not have the function, or, at this time of the session, the opportunity, to make the necessary inquiry with satisfactory effect. Avowing in general terms that the state of our Ecclesi- astical Courts cannot be much longer continued, and that the Government is prepared sooner or later to act on that sentiment, he expressed his hope that Mr. Iforsman would not ask the House to divide on his motion. If Mr: nommen persisted, Mr. Disraeli must offer the motion his decided opposition. Mr. &wen saw all the difficulties of the inquiry, but he must vote for it, in the absence of every other remedy. Mr. DEEDES was much of the same resolve.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL recurred to the hopes expressed that those who had devoted their attention to the measures for the improvement of the proceedings in our Courts of Common Law and Equity would extend the benefits of their inquiry to the Ecclesiastical Courts of this country, Mr. WALPOLE stated, that at the end of Mr. Horsman's speech the members of the Government examined attentively the terms of the mo- tion to see if it would bear the construction of being suggestive of an in- quiry into the law, to which they were not averse; but after the speech which introduced it, they could only regard it as directed against the Bishop.

On this Mr. Goutisuate moved an amendment, to make the inquiry of the Committee simply "into the state of the law respecting the appoint-. ment to benefices.'

Mr. Hommel( opposed this amendment : it was like proposing to in- quire into the criminal law on a trial for murder.

The House divided on a question involving the point whether or not the original motion should be altered. The numbers were 156 to 111 against altering the original proposition ; majority for Mr. Horsman against Ministers, 45. The original motion for a Select Committee was then put substantively, and agreed to.

The House found itself in a great difficulty about nominating the Select Committee, on Thursday. Mr. Horsman proposed the following names-

" Mr. Horsman, Mr. Secretary Walpole, Sir David Dundee, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Strutt, Sir William Page Wood, Sir Benjamin Hall, Mr. Solicitor-Gene- ral, Mr. John Abel Smith, Mr. Loftus Wigram, Mr. Evans, Mr. Puke, Mr. Langston Mr. Newdegate, and Mr. Shafto Adair."

But Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Wigram, Mr. Packe, and another Member, de- dined to serve.

Mr. GrAnsroys declared that nothing would make hirn serve but the order of the House.

His intention was, in conformity with abundance of precedents, imme- diately after the nomination of the Committee, to propose- .. That the honourable Member for Cockennouthdo reduce into heads or articles the charges which he has made in his place against Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, and do present the said heads or articles to this House." In the event of the adoption of that motion, the next step would be for the honourable gentleman to lay his heads of charges on the table of the House - and then Mr. Gladstone would move that the same be referred to the Select Committee appointed to inquire ; and that it be an instruction to the said Committee to report their opinion thereon to the House. The effect of this would be in no way to narrow the objects of inquiry, but would in- sure that the Committee should examine in a judicial form and manner upon the basis of a specific charge. Mr. ELLICE said, he had voted for the inquiry, not as a committee of impeachment against anybody, but in the hope that out of it something might arise which would enable the House to proceed to reform the law, so that the recurrence of such an event in future would be impossible. But Mr. SmNEr HERBERT reminded Mr. Ellice' that there had been a distinct proposition to inquire into the state of the law, with a view to find a remedy ; and that that proposition was decidedly negatived by the House, after Mr. Horsman had made three distinct charges against the Bishop, and after he had risen again and used these expressions—" If a man is brought up for murder, won't the culprit escape if you then move for an inquiry into the propriety of capital punishments ? ' The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER feared that at that hour—past two o'clock in the morning—it was almost a mockery to attempt to pro- ceed with the nomination, when upon four Members already named they could not count.

He suggested that Mr. Horsman might ask the permission of the House to alter the construction of the Committee from its present form, so that its great object might be to consider the grievances of the existing law with a view to its amendment, and not the conduct of an individual whom every one appeared to wish should not be attacked. Thus they should be enabled to escape from a situation which he was sure would end in mortification and annoyance to all parties, and could not tend to elevate the character of the House of Commons.

Mr. HORSMAN did not wish to persist in the nomination at that hour. He asked, would the Government allow the nomination to be made on Monday ? No answer was given to this question ; and presently after- wards the House adjourned.

CHURCH REPORIL

On the motion to read a second time the Marquis of Blandford's Epis- copal and Capitular Revenues Bill, Mr. Wersoul stated the Government intentions.

