NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Tnz subjects that have occupied the attention of Parliament this week have been sufficiently miscellaneous,—Cholera, and Suttees ; the Scotch Rioters, and the Irish Yeomanry ; the trade to China, and the Coal-tra(le ; fraudulent debtors, and official salaries ; Irish Reform, Scotch Reform; Newtownbarry ; Stamping of Muskets ; and vat-ions other particulars, "too tedious to mention"—not forgetting the never-tohe-forgotten Estimates. A bill to suppress Canine Madness has been introduced, under the appropriate patronage of Alderman Wool) and Mr. O'Coliwzr.r.,. Captain GORDON, Sir HENRY HARDINGE, and Sir CHARLES WETHERELL have discussed at great length a few of the recently-published works of Mr. C ARL I LE , Mr. HETHERINGTON, and J. B. LORIMER, Eq. touching the downfal of the Church, the establishment of a Republic, and other small matters. Where these pious and patriotic members got hold of the papers with which they have so edified the House and the public, we do not know. Perhaps, as Dr. PARR bought MEURSIUS for the elegance of his Latinity, Captain GORDON subscribes-to HETHERINGTON for the purity of his English.

The House of Peers has been moderate in its sittings,. and (with the exception of the Marquis. of LONDONDERRY, who will now -and ' then display his meekness) also in its debates. . The House of Commons has shown symptoms of a return to its old custom of sitting late as well as doing nothing. On Thursday, the members were kept until three o'clock discussing the motion of Alderman WOOD, for which the worthy Alderman had not even taken-the trouble to procuree-a seconder. Mr:. HUNT has been enjoying himself during the week ; he has .abused Ministers,- abused • Very specially the Bill, abused Lord GREY, abused Mr. O'CoNNELL—whom he insinuated he would challenge had it not been for O'CoNNELL's vow, abused Priscian mpst scandalously, abused finally, beyond all possibility of endur- ance, the patience of the House as well as the courtesy of the Speaker. The honourable member has been ably seconded and defended by Mr. G. DAWSON ; between whom and Mr. ItuNr,' an intimacy,. founded on the idem velle et nolle, has for some time past been growing up, which promises soon to ripen into a firm friendship, as honourable to the parties as it is edifying to the public. Ministers go on smoothly, and With very little opposition, and not much cavilling. The Scotch Bill did not elicit on its introduction last night a single remark even from Sir GEORE CLERK. Next week will be one of real business, and, it may be, of real debate,—that is, if Sir ROBERT PEEL can get his troops to muster.

.1. Tull ESTIMATES. The Ordnance Estimates were considered, in a Committee of Supply, on Monday, and agreed to Mr.H unix observing, that the present vote was a mere matter of form,. and that a more fitting opportunity of discussing it would occur on its, presentation. It: was stated by Mr. TENNYSON, that the rule agreed on in filling up vacancies had been rigidly adhered to ; and further improvements were in contemplation, • by which- • fiddi. tional saving would be effected. Sir H. HARDINGE having dinned for the former Board an equal zeal for retrenchment with the present, -Mr. TENNYSON and Colonel MABERLY bore testimony to is. efficiency and eCononty. • Mr. Hurrr expressed surprise to see these estimates pass nem. con. in _silence.

The great Cerbeius of the public money had, on this occaiicin,. been sleeping :0 his post. Ile knew not why_ he should do so.

Mr. Huiaz'said, he had already given a sufficient reason why he did not make any opposition to these estimates, and the observa- bops, °tithe member for Preston were net of sufficient importance to make him repeat it

'

The only way of deciding the point at issue between the late and the present Government was, by calling for the return Of the number of ap- pointments made by each.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved for 32,000 men for the next thirteen lunar months for the service of the Navy.

Sir GEORGE CLERK said, that by the discharge of the Coast Blockade, smuggling would be increased, and the saving of 70,000/. thereby effected Would be the cause of an additional charge in the Customs department of 150,000/. The number of men moved for was nominally the same as before ; but taking into account the Coast Blockade, now thrown into it, the number was 2,700 greater. Sir George complained that the Blockade men should have been discharged while the fleet at Portsmouth was incapable of going to sea from want of men. Sir JAMES GRAHAM replied, that the Board of Customs consi- dered the present system to be more effectual than the former ; it was they who stated the savinv at 70,000/. Of the Coast Blockade it had been found, that only 8'00 were able seamen, though 2,400 had been paid as able. When he Came into office, the number of men borne on the books was 30,967 ; it was now 30,007 ; from this would in a I,nv weeks be deducted the crew of the Britannia, nearly 1,000 more. This was nearly 2,000 fewer men than the vote ; whereas the former Administration had always more men than were voted, and paid them from monies voted for other purposes,

Mr. LEADER suggested that in future there should be a naval station in Ireland.

On the grant for timber, Sir JAMES GRAHAM having, in reply to a question from Mr. HUME, stated that the ships were detained at Spithead for want of seamen, a conversation ensued on Naval Punishments.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM admitted that it was incumbent to render the Kings service in every respect as agreeable as possible.

A regulation had been drawn up by the late Admiralty,. to the effect that every captain should, in his report of punishments, not only state the punishment inflicted, but also the evidence taken to prove the offence for which it was inflicted. He had carried that regulation one step fur- ther; for he had established a board of six persons at the Admiralty, who reviewed these reports every fortnight. The effect was that every officer felt his responsibility increased, as he knew that his judgment on his men must undergo an instant review at the Admiralty.

By way of encouraging good behaviour, the Preventive Service had been-transferred from the Navy Board to-the Admiralty, and -- none but seamen who had received certificates of good behaviour would be in-future employed in-it. From that class also it was meant as far as possible to select tide-waiters, and other officers of the Customs. These regulations, he trusted, would go far to ren- der impressment and punishment in future unnecessary. Mr. CaOR-za complained of the form of the accounts according • to which the Estimates were made out. He also complained of an Admiralty order, by which officers wishing to attend the King's levees must obtain permission from the Admiralty: he maintained that a military officer—the Secretary to the Admiralty—had no power to isine such an order. He afterwards said he would bring forward a motion on the subject. Sir JArais- GUAR/int thought no doubt could be entertained of the powers of the Secretary in respect to officers on full-pay. The - question of his authority over half-pay officers, he would discuss when,Mr. Croker brought forward his motion. To another observation of Mr. CROKER, Sir JAnnis explained, that the tonnage lately taken up 'by Government had respect to the quarantine regulations only. . -Mr. HUME and Mr. CROKER commented on the useless expense of- the Slave-trade Preventive squadron on the African coast. Mr. CROKER thought the existence of a .naval force there, only augmented the evils of the traffic to the objects of it.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM said, it was chiefly carried on under the French flag; and negotiations were now going on with that min- 7 try,' by which it was hoped.that it mightat length be effectually,

suppressed. ,

In the course of this discussion, Mr. CROKER referred to a re. port of Cholera in the West of Ireland. Sir JAMES GRAHAM saki, ' there was no foundation for the rumour. The distress was yielding to the means employed to relieve it ; and the' concomitant diseases were also passing away. A conversation Of some length, and of deep importance, on the - question of the vote for the Irish Yeomanry, took place." Mr.' O'CoNivzia. spoke strongly against their continued employ nient If it were necessary to have a military force to carry the law into effect in Ireland, it would, he contended, be much the.. wiser and better plan to employ the regular -troops for .that pur- pose. :After alluding to the • Castle Pollard case, and the conduct of the police there, Mr. O'Connell said— The Yeomanry were a party. force ; and from want of discipline, and - their readiness to shed blood, they were the most objectionable that could be kept up:. For proof of their party-spirit and their readiness to shed blOcid, he need not go beyond the fact, that for Many years there had not it'Ist or a 12th of July passed without the loss of two or three lives by their hands. ,If the most malicious, ingenuity were to exert itself to devise mcleures to keep Ireland in a state. of excitement, of dissatisfac. ' tion, and discontent, it couldnot,,devise more effect* means than that of keeping up this kind of force.. Mr. O'Connell admitted that Ministers hail endeavoured as Mich as was possible to. render the corps more efficient, and to in- fuse a better spirit into it : But with what little success? Sir Henry Parnell, who knew Ireland well, could bear him out in the statement that throughout Ireland nine-

teen out of twenty of those corps were composed of men of the most vio- lent party feelings, and belonging to that party which was most obnoxious to the general feeling in the country. •

Mr. STANLEY deprecated allusions to the late eases of slaughter in Ireland, as calculated to excite prejudices where the fate of =any individuals were at stake. He defended the Irish Police, as a singularly patient and temperate body of men. He added that it was quite impossible to maintain the peace of the country during the late winter, without calling out the Yeomanry, or making a very large addition to the standing force of the country. It was /tot easy for Government to procure in Ireland a body of men with- out party feelings ; and, whatever might be said of its discretion, the Yeomanry was a force which could be relied on for the main- tenance of law ; and it would, in consequence, be most unwise to ut it down.

To Mr. O'Connell's call on Government for a pledge that the Yeomanry force would be put down, or at least that Government would hold out some expectation of that kind, Lord ALTHORP gave his negative; but added, that no addition would be made to the force now in existence. After some more conversation, Mr. O'CONNELL withdrew his opposition to the vote, and it passed, like the rest, unanimously. Mr. HUME, now that the Irish Yeomanry was disposed of, ob- jected to the vote for the English Yeomanry. (A laugh.) The Marquis of CHANDOS spoke highly of the value clthat force. f Mr. HUNT said they were of no use but to enable country sur- geons and butchers to evade the horse-tax. Mr. Hunt being af- terwards called on for his authority, was about to read a paragraph from the Weekly Dispatch newspaper, but the House would not listen to him.

