13thattn mar Vrartrtings inVarliamtut.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE 'WEEK.

Boum or LORDS. Monday, Nov. 15. State Funeral Arrangements ; Committee appointed. Tuesday, 'Nov. 16. Court of Chancery Reforms ; Statement by Lord St. Leonards —Bills of Exchange Bill, received on Monday from the Commons, forwarded through remaining Stages, and passed. Wednesday. Nov. 17. No business of importance.

_Friday, Nov. 19. Sanitary Conference of Paris, and La Plata; Questions by lord St. Germans—Railway Regulations ; Questions by Lord Redesdale—State Funeral; Lord Derby's Thanks to everybody.

Horse or COMMONS. Monday, Nov. 15. State Funeral; Mr. Disraeli's Speech ; Committee appointed—Bills of Exchange Bill, read first, second, and third time, and passed—Queen's Reply to the Address received—Late Hours; Mr. Brotherton's annual Motion rejected, by 260 to 61—East India Company; Committee by Mr. Berries.

Tuesday, Nov. 16. Committee of Supply ; Hr. Wilson Patten appointed Chair- man—Juvenile and Destitute Criminals ; Committee by Mr. Baines.

Wednesday, Nov. 17, Mr. Villiers's Free-trade Motion, on Tuesday the 23d, stated by Mr. Wilson.

Thursday, Nov. 18. Funeral Arrangement explained by Sir Charles Wood. Friday, Nov. 19. Turkish Loan ; Lord Stanley gives information—Railway Amal- gamation; Questions by Mr. Labouchere—Education in Ireland ; Statement by Lord Naas—Convocation ; Mr. Walpole's Explanation—County Franchise ; Bill by Mr. Locke King—The Cape ; Questions by Lord John Russell, answered by Sir John Pakington—Derby Election; Petition informal—Irish Law Reform ; Mr. Whiteside's Bill to amend Common-law Procedure—Call of the House; Mr. Hume's Motion, carried by 147 to 142.

TIME- TABLE.

The Lords.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.

Monday 511 .. 6h 30m Tuesday lb . 7h. 45m Wednesday Noon.,.. 311 Om

-.Thursday Noaitting.

Friday 511 7h Om

Sittings this Week, 4; Tune, Sh 16se Sittings this Week, 4; Time, 10k 45m this Session, 7; — 12k 05m — this Session. 7; — Ilk 41m Our time-table is reckoned from the delivery of the Queen's Speech—the only imiiness at

preceding meetings of the 'Homes haying Seen the administering of the oaths, with the election of the Speaker in the Commons.

FUNERAL or THE Dram or WELL/Norm.

At the sitting of Monday, both Houses agreed to resolutions concurring in the measures ordered by her Majesty for the public interment of Field- Marshal the Duke of Wellington ; and Select Committees were appointed to consider how Parliament could best assist at the ceremony. In the House of Lords, the motion was made by 'the Earl of DERBY without a speech, and agreed to Without comment. In the House of Commons it afforded the CuraccErien of the EXCHRQUI4R an opportunity of deliver- ing an elaborate eulogium, in the following terms- " The House of Commons is called upon tonight to fulfil a sorrowful but a noble duty. It has to recognize, in the face of the country and the civilized world, the loss of the most illustrious of our citizens, and to offer to the ashes of the great departed the solemn anguish of a bereaved nation. The princely personage who has left us was born in an age more fertile of great events than any period of recorded time. Of those vast incidents the meet conspicuous were his own deeds, and these were performed with the smallest means, and in defiance of the greatest obstacles. He was therefore not only a great man, but the greatest man of a great age. Amid the chaos and conflagration which attended the end of the last century there rose one of those beings who seem born teamster mankind. It is not too much to say that Napoleon combined the imperial ardour of Alexander with the strategy: of Hannibal. The kings of the earth fell before his fiery and subtile genius, and at the head of all the power of Europe he denounced destruction to the only land which dared - to be free. The Providential superintendence of this world seems seldom more manifest than in the dispensation which ordained that the French Emperor and Wellesley should be born in the same year ; that in the same year they should have embraced the same profession; and that, natives 'of distant islands, they should both have sought their military education in that illustrious land which each in his turn was destined to subjugate. Dunn' g the long struggle for our freedom, our glory, I may say our existence, 'Wellesley fought and won fifteen pitched bellies, all of the highest class, concluding with one of thew crowning vic- tories which give a colour and aspect to history. During this period, that can be said of him which can be said of no other captain—that he captured three thousand cannon from the enemy, and never lost a single gun. The greatness of his exploits was only equalled by the difficulties he overcame. He had to encounter at the same time a feeble Government, a factious Op- position, and a distrustful people, scandalous allies, and the most powerful, enemy in the world. He gamed victories with starving troops, and carried on sieges without tools ; and, as if to complete the fatality which in this sense always awaited him, when he had succeeded in creating an army worthy of Roman legions and of himself, this invincible host was broken up, on the eve of the greatest conjuncture of his life' and he entered the field of Waterloo with raw levies and discomfited allies. But the star of Wellesley never paled. He has been called fortunate ; for Fortune is a di- vinity that ever favours those who are alike sagacious and intrepid, in-

