POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY.

In the House of Commons, last night, on the motion for going into Com- mittee of Supply, Mr. CHRISTY drew attention to the grant of Vancouver's Island to the Efudson's Bay Company; strongly condemning it, and de- manding that the completion of the transaction should be delayed, at least until serious charges against the Company should have been refuted. Mr. Hawgs defended the grant, mainly on these grounds— It was necessary to colonize Vancouver's Island, lest others—the Americans— should do so; it is so remote that it could not be colonized from this country; the

Hudson's Bay Company bad made the only offer to colonize it; and the charges against the administration of the Company, made by Mr. Isbester, a native of Ru- pert's Land, had been examined by Lord Elgin, (on whom the conduct of the Com-

pany had made a favourable impression,) and are to be examined on the spot—by a Governor under the Company, he admitted, but then the gentleman also holds a commission under the Queen, and therefore is not likely to be influenced by his ap- pointment under the Company. To this speech Mr. GLADSTONE replied, with a further exposure of the transaction; in which, he said, the noble Lord at the head of the Colonial Office had gone astray more signally than in any other instance which Mr. Gladstone could recollect in the Colonial administration of this country.

All experience confirms Adam Smith's dictum—" of all expedients than can be contrived to stint the growth of a new colony, that of an exclusive company is the most effectual"; and there never was an instance in which the evils of mo-

nopoly had such rank development as in the ease of the Hudson's Bay Company. The greatest doubts attach to the Company's title and its right to the inordinate

powers purporting to be granted by its charter: Mr. Bancroft, Sir Vicary Gibbs,

Sir Arthur Pigott, Mr. Sergeant Spanlde, and Mr. Brougham, concurred in holding the charter to be cab initio null and void. As a fur-trading company, anxious

for the growth and diffusion of fur-bearing animals, it interests are op- &ea to the settlement of lands. It has prevented whale-fishing in Hudson's Day, and two ships sent out for that purpose were sank. Its officers, apparently materials for a first settlement, have become, in the words of Captain Willis, mere pliant vassals under the arbitrary rule of the Company. In 1811, six members of the Company memorialized the Government against that settlement, on the distinct principle that colonization is adverse to the fur trade; and there can be no doubt that the dissentients had more or less cognizance of the sanguinary Indian attack on the Red River settlement. Mr. Lsbister did not prefer the charges against the Company as an individual, but as representative of 1,000 settlers; and

among the charges was that of inflicting capital punishment without trial! The Company levies taxes of its own authority. Consumption of spirits has inordi- nately increased within its territory. To such a company, which has extinguished the elements of free government, the Government is granting the prospective right to an island that will become of the greatest importance. Mr. CHARLES BuLLEa and Lord Jostx RUSSELL reiterated the Govern- ment defence; mainly insisting on the necessity of promptly settling the

Island, and deprecating that discussion as coming upon Ministers and

the House without notice or preparation. A strong feeling against the transaction was exhibited by Mr. Pilaus. 'TOWARD, Mr. WYLD, Mr. GOULBURN, Mr. DUNCAN, and Mr. Hines; and Mr. Hume made a motion for an address to the Crown against the grant. But Members [sick of the ses- sion, and anxious to get over the Supply business] voted for going into Committee, by 76 to 58.

Lord MELGUND had previously moved a resolution against the Ministerial plan of education in Scotland, as tending to encourage sectarianism while it sets aside local government. Ministers defended the plan, but promised to consider the subject; and the motion was not pressed.

In reply to various questions, Sir Gitonon GREY said, it was n tended that transportation to Van Diemen's Land should be resurned aid\ carried on as it had existed before• to resort to the system of Chained • • ' gangs; or to make Van Diemen's Land a general receptacle for convicts, before their being distributed in other colonies. But regulations were in progress, of the effect of which he could not now precisely speak. Anil Mr. Hawes said, that he hoped early in the next session to lay on the table of the House a bill establishing a constitution in the Australian Co- lonies.

A vast amount of other business was transacted; but none that needs special mention in our crowded space.

In the other House, Lord Bnotionam moved for a copy of an Austrian despatch in reply to Lord Palmerston, dated 27th September 1847, and avowing an intention not to interfere obstructively with the reforms in Italy. The Marquis of Laissnowwis met the motion with an intima- tion that it would not be opposed; but did not succeed in preventing Lord BROUGHAM from making his attack on the notion of a federal go- vernment in Italy, Charles Albert, the Parisians as contradistinguished from the French, &c. He pronounced "the Austrian yoke, as it was called, to be really a Messing to the Lombardians; for Austria annually expended 2,600,000L—equal to '5,000,000/ in this country—on public establishments, principally schools, in Lombardy"(!) The motion was agreed to.