The other items were successively agreed to. On the question of reporting progress, Mr. R. GORDON asked for explanations respect- ing the accounts of the late Vice-Treasurer for Ireland, Mr. Mau- rice Fitzgerald. He wished to know if any steps had been taken to recover the loss said to have been incurred in the department of that offic2r. Mr. Gordon said he had heard that the Vice-Trea- surer had received 10,000/. a year for five years, for which no ac- count had been rendered.

Lord ALTHORP said, the accounts were now before the auditor. No other explanation was given. The Miscellaneous Estimates were considered last night. On the vote for public buildings, Mr. R. COLBORNE complained of the dilapidated state of the house in which the Angerstein pictures are deposited ; which Mr. S. RICE promised should be inquired into. On the vote for repairs of Holyrood House, Mr. SIBTHORP said—

He did not know for what this expense was, except for an ex- monarch whom we did not want there. (" Oh, oh !") He would say, we did not want these persons amongst us. They had no business here. He should not be surprised if we should also be called on to pay the expenses of the Duke of Braganza, at the Clarendon Hotel. (" Oh, oh I") We did not want these persons as a burden to us, and we ought not to encourage them, as it was probable we might have some more of the same descrip- tion coming amongst us. (" Oh, oh!")

Mr. RICE begged the honourable member not to make himself uneasy on the subject—

The country had been at no expense by the individuals to whom he al- luded. As to Mr. Sibthorp's unfortunate anticipations, he would say nothing ; but he had always understood that it. was the pride of England that her shores were open as an asylum to the unfortunate of all coun- tries—and he hoped that asylum would never be denied. (Ge nerdl cheering.)

Mr. Joinv MARTIN complained of the disgraceful state of West- Minster Hall ; in which complaint Mr. C. FERGUSSON concurred. Lord ALTHORP said, measures were in progress for the repair of it. .Mr. HUME observed, that an exception taken by Mr. R. Gor- don to a vote of 39,000/. for ordinary repairs of palaces, exclusive of Windsor Castle, had not been met— We had ten palaces to repair—what did we want them for ? If we did Rot use them for public purposes, why not pull them down or dispose of them, and save the public any further expense about them ? There was Hampton Court Palace, a kind of barrack for the accommo- dation of titled paupers—{" Oh, oh !") —a kind of workhouse for the reception of that class of paupers whose friends ought to support them if they could not support themselves. At all events, the public ought not to be saddled with the burden of keeping them in palaces. ("Oh, oh !") Gen- tlemen might cry "Oh, oh 1" but what he said was the truth, though it . might be very disagreeable to some. The whole civil government of Washington did not amount to as much as we paid for these palaces for titled paupers. ("Oh, oh !") This expense was paid by taxes, and how were they raised ? Look at the distresses made to collect them : three thousand beds were taken from three thousand poor families to raise their assessed Wes—families, many of whom were only just raised above the poor's- rate themselves. This was the true way to look at the question ; yet when this plain truth was told, honourable gentlemen could findno better answer than "Oh, oh 1" - Mr. RICE, in moving a resolution of 25,000/. for Custom-house buildings at Liverpool, observed, that the vote involved a matter of .çipfr5_.,The estimate was 175,0001.; of which the Corporation . 2-q,000L, and the excess, if any, of the cost above the bilt, instead of bringing the 150,0001. by way of vote before tirliament, it was intended by the late Government to stop the iktifir klransitu out of the revenues of the port of Liverpool. ,-.7111111ei or disposing of the public money the present Govern- ment had rejected, as unconstitutional, and leading to great abuse. Mr. GOULBIERN defended,the original arrangement. Lord ALTHORP said,—they could not depart from the last ar- rangement made by the Treasury, without giving the corporation of Liverpool ground for complaining that the Government had been guilty of a breach of faith. After some further conversation,—in the course of which Mr. GOULBURN said, the blame, if any, lay with Lord Goderich, with whom the bargain was made in 1825,—the vote was agreed to. On the vote for supplying deficiencies of the Fee Fund, Mr. HUNT rose to ask a question— It had been stated in the newspapers,—he believed erroneously, but he wished for information, and he should be glad to be set right,—that a member of his Majesty's Government, the noble Lord at the head of his Majesty's Government, had such a coalition in his family, that he and his family received 68,000/. a-year out of the people's money. (A loud laugh.) This was very laughable indeed.

Lord ALTHORP, (amidst cries of "It 's not worth while,") said, "No. no !"

He knew that his noble friend had been attacked for having placed some of his relations in offices ; and if any of them who had been so placed were unfit for their office, then was his noble friend properly attacked; but if they were fit, he did not know upon what grounds he was to be attacked—if the offices were not filled by his relations, they must be filled by others. As to the sum of 68,0001., it was a.most absurd and extrava- gant statement. Lord Howicx thanked Lord Althorp for his vindication of Earl Grey, but thought such an attack from such a quarter was best met by contempt and silence.

2. THE BUDGET. In a Committee on the Customs Act, last night, Lord ALTHORP moved a resolution for the reduction of the duty on coals, as from the 1st of March last.

Mr. GouLstran expressed a fear lest there should be a defalca- tion of revenue in consequence of the reduction, as the taxes which were meant as a substitute for the taxes taken off, had been with- drawn.

Lord ALTHORP said, he had always calculated on a falling off to the amount of 1,200,000/.; but it would not be so great. The amount of reduction on Excise articles, taking the half-year of 1830 as the standard, was 2,076,0001., while the actualdeficiency in the current half-year was but 914,0001.; showing, therefore, an increased con- sumption in the present year, in round numbers, of 1,100,000/. Then in the Customs the reduction was 560,0001.; while the actual deficiency was 252,0001.; showing an increase of consumption of 308,0001.

Lord Althorp added, the reason for reducing the duty on slates was, that, had it been retained, the whole of the machinery for col- lecting the coal-duties must have been still kept up. Mr. HUME thought the duty on tiles (30,0001.) should also be taken off, and the amount imposed, if necessary, on something else.

To the resolution for reducing the duties on exported coal to 3s. 4d. in British, and 4s. 6d. in foreign vessels, Mr. WARBURTON expressed his dissent : he thought a restrictive duty more proper than an encouraging one for an article which must, in process of time, be exhausted.

Mr. HERRIES congratulated Mr. Warburton on his conversion to the doctrine of restricted duties.

Mr. ROBINSON complained of the observance of the principle of free trade in some things—as gloves, and the neglect of it in the great necessary of life—corn. Sir HENRY PARNELL said, if the question were mooted, he could show that the more universally applied, the more beneficial the principle was—coals and gloves were no exceptions. Mr. HUME gave a definition of free trade— His principle of free trade was to exchange every thing which was of no value to himself and was of value to others, for articles which were of no value to others and were useful to him. To lay an export tax upon coals, was to lay a tax upon an article necessary to manufactures ; and every tax of that description hurt the lower orders, by keeping them out of employment. The resolution was agreed to. Lord ALTHORP then proposed resolutions for the repeal of the additional duties on barilla—on natural alkali imported from India —for allowance of drawback on barilla used in bleaching—and im- posing a duty of 2/. per ton on barilla and natural alkali. A duty of 30 per cent. on imported wax, and of 5s. 10d. per cent, on fo- reign, and of 4d. per cent. on Colonial cotton, were also agreed to. In the Committee on the Excise Acts, which followed—on the resolution for taking off the candle-tax, Mr. HERRIES said, it would be better to take off a part of the soap-tax. Mr. Huns said, a plan had been devised of a tax on imported tallow, in order to replace the soap-tax, which he thought well worth consideration. Lord ALTHORP said, the quantity imported was not sufficient by any imposition of duty to make good the deficiency. Mr. GOUL.• BURN said, such a duty would destroy the tallow trade. Mr. Al- derman THOMPSON also spoke against the plan. To a question of ' the same member, Lord ALTHORP explained, that he was com- pelled to retain the candle-duty until January, in consequence of not having the advantage of the wine and cotton-duties last quarter. Mr. PROTHEROE and Mr. PAGET spoke in favour of the duty on imported tallow. Mr. ROBINSON and Mr. MABERLY recom- mended a property-tax, and Mr. STBTHORP an absentee-tax. Mr. HUNT strongly recommended the reduction of the soap- tax— It would be the greatest blessing that it was possible to confer on the lower orders of the community, who suffered more from the "poverty of filth" than could be easily conceived. We had heard a great deal of cho- lera morbus ; sure he was, that one of the best methods of putting a stop to that disease, should it visit us, and preventing infection, would be to enable the poor, aniong whom such disorders were generally most pre- valent, to cleanse their clothes and persons. 3. REDUCTION OF SA.LARIES. Mr. Alderman \YOGI) brought forward on Thursday his motion for the reduction of pane sale.- ries to the scale of 1797. He quoted the resolution moNed by Sir James Graham in February 1830,1ind also the count( I.-resolu- tions moved by Mr. Dawson ; from both of which gent!emen, in terms of their own resolutions, he contended he had a right to expect support. In 1797, the charge for Government offices was 1,374,561/. Is. 3d., and the number of persons employed was '6,000. In 1815, the sum expended WEIS 3,202,434/. 9s. 5d., and the number of persons employed v as 23,903. But by 1821 all articles of provisions had gut down below the prices of 1797, and yet no reduction was made in the salaries. He did not wish to diminish the salaries of persons who laboured hard for a 2001. or 250/. a year, but his complaint was against the large salaries paid to the higher persons, who comparatively did nothing. It would be found tl.at at pre- sent 2,000,000/. was divided among 900 persons. He called upon the House to adopt some means, by a Committee or otherwise, to inquire into the reduction that ought to he made. He had taken the trouble to compare the prices of different periods, and he found that the prices now paid for supplies to Greenwich Hospital were lower than thoze paid in 1791, and nearly the same as the prices of 1797.