He had communicated with the head of the Government and with the highest authorities of the Church, and had now to state that the Government were willing to undertake, and would undertake, the consideration of the subject, with reference to Capitular bodies and Cathedral institutions, so as to make them more extensively and practically useful than they are at pre- sent—so as to extend the spiritual instruction and education which might advantageously be afforded by those bodies. There were four essential points of detail in the bill. First, the abolition of Deaneries, and the consolidation of the office of Dean with the office of Bishop ; secondly, the further reduction of the number of Canonries ; thirdly, by means to be acquired through these alterations to add to the Episcopate of the country ; fourthly, to make provision for the better management of Episcopal and Capitular revenues. For the aboli- tion of the Deans he saw no reason ; he doubted whether, with a view to keep- ing up cathedral institutions in sufficient force, the number of Canonries could be reduced further; the increase of the Episcopate he thought very desirable, if a fund for the purpose can be found. It should be an object to relieve these high officers of the Church as far as possible from the cares and troubles of all worldly and temporal affairs—(Cries of "Hear, hear I "from the (p- position)—but at the same time to preserve the property in such connexion with them as not to leave them mere dependents and stipendiaries of the State.

Sir ROBERT Imams corrected the Opposition as to an impression they might have been under with respect to the sentiment they had just cheered : Mr. Walpole did not mean to separate the Church from the State ; nor to remove Bishops from the House of Lords. [Mr. Walpole signified assent] In the course of the discussion on the Ministerial statement, Mr. Sm- HEY HERBERT said, that in Church Reform his own opinions probably went beyond those of any around him. Ile was not one who thought a very large addition to the Episcopate ne- cessary: one of the causes of the desire for an augmentation is that the Bishops are in a situation they ought not to be in, that of land-agents for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The recent establishment of St. Aidan's college at Birkenhead showed that institutions with the duties which the Chapters were appointed to perform are a requirement of the present age. The Marquis of BLANDFORD accepted willingly the undertaking of the Government, both because that course met the sense of the House, and from his personal inclination.

The order for a second reading was discharged.

MAYNOOTH.

The morning sitting of Tuesday again proved insufficient to exhaust the adjourned Maynooth debate. Mr. FRESHFEELD began with a speech for the inquiry ; Mr. H. HERBERT spoke shortly in recommendation of the suggestion made by Mr. Goulburn as to the mode of inquiry ; and Sir WILLIAM VERNER supported inquiry. When these speakers had disbur- dened themselves, Mr. SCULLY had the remainder of the morning, about two hours and a hal4 to himself. His speech was a multifarious disqui- sition on all the bearings of the Church question in Ireland. At a few minutes before four, he had still some more blue books to quote, when his attention was milled to the clock. Saying he would end with a mo- tion for adjournment, he dashed back into his documents for one more minute, to throw in one or two more quotations • and he was uncon- sciously going on, when Mr. Speaker quitted the Chair, and the question again fell through.

Mums Buz.

On the order of the day for reading the Militia Bill a third time, Mr. RICH made one more speech of considerable length against the whole measure. He developed afresh his plan of an army of reserve, to be form- ed by withdrawing the soldiers who have served ten or twelve years, and giving them a half-pension. This would at once furnish about 16,000 men ; and in a few years would give a reserve army of veterans more numerous than we should want at home, from which we might therefore send out, as we already send out a small number, a good force of emigrant military pensioners, who would make a most valuable nucleus of self-defence in the Colonies. The vacancies would be filled up with ease by new recruits. This force would be cheap and it would be available as a veteran force before you could teach a militia the goose-step. He moved that the bill be. read a thud time that day six months. Mr. MACKINNON' MT. M‘GREGOR, MT. HEADLAM, Mr. EWART, Mr. OSBORNE, and Mr.Pirro, supported Mr. Rich. The speech of Mr. Os- borne, in particular, was strong and spirited. The third reading was car- ried by 220 votes to 184.

A proviso in addition to clause 18th was moved by Mr. THORNELY, to put the Professors of the Universities of London, Durham, and St. Da- vide, on the same footing of exemption as is enjoyed by the same per- sons at the already privileged Universities. Mr.-WALPOLE agreed to the addition. But Mr. W. WILLIAMS objected to the whole clause, and amidst cries of "Oh!" moved its omission. This was negatived by 187 to 142.

