NEWS OF THE WEEK.
AT last the Parliament has been got rid of; not That it has been "dis- solved," or "sent to its great account," as one of our contemporaries suggests, but the members, who have been pent up like schoolboys drawling out an irksome task, are now liberated for the long vacation, and free to follow occupations for which, it must needs be admitted, many of them are better qualified than for the business of law-making.
Previous to the prorogation, a legislative blunder of the House of Lords, which affected the dignity and privileges of the Commons of Great Britain, was to be rectified. Their Lordships passed an act, sent from the Commons, for regulating the employment of children in cotton manufactories ; but they had seen meet to strike out the words "to include," as mere surplusage; and the act, with this amendment, received the Royal Assent, without its having been communicated to the Commons. This error in form seems to have been discovered simultaneously in both Houses ; for the Earl of SHAFTESBURY had just obtained the appointment of a Committee to inquire how the mis- take had occurred, when a message came from the Commons, request- ing, with due formality, a conference on the point,—the SPEAKER having mentioned the circumstance to the House as a "transaction deeply affecting their privileges, and the law of Parliament." The confer - ewe was held: Mr. HERRIES, on the part of the Commons, delivered a document which stated that the Commons, " always desirous of keep- ing up a good understanding with the Lords," had requested the con- ference in order that their Lordships might explain the error. Their Lordships responded, that at "all times they were anxious that the best understanding should exist between the two Houses of Parlia- ment:" the error had arisen from neglect on the part of the officers who had been ordered to carry down the bill, but had forgotten to do so. The explanation was deemed satisfactory by the Commons ; on the motion of Mr. HERRIES, the bill, as amended by the Lords, again went through all its stages, and was passed a second time ; and so this very important matter was settled.
The next and last subject brought before the House of Commons, was a motion by Mr. HUME "for a return of the number of Arch- deacons of the Established Church in each Diocese of England and Wales, showing such as had been resident and non-resident during the whole of the year 1828." The history of the motion is this :—The Bishop of Lincoln has found it necessary to institute some extensive reforms in his diocese : Mr. Wray, a poor curate, held a plurality of livings: he has a wife and thirteen children to maintain : the Bishop saw meet to deprive him of one of the livings, on the ground that it was necessary and proper that his flock in the place where he resided should have double service on the Sabbath. Mr. Wray wrote a pamphlet complaining of the invidious, partial, and oppressive manner in which the Bishop bad thought fit to begin his reforms ; and, on his ONVI1 showing, his case seemed one of considerable hardship,—as he was reduced to an income of about GM a-year to support his very large family. This was the immediate cause of Mr. Hume's motion : tilt facts on which he grounded it were these :— By papers presented in 1814, it appeared, that out of 10,602 beneficet clergymen, only 3,798 were resident ; to which number might be added 1,900 who, though non-resident, did duty. Making some further allowances or various grounds, the result of the whole was, that 4,800 beneficed clergymen did no duty whatever. There were 1,254 benefices in the diocese of Lincoln wich included six counties ; but the Bishdp was himself the Master of College, and was also non-resident. The non-residents by exemption in tha1 diocese were 367; the non.residents by license, 354; and the non-resident without exemption or license, 178. In the whole there were 861 non-resi: dents, who did no kind of duty, and only 628 who resided and did duty.
In answer to Mr. Hume, Mr. Haulms declared that it was nol necessary—in fact it was not proper—that an Archdeacon should re- side among the clergy whose conduct he was to superintend. Ar Archdeacon was in the Church militant what a Staff-officer was in ti k Army—not attached to a particular place, but employed to inspect a district. In reference to the case of Mr. Wray, Mr. Henies showed that the Bishop of Lincoln had acted with perfect uprightness. It Nvw true, Mr. Wray had been deprived of one living, but that living had been conferred upon his son. The fact had also been concealed, that besides his curacy of 601. a year, Mr. Wray holds a living of 4801.; though, from certain peculiarities in the case, it appeals he reaps no advantage from it. This, observed Mr. Irerries, was only one of many' cases of reform which the Bishop of Lincoln had seen meet to intro, duce in his diocese.
Mr. THANT, Mr. C OLAIE LEY, Mr. TENNYSON, and Mr. F. PALMER, all spoke in praise of the Bishop of Lincoln; and Mr. HUME withdrew' his motion.
The formal act of prorogation took place on Wednesday. His Ma- jesty's Commissioners were the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Duke of WELLINGTON, the Earl of Rosstylv, and the Marquis of WINCHES.- TEtt. The Royal Speech was read, as follows, by the LORD CHAN- CELLOR.
"My Lords and Gentlemen—We are commanded by his Majesty, in releas- ing you from your attendance in Parliament, to express to you his Majesty's acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity with which you have appliet yourselves to the despatch of public business, and especially to the considera- tion of those important matters which his Majesty recommended to your at- tention at the opening of the session. His Majesty directs us to inform you, that he continues to receive from his Allies, and from all Foreign Powers, as surances of their earnest desire to cultivate the relations of peace, and main- tain the most friendly understanding with his Majesty. His Majesty laments that he has not to announce to you the termination of the war in the East of Europe ; but his Majesty commands us to assure you that he will continue to use his utmost endeavours to prevent the extension of hostilities, and to pro- mote the restoration of peace. It is with satisfaction his Majesty informs you that he has been enabled to renew his diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Porte. The Ambassadors of his Majesty, and of the King of France, are on their return to Constantinople ; and the Emperor of Russia, having been pleased to authorize the Plenipotentiaries of his Allies to act on behalf of his Imperial Majesty, the negotiations for the final pacification of Greece will be carried on in the name Of the three contracting parties to the treaty of Lon- don. The Army of his Most Christian Majesty has been withdrawn from the Morea, with the exception of a small force destined, for a time, to assist in the estabishment of order in a country which has so long been the scene of confusion and anarchy. It is with increased regret that his Majesty again adverts to the condition of the Portuguese Monarchy. But his Majesty com- mands us to repeat his determination to use every effort to reconcile conflict- ing interests, and to remove the evils which press so heavily upon a country, the prosperity of which must ever be an object of his Majesty's solicitude.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons—His Majesty commands us to thank you for the supplies which you have granted for the service of the year, and to assure you of his Majesty's determination to apply them with every attention to economy.
"My Lords and Gentlemen—His Majesty has commanded us, in conclusion, to express the sincere hope of his Majesty, that the important measures which have been adopted by Parliament in the course of the present session, may tend, under the blessing of Divine Providence, to establish the tranquil- lity and improve the condition of Ireland; and that by strengthening the bonds of union between the several parts of this great empire, they may con- solidate and augment its power, and promote the happiness of his people."
The prorogation is nominally to the 24th of August.