The Commons.

Hour of Hour of

Meeting. Adjournment.

Monday 4h .... 7h Om Tuesday 411 .... 5h-3 Wednesday Noon .—. 2h Om Thursday No tatting.

Friday 4h .... 7h 15m

Tandy.) and patient. It was his character that created his career. Thk alike achieved his exploits and guarded him from vicissitudes. It was his sublime self-control that regulated his lofty fate. It has been the fashion of late years to disparage the military character. Forty years of peace hare hardly qualified no to be aware how considerable and how complex are the qualities which are necessary for the formation of a great general. It is net enough to say that he must be an engineer, a geographer, learned in hum% nature, adroit in managing mankind ; that he must be able to perform the highest duties of a minister of state, and sink to the humblest offices of aeon. =Beery and a clerk ; but he has to display all this knowledge and he must do all these things at the same time and under extraordinary circumstances. al the same moment he must think of the eve and the morrow—of his flanks and of his reserve; he must carry with him ammunition, provisions, hospitala- he must calculate at the same time the state of the weather and the moral qualities of man ; and all these elements, which are perpetually changing he must combine amid overwhelming cold or overpowering heat, somet.ime: amid famine, often amid the thunder of artillery. Behind all this, too, is the ever-present image of his country, and the dreadful alternative whether that country is to receive him with cypress or with laurel. But all these conflicting ideas must be driven from the mind of the military leader ; for he must think —and not only think—he must think with the rapidity of lightning, for on a moment more or less depends the fate of the fined combination, and on a moment more or less depends glory or shame. Doubtless, all this may be done in an ordinary manner by an ordinary man ; as we see every day door lives ordinary men making successful ministers of state, successful speakers, successful authors. But to do all this with genius is sublime. Doubtless, to think deeply and clearly in the recess of a cabinet, is a fine intellectual demonstration ; but to think with equal depth and equal clearness amid bul- letel is the most complete exercise of the human faculties. Although the military career of the Duke of Wellington fills so large a space in history, it was only a comparatively small section of his prolonged and illustrious life. Only eight years elapsed from Vimiera to Waterloo, and from the date of his, first commission to the last cannon-shot on the field of battle scarcely twenty years can be counted. After all his triumphs he was destined for another career, and, if not in the prime, certainly in the perfection of manhood, he commenced.a civil career scarcely less eminent than those military achieve. meats which will live for ever in history. Thrice was he the Ambassador of his Sovereign to those great historic Congresses that settled the affairs of Europe ; twice was he ,Secretary of State ; twice was he Commander-in- chief ; and owe was he Prime Minister of England. His labours for his country lasted to the end. A few months ago, he favoured the present advisers of the Crown with his thoughts on the Burmese war, ex- pressed in a state paper characterized by all his sagacity and experience; and he died the active chieftain of that famous army to which he has left the tradition of his glory. There was one passage ha the life of the Duke of Wellington which should hardly be passed unnoticed on such an occasion, and in such a scene, as this. It is our pride that be was one of ourselves ; it is our pride that Sir Arthur Wellesley sat upon these benches. Tested by the ambition and the success of ordinary men, his career, here, though brief, was distinguished. He entered Royal coun- cils and held a high Ministerial post. But his House of Commons success must not be measured by his seat at the Privy Council and his Irish Secre- taryship. He achieved a success here which the greatest Ministers and the most brilliant orators can never hope to rival. That was a Parliamentary suc- cess unequalled when he rose in his seat to receive the thanks of Mr. Speaker for a glorious victory ; or, later still, when he appeared at the bar of this House, and received, Sir, from one of your predecessors, in memorable lan- guage, the thanks of a grateful country for accumulated triumphs. There is one consolation which all Englishmen must feel under this bereavement. It is that they Were so well and so completely acquainted with this great man. Never did a person of such mark live so long and so much in the public eye. I would he bound to say that there is not a gentleman in this House who has not seen him ; many there are who have conversed with him ; some there are who have touched his hand. His countenance, his form, his manner, his voice, are impressed on every memory, and sound almost in every ear. In the golden saloon and in the busy market-place he might be alike ob- served. The rising generation will often recall his words of kindness, and the people followed-him in the streets with a lingering gaze of reverent ad- miration. Who, indeed,can ever forget that classic and venerable head, white with -time, and radiant, as it were, with glory ? •• • —Stiliehonis apex, et coguita fulait

