NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Discussions on two petitions arose. The first petition was presented by Sir ROBERT INGLIS, from two parishes in Lancashire, praying that " Protestant soldiers might be emancipated." His wish was that they should not be compelled to attend the superstitious worship of Roman Catholics in foreign countries ; and he quoted the old story of two officers having been dismissed from the garrison of Malta, because they refused to fire a salute on the eve of some Saint's day. Mr. TRANT complained of the " consciences" of our soldiers being forced. Sir H. HARUINGE explained, that the officers in question had been dismissed, not for showing their Protestant hatred of Catholic cere- monies, but for disobedience to the orders of their commanding officer. If a Catholic soldier refused to fire a salute on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, what would Sir Robert Inglis say ? Sir Jomv SE- BRIGHT and Sir M. W. RIDLEY agreed that a soldier's duty was to obey his orders, and not to reason on their fitness.

Mr. SADLER presented the other petition. It was from Blackburn, and complained of distress • on which, together with the duty of the Government and Parliament, and the apathy of both, he as aforetime expatiated. Colonel SIBTHORP, Mr. HUSIE, and Mr WESTERN, thought the House should not adjourn till they had done something to satisfy the people that they were not inattentive to their complaints.

Mr. A. BARING thought that the distress was subsiding. If Mr. Sadler had a remedy, why did he not bring it forward, instead of blaming the Government, which made no such professions.

Sir H. VYVYAN complained, that after his first motion on the state of the country had been dropped from there being " no House," the members preferred attending Epsom races to their business as legisla- tors, and prevented him from renewing it. He attributed much of the suffering to the repeal of the small-note bill. If the harvest should prove deficient, and the currency of the country leave it, he would not answer for the distress that was likely to come.

Mr. PEEL had hopes that the distress would pass away more spee- dily than was anticipated. The assertion of one gentleman, that the capital of the country was diminishing, Mr. Peel answered by a simple and striking fact,—namely, that the taxable rental of Lancashire had increased in thirteen years from three to four millions, or 33 per cent, He could not allow that our commerce was carried on by the applica- tion of capital from which the capitalist received no return : such might be the case for a single year ; but when he heard the same thing stated for eight or ten years, his answer was, that under such circumstances the capital would be withdrawn.

Mr. ATWOOD thought it a reproach to the House that they had done nothing ; and the people would he led to conclude that they were in- competent to the purposes of legislation. Mr. MAXWELL would have property taxed higher, and the labouring classes less. Mr. ROBINSON and General GASCOYNE alluded to the depressed state of the shipping interest, as an evidence of the decayed state of our commerce. Mr. D. W. HARVEY and Mr. MABERLY were of opinion that a substantial diminution of the taxes was a certain measure of relief. It was folly, said Mr. Harvey, to suppose that the business of the country could not be carried on at a less expense than eighteen millions. All our insti- tutions were marked by extravagance. We must either reduce our taxation or augment our eurrency.

Mr. HusitissoN observed, that there was certain evidence that both our foreign and home trade had materially increased ; and with regard to the shipping interest, in particular, it was notorious that the ship- builders had been constantly adding new merchant-vessels to those

already in existence.

Sir G. PHILLIPS was certain that the resources of the country were adequate to carry them through every difficulty. The removal of the East India monopoly would greatly extend our cotton manufactories. To this Mr. SADLER replied, that they might open markets in the East or in the West, or even in the moon, still the evil would not be remedied if the labouring classes were not better protected.

Here ended, it is likely, the last discussion for the session on the state of the country. The remainder of the sitting was taken up in presenting other petitions ; and in moving for papers of different kinds.

The Lords sat on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Mr. Peers Police Bill has been carried through all its stages, and now awaits the Royal sanction.

In a passing conversation on the Game Laws, Lord WITARNCLIFFE expressed a hope that Ministers would take up the question next year, as one of police. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY thought there could be little hope of that, since the Duke of 'Wellington had voted in the majority of two against the last Bill.

The Reciprocity Treaties were vindicated by Lord GODERICH ; who showed, that more shipping had been built and employed in trade, since the passing of them, than at any previous period. The Duke of WELLINGTON concurred in this ; and papers were ordered to confirm the statement.

Their Lordships' Committee have been much occupied with the London Bridge Bill ; a care which, according to one oracle, presses even upon the Royal breast, and retards the rising of Parliament!* The City of London is said to have made out a very good case ; the Committee nevertheless, duly impressed with late lessons in economy, are reluctant to grant the money required to finish the structure.

" It is indeed well known that the Bing, in his paternal goodness, feels such an inte- rest upon this subject (highly important as it is to the convenience of the inhabitants of the metropolis), that he has expressed to the Duke of Wellington his most earnest desire that Parliament may continue to sit until the Bill shall have passed into a law. It is with reference to the Royal wish thus so laudably signified to Ministers, that the House of Commons has further adjourned to Friday next, to give full time to the Lords to accomplish the desired object; and the prorogation cannot consequently take place before Tuesday se'nnight, the 23d inst."—Morning Post; June 13.