The worthy Alderman concluded by moving 4' That in order to relieve the country trom part of its burdens, and, regard being had to the present value of money, all salaries of public offi- ces be reduced to the standard of 1797."

Lord ALTHORP reminded the House that Ministers had already taken up this subject. It was well known, that the first step his Majesty's Ministers had taken was to refer their own salaries to a Committee, as fairly chosen as any committee could be, and every recommendation of that Committee bad been carried into effect. Having taken this step with respect to themselves, they had thought it their duty to put all inferior offices upon the same footing. They had required from every office an account of the salaries, duties, length of service, and number Of hours of daily attend- ance of each individual in the department. They had acted on these re- turns by reducing the salaries and numbers of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise ; they were applying the same rule to all other de- partments; and he trusted that the House would be satisfied with their conduct. He could not agree to the general proposition of reducing all salaries to the scale of 1797, for since that period the duties and the re- sponsibilities of many offices had very materially changed. He could not but consider that the worthy Alderman's motion was tantamount to a de- claration that Ministers were not doing their duty ; and he trusted that the House would not support a motion which was a censure upon the conduct of Government.

Lord Abhor') concluded by moving the previous question. Mr. HUNT expressed great surprise at the altered tone of Mi- misters.

The right honourable Gentleman (Lord Althorp, we suppose) had completely varied his opinions since he had changed sides of the House. (Cries of "No, no, no !"from every part of the House.) Mr. Hunt meant no personal offence. (Bursts of laughter.) The noble Lord's conduct was in fact a declaration, that the Government should not be carried on upon any scale of expense commensurate with that of 1797. The salaries since that period having been " risen"—(Laughter)—yes, the salaries having been risen"—(Laughter)—well, then, the salaries having been" raised" .--he was obliged to honourable members for correcting him—because every necessary of life had been" risen." (Laughter.) He had risen, and would not be set down by laughter. When the noble Lord had done any thing for the people, he was met with cheers and with applause from every body ; but when he (Mr. Hunt) had done any thing for the people, be was always met by a great laugh. (Laughter.) The people that the noble Lord meant were those who lived in 10/. a-year houses ; but the people that he meant were those who worked for their daily bread— people who had their beds seized under theme and worked for ad. per diem.

Mr. Hunt passed to his favourite subject of objurgation, the Re- form Bill— The Government outscouts had deluded and deceived the whole coun- try. The public press, and the outscouts of the public press, had deluded and deceived the whole country. (Cheers and laughter.) The whole country was in anticipation of what Ministers would not give them. "My servants," said Mr. Hunt, amidst continued laughter,—" my ser- vants, I say, when they go about to shops—I am not ashamed to say I Lave servants, and that I have a trade,—ay, a trade that I derive my livelihood from ; my trade shan't be put down by any man ; many of those who have a rank in the country, derive their honours from exer- tions in trade ; many noblemen derive their honours from trade, and I think their coats sit as well as the coronets on their heads."

Mr. Hunt gave an example of the general delusion propagated by the outscouts of Ministers and the press— "A servant-girl came to offer herself to me. Well, she did come to offer herself,—she offered herself, at least, to my wife. She offered her- self to my wife as a waiting-maid : of course my wife inquired if she could have a good character, saying, I shall require you to produce a twelve- month's character.? 'A twelvemonth's character!' replied the maid- s what 1 producea whole twelvemonth's character! Indeed I shan't think of doing no such a thing ; I shan't bind myself to nobody for more than three months, for in three months the Reform Bill will be passed.'" Mr. Hunt inveighed strongly against Ministers for increasing the Arroy,,the Navy, and the Yeomanry, while the country was in a state of profound peace. The present House, he declared, was abetter one than the Reform Bill would ever give them— When the Reform Bill should be passed, they would never have a House of Parliament chosen more by the people than the present one had been. They would have a reform; they would have a revolution, if they did not grant -a reform ; they had "risen" such a flame in the Country, that nothing could stop the people. (Laughter.) When he spoke of the people, he spoke of those who were not included in the Re- form Bill. He now called upon all who were for the Reform measure to defeat his Majesty's Ministers if they did not accede to the motion of Al- derman Wood.

Mr. SIBTHORP expressed great satisfaction at what had fallen from Mr. Hunt ; Mr. Hunt had proved that Reform was super- fluous and unnecessary. Mr. HUNT repeated his assertion, that the people would not be better represented under the Bill than at present: Mr. Hume expressed his wonder at Mr. Hunt's bold misrepre- sentation of facts. He noticed the pledge of economy given by Lord Althorp on coming into office ; the appointment of the Saks- ries Committee ; the principle on which the Committee had acted in their recommended reductions—public utility— That wise principle had been rigidly acted upon by the Committee; and, as the member for Preston knew, or ought to know, had been most rigidly followed up by the noble Chancellor of the Exchequer and his colleagues. Ministers had set the example in their own personal salaries; and had effected themselves every reduction in which their own body was - involved, which did not require the specific sanction of the Legislature; and where it was necessary to have an act of Parliament to authorize s reduction,—as was the case with respect to the salary of the Master of the Mint,—that act was promptly applied for. Mr. Hume denied that the slightest delusion had been practised by Ministers or their friends in regard to the Reform Bill. If there was delusion, it was not on the part of the friends of the BilL Mr. Hunt's story about his wife's servant-maid was in perfect keeping with the delusions attempted by the enemies, open and covert, of Reform. The people hailed the Bill, not merely as an improvement in the machinery of representation in that House, but as an essential preliminary condition of reductions in the public expenditure, commensurate with the public interests. The people regarded the Bill as a means to an end ; and that end was a good, cheap, and efficient s)stem of government. (Cheers.) Of the folly of the assertion that the House at present was as pure as it would be under the Reform Bill, he trusted next session would give abundant proof, in the return of 150 representatives of the wealth and intelligence of the middle classes, instead of 150 nominees of the Boroughmongers. On the subject of reductions, Mr. Hume said he would offer some calculations— In 1780, the salary and emoluments of Secretary to the Treasury was 5,0001. reduced to 3,0001. in 1782. During the war, it was upwards of 4,000/. ; under the late Administration the salary was 3,500/. The Com- mittee recommended that the salary should he reduced to 2,5001., and Ministers immediately confirmed the suggestion. In the same way the salary of the Home Secretary, which was formerly 8,1401.—reduced to 6,0001. the amount under the late Government—had been reduced by Ministers to 5,000/. per annum, at the recommendation of the Committee. The salary of the Colonial Secretary had been in like manner reduced from 6,0001. to 5,000/.; that of the President of the Council, which, in 1797, the period to which Alderman Wood would restore them, was 2,8401., had been reduced to 2,0001.; and that of the Lord Privy Seal, in 1797, 4,0001., also to 2,000/. per annum. If the honourable Alderman's motion were acted upon, these salaries would be raised—in fact doubled, instead of reduced, as they had been by Ministers. (Hear, hear !) The noble Chancellor of the Exchequer and his colleagues had redeemed their pledge as far as circumstances enabled them, thereby emboldening the House and the country to place implicit confidence in their renewed pledge of that evening to effect every further reduction in their power compatible with the public service. Mr. Hume concluded by deelarinsr, that though he perfectly confided in Ministers, he would, notwitkstanding. vote for Alder- man Wood's motion if it were persisted in. This unexpected announcement produced great laughter in the House. Mr. EWART explained to Mr. Hant, that he and his friends cheered Lord Althorp, and laughed at Mr. Hunt, when they respectively alluded to the people, not because the subject of their allusions, hut because the manner of them, was different. Mr. O'CONNELL denied that the people had been deluded, or could be deluded, as was alleged—

The time had arrived when they could distinguish between common• sense and nonsense—between professions of sympathy and practical attempts to afford them relief—between real and muck Reformers—be- tween men who advocated measures tending, like the Reform Bill, to their political amelioration, and those who would persuade them that the addition of 5C0,000 voters to the constituency of the kingdom was no boon, and that the exclusion from that House of 150 members nomi- nated by individuals was no alteration.

Mr. SADLER thought the con luct of Ministers in respect to the Civil List did not say much for their promises of retrenchment. Mr. MABERLY said, the scale of 1797 was a preposterous one: many salaries were then too high, and many too low. He thought the motion of Alderman Wood uncalled for ; and, so far as it was a censure on Ministers, most unmerited.

Mr. G. DAWSON said, he would vote against the motion : if Minis- ters failed in the pledge they had given, the motion would then be. proper, and not till then. Mr. Dawson showed the reductions that had taken place since 1821 — Since 1821, 73 public departments had been inquired into ; and the result was an annual saving to the public of 709.904/. In 1821, the num-: ber of persons employed in these 73 departments was 26.343, at a total charge of 3,694,0001. In 1837, the numbers had been reduced to 22,570, and 3,091,000/. If to this reduction be added those made by Treasury mi- nutes, and not specified in the papers laid on that table, there would be a total diminution of 4,050 officers. He warmly defended his honourable fiiend Mr. Hunt from the attack of Mr. O'Connell.