Canities

To complete all—that we might have a perfect idea of this sovereign master of duty in all his manifold offices—he himself gave usa collection of adminis- trative and military literature which no age and-no country can rival ; and, fortunate in all things, Wellesley found in his lifetime an historian whose immortal page already ranks with the classics of that land which Wellesley saved. The Duke of Wellington left to his countrymen a great legacy— greater even than his glory. He left them the contemplation of his cha- racter. I will not say his conduct revived the sense of dilly in England. I would not say. that of our country. But that his conduct inspired public life with a purer and more masculine tone, I cannot doubt. His career rebukes restless vanity, and reprimands the irregular ebullitions of a morbid egotism- I doubt not that, among all orders of Englishmen, from those with the 'highest responsibilities of our society to those who perform the humblest duties, I dare say there is not a man who ie his toil and his per- plexity has net sometimes thought of the Duke, and found in his ex- ample support and solace. Though he lived so much in the hearts and minds of his countrymen—though he occupied such eminent posts and fulfilled such august duties—it was not till he died that we felt what a space he filled in the feelings and thoughts of the people of England. Never was the influence of real greatness more completely asserted than on his decease. In an age whose boast of intellectual equality flatters all our .self-cornpla- oencies, the world suddenly acknowledged that it had lost the greatest of men ; in an age of utility, the most industrious and common-sense people In the world could find no vent for their wo and no representative for their sorrow but the solemnity of a pageant ; and we—we who have met hero for such different purposes—to investigate the sources of the wealth of nations, to enter into statistical research, and to encounter each other in fiscal con- troversy—we present to the world the most sublime and touching spectacle that human circumstances can wellproduce—the spectacle of a senate mourn- ing a hero l"

Mr. Disraeli then made the following motion-

" Humbly to thank her Majesty for having given directions for the public interment of the mortal remains of his Grace the Duke of Wellington in Or Cathedral Church of St. Paul ; and to assure her Majesty of our cordial aid and concurrence in giving to the ceremony a fitting degree of soleinnity and importance." Lord Joule Russ= seconded the motion. A Committee was appointed to report as to the part the House should take in the solemnities of Thurs- day.

The House met on Thursday morning at ten o'clock. Sir CltABLEs WOOD, -the Chairman of the Committee, explained the proposed arrange- ment : both Houses to proceed to the City in steam-boats, embarking from

the esplanade of their own Palace ; the Peers to embark first, the Com- mons to follow ; both Houses to disembark at St. Paul's Whar4 to walk thence by Paul's Chain to the Cathedral ; and return to Westminster the same way. Lord Joins Mammas thanked Sir Charles Wood for the pains he had taken. The House then proceeded to embark, in the order determined by lot.

Bums or Exenalfee Bun.

The bill making provision for the payment of bills due on the 18th, the day of the State funeral, passed through the House of Commons on Monday, and the House of Lords on Tuesday ; and on Wednesday received the Royal assent by commission. The bill made bills of exchange due on the 18th presentable and payable on the day before, in the same way as if the 18th were a Sunday; but inasmuch as the Presenting of bills on the 17th might subject payers to certain notarial charges, it was provided that in the event of their meeting their liabilities by two o'clock on the following Friday, those notarial charges should not 'be enforced. Suggestions for making the measure applicable to the country, and for giving power to the Crown to place similar days of solemnity on the same footing, were offered by Mr. MeicoLas and Mr. GLYN.

STIFPLT.

