POSTSCRIPT. SATURDAY NIGHT.
Both Houses were hard at work with "business" last night. The House of Lords sat from five o'clock till nine. The Irish Party Pro- cessions Bill, a continuance bill, occasioned some talk ; the Earl of WICKLOW opposing it on committal, as exclusively and therefore un- justly hostile to the Protestants. The Earl of RODEN should have thought it a sop to Cerberus, but that Cerberus was in chains ; and he complained bitterly of penal enactments against the Protestants. [Pe- nal enactments against Protestants! what penal enactments against Catholics remain unrepealed, while a true knight of the Pale whines about this paltry restriction l] The Duke of WELISNGTON took a good many words to say, that he had last year found the law sufficient to check party-demonstrations on all sides, and therefore he would not impair its efficiency. The bill went through Committee, and was re- ported.
The Marquis of NORMANBY moved, " That an humble address be presented to her Majesty relative to the sanatory condition of the peo- ple "; setting forth in his speech the deplorable evils which exist, and blaming the delay of remedies. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH carried on the exposition of the evils, fully admitting them ; promised a volumi- nous report from the Commission to which he belongs, forthwith, and a Government proposition—next session. But, regarding the motion as implying censure of Government, he moved "the previous question"; which was carried. [The usual tale—a Blue Book for today, the sub- stantial deed for "tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow." This subject must be resumed next week.] Several bills were advanced a stage.
The Commons sat from twelve till nine o'clock. Many Members had a few parting words about the Poor-law Amendment Bill, on its third reading—all in rather a conciliatory strain ; and the bill passed. The Savings Bank Bill passed through the Committee : the interest was fixed at 31. 5s., allowing to 31. depositors and Ss. to trustees for management. The Insolvent Debtors Act Amendment Bill was read a first time, to be read a second time on Tuesday ; and many other mea- sures were forwarded. A new writ was ordered for Cirencester, in the room of Mr. Masters, who had accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.
Both Houses adjourned till Monday.