He had never listened to any attack so indecent and unparliamentary.. The cheers with which the noble Lord and his colleagues had hailed that

attack, afforded a somewhat suspicious comment on the strange huddling up of their prosecutions against the honourable member, and would, no doubt, be considered as such by the public. Mr. O'Connell had inde- cently taunted the honourable member for Preston with being a sham Reformer, and with talking nought but nonsense. But did Mr. O'Connell presume to insinuate that he, forsooth, always talked common sense? or that he alone in that House should talk nonsense ? (Cheers and laughter.) The attack, he repeated, was highly indecent, particularly as directed against an honourable member who was to the full as enlightened and more independent than the homiurabl: member for Kerry. .Mr. Dawson went on to stale, that Ministers had made no re- duction in the Civil List, in the emount ot Pensions, or in the Estimates, unless in the Ordnance—which, however, exceeded those of any year that the Duke of Wellington was in office. (Cheers from Mr. Hunt ) The right honourable B r 'net :JO his colleasm..s had made no reduc- tions in the public expen:d .1r... Tdeir object had been answered in ex- citing an outcry in the count y, wo ten had terindiated in tile overthroar of- the late Government. . They had resorted to this question of Reform for the purpose of occupying the public mind with 'other questions than those of retrenchment, and .of diverting it from their misdirected at- tempts to inflame the feelings of the country. He contended, that if honourable gentlemen only watched the progress of the public mind and the conduct of public writers,—who, as they had no property themselves to lose, cared not about the injury which they might inflict on the pro- perty of others,—they would see that the object of them all was to pull down public credit and to reduce the national debt. Such must be the result of a Reformed Parliament. That was no new idea.

The last fact stated by Mr. Dawson was received with a burst of laughter, so loud as to drown what followed ; except that the support minis' ers received from Mr. Warburton and Mr. Hume and others of" the Mountain Party" was sufficient, had there been no other reason, for Mr. Dawson's opposition. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said, he did not envy the state of mind Which could induce Mr. Dawson to attribute the approbation bestowed by the friends of Ministers on Mr. O'Connell's speech to any base compromise with that gentleman, after the solemn denial to the charge given on his honour by Mr. Stanley. He, too, might comment, if he were inclined to retort uprin the right honourable gentleman, upon the marvellous connexion which at present existed between Mr. Dawson and the honourable member for Preston. He was astonished at hearing the right honourable gentleman cheer the speech of the honourable member for Preston ; but he was still more as- tonished when he saw the right hononrable gentleman get up in his place, and word by word, and sentiment by sentiment, defend that speech. Things like these were almost incredible. Certain it was, that politics did often lead to stran,ge coalitions; but, even in the history of coalitions, he believed that would appear the strangest of all, which had been formed between a gentleman who claimed for himself the character of a real Re- former, and a party which was opposed to all reform, and which had lost office and power because its leader would consent to no reform. Sir James defended himself from the charge of having departed in any respect from the sentiments he had expressed when in Opposition.

Since he had accepted office, he had endeavoured to fulfil every pledge of retrenchment which he had given when seated on the opposite benches. (Cheers.) He had, when out of office, commented on the pen- sions and sinecures enjoyed by members of the Privy Council, who held offices under the Ministry. He had commented on the notorious fact, that a majority of the late Cabinet, not satisfied with the salaries attached to their offices, were pluralists in pensions and sinecures ; and he had ex- pressed his regret, that whilst the pay of inferior half-pay officers abated when they held civil situations, general officers held their regiments and their full pay and their half-pay, along with their high offices, pensions, and sinecures. That was his accusation against the members of the late Ministry. Now, was there a single member of the present Cabinet against whom a similar accusation could be urged? There was not one. (Continued cheering'.) He had said that the salaries of certain officers were too high. What had been the conduct of this Ministry since they came into office? Was there any occasion for him to recapitulate the statement of the honourable Member for Middlesex upon that subject ?

Lord Althorp had mentioned the reduction of two Commis- sionerships of Customs, but this, said Sir James, was not all.

They had reduced the salaries of the remaining Commissioners from 1,4001. to 1,2001. a year. In his own office, had he been idle ? He had stated last session, when he brought foward the Navy Estimates, that he had abolished four Commissionerships in the Victualling department, with salaries from 800/. to 1,0001. a year. He had put down three other officers with smaller salaries, and altogether he had abolished nine salaries, vary- ing from 8001. to 1,000/. a year, besides reducing forty or fifty unneces- sary offices. He did not mean to say that this was all he intended to do in the way of retrenchment—quite the reverse.

Sir James remarked on the hallucination by which Mr. Dawson connected Reform with the downfal of public credit: was it not strange that the public creditors themselves entertained so very opposite views ? The public credit, since the introduction of the Bill, was vastly increased. An Opposition member said, in a very loud voice, "No!" Sir JAMES GP. AHAM—" Does the honourable Gentleman mean to deny the fact that the price of stocks has risen six or. seven per cent, since the introduction of the Reform Bill ? Is the honourable Gentleman unac- quainted with the fact, that at the public meeting of the merchants of London on the subject of Reform, the first resolution in favour of it was moved by a banker, who is supposed to be the largest fundholder in the Country? (Cheers, and cries of Name !") Sir JAMES GRAHAM—" Mr. Lloyd."

Sir James went on to remark on the present state of the coun- try, as contrasted with its state when the late Ministers ran away from the helm. If that state continued, and if the external rela- tions of the country remained undisturbed, there would then be no difficulty in reducing the naval and military establishments of the country, which were the great sources of permanent expense. Sir James concluded by observing of the Reform Bill- " By that measure we are prepared, as we ever have been, to stand or fall. If that measure should be carried, we entertain a confirmed expec- tation that all our pledges of economy may be easily redeemed; and that, instead of standing convicted of a base dereliction of duty, as has been laid to our charge to-night, we shall go down to posterity as Ministers who redeemed not only their pledges—I had almost called them their paltry pledges—of economy, but who acted in office on that conviction, which was the connecting band of their party when in Opposition—the conviction, that without a Reform in the representation of the country, the government of it could not be safely or honourably conducted."

Sir James sat down amidst loud and long-continued cheering. Mr. GOULBURN blamed Sir James Graham (whose speech, he said, he had not heard) for avoiding the question before the House, in order to indulge in an argument on Reform. He defended the Tate Ministry for abandoning office—

When the House of Commons showed that it had withdrawn that sup- port without which the Government could not act effectively, they did tender their resignation to his Majesty, and begged him to allow them to 'withdraw their services. Other Governments might pursue it different course. (Hear, hear, hear !) There might be those who would bring forward measures connected with the Finance and Government of the COnutry, and who, after the House had withdrawn its support of those

measures, might still think proper to remain in office. (Cheers.) He" would not take upon himself to judge the motives of those men, nor say that they had acted wrong ; but this he would say, that looking back to the best times of the Constitution of the country. they who had retired from office when the House of Commons had not continued its support, had at least the satisfaction of being. confirmed in the opinion on which they had acted by the precedents of men who had always been held as most distinguished for characterand principle in the annals of thecountry. Mr. STANLEY remarked on the singular inconsistencies which the speeches of that evening had exhibited. Mr. Hume had been inconsistent with himself; Mr. Dawson had been consistent with nobody but Mr. Hunt ; Sir James Graham had fallen under the censure of the last speaker, for having introduced the subject cf Re- form, when the fact was, that what Sir James had said on that subject, was merely in reply to the speaker that went before him.

Mr. DawsoN—" The question of Reform was not introduced by me."

Mr. STANLEY—It was not for him to tell by what undefined chain of reasoning the honourable gentleman had arrived at the subject of Re- form. But he would appeal to the recollection of those who had heard what Mr. Dawson said—not to that of the late Chancellor of the Exche- quer, who had not heard what lie said—whether Mr. Dawson had not concluded his speech with a violent tirade against Reform, as if the Go- vernment had never supported Reform before, but had suddenly seized upon it as a new idea to carry away the minds of the people from the subject of retrenchment. Mr. Goulburn had taunted the present Ministers on retaining their places after the divisions on the Timber-duties and on Gene- ral Gascoyne's motion, and described the late Ministers as retiring in obedience to the voice of the House as soon as it was expressed by a single vote ; yet the Duke of Wellington had declared that it was not the minority in which he was left on Sir Henry Parnell's motion which induced him to retire, but because be saw he would be in a minority equally on the question of Reform. But was Mr. Goulburn, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, never left in a minority—never obliged to abandon any of his measures ? (A voice "Time Stamp-duties.") Ile did not allude to the Stamp-duties, though that was one case. But did they go out of office when they were left in a minority on the question of giving two pensions to the sons of two Cabinet Ministers ? They had not shown any reluctance to remain in office after being defeated on that question. (A voice" The Test awl Corporation Acts also."). The defeat on the Test and Corporation Acts lie considered a trifle ; neither did he blame the right honourable gentleman for not leav- ing office, but he thought it right to recal these circumstances to his recollection, when he, of all men, talked of Ministers having a perti- nacious attachment to office.

After alluding to the generally peaceful aspect of the country in England, Mr. Stanley admitted, that in respect of the Southern and Western puts of Ireland, there was still much to regret ; but there was also much that was consolatory : tranquillity Was re- turning much more rapidly than could have been anticipated—and what was the grand cause of its reestablishment?

if any measure more than another had tended to this good end—if any measure more than another had checked that danger with which the country was threatened, and Might perchance be threatened again—if any one measure more than another had stayed the agitation which was going on for what was called the Repeal of the Union, but which meant the separation of the two countries—it was that very measure which the right honourable gentleman had so much abused—that measure of Par- liamentary Reform which had at once pleased the people of England, and satisfied the people of .Ireland.