An amendment by Sir DE LACY EvsNs, restricting resort to the ballot to a time of actual war or imminent danger of war, was negatived by 178 to 82.

The bill then passed.

NAVAL RESERVE.

The CHANCELLOR of the Exesteciunn stated to the House of Commons on Thursday, that the present Administration has determined, for reasons which have swayed them, not to prosecute the scheme of a naval reserve, devised by the late Government

SURRENDER OF CRIMINALS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND FRANCE.

On the motion, by the Earl of MALMESBURY, to read a second time the Surrender of Criminals (Convention with France) Bill, a debate of gene- ral interest arose. The bill is to carry out a new convention with France, which would give greater powers to the French Government in reclaim- ing its criminal subjects, both by increasing the facilities of surrender and by increasing from three to about twenty the list of crimes embraced. There seem to be difficulties in establishing before an English court such a prima facie case of guilt as would render the fugitive liable to com- mittal as a native criminal in this ; that being the foundation required before the fugitive is surrendered. But in France no difficulty ever exists to our reclaiming our fugitive criminals. The convention now to be carried into law introduces the new principle that we must surrender the fugitive on the mere proof of his identity. A great number of the Peers on both sides of the House manifested strong reluctance to passing a law of such a character as this. The Earl of ABERDEEN, Lord ROUGHAM, Lord CAMPBELL, the Duke of ARGYLL, Lord CRANWORTH, and Earl Gaze, forcibly pictured the grave constitutional objections to such arbitrary legislation ; under which, as they showed, there would be the utmost risk that we should have to surrender without trial any poli- tical refugees whom the French Government might want at home. The tone of the discussion, though perfectly grave and dignified, was plainly one of distrust towards the existing French Government It was at last agreed that the bill should be read a second time • and that the stage of Committee should be chosen for endeavours to frame its details in a man- ner that should not endanger the safety of political refugees in this coun- try. If the bill ultimately agreed on do not bear out the convention, a new convention, on the basis of the powers which the Legislature is wil- ling to give, may be negotiated.

RAILWAY most Rumex TO Quiseze.

A letter published in the Times last week by Mr. Hincks of Canada, on the unsatisfactory conclusion of a negotiation between the British North American Colonies and the Imperial Government for a guarantee of a loan to construct a railway from Halifax to Quebec, was made the subject of long questions and statements in both Houses of Parliament on Monday. In the House of Commons, Sir H. VERNEY requested some general explanation of Mr. Ainelss's letter ; and Sir TORN PAKINGTON an- swered fully.

The complaints made against the Government seemed to be, that the Colonial deputation were not attended to for seven weeks; that when an answer was given to it, that answer was not given officially to the gentle- men who formed the deputation ; and that the members of the deputation were not treated with that consideration and confidence to which their posi- tion in their own country entitled them. On the first point, Sir John gave dates and circumstances, which seemed to show that no real delay occurred in receiving the deputation ; but that the formal commencement of business was not entered upon with Mr. Hineks sooner than it was only because the representatives of the other colonies, who were daily expected, arrived late, or did not arrive after all. The second point Sir John could throw no

light on : so far as he was concerned, no communication of the resolution of the Government was made to anybody before the formal and official com- munications to the deputation. On the last point, Sir John expressed him- self with a frank unconsciousness of having omitted anything he ought to have done in the way of courtesy and attention, both othciany and socially, to show his consideration of the deputation. Indet la said that he had reason to believe that the gentlemen were deeply impresied by the gracious and spontaneous condescension they received at the hands of her Majesty. The questions in the House of Peers were put by Earl GREY, and answered by the Earl of DERBY.

Lord Derby touched on the circumstance that the information concerning the Government intentions came first to the deputation circuitously. This seemed to have arisen out of an inadvertency of his own. From press of business, the despatch announcing the Cabinet resolution to the Colonial Governors was not prepared by Sir John Pakington for several days after the resolution was come to ; and an emigration society having been in communi- cation with Lord Derby himself on the subject in the mean time, he intimated what the Government resolutions would be to the secretary of that society, be- fore the despatches were prepared, and therefore before copies of them were sent to the Colonial deputations. Thus it certainly did happen, by chance, these gentlemen first obtained their knowledge in an unofficial and circuitous manner.