On the order of the day for going into Committee of Supply, on Tues- day, Mr. Hume asked for an estimate of the expenses of the state fune- ral; and he cited the cootie pursued at the funerals of Mr. Pitt and Lord Nelson. The CHANC/H.LOR of the EXCHEQuER said, he had found it quite impossible, under the.prefisure of circumstances, to lay an estimate before the House. Lord DUDLEY SMART protested against this excuse. Mr. CARTER vituperated the whole proceeding, amidst cries of "Oh, oh!" The question having been put and agreed to, the CHANCELLOR of the Exesienuen moved that Mr. Wilson Patten do take the chair. The mo- tion was cheered ; especially commended by Mr. HUME ; and Mr. Patten took the chair.

The paragraph in the Queen's Speech respecting the fine arts was then read; and, after a brief conversation, a motion for a supply, made by the Ciitsreeixon of the Excireastran, was adopted.

CHANCERY REFORM.

The Loan erraticism.= made a long statement on Tuesday, of the steps that had been taken to carry into operation the bills passed last session, and of what further legislation Government had to propose.

Having, with and without the assistance of his learned brethren, issued orders to effect the purposes of those acts, from what he had already seen of their operation, he could assure their Lordships they would "fully effect everything which their Lordships and Parliament had in view." There is now no court in the country in which questions of property will be so rapid- ly decided as there. Besides the general objects of these acts, one crying evil has been remedied, namely, an inconvenience in the period during which an appeal could be made after enrolment. The practice of enrolling mine pro tune, and presenting appeals -fifteen years afterwards, hitherto a common practice, had been done away, and met by orders to this effect. "In the finit place, nobody is to have the right of appeal in the Court of Chan- cery after five years. In the next place, every man is to enrol a decree or order within six months; and after five years have elapsed he is not to be at liberty to enrol at all, except by a special order of the Lord Chancellor himself, so as to meet what may be "a ease sometimes of necessity, yet at the same time to prevent different decisions, and keep the subject closely within the time within which he ought to appeal : therefore there will be a statute of limitations in the court as well as one without the court."

Under the Suitors in Chancery Relief Act, suitors will have fewer fees to pay ; and the whole system has been exceedingly simplified. He entered at great length into the state of the funds, the-nature of the funds out of which the costs of the court are paid, the costs of the administration of justice, and the means by which he hoped still further to seduce those costs. He stated that 9000/. had been thrown upon the funds in the shape of compensation ; and although the fees had been reduced, the expenses had increased. There would be a saving in fees of not leas than 30,000/. to suitors. That in some measure is accounted for by the large sum of 26,0001., the salaries of the Judge!, being transferred to the Consolidated Fund, on the ground that the administration of justice ought to be paid by the-country. And so it ought ; but with this distinction—the costs properly of the administration of jus- tice ought undoubtedly to be paid by the country, but the costs of its admin- istration 'within the court ought not to be paid by the public. Keeping in mind that distinction, he drew attention to the state of -the funds. There are two funds upon -which the Court draws for sums -which it needs: one is called the suitors' fund, the other the suitors fee-fund. The suitors' fund consists of sums of money in court, amounting to upwards of 2,200,0001. not requiring investment ; and thieproduced an income of 111,8431., appropriated to the expenses of the court and the administration of justice. Deducting from this the sum of 43,3201. thrown upon the fund .by Parliament, there re- mains a surplus of 63,5231., which under the Suitors Belief Act was carried over to the fee-fund. This would reduce the amount to be levied upon Bull- ets to 93,927/. The amount of fees levied last year was 133,8421. "The estimated amount, I have :told your Lordships, of the fees this year, is

93,2411. ; that is a saving of 40,6011.; and then there is to be added 3836/. to that for fees hitherto received by the officers fortheir own use, which have been abolished, and which the suitors will not have to pay. That makes a sum 01 44,4391., which will be the saving in the year." Deducting from this the copy-money, hitherto received by the Court, but now left as a matter to be regulated between the clients and their solicitors, there will be a saving in fees of 34,4391. Be then drew attention to the fund under the name and care of the Ac-