When Mr. Stanley sat down, the House had become very impa- tient, and the cries of" Question !" were loud and repeated. A few observations, imperfectly heard, were made from under the gallery ; and Alderman Woon replied, protesting that none of his arguments had been met or refuted. The House then divided —for the motion, 13; for the previous question, 216; majority against the motion, 203.

4. LITTLE Booxs. Mr. HUNT, on Tuesday, presented a petition from certain members of the National Union against the act pro hibiting political periodicals of less value than scl. from being pub- lished oftener than once in twenty-six days—(one of the notorious Six Acts), Captain GORDON (Lord Lorton's nominee for Dundalk) took occasion to read to the House some passages from penny pe- riodicals, one by a person named Hetherington, called The Poor Man's Guardian, the other by Carlile, called The Republican. Captain Gordon stated his intention of bringing these publications, at some future period, before the House. Mr. HUME referred to the debates in 1819, to show the seise entertained by his Majesty's present Ministers of these acts at the time when they passed. He regretted that prosecutions had dis- graced the present Cabinet, from which even that of the Duke of Wellington was free. The latter had never prosecuted under the Six Acts. Mr. Hume made some curious statements in respect to the small publications, to which the restraints on the respectable part of the press had given birth, and the result which followed their prosecution. There were, he said, thirty-two of them in all, if not more. Carlile's paper, previous to the first trial, sold only 1,000 per week ; it rose soon after his imprisonment to 20,000. When the late trial was commenced against him, he was in the lowest state of distress ; but so well did he estimate the value of the Attorney-General's attack, that two gentlemen having 'endea- voured to prevail on Government to drop the prosecution, he wrote to them, in a strain of the utmost bitterness, for their interference. Since his conviction, the sale of his paper has increased tenfold: the day after his conviction, an annuity of 504 was settled on him for his own life, and a second annuity of the same amount had since been settled on his wife. Mr. Hume, who had also a peti- tion to present, said he concurred with the petitioners in describ- ing these acts as abominable. He thought that the ordinances of Charles ("Hugh" the reporters give it) Capet, which put. down the press, bore a strict resemblance to those - tegislative measures; and that if it was honourable to drive one from the throne, it would be equally honourable to drive those acts of Parliament out of existence. (" Hear, hear ! " especially, we believe, from the Lord Advocate.) The learned Lord might cry " Hear" to that sentiment ; but Mr. Hume begged to assure him, that in what he had said he was perfectly serious. Mr. RICE TREVOR thought there was a distinction between per- mitting the liberty and the licentiousness of the press. Sir FRANCIS 13URDETT agreed with the prayers of both peti- tions; but thouelit that Mr. Htune, instead of a long monopoly- logue addressed to the House, should have moved at once for their repeal ; he was sure of carrying his motion. Sir Francis thought the publications noticed by Captain Gordon infinitely too trashy and contemptible.to influence any one. They looked Very much like a weak device of the enemy, and probably were. When the Reform question was disposed of, he hoped the repeal of these acts would be moved, and he would cordially second the motion.

Mr. O'CoeTee to. concurred with Mr. Hume, that noticing such publications was the most effechial way of giving circulation to • them.

The maiden speech of the member for Dundalk aeainst the press would make the fortune of the Republican, and turn the Jr Man's Friend into a "Rich Man's Companion." Mr. C. W. 'WYNNE asked, if publications exciting to crime were not proper objects of prosecution ? The ATTORNEY-GENERA.L observed, that Most undoubtedly no Government could give up the right to proceed, when they thought it their duty to proceed, against publications which tended immediately to disturb the public peace, and to give the people an excitement to crime. Whether that excitement were in a written letter or in a publication addressed to the passions of the multitude, in every case where immediate danger might follow, he did apprehend that he was bound to the necessity of considering what was the best mode of pre- - venting the offence. But still this was a matter of nice discretion, and One that required the greatest caution in applying the remedy.

Sir Thomas proceeded 10 say, that if any paper of an innocent tendency had been prosecuted under the Stamp Act, it was with- out his knowledge or approbation ; but where the law furnished him with the power of putting down a paper of a mischievous ten- dency, he would not scruple to make use of it. This determina- tion would not, however, restrain him from expressing his senti- ments of the Six Acts when they were brought before the House.

• Sir ROBERT PEEL expressed his gratification at the language of the Atterney-General. Sir Robert went on to criticise Mr. flume's paraltel of the French Ordinances and the Six Acts. When he heard this great advocate for constitutional knowledge inform the public of England that there was no difference between the ordinances of Charles the vr .1i)pressing the in-ess, and the English Six Acts,

• he must confe=s th% I:ad great disi fnst in those doctrines which had

led him to exi,:t ;n,.11- benefits fro:n a diffusion by the press of what

' this great advocate (:; ledge might litter. He had thought the ho-

nourable member f,;;- desex so wise, that he would have proceeded to

advise the people nf E cnd to do something or other. He had expected

that the honourable v:ould have excited the people of England to follow the example of 111,! people of France, and to perform some tre- mendous acts; but all that he had excited the people to do was merely to chase the statutes from the Statute-book. (A laugh.) Did the honour- ' able member, who had been selected as the representative a the intelli- gence of the metropolitan county, see no distinction betweetiacts of Par- liament constitutionally passed, and formally ratified by-the three branches of the Legislature, and the ordinances of Charles the Tenth, passed in defiance of the Legislature, and in destruction of the constitu- tion?

• Mr. HUNT observed, that the acceptance of the Reform Bill was tantamount to a declaration that these acts had been passed by a Parliament not freely, legally, or constitutionally chosen by the people? For the last fifty years, the laws had been passed by the Boroughmongers' nominees. Sir R. PEEL—" Sir, if the honourable member for Preston were to meet with an assault upon his person, or to suffer a robbery of his property, be would not be very willing to submit, because the laws punishing the offences had been passed by the Boroughmongers' Parliament:"

• Mr. HUNT—" In either case I could find protection and redress by the

• common law." (Cheers and laughter.) • The subject was again introduced on Wednesday, on the pre- sentation of a petition against the Six Acts, or rather .what re- - mains of them, by Mr. HUME. Mr. Hume said the articles in the Repubifean were written by a Mr. Lorimer, not a Radical,

• but one of the enemy's camp.

Sir HENRY Il ARDINGE said, if that were the case, no punish- ment the law could inflict was too heavy. He wished to know the .grounds of Mr. Hume's assertion.

Mr. HUME—" I will give the gallant member Mr. Lorimer's • address, and he can call and ask him." (Loud laughter.) • Sir HENRY said, this was very like backing out. Mr. Hume had said Mr. Lorimer was one of the enemy's camp ; by which he meant those who were averse from what he called Liberal

• opinions.

Mr. Hums—" I only said that Iliad a strong suspicion." (Cries of " No, no, no !")

Mr. HOME—" Well, then, what I said was, that Mr. Lorimer did come from the enemy's camp; and if the gallant member considers himself to be one of the enemy's camp, this Mr. Lorimer came from his party."

• Captain GORDON read an extract of a letter from Mr. Hume to the "Union Society" in Glasgow, in which Mr. Hume advised

othem to establish reading-rooms, and to read the newspapers. Captain Gordon said, the society in question assumed as their 'basis the rights of man ; which, he added, were subversive of the British Constitution..

Mr. HUME observed, that Captain Gordon had read only what :suited himself. He merely advised the people to read such newspapers and books as would give them correct notions of the duties of electors and representaiives.

. . .

Sir CHARLES WETHERELL read an extract frt-nn Ihe Republican recommending, as a temporary exredient for the relief of the people, the confiscation of Church property. The Republican, Sir Charles said, called soldiers " men butchers."

Mr. .GEORGE LAMB deprecated the continuance of such dis- c ussion.

Mr. O'CONNELL congratulated Captain Gordon on his new office of Bellmen to all blasphemous and seditious publications.

Mr. Pacer (rnemberforLeicest ershir) corn phtined of the disgust- ing discussion to which the member for Dundalk had so indiscreetly given rise, as a most mischievous waste of the time of the House, and as such of the public.

Was it to listen to such, not only profitless, but positively mischievous discussions, that catiwry gentlemen like himself were obliged to forego their domestic avocations ? It was a constant complaint that the late hours to which the House generally sat were destrtitive of health and all mental and physical energy, and yet but little bona fide public business was actually done, the time of the House being wasted, as this evening, with the most futile speechilications. Nothing tended more to lower the character of the House in the eyes of the public than such discussions; and he trusted, therefore, there would be an end to them. (Cheers.)

This closed the talk for the evening.