In the discussion in the House of Peers, the general question of the policy of the Government in refusing to sanction the plans sanctioned by the Colonial Legislatures was somewhat impeached by Earl GREY, Lord MONTRAGLE, and the Earl of Powis : it was defended by the Earl of DERBY and the Earl of DESART. It seems that the whole question whether the line proposed by the Colonial Legislatures should be sanction- ed, depended on whether military and Imperial interests or commercial and Colonial interests should prevail. Earl GREY stated, that originally a line had been proposed which Major Robinson, an engineer appointed by Lord Derby when he was Colonial Minis- ter, had marked out. The Colonial Governments proposed to carry out a line founded on that ; but the proposition came before the Government when Lord Grey was Minister, at a financial juncture when the Imperial Govern- ment could not guarantee the funds for building the line. Ultimately, the line now proposed was brought forward by the Colonial Governments. Lord Grey stated, that while he regretted the line pointed out by Major Ro- binson had not been adopted by the Provinces, yet her Majesty's Government was quite prepared to consider how far the line now proposed by the local Legislatures could be sanctioned ; and he certainly was very sanguine, from the information he possessed, that the arrival of the deputies in this country would have led to an arrangement for the construction of that great national work.

The Earl of DERBY justified the rejection of the scheme supported by the deputies, by stating thatit ran too close to the American frontier to be safe as a military line, and also so close to that frontier that it would open up Ame- rican rather than British territory to new immigration and settlement. Under these circumstances, he felt—and the other members of the Govern- ment concurred with him—that the project which was now put forward on the part of New Brunswick was not such a compliance with that which had always hitherto been considered as the Imperial object and main principle to be aimed at by such an undertaking, as to induce them to lend it their sanction.

NEW ZEALAND BILL.

In Committee on the New Zealand Bill, Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH made a speech against the arrangement proposed in clause 74th, to give the fractional proportion of one-fourth of the produce per acre, instead of the present fixed charge of 5s. per acre, out of the land-sales, to the New Zealand Company. His carefully-elaborated statement went to establish, first, that the New Zealand Company obtained their act of 1847 by concealing from the Colonial Office, the Treasury, and Parliament, the opinion of their standing counsel that they.were under heavy liabilities to the purchasers of their allotments at Nelson, which the Crown was to become saddled with ; and secondly, that by similar concealments, and by substituting the opinion of a second counsel of doubtful character, they deceived their own agents, Colonel Wakefield and Mr. Fox, and tricked their settlers into arrangements beneficial to the Com- pany, to which the settlers would never have consented had they been aware of the opinion of the first counsel. Sir William charged the Company with moral fraud ; and urged on the House, that on this ground the Company were entitled to no favour, but only to their strict legal right. He moved an amendment on clause 74th, to carry out that view.

Mr. AGLIONBY defended the Company : he gave a general denial to all the charges.

Sir JOHN PAKINGTON refused to ask the House to arbitrate between Sir William Molesworth and Mr. Aglionby : he would abide by the expressed opinion of Earl Grey, that the arrangement now proposed would on the whole be a just one. Mr. VERNON Ssirru said he must divide with Sir William Molesworth. Mr. FREDERICK PEEL supported Sir John Peking- ton. Mr. GLADSTONE seemed to believe that the charges against the Com- pany placed it in a very serious position ; but he suggested that the House had not the power to judge, till documents not yet forthcoming were pro- duced by the Government

The amendment was negatived without division.

A second amendment by Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH, to reduce the amount of the charge in favour of the Company, from one-fourth to one- tenth of the produce of the land-sales, was also negatived without division. An amendment by Mr. GLADSTONE, to retain the sum of 5e. as the maximum for the charge, was negatived by 120 to 61.

The bill passed through Committee.

THE CAPE CONSTITUTION.

Inquiries were made in both Houses of Parliament on Monday, as to whether the Secretary of State for the Colonies was prepared to exercise his power to disallow the amendment made on the Constitution Ordi- nances by the Legislative Council of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, by raising the franchise from one of 261. to one of 601 h?adTtihmee to co questionn.

was not directly answered ; the Government not having

sider the Ordinances since their arrival by the last mail. In the House of Peers, the Earl of DERBY made this avowal to the Duke of Nawessme..

He had serious apprehensions as to constitutional government in the Cape of Good Hone; but the possibility of returning to the former system was now beyond hope; and alter the expectations held out, it was important that the promise given should be fulfilled, to the letter and spirit, with as little delay as .

