NEWS OF THE WEEK.

GAIN' it becomes our thankless office to report that the progress f the House of Commons in the real business of the session has een almost inappreciable. The chief part of Monday and Tues-

ay was devoted to a continuation of the wearisome wrangle on ivilege ; on Wednesday, Members did little, and went away early; nd on Thursday there was " no House" at all. Six weeks of he session have passed, with scarcely a tangible result save the

oval marriage-settlements. The principal achievement of our epresentatives has been the imprisonment of two innocent per- ons—one a mere boy, son of STOCKDALE'S attorney, and the other copying-clerk—who rendered themselves obnoxious to the dis- leasure of the house by obeying the lawful commands of their

mployer. The boy, too, could plead a father's as well as a master's rder in extenuation of his breach of privilege. But such is the ardship to which the People's House is driven in this contest with he tribunals of justice, that, instead of affording protection to the o;nred, it must inflict pcnaltios on indivi‘ioals fir thg performance of mignon duties. Granting that Parlisaramt ougig, 19 possess all lc

kilns, and will succeed in maintaining its assorted privilege against

the Courts, who can look with satisfitction on a victory obtained by such means ? Will it increase the rapidly-diminishing respect for the popular branch of the Legislature ? Members should know that the great body of the people care very little about the ques- tio: of privilege, which they have not taken pains to understand ; but their sense of justice is offended by the commitment to prison of persons in the situation of the attorney's son and clerk.

Lord JOIIN ItrssEm. appears to have again changed his mind as to the best mode of maintaining the privileges of Parliament. Ile

now doubts the policy of a declaratory bill, which the Lord Chan- cellor recommended. He is, apparently, afraid of the Tory Lords and lawyers; and therefore advises the continuance of commit-

ments. Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE suggested a conference with the Lords to ascertain whether they would join in a legislative act for mutual protection ; but his sensible proposition found little favour in the House.

There is nothing to prevent the multiplication of these actions against the lam:runs as long as solicitors can be found willing to incur the hazard for the remuneration and notoriety the business affords. But if no fresh action be commenced there will be a pause in the proceedings till the conuneneement of next term. Mm'.

Justice WILLIAMS, on the application of the Under-Sheriffs, has postponed the execution of the writ of inquiry in STOCKDALE'S fifth action, to the fourth day of Easter term—the 18th of April.

It appears that had this application been refused, the Under- Sheriff would have executed the writ on Thursday, and been trans- ferred with little delay to the Honourable House's cells. He must

have remained in durance till the eommencement of Easter term—

the earliest time when, according to the rules, an application for protection could be made to the Judges. It is therefore to save the officer from it long imprisonment, that the execution of the writ has been deferred; for, as Justice WiragAsts remarked, the question is only staved off, not decided. Surely, part of the in- terval may be employed by the House of Commons in preventing the necessity of renewing these odious proceedings—fit only for a rude age or a revolutionary crisis.

On looking over our memoranda of the Parliamentary sayings and doings, we have difficulty in selecting any other subject for

notice in this place. Mr. Sergeant TALI-wan has carried the

second reading of his Copyright Bill ; but the battle must be tbught in Committee. Mr. PAIUNGTON was foiled on a point of form in his endeavour to legislate for beer. houses. llis, it may be re- marked, is the only attempt the session has yet produced to put down Chartism. Mr. PAKINGTON is of opinion that the discontent

of the working classes is closely connected with the consumption of cheap malt liquor, and therefore he prormses to raise the price of beer-house licences. IIe may succeed in ejecting the working-men from their places of meeting anti refreshment ; but that he will make them more loyal and contented members of society by limit- ing their enjoyments, is not likely.

Bishop Pinerorrs continues to fire away at Socialism : but it strikes us that this bugaboo has already lost much of its terrifying power ; and we expect that the Owenitcs will soon relapse into the obscurity from which the over-zealous Churchman has raised them for a season.

Lord DENMAN ;" an alteration in the law for preventing, " frivolous suits ; which would affect actions for libel, among a. great variety of others. In cases of an award of damages of less than forty shillings, his Lordship's bill would allow no costs, unless the Judge should certify that the real question was one of right, and that heavy damages were not sought by the plaintiff, carrying as an incident heavy costs to his probable prompter, the attorney. A motion by Lord SruANGronn for the production of certain confidential communications to the Treasury from the Revenue Board and time Board of Trade, on the subject of inland ware- housing, gave Lord CLARENDON an opportunity of displaying very serviceable qualities as a debater. Ile stated the official objections to the motion with much adroitness and effect ; while Lord MEE- murex]: only delivered a ludicrous lamentation on the mischiefs of . publicity,—a man cannot write a letter now, said the poor Premier, but it gets into the newspapers or is read in the House!