The question of Mr. Lorimer was again introduced lest night by Sir HENRY HARDINGE ; who wished to know if Mr. HUME was prepared to retract or substantiate his charge that that person was from the enemy's camp ? Mr. Hume said, the case stood thus— Sir Robert Peel had expressed his conviction that the papers in the Republican were written by the Radical writers who ostensibly were the authors; and on the succeeding evening Mr. Hume had been able to show that the articles Nos.11 and 18 were the composition of a Mr. Lorimer who residedas a gentleman at the West end of the town. Mr. Lorimer had since addressed a letter to him on the subject. It was directed to " Citizen Hume, M.P., No. 7, Bryanstone Square;" and began—" Respected fellow- citizen—Perceiving by the Morning Chronicle, that in the assembly of which you are a member you yesterday noticed the publication called the Republican, and pretended that it proceeded from the enemy's camp, thereby meaning the party of the miserable Reform Opposition, I beg to assume the libel ty to correct the absurd er:or into which you have fallen. The publication is edited by a deermined, consistent Reformer, who has always been of that party—who has no connexion with the despotic Anti- Reform Tories, oar with the hypocritical, double-dealing Whigs?' (Laughter.) The letter was signed "J. II. B. Lorimer." Mr. Hume added, that he had never coupled the right honourable gentleman with the publication ; but his statement was perfectly correct, that the Radicals disavowed this writer. Sir HENRY HARDINGE was at a loss to understand how Mr, Hume could have made a statement so void of truth as that of the former night. Mr. H LIME eet toted, lied; he had as much regard for truth as Sir Henry Hardinge, anti he believed his word would go quite as far.

Sir ROBERT PERI, made an elaborate deeloration that he would not condescend to vintlicaee himself from the charge of being COE,* nected with such writets.

He would rather a ihraisAnd times he the object of such a suspicion than the author of it. Tnat any man of common honesty or common sense would resort to such an ii.falno.,s proceeding, it was impossible to believe. The aCCUSation wits ,A) ex, ravagant as to contradict and refute itself. He admitted that he had strong facts against him, and one of them was, the conclusive piece of evidence that Mr. Lorimer belonged to the enemy's camp, because he lived at the West end of the town. ( Cheers an,i laugliter.) Of course he could not he a true and sincere friend of the Reform Bill if he lived west of Temple Bar; hut notwithstanding this fact, he would not condescend to vindicate himself It was too much to make any set of men answerable for the misconduct of others, even of persons who might happen to make part with then), much less of those to whom they were opposed. The riots in Paris were attributed to those who were desirous of bringing hack Charles the Tenth. By the same sort of inference, the breaking Of the windows during the recent illuminations was said-to- have been committed at the instigation of the Tories. Mr. C. FERGUSSON eon! entlei that Captain Gordon's attempt to couple Mr. Hume with Republican Union Societies was at least as improper. Captain GORDON attempted an explanation ; but the House would not listen to him, and the subject dropped. The subject of politacal pamphlets has also been descanted on in the House of Lords. On Tioirsday, the Marquis of LONDON- DERRY, in presenting a petition from the non-resident freemen Of Durham, Sunderland, an 1 North Shields, aeainst Reform, took occasion to advert to the (inner speeches that had been made during the late election ; the sentiments of which, he said, were So far from being in unison with the fee:ings of the Durham electors., that if tittered before the election, they would have cost 'the speakers thetr seats. Lord Londonderry then went on to quote from the pamphlet entitled Friendly Advice to the House of Lords.

Their Lordships, he observed, were beset with advice, both within doors and without. Perhaps the noble mid learned Lord on the woolsack had heard of, or seen,—he could not expect that the noble and learned Lord would have the courtesy to tell him whether he had written, the

small brochure in question. .

He read from the pamphlet the following well-known passage, in which the conduct of the noble enemies of the Bill is prophet- ically described-

" They will not oppose it, or move any thing against it; but they will certainly vote against the Government on every thing else, in order to throw out the Government and the Bill also. They will hardly move an amendment on the Address to the King, but they will get up little.mo- tions against the Ministers—they will try to throw out whatever is pro- posed by the Government,—they will oppose the Chancellor's Law' Re- forms, and Lord Melbourne's Subletting Act, and whatever else they can hope to defeat."

The Marquis went on to say, that no consideration would deter him from doing his duty: he would follow the high example set

by Earl Grey a few years ago, when that noble Earl declared his steadfast intention, whatever might be the sentiments of the House of Commons, to maintain the privileges and independence of the House of Peers. Lord Londonderry concluded by expressing a hope, that no new batch of Peers would be created—

But that their Lordships' House, as it at present existed, would be al- . lowed to express its opinion on a bill which contained one of the most extravagant systems of experimental philosophy ever concocted.

The Marquis of CLEVELAND corrected an error in the report of one speech delivered at a dinner-party at Gainsborough. The speaker was male to talk of the power of the Aristocracy as at an end, when in fact he only spoke of the power of the aristo- cratical party in the county of Durham as at an end. The Marquis said, he knew the county of Durham and its feelings at least as in- timately as Lord Londonderry did; and the best proof of these was the fact, that a petition for the Bill had been agreed to at a county meeting, without a dissentient voice.

5. SCOTCH ELECTION RIOTINGS. On Monday, MT. DUNDAS (the new member for Edinburgh) asked the Lord Advocate if any steps had been taken to bring to punishment the rioters at Ayr and Dumbarton and other places ? The LORD ADVOCATE said, one individual at Lanark had been proceeded against, and the proceedings were still going on ; indict- ments had also been served against three or four persons for riot- ing at Lauder. In the Ayr case it had been found impossible to identify any of the parties. Mr. KENNEDY defended the respectable part of the people of Scotland from any connexion with these disturbances. Sir WILLIAM RAE adverted to his prophecy of last session of The danger of bringing a number of Scotchmen together. Sir GEORGE CLERK begged the attention of the Lord Advocate to the case at Baddington, where a prisoner was rescued, the rescuers declaring that the Lord Advocate would not punish them for doing so. In fact, the learned Lord had to post up a placard, announcing to the people that he was determined to do his duty. Sir George deprecated the introduction of the question of Reform into a country that was so peaceful, and attributed all the disturb- ance to its agitation.

Mr. CUTLAR FERGITSSON observed, that the disturbance was rather due to those who opposed so fit and proper a measure. The LORD ADVOCATE said, the Haddington proclamation was issued in consequence of a communication with the Sheriff. A member, whom nobody knew, spoke about the incubations of the Scotch provincial newspapers ; but, from the report, it does not clearly appear whether he meant to strengthen or impugn the aretto iments of the former speakers. Ala DIXON said, the assertion that the Scotch could not meet without dis'inbance, was wholly false :

He had seen a procession in Glasgow of forty thousand persons in favour of Reform, and not a single instance of tumult had occurred, and women and children had met it in the streets without any apprehension or infavenience. In the coarse of Lis canvass, he had been sur- rounded by thousands of persons, and he had experienced no insult nor

molestation. Mr. CAMPBELL said, a few persons behaved very ill at Lanark,

but the accounts of what took place were grossly exaggerated. The military were most unnecessarily called out ; there were three hundred special constables present, and not a man of them was ill treated or lost a staff.

6. SCOTCH ANTI-REFORMERS. On Monday, the Duke of Buc- eLauon presented a petition against-the Reform Bill from certain freeholders of the county of Forfar.

Lord DUNCAN cautioned their Lordships nerainst receiving the petition as emanating from a majority of the freeholders : when proposed at a meeting of the county, it was lost by 60 to 24. That meeting, he museadd, was called on a very extraordinary and inconvenient day, the one immediately preceding that fixed for the county election ; a circumstance which created .a great excitement, as it gave rise to a report that it was intended, should the resolutions he carried, to exact some pledge against the Scotch Reform Bill, from his Lordship's friend, Mr. Maule, who, it was well known, would be chosen for the county. His Lord- ship complained, while he lamented their occurrence, of the very exaggerated statements of the riots in Scotland on the occasion of the late elections.

The Earl of HADDINGTON thought, if Lord Duncan had seen what really took place, he would not complain of exaggeration. Lord BELHAVEN said he was present at Lanark, and the riots there had been grossly exaggerated. The subject was introduced in the Commons on Monday even- ing, on the presentation of a counterpart of the Forfar petition, I y )11r. DOUGLAS, the member for Lanarkshire.

Mr. MAULE repeated the statement of Lord Duncan— lie could not allow the petition to be received as expressing the senti- ments of the people of Forfarshire. At a meeting of that county, got up for the express purpose of passing resolutions to the effect of the petition now presented, an amendment, approving of the conduct of his Ma- jesty's Ministers, was triumphantly carried by a majority of 60 to 24. Ile.said triumphantly carried, because a very close canvass had been employed by the Anti-Reformers for the occasion ; while, as far as he bad been able to learn, no canvass or solicitath n of any kind was resorted to by the supporters of toe amendment. It would ill become him to speak. disrespectfully of any portion of that constituency which, for ten successive Parliaments, had returned him to that House, but, with all respect for the petitioners, he must say that he spoke the feelings of the great majority of the county, as well as his own, when expressing his gratitude to his Majestyfa 'Ministers• for having a second timednought the Reform Bill into Parliament.

Mr, H. Ross (Mr. Htime's successor in the Angusshire burgb.$) said, that of the inhabitants of the county, 99 out of every 100 were for Reform ; and that the boroughs which he represented, and whica contained 90,000 inhabitants, were almost unanimous on the subject ; even those who formerly advocated Universal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments had abandoned these extreme opinions, in favour of the measure of Ministers.

7. SCOTCH REFORM Bier- This bill was introduced last night by the LORD ADVOCATE, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second tune on Tuesday sennig,ht. The votes of leaseholders in counties are altered, to correspond with the alterations in the Eng- lish Bill ; persons enrolled, or who have a right to be enrolled as freeholders on superiority, to enjoy their rights during life; Parliamentary Commissioners to perform the duties formerly as- signed to Pevy Councillors. Several of the enacting clauses are now supplied by schedules. No remark was made on the intro- duction of the bill.