On the othepossibler hand, in the House of Commons, Sir Toms Psscrisgrow spoke of the Constitution Ordinances as an experiment not yet completely determined on, and as still under consideration. His language was such that on a subsequent day Mr. ADDEILLEY said he trembled for the Cape

Constitution.

WEST INDIAN Dramas& Mr. BERNAL besought the attention of the House of Commons to the

subject of the grievous distress of our West Indian Colonies • it being forced on him by the letters of his own agent in Jamaica, and affairs now getting so ruinous, and so mournful and distressing, that he really did not know what to do.

Ile had lost 120 labourers by cholera last year; and this year smallpox is making a fatal diminution. He had spent 1000/. for daily labour alone since January; and must come to a halt somewhere. Could the Colonial Secretary give the Colonies any hope of relief, not by money, but by measures for an immediate and proper supply of labour ? Sir JOHN Palm:aro.; gave a hearty assent to the truth of the picture drawn ; and stated, that as soon as the enormous pressure of Colonial business somewhat relaxes, he will anxiously consider the two questions -of the supply of labour and the present state of the labour-laws in the -Colonies. The senior clerks of his Department are engaged in collecting for him all the materials of information.

In the House of Lords„ several Peers presented petitions on the subject —Lord BROUGHAM, the Bishop of OXFORD, and the Earl of liannowny ; and the Earl of DERBY said he had received a memorial signed by the Bishop of Jamaica and seventy clergymen, and eighty-three Dissenting ministers of all denominations, describing the distress, and attributing it to the legislation of 1846, and also asserting that the legislation of 1846 had aggravated the slave-trade. Earl GREY started up, and combated these assertions, which he must deny whenever they should be made : the distress existed before the legislation of 1846. The Bishop of OXFORD reasserted the proposition, that the slave-trade had been stimulated by the legislation of 1846; putting his proof in the form of a demonstrative chain of facts.

Lord DERBY reasserted that the legislation of 1846 was the cause of the distress, and observed that everybody else thought so but Lord Grey. He still believed that the only effectual remedy would be that of stopping the progress of the reduction of differential duties now going on. But at the same time, he confessed he entertained great doubt whether the public mind of the country was prepared to sacrifice the economic interests involved in that proposition.

The Earl of HARROWBY expressed his doubts whether public opinion would allow the exclusion of all foreign produce, such a total exclusion alone being a sufficient remedy, as he thought. Lord GREY said that the views he had expressed were not his alone. Lord Derby well knew that they were those of the ablest officers under the Crown in the West Indies.

COUNTY ELECTION POLLS.

Mr. PACKE opposed the motion, made by Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR, to go into Committee on the County Election Polls Bill. Mr. WALPOLE said, he would not oppose going into Committee, but he thought the de- tails of the bill would have to be carefully framed. Mr. HENLEY mani- fested strong disinclination to the bill. Colonel SIBTHORP, who like Mr. Paeke has votes in seven counties, foresaw that the bill would disfranchise him in several places. The House divided, and the motion to go into Committee was carried by 166 to 82. In Committee the discussion of the clauses was interrupted by the O'Connor episode. On resuming the in- terrupted business, Mr. Mums divided the House on a motion to suspend the operation of the bill till next January ; and was defeated by 134 to 91. The bill passed through Committee.

Mr. Etuarr and Mr. MONSELL gave notice, that on the third reading they would submit motions for extending the bill to Scotland and Ireland.

Surrtx.

In Committee of Supply on Monday morning, thirteen votes of the Miscellaneous Estimates were got through, with very little debate, and no -division. Mr. .AwierEe made an onslaught on a vote of 44691. for miscel- laneous allowances on account of sundry items contained in it for endow- ments of a religious or theologic educational description—especially the sum of 4001. for that gross and disgraceful job of St. David's College, Lampeter. The defence of the vote called up several Welsh Members, some of whom admitted Mr. Anstey's facts to be true. The vote was at last postponed. The House resumed, and progress was reported at four o'clock.

On Thursday, Mr. ANerEy took divisions on the votes for St. David's College and the Regium Donum. The former vote was passed by 113 to 26; the latter by 57 to 34.

POST-HORSE DUTIES AND CARRIAGE DITTIES.

Mr. THOMAS DUNCOM/3E made an effort, by motion and speech, to get the House of Commons to consider the Post-horse Duties and Carriage Duties; but was opposed by the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and beaten by 94 to 43. Sir DE LACY EVANS making a separate attempt in respect of the Carriage Duties, was similarly opposed, and was defeated by .57 to 17.