countant-General. It amounts to the sum of 48,015,8264 ; a fund fully sufficient for all the claims possible upon it. Be had taken great pains to see whether some arrangement could not be made whereby the suitor might be eased and existing arrangements simplified. In -fact, he hoped, in the transactions of the Accountant-General at the Stock 'Exchange and in the management of the fund, to get rid, as nearly as -possible, of all sales and purchases. With the view of effecting this and meeting all the difficulties, he proposed that the Accountant-General should not go into the market to buy and sell every day, but only to sell so often as he required cash. Upon the whole years transactions, it would .probably be only necessary to sell tome 100,0001., or 200,000/. And to meet the difficulty as to the price of the stock so sold, he proposed to take the averages up to one o'clock, as they are now taken 'by the Bank of England. With respect to the 110,000/. pro- duced by sums not required to be invested, but which the Court did invest, he proposed, "that for the future any unemployed cash shall be laid out by the Court when it is not required to be invested, and the -Court shall have the benefit of that investment for two years, treating the Court as a banker for that purpose; and if at the end of two years there shall be any requisi-

tion to lay out the money, the party entitled shall have the benefit and risk of Past investments as from that day, I believe that that will meet the jus- tice of the ease without any inconvenience." Referring to a retina from

the Accountant-General, showing-the amount of cash standing in his name, which for periods of from ten to fifty years and upwards had not been dealt with, he proposed to bring all those separate accounts together ; many of them relating to unclaimed stook. " The way in which the Court has dealt with them is this. Suppose there has been a sum invested, when the dividends are received they are carried -to the old account. So that if it should ever become a living ac- count by a claim upon it by a person justly entitled, that man will find him original sum, with all the dividends received from time to time added to the sum he would be entitled to receive. But as fast as those dividends Mine in they fall under the head of cash not invested,' and therefore they are invested in a common fund, the produce of which the Court applies to its own purposes. What I propose is this—that to ease the suitors, and only in case of the suitors and for no other purpose t the Lord Chancellor shall himself investigate all the accounts, and shall direct that the dividends aball from time to time, instead of being invested, be applied to the expense -of the administration of justice, so as to relieve the suitors." He was averse to Government putting its hand upon this fund. Continuing his explanations, Lord St. Leonards proposed that -in future Masters Extraordinary in Chancery should be called " country agents to ad- minister oaths in Chancery." He would sweep away the fees on their ap- pointment, and would not place their names In the Gazette. Government had thought it right to issue a new Chancery Commission, -including the former members of the Commission, and adding others ' among them one of the Vioe-Chancellors, and Mr. Rolt, Sir John Dodson, Dr. Lushininon, and Dr. Harding : the object of the Government being not only that the in- quiries already commenced should be-prosecuted, but that there should he an inquiry into the working of the jurisdiction in testamentary matters in her Majesty's different courts. A more extended investigation of the Eaelosisa- tical Courts must follow at no distant period. His next topic was Lunacy. Here he explained at great length the pre- sent machinery at work in matters of lunacy, and specified intended Im- provements. He hoped " to devise a plan which, while it will save the- public from the danger to be apprehended from a person clearly insane being left at large till proper steps can be taken to confine him shall, on the-other hand, involve no danger of the infringement of the liberty of the subject in any way." He proposed to issue a standing Commission in Lunacy. " I propose that in every case there shall be notice given to the person against whom the Commission is to issue, and that he shall be at liberty to require a jury,; and that, unless upon the personal inspection of the Lord Chaneellor himself, he shall be of opinion that his infirmity of mind is so great as -to render him incapable of forming a rational wish; he shall be allowed to have the intervention of a jury. Such an examination by the Lord Chancellor would be analogous to that which he now makes in cases of application for a traverse. I propose that if the -Chancellor sees that a proper case exists for it, he shall direct a jury ; but that if no such requisition is made by the party, or the Lord Chancellor is satisfied, on personal examination, that-it is unnecessary, the Master shall proceed with the inquiry without-a jury— subject, of course, to the right of objection—and that the finding of the Master that the party is insane shall operate as in the case of an inquisition." He would likewise substitute a percentage on the incomes -of lunatics for the fees now paid ; would dispense with all unnecessary appear- ances of the next of kin, and with unnecessary references, by enacting that wherever the Masters are of opinion that if a petition went to the Chancollor he would send it back to them as a matter of course, they shall have power to proceed with the inquiry without any order at all. Further, when the report of a Master is not objected to, that report, instead of being made the subject of a petition which must be heard by the Lord Chancellor in court, shall be transmitted from the offiee of the Master to the Lord Chancellor by the hands of the Registrar. If it is a matter which-requires publics investi- gation, either party may have the right to require it to be so insestigated. With respect to poor lunatics dying in the possession of property, he pro- posed to leave that property untouched until it was taken out of court, -and then only to charge a small percentage on it. In concluding this division of his great subject, he said that one of the proposed amendments to Lord Shafteebury's Act would give the Commissioners power to visit Bethlehem Hospital. The Bankruptcy-laws next came under review. As to official assignees, he proposed to adopt one scale of charges binding upon all the Bankruptcy Commissioners ; to suspend the appointment of any assignee which behig left vacant would enable the other official asaignees to obtain sufficientremu- nemtion. Probably also some system may be adopted by which -the -number of Commissioners in the country may be gradually reduced. The system of awarding first-class certificates only when a trader has become bankrupt from unavoidable losses,—a system which made it incumbent on the Com- missioners to inquire into the private affairs of the bankrupt,—he thought was objectionable, as it keeps really honest persona out of the court, -who feared the stigma of the lower certificates. "I propose to repeal so much of the act as gives the Commissioners power to inquire into any ingredient of the Bankruptcy except whether it has arisen from unavoidable misfortune." Instead of giving certain powers of the Court of Chancery to the County Courts, as proposed by Lord Brougham, he would give them, under certain conditions, to the Court of Bankruptcy. 'With respect to the relation between the bar and the solicitors the Lord Chancellor spoke as follows. "Solicitors are now permitted to appear as-ad- vocates before the Commissioners of Bankruptcy. I propose to put the same restriction as is now put upon attornies under the County Courts Act ; 'that is, my Lords, I object to what are called attorney-advocates. I do not ob- ject to a man's solicitor arguing his case for him ; but I do object to an at- torney being turned into a barrister and acting as an advocate. I desire to see the profession stand upon its proper basis. I wish the barrister not to trench upon the province of -the attorney, nor the attorney upon -the pro- vince of the advocate. Depend upon it, my Lords, if -the system which