8. 'rasa REFORM BILL. At a very late hour:on Thursday night,. Mr. STANLEY introduced the Irish Reform Bill. He stated very briefly the alterations, which are neither great nor many. They consist, first, in the substitution of nineteen years for twenty-one years in the case of 50/. leases ; 2nd, the extension of the fran- chise to cases where the rent and fine paid for the lease may to- gether be equivalent to 50/. ; and 3rd, the same extension to all leases of nineteen years or more on which a profit of 20/. per an- num can be proved to be realized. The bill was introduced and read a first time.

9. NEWTOWNBARRY. On Thursday, Mr. LAMBERT (the new member for Wexford county), after a few observations delivered with nnich propriety of manner, moved for copies of such infor- mation as Government might have received respecting the mas- sacre of Newtownbarry. The motion was seconded by Colonel CHICHESTER ; who remarked on the excess of punishment which the employment of the Yeomanry had inflicted on the populace, for an on'enee which, if committed with all its imputed aggrava.- lion, could only have been visited by the civil magistrate with im- prisonment mid hard labour.

Mr. STANLEY said, Government had no wish whatever to screen the guilty: their only desire was to remove any imputation from those who mizht be innocent.

They felt it to be of great importance that the people of Ireland should know that no partiality, no religious or political considelmtions, would be allowed to interfere with the administration of justice. They felt it to be a lamentable fact, that hitherto there had been too strung an impression on the minds of the people of Ireland that the law was not intended for their protection; and that they regarded it rather as a heavy yoke iin posed upon them, than as a friendly and beneficial succour. It was the earnest endeavour Ili; Majesty's Government so to conduct themselves as to prow to ti:e people their disposition to do justice to them ; and to satis:y th;:ir own consciences, and the God to whom they were responsible fur their actions.

He could not, however, while measures of investigation were

still pending, which might bring the whole ease before a court and a jury, consent to the production of papers which might tend to prejudicate the case, either of the assailants or the assailed. Under all these circumstances, he hoped that Mr. Lambert would save him the pain of opposing the motion, by withdrawing it. Mr. O'CONNELL said, he would mention but one fact—

Fifteen human beings—men, women, and children—had been killed; and twenty-five wounded. But no single being was in custody. Those persons, whoever they were, who had been guilty of this multitudinous homicide, were all at large ; in perfect security ; able to abscond in a mo- ment if they chose. if that were so, where was the delicacy of talking of an interference with a court of justice ?

Mr. STANLEY wished to correct an error into which several gen- tlemen had fallen—

Some expression had been made use of, which would lead the House to believe that the Yeomanry had been called out in Ireland upon permanent duty. This was not the case. Government had been censured for calling out the Yeomanry at all. The fact was, that the yeomanry were callej out, not by the Government, but by the Magistrates.

Mr. BLAKENEY (member for Carlow County) related what he had. seen

He e had been in the neighbourhood at the time of the unhappy affair; and had witnessed nearly the whole of the proceedings. The conduct of the Magistt ates had been most improper. They had arrested men against whom there was no proof whatever ; and they had allowed others to escape without bring arrested, against whom plenty of evidence could be pro- ducE d. He had had conversations with many of the Magistrates; one of them told him that the affair was one of a most serious nature. He had urged that warrants should be issued ; he was promised that tl.ey should

be; but no warrants had been issued. The people were willing that the matter should go before the Government, for then they were satisfied they should get justice ; but all the offenders were allowed to escape

without being apprehended. The Magistrates had ordered the informa-

tions to be given to the criminals as well as to the people who were to prosecute them. The real offenders were not arrested. He complained of that at the time; he had offered to arrest them himself, if he was al- lowed the legal authority to do so; but he was refused. The whole bu I siness was owing to the misconduct of the Yeomanry : and he must sayi; a more ragamuffin set of fellows he never saw—he would as soon have la set of butchers' boys to preserve the peace.

Sir JOHN M.DOYLE said, that all the people required was to have their wants known—they were satisfied, if Englishmen knew- the

facts of their case, thatjustice would bedone. Now that the case was fairly stated, he would counsel Mr. Lambert to accede to-the request of the Irish Secretary.

: Mr. HUNT .described, himself as not at all satisfied with Mr.: Stanley's explanation,- although-Sir John elide He thentroseeded to indulge in some personalitiesmainstMr. O'Connell. That gentleman was the last man that should have attacked him, as , that honourable member shielded himself by a vow in •Heaven. (" Oh, oh oh !") The SPEAKER observed, that reference to a bygone debate was out of order ; and as the honourable member for Preston had let pass the oppor- tunity of noticing the supposed attack at the time it was made, it would be for him to consider how far it was likely he should conciliate the House or do himself any service by referring to the subject now, even if such reference was in order, which it was not. (Cheers.) Mr. HUNT being about to renew his observations, Lord ALTHORP rose, and repeated that references ta former debates were contrary to order. Mr. HUNT said he would not let another opportunity pass of rebutting an attack at the time it was made. Mr. STANLEY said, he had procured sworn informations of the facts stated by Mr. Blakeney, as soon as they came to his know- ledge.

With respect to the magistrates in general, there was a bill passing through the House to continue for six months the powers of the Govern- ment to examine into the commissions of magistrates, in order to effect a revision of them.

The motion was withdrawn.

The case of the Irish Yeomanry and Newtownbarry was again alluded to last night ; when Mr. O'CONNELL mentioned, for the information of Government, the determination of the Yeomanry to hold processions on the leth instant, agreeably to annual custom. Mr. SHEIL strongly counselled the immediate disarming of the

I Newtownbarry corps: if the Assizes were waited for, justice might be too tardy for the feelings of the people.

The Yeomanry were drawn exclusively from the fourth or fifth grada- tion of Protestantism—from men who believed themselves born to as- cendancy, and looked on the right to trample on the people as a portion of their inheritance. Their passions became ferocious from becoming gregarious ; when they had arms in their hands, they retaliated for every the least offence with a disproportioned savageness, and assailed the mul - titude, between whom and themselves there existed such disparity of force and such reciprocity of detestation. Thus every riot turned into a massacre.

Mr. GRATTAN enforced the arguments of Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Shell.

Mr. LEFROY defended the Yeomanry engaged at Newtownbarry, and complained of the injustice practised against them while the Coroner's inquest was sitting. Lord ALTHORP deprecated such discussions, which could be productive of nothing but mischief. The conversation dropped ; after. an attempt on the part of Mr. HUNT to prolong it by a discussion on the Manchester riots and the recent case of Merthyr-Tydvil, which was coughed down.

10. IMPORTATION OF ARMS INTO IRELAND. A bill was intro- duced last night by Mr. STANLEY on this subject. The bill is temporary; and its object is to consolidate former acts and add some new regulations. There will be a general registration of - arms, and each weapon will be stamped and branded, so as to be readily traced; persons having unregistered arms to be subject to penalties of a misdemeanour. The bill also enacts.

That if, in any district proclaimed by the Lord Lieutenant to be in a state of disturbance, any person should be found in the possession of un- registered arms, such person should be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, —not of a common misdemeanour, but of a misdemeanour liable to be punished with transportation for seven years.

Mr. O'CONNELL strongly objected to the bill, and proposed the :adjournment of the debate on it to Friday next ; which was agreed to.

11. PROSECUTION OF MR. O'CONNELL. The Marquis Of CHANDOS, on Monday, complained that Ministers had not acted in the case of Mr. O'Connell as they last session pledged them-

selves to do. He wished to know if any objection would be made to the production of the correspondence between Ministers and their legal advisers on the subject of dropping the prosecution?

Mr. STANLEY said, if Lord Chandos made a motion on the sub- ject, he would meet it. Mr. O'CONNELL said if such a motion were made, he would second it.

After a few words from Mr.LEE'ROY on Mr. O'Connell's offence, —and from Mr. O'CONNELL, who denied that he had committed

• any offence, except under the expired statute, and defied Mr. Lefroy to volunteer a prosecution under any other,

Sir CHARLES WETHERELL said—

The honourable Member for Kerry declares that no lawyer would pro- nounce his conduct a legal offence, or volunteer a prosecution. Now I

• am a lawyer, and would—

Mr. O'CONNELL—" I said, 'independent of that one statute.'"

Sir CHARLES WETHERELL—" Oh, that then is a drawback on the -whole proposition; it lowered the proposition 100 per cent. Had not the noble Lord at the head of the Government declared that he would take care that the law was carried into effect, and had not the noble Lord at the head of the Exchequer said, that sooner than the prosecution should be stopped, he would incur even a civil war ? (Cries of Oh, oh ! 'and No, no!' front all parts of the House.) Well, then, the noble Chancellor of the Exchequer had said, that he would brave a civil war sooner than consent to a repeal of the Union,—was not that the noble Lord's declaration ? Well, and was not the repeal of the Union one of the prominent topics of the public speeches of the honourable Member for Kerry ? "

If Ministers could not bring up Mr. O'Connell because of the expiry of the act, why did they not vote for its renewal, were it only for six months ?

Lord ALTHORP repeated what he had said last session, that he would sooner submit to the hazard of a civil war than consent to the dismemberment of the empire.

He had never said that he would prefer civil war to foregoing the prose- stutions then pending, or any prosecutions ; he never, for one moment, -"mould harbour sucaaroonstrous proposition,

12. IRISH PROTESTANTS. Mr. Minims (Member for Kerry) moved, on Thursday, for e.yeturn of the Protestant population of the several parishes ; but was induced to withdraw the motion, oil the suggestion of Mr. STANLEY, who observed that it would only serve to further excite religious prejudices, and that no conve j nience could possibly arise from it.