ME. PEARGUS O'CONNOR'S EXCESSES.

The House of Commons has at last considered the conduct of Mr. Peargus O'Connor intolerable ; and has taken measures accordingly. On Tuesday he behaved with such rudeness and even personal violence to Sir Benjamin Hall, that Sir Benjamin had to put himself under the protection of the Speaker. The SPEAKER stated to Mr. O'Connor, with sorrow, that he was in the constant habit of violating the rules and orders of the House ; and if he persisted, he must receive the Parliamentary censure of being "mentioned by name." Mr. O'Coleson, "in tones and in a manner that must have been distressing to the House," said he had done nothing to hurt Sir Benjamin hall; who, however, had been his enemy in the Committee on the Land scheme. The SrEsxna—" I must now call upon the honourable Member by name. Mr. O'Connor ! (A pause.) If the honourable Member has any apology to make to the House, now is the time to do so." Mr. O'Cosaloir—" I make an apology to the House. I beg the honourable Member's pardon for anything I did to him. You are the best Speaker that ever sat in the chair."

The subject dropped for that day. Next day a repetition of Mr. O'Con- nor's offences against decorum aroused the House to a serious act of self- protection.

.During the proceedings in Committee on the County Election Polls Bill, Mr. O'Connor's vagaries had for some time been a source of annoy- ance. At about three o'clock he took a personal liberty with Captain Fitzroy, slapping him smartly on the back, and snatching a letter out of his hand ; which so incensed Captain Fitzroy that he threatened to knock Mr. O'Connor down if he spoke to him again. Captain Fitzroy's man- ner so alarmed Mr. O'Connor that he hastily left the House. But soon

returning, and taking his seat by Mr. Thomas Duneombe, he became so disorderly in his gestures and language, that Mr. B. Denison touched him

on the shoulder and called his attention to the general cries of "Order?'

Mr. O'Connor instantly put his fist in Mr. Denison's face, or struck his face, or made as if to do so, with such rudeness that general exclama- tions of anger arose from all the Members around; and Mr. DENISON Un- willingly called on the Chairman to prevent such intolerable licence. The Committee suspended itsproceedinge, in order that the Chairman might report the facts to the House. The SrEsEEE having taken the chair, Mr.

Wat.roLn moved that Mr. O'Coeson be ordered to attend in his place. [He had run out just before.] Mr. Jams BELL suggested, that as Mr. O'Connor was evidently labouring under a misfortune, it would be better to refer the case to two medical gentlemen. Mr. DUNCOMBE and Mr. Aou. ONBY also expressed a sorrowful conviction that Mr. O'Connor Was aber-

rant in his intellect ; and they deprecated a course that would be justifiable only to a person who knew the full consequences of his acts. But the ATTOB.NEY-GENERAL and Sir DAVID DITNDAS, with others, expressed a strong opinion that Mr. O'Connor was master of his own acts, and 'mew enough of their consequences to be responsible for them. Mr. ANSTEY suggested a middle course—that Mr. O'Connor be seques- tered from his seat in Parliament

Mr. Weerote felt sure that the House would act humanely as well as justly. By allowing Mr. O'Connor to sit and vote, they had hitherto treated him as a person who knew what he was about. He moved that Mr. Feargus O'Connor be committed to the custody of the Sergeant at Arms, for disorderly conduct and contempt of the House. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON felt it his painful duty to second the motion : Mr. O'Connor's conduct left no doubt in his mind that he was not master of his actions; and that, both for his own safety, and the safety and dignity of the House, they must take that course.