has so long prevailed be broken in upon, great evils will ensue. 'Whe- ther in any respect it will tend to elevate the character of the bar, remains to be determined ; but, at any rate, there must be equality. It so happened last year, that in the difference of opinion which prevailed among my noble and learned friends, it virtually fell to my lot to remove the prohibition which formerly existed against counsel acting as enemies ; but while I did so, I took care expressly to state that I gave that vote upon the distinct statement that enemies had threatened the bar that if they took business in -County Courts they should not have business elsewhere. I meant to leave it, therefore, to the honour of the bar to act as they have always acted ; not intending to open the door at all unlese there be an absolute ne- cessity for it, to the practice of banisters acting without the intervention of solicitors,a practice, in thy eyes, highly objectionable, and one which I should be the last person to countenance. Any such -serious change inthe long-established usage of the bar ought at any rate to be made with the con- currence of a large majority ; but I entirely object to any small number, or

even to any considerable number, taking upon themselves to act contrary to

the general rule of the profession, which has been established for so long a period. My Lords, the bar at the present moment is in a state of transition ;

and I would recommend everybody having any voice or any influence in this matter to consider where, if you lower the station or smeition Of the bar, you are to look for learned persons to fill your benches and canyon the admiruss

tzation of justice. You cannot expect that a man will dedicate a long life to the labours of the bar without some hope of reward." At the close of his speech, Lord St. Leonards announced that Govern- ment do not intend to propose any 'change in the County Courts ; and that it intends to proceed with the Criminal Law Digest upon the basis of existing reports. Lord Bitounnam expressed great though in some points qualified satis- faction at the propositions of the Lord Chancellor ; and stated that he in- tends to submit a bill on the administration in the Bankruptcy Courts, and one for extending the jurisdiction of the County Courts.

Mn. Vers.rons's MOTION.

After some anxious inquiries by Mr. DISRAELI at different sittings, the terms of the resolution to be moved by Mr. Charles Villiers, on Tuesday the 23d, were, in his absence, stated as follows, by Mr. Wer..sow, on Wed- nesday.

"That it is the opinion of this House, that the improved condition of the country, and particularly of the industrious classes, is mainly the remit of recent commercial legislation, and especially of the act of 1846, which esta- blished the free admission of foreign corn; and that that act was a wise, just, and beneficent measure. "That it is the opinion of this House, that the maintenance and further extension of the policy of Free-trade, as opposed to that of Protection, will best enable the property and industry of the nation to bear the burdens to which they are exposed,and will most contribute to the general prosperity, welfare, and contentment of the people.

