POSTSCRIPT.
SAT1TRDAY AFTERNOON.
The House of Commons met at four o'clock. Some amusement was caused by the difficulties which Members felt in reference to their seats, not knowing exactly to which side they belonged. The Conservative party, however, occupied the Ministerial side of the House, their suc- cessors not yet being ready to take their places.
After a host of private bills had been read a third time and passed, Mr. DISRAELI made this statement—" I think it but respectful to the House personally to announce what every gentleman present no doubt is per- fectly cognisant of, that, in consequence of the vote which the House a week ago was pleased to arrive at, Lord Derby and his colleagues felt it their duty to tender the resignation of their offices to her Majesty. Her Majesty was graciously pleased to accept the same, and now we hold our offices, as we have for some days past, until our successors are appointed. I may also state that the noble Lord (the Member for Tiverton) has re- ceived her Majesty's commands to form an Administration, and I have reason to believe that the noble Lord has accomplished that task. Under these circumstances, I believe it would be for the convenience of the noble Lord and the House if I move that the House at its rising do adjourn until Tuesday next. I fix Tuesday, because that is the last day on which elec- tion petitions can be received. If any further adjournment be then neces- sary, those who succeed us in office will have an opportunity of pro- posing it."
The motion was agreed to. Some further business was done. Petitions were presented against the returns for the following places—Athlone, Weymouth, Aylesbury, Maidstone, Norwich, Beverley, North Leicester, Preston, Clare,
(County), Berwick, and Limerick. Mr. SOTIIERON ESTOOLTRT moved the second reading of the Criminal Justice Middlesex (Assistant Judge) Bill. He said the sole object of it was to raise the salary of the assistantducler from 12001. to 15001. a year, on condition that he should give up all his private practice. The profession was in favour of the proposal, which would tend to promote the independence of the bench. Mr. W. WIL- LIAMS opposed the increased salary. Mr. Locas Kara said it was a bill of great importance, and he thought it should be brought under the no- tice of the new Government. He moved as an amendment that the de- bate be adjourned for a fortnight. Sir JOHN SHELLEY seconded the amendment.
After some discussion, the amendment was negatived without a divi- sion, and the bill was read a second time.
The House adjourned after sitting an hour.
The House of Lords was full of Peers anxious to hear the explanations of the late and the statements of the present Ministers.
The Earl of DERRY, moving the adjournment of the House to Tuesday next, observed that after the vote of the House of Commons on a recent occasion, when almost every member of that House was present, and the result of which was, that the majority of the House had expressed a want of confidence in her Majesty's Government, it became impossible for him to hold office any longer. He had therefore tendered the resignation of Ministers to the Queen. That tender had been accepted, and they held office only until their successors were appointed. He was happy to say that the arrangements for the formation of a new Ministry were nearly completed; and he assured his noble friends opposite that ho should in- dulge in no factious opposition, but give the new Government a general support whenever he could do so consistently with a due regard to his own principles. He regretted extremely to observe that on Monday last an account of the interview which took place between her Majesty and Earl Granville had been published in the Times newspaper, and he could only suppose that the report in question was an entire fabrication, or that there had been some violation of official decorum, inasmuch as the noble Earl was the only person present besides her Majesty and the Prince Consort on that occasion.
Earl GRANVILLE reserved his explanation of the policy of the new Government until a future day, and expressed his regret at the breach of confidence which had led to the publication in the Times of what occurred at his interview with her Majesty before it had been brought before Par- liament in a regular manner.
After a few words from Lord Ram:Guest in reference to the foreign policy of the country, the House adjourned shortly before six o'clock.
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