The motion for ordering the attendance of Mr. O'Connor in his place was withdrawn, and the motion for committing him into custody was agreed to. While the discussion was going on, Mr. O'Connor went in and out several times, his conduct continuing highly indecorous. While Mr. Walpole was speaking he entered the last time, and placing himself on the left of the chair, began to talk hi the Speaker. But as soon as he learned the nature of the proposition likely to be carried, he decamped altogether ; taking a glass of brandy at the bar in the lobby, and then making his way by the Members' private passage into Westminster Hall. On the information of some gentlemen who had followed him, the con- stables on duty detained him, and told him that as he would presently be required by the Speaker, he must not quit the House. "He immediately began to howl so loudly and vehemently that a crowd gathered round him." The Deputy-Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Clementson, arrived with the Speaker's warrant, and took him in custody, to the rooms of Mr. Gossett the Assistant-Sergeant. He vented abuse on the Members who crowded to see him there ; calling them roffians, villains, murderers, fee. ; with an accompaniment of strange noises. After an hour's comparative soli- tude, he became calmer, and was removed to the prison-rooms in the upper story of the building, towards the river front. Comm= repozt • says that "for a lone time Mr. O'Connor has been scarcely ever sober." Some of his later escapades were not unattended with danger to Members. On Thursday, Mr. JACOB BELL informed the Speaker, that he had pro- cured an interview with Mr. O'Connor for two medical gentlemen, Mr. Lawrence and Dr. Twecdie ; and both those gentlemen had certified that Mr. O'Connor is insane. Ile had not moved in the matter as Mr. O'Connor's friend, but because he seemed to have no friend.

THE MATHER CORRESPONDENCE.

Copies of the documents which have arisen out of the "Mather case" have been laid before both Houses of Parliament.

Mr. Mather is asked, on the 4th of March, to state what he deemed redress and reparation for the outrage upon his son at Florence. Mr. Mather submitted, that some "marked punishment" should be inflicted on the Austrian officer who cut down Mr. Erskine Mather in the streets of Flo- rence; and he left it to Lord Malmesbury to state what that punishment should be. But, pressed by Lord Malmesbury, who thought "personal reparation" should be obtained, Mr. Mather named 50001. "as what seemed just and proper." At the same time, he entered a strong protest against making it a personal question. Writing to Mr. Scarlett, Lord Malmesbury instructs him to demand reparation ; and then states that the father of Mr. Erskine Mather "is himself inclined to think that the in- jury done to his son might be atoned for by a pecuniary payment " : but he states in the same despatch, that her Majesty's Government consider 5000/. "to be greater than they ought to demand the Tuscan Government to pay" ; and in a subse9nent despatch he again calls that demand "exorbitant." Meanwhile, in an Austrian branch of the correspondence, we have Marshal Radetzky's report on the occurrence ; not supported, he admits, by the evi- dence of the civil bystanders. According to his account, Mr. Mather got between the band of a detachment of the Musky Regiment of Infantry and its commanding-officer, First Lieutenant Forsthiiber; who pressed the young gentleman with the fiat of his sword and then with his left hand. In mov- ing, Mr. Mather accidentally knocked against Lieutenant Baron de Karg, not then on duty ; who struck him with the fist in the face. The English- man turned, in a boxing attitude, against First Lieutenant Forsthliber; who, fearing to be exposed to a dishonouring insult, struck him a blow on the head with the edge of his sabre. The conduct of First Lieutenant Fors- thirber is fully justified ; not so the conduct of Lieutenant Baron de who was put under arrest for a week. And in a despatch to Count Buo Prince Schwarzenberg had expressed his "regret" at the occurrence, and insisted that the officer in fault was not actuated by any animosity to Eng- land.

We revert to the Tuscan branch. The Tuscan Government had pleaded, that it was not responsible for the acts of the Austrian troops : a plea which Lord Malmesbury would not allow, and Mr. Scarlett was instructed to demand 500/. There was a good deal of negotiation going on from the .6th of March to the 9th of April, wb a Mr. Scarlett informed Lord Malmesbury that the matter was settled by his Acceptance of an offer of 1000 franceseoni [2221. 48.] for Mr. Mather, and t s release of the two Stratfords, who lay under sentence of death for politi al conspiracy. Lord Malmesbury wrote on the 21st of May to Sir Henry ladwer, the new Minister at Florence, dis- approving of the arrangement. But the next day, fresh despatches received from the Consul stated that Mr. Scarlett had waived the discussion of prin- ciples, and had consented to receive the offered sum of 1000 francesconi for Mr. Mather, as "an act of generosity" on the part of the Grand Duke. Whereupon Lord Malmesbury, seven days after, wrote three despatches to Sir Henry Bulwer, stating in the first that it was impossible that her Ma- jesty's Government could sanction the surrender of principle, and still less admit that a British subject should be indebted to the Grand Duke for pro- tection; in the second, that, not having read the despatch es, he had only lately become aware of that surrender ; and in the third, that "he had found it necessary to disavow Mr. Se,.arlett's proceedings."