"That this House will be ready to take into its consideration any mea- sures consistent with the principles of this resolution which may be laid be- fore it by her Majesty's Ministers."

NOCTURNAL LEGISLATION.

In making his annual motion to restrict Members from proceeding to business after twelve o'clock at night, Mr. Bearnawroli advanced the usual arguments. Mr. Ewe= seconded the motion. Debating after twelve o'clock, he said, is bad for the country, bad for the Members of the House, and bad for the sanitary regulations of her Majesty's do- minions. Mr. WILLIAM WILLI A MR and Mr. HUME spoke on the same side.

The Cue/fez/mon of the EXCHEQUER thought the question ought to be left to that indefinable but all-omnipotent influence—the good taste and good feeling of the House of Commons. That would accomplish more than rigid rules ; which would be impracticable with the amount of busi- ness now performed. Lord joint Itussem, thought it would be necessary to alter all their rules if they adopted the proposition. The present mode of carrying on the business would not be improved by it. Sir W

JT.T.T&M

CLAY also opposed the motion.

On a division, the numbers were—for the motion, 64; against it, 260. Majority agamet, 196.

THE QUEEN'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.

Mr. FORESTER appeared at the bar of the Commons on Monday, and stated that having presented to the Queen the Address of the House in answer to the Speech from the Throne, her Majesty had been pleased to direct him to read the following gracious reply— "I have received with satisfaction the loyal and dutiful address of my faithful Commons, and I rely with confidence on their cooperation with me in the endeavour to promote the welfare of all classes of my subjects."

INDIAN GOVERNMENT. • On the motion of Mr. HERMES, the Select Committee on India' was reappointed. The Committee consists of thirty-one Members ; and as five who sat on the preceding Committee were not available, Mr. Macaulay, Mr. E. Ellice, Mr. B.. Cobden, and Lord Palmerston, were appointed in ..their stead.

Biirrisit SUBJECTS Annexe,.

Mr. Hintz, on Tuesday, asked whether any inquiry had been instituted into the complaints of Mr. Henry Robert Newton, who in June last was arrested in Verona, imprisoned, and treated with great indignity and all explanation then and there refused ; and whether any apology or expla- nation had been offered by the Austrian Government? Lord STANLEY replied, that Mr. Newton was arrested while sketching the fortifications ; and as Verona was in a state of siege, there was no pe- culiar hardship in that. The authorities had ordered that if nothing tending to criminate him were found on his person, he should be set at liberty. Those others were not obeyed. Nothing was found to criminate

"When the search concluded, it was late in the evening ; and by the gross neglect of duty of the officer of police in whose charge Mr. New- ton was, instead of releasing him when nothing was discovered against him, he detained him all night, and did not liberate him until the fol- lowing morning. Mr. Newton unfortunately did not immediately pro- ceed to put the case in the lands of our Consul-General at "Venice, but preferred applying for redress without any application to him. He did not succeed in obtaining any satisfactory explanation and having so failed, he then put his case into the hands of Mr. Dawkins, our Consul at Venice. who took it up with great energy and zeal. Shortly afterwards, complaints were made by Sir William Newton, the father of the complainant ; and a letter was written by him, dated 16th July, stating the particulars of the case. Immediately on that letter being received, steps were taken to inquire into the particulars of the case, and a full account of the circum- stances as they occurred was sent to Lord Westmoreland. An inquiry was instituted, and there being discrepancy between the different accounts, a correspondence of some length took place : but the end of that corre- spondence has been, that a full and ample expression of regret has been obtained from the Austrian Government, accompanied by a promise that, in future all efforts shall be employed to prevent British travellers from being ill-treated in a similar manner, and that the regulations in force in Austria shall be carried out with no unnecessary hardship. That expression of opinion having been obtained—the original charge of misconduct having been against a subordinate officer, and the promise I have mentioned having been obtained from the Austrian Government—it was the opinion of her Majesty's Government that, under the circumstances, nothing more could be required."

TRADE WITH FRANCE.

In reply to Mr. LIDDILLL, who asked a question respecting the lowering of duties levied on English coal in France, Lord STANLEY stated that Ministers thought the coal-duties had better not be made a separate sub- ject of negotiation. Communications on the subject had passed between the two Governments ; and both Governments were favourabl7 disposed "to making considerable modifications in the present international com- mercial system."