13. THE LABOURING POOR. Mr. WEYLAND brought in art Tuesday his bill for explaining and amending, the law of settlement by hiring and service. The object of the bill is to prevent any

person from acquiring a settlement by service.

He trusted to see the time when the law of settlement would be altoge.: ther done away with, and when men would be relieved wherever found; as he believed was the case in Scotland*. The change which he proposed would remove that litigation and great expense now incurred to deter.. mine settlement by hiring. It was a fact, that four-fifths of the appeals as to settlements to the quarter-sessions were on questions arising out of hiring and service. The expense thus incurred, and which was all to be paid out of the poor-rates, was estimated at not less than 400,0001. in the year. Mr. ADEANE seconded the motion for introducing the bill ; and Mr. SLANEY supported it. Mr. HUNT tilOnh it hard that a man should be denied a settle.... ment, where perhaps he had worked for twenty-five or thirty years ; in which remark Mr. BENETT concurred. Mr. COURTENAY wished to know if Government nitant to in- troduce any bill to amend the Poor laws or relieve the labourers. Lord ALTHORP said, no bill was in the hands of Government for that purpose. He added, that he would not oppose the intro- duction of the present bill ; but he did not see how the obstructions to the free circulation of labour which the laws of settlement offered were to he remedied by it. Leave was given to bring in the bill,—after some further ole servations On the Poor-laws, by Mr. SADLER, Mr. SLANEY, Mr's STRICKLAND, Mr. PAGET, and Mr. JAMES.

14. GAME-LAWS. On Thursday, Lord ALTHORP introduced his bill to amend the Game laws. It is the same that was introduced last session.

15. THE TRUCK SYSTEM. The two bills introduced by Mr. Lit- tleton, last session of Parliament, into the House of Common, were introduced by Lord WHARNCLIFFE on Tuesday in the House of Lords.

16. THE BEER BILL. Mr. SADLER presented on Thursday x petition "respectably, but not numerously signed," against the Beer Bill. Mr. Sadler said, since this act had passed, crime had increased, and the comforts of the people had not been increased.

Lord ALTHORP begged that gentlemen, who dwelt so muchi upon these matters, would recollect that it was to have been ex- pected that any bad effects that the bill might produce would hap-

pen at the commencement of its operation.

in the commencement it was likely that inconvenience would occur which, when the bill came into more general operation, would be got rid of. He was ready to admit that considerable disadvantages had resulted from the operation of the bill, and that many of those disadvantage. were likely to continue unless the bill were-iinproved ; but he begged it to be distinctly understood, that he was not at all prepared to abandon the principle of that bill, and that he was still less prepared to return to the old system. (Cheers.) By the principle of the bill, he meant this—. namely, that it should never depend upon any authority whatsoever whether a house should he licensed or not. (Cheers.) He believed that his noble friend at the head of the Home Department bad measures ha contemplation to enable the Police to repress disorders in these houses.' a power which the Police did not at present possess to a sufficient extent.

Mr. J. WOOD said, the Bill had got a had name from those who were interested in the old system, and who smarted under its ope- ration. The chief inconvenience was the shutting up of the near beer-shops at ten, and allowing the dram-shops to remain °pert until twelve. The difficulty in clearing the former at the legal hour was in consequence great. The hest regulation Ministers could adopt would be the assimilation of the hours. Mr. BARING attributed the riots and burnings in Kent and else- where entirely to the new Beer Bill ; and if it were not repealed they would certainly recur. Mr. GOULBURN defended the principle of the bill, but argued in favour of an inquiry to remedy the inconveniences it had occa-

sioned, particularly in the agricultural districts.

His impression was, that the evils which were complained of were principally confined to the agricultural districts, and did not so much pre- vail in the manufacturing districts, on account of the greater diffusion of education amongst the manufacturing classes.

Lord STANLEY denied that the evils complained of had been felt

in the agricultural districts only. From every part of Lancashire, 'statements had been transmitted respecting the evils that had arisen from the measure.

Mr. WARBURTON spoke in favour of the act. Mr. PAGET thought its only fault was, that it did not go far enough. Sir M. W. RID- LEY thought that it was worthy of consideration whether better regulations were not required for the beer-shops. Sir CHARLES Beetle ee said it had done incalculable injury to the country—the proper plan was to lower the Malt-tax. Sir Charles observed, that he had it from his steward, "on whose authority he could rely as fully as on that of any member of the House, that he (the steward) had a woman who could brew beer in her owls tea-kettle."

Mr. PORTMAN was also favourable to the reduction of the Malt- tax, which he thought would be the best remedy for the evils com- plained of—" he hoped this reduction would be effected next year."

* The law of Scotland gives a settlement to all persons who have- sesidelittabir mit within a perhiliter any period exesediug three years. 17. DISTILLATION FROM MOLASSES. Mr. POULETT THOMSON obtained, on Thursday, a Committee to consider of the propriety of using molasses, under certain circumstances, in the distillation of whisky ; after a few remarks from Captain MAITLAND, Sir -CROWDS CLERK, Mr. FRANKLAND LEWIS, and others, who were opposed, and from Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS and Mr. WARBTJRTON, who were favourable to the plan.

18. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, &C. Mr. CAMPBELL asked leave, on Thursday, to introduce his bill for a General Registry. It is the same in all respects as that introduced last session. In asking

• leave, Mr. Campbell alluded to the ignorant and nonsensical oppo- . sition of Sir Charles Wetherell, and his talk about a mausoleum - for all the title-deeds of the country ; the building, it is well known, • baying been minutely described by the Commission, on whose recommendation the bill is founded, and it never having been intended to lodge the originals of the deeds in the office, but merely copies of them. Mr. Campbell said he had been asked to exempt • Yorkshire from the bill ; and if it were insisted on, he would ; but lie trusted he would be able to show that the York registry was a . gross job, of no use or benefit unless to the attornies. After some

• Canversation, in which Mr. BLAMIRE (the new member for Cum- berland) deprecated the principle of the bill, and expressed a hope . that at least Cumberland would be exempted from its operation, —and Mr. SPENCE, Mr. O'CONNELL, Mr. CUTLAR FERGUSSON, - and others, spoke highly in favour of the principle—leave was . given, and the bill was introduced. Mr. CAMPBELL also introduced his bills to amend the law relating to Inheritance ; to amend the law relating to Dower ; to amend the law relating to the courtesy of England ; to abolish Fines and Recoveries, and to substitute other assurances in lieu thereof ; and to amend the law relating to Prescription and the Limitation of Actions.

19. DEBTORS' AND CREDITORS' BILL. This measure was reintro- duced by Lord WYNFORD on Thursday. The proposed alterations in the law consist in a provision by which the bankrupt-laws will be made to extend to all persons, whether traders or not. By this ex-

" tension, no man will be permitted to live in luxury in the Bench or • the Rules, on that property which ought to go to pay his debts, • merely because he does not happen to he a trader, and is therefore in a great measure without excuse for having incurred debts. Lord Wynford mentioned, that there were not less than a hundred per- sons in this predicament at the present moment. In every town on the Continent also, persons might be found living in a similar way, while their property in England was safe from their creditors. The provisions of Lord Wynford's bill will bring within the opera- - tion of the bankrupt-laws all persons who are in execution for - three months, and the remaining in prison for three months will equally bring the debtor within their operation. Persons remain- - ing abroad for three months after being served with a bailable writ, will be liable to the same consequences; unless they be abroad on the public service.

Lord FIFE strongly objected to the bill, on the ground that it went to perpetuate the system of imprisonment for debt,—a system which, he contended, injured the honest, both debtors and credi- tors, and benefited none but 'the fraudulent and the attornies. After arguing at some length on the cruelty and inefficiency of imprisonment for debt, and citing the opinions of De ',ohne and Beccaria against the practice, he declared his intention of giving, in its future stages, a decided negative to the bill.

20. Mn. HOEHOUSE'S VESTRY BILL. This bill was the subject of some conversation on Thursday night ; in the course of which Mr. HOBHOUSE said— It had been before four committees, who had so metamorphosed it, that it was nothing like the measure he had proposed ; and that as thee changes had bettered the bill considerably in the estimation of the late Parliament, while he thought they had deformed it, he had resolved to abandon the measure altogether. It was true that the present Parliament was very differently constituted from the last ; but still he thought that in a session like the prcsgilt, there was no possibility of such a bill being, finally carried through the two Houses.

21. TRADE WITH CHINA AND INDIA. Sir ROBERT PEEL, in presenting a petition from English merchants residing at Canton, dwelt at length on the hardships they sustained from the Chinese Government, and the advantage that would accrue from the appointment of a permanent Consul to represent and protect the British interests.

Mr. CHARLES GRANT said, the petition and its object should receive the best consideration of Government ; though he could not then give any decided opinion on the subject.

Mr. W. WHITmoRE thought the question was connected with another—the expediency of opening up the trade of the East to British industry generally.

Mr. AsTELL deprecated the application of free trade doctrines to that quarter.

Mr. EWART said, three propositions had been satisfactorily made out in the last committee on Indian affairs—

The first was, that the Chinese were a trading and an intelligent peo- ple, and that therefore they would prefer an open trade with this coun- try. The second was, that the efforts of the Chinese Government were futile in endeavouring to prevent its subjects from pursuing their trade in the best mode which their intelligence suggested to them. The third proposition was, that British goods were (hiding their way into the Ce- - lestial Empire; for in fact, most of their principal men were now clothed

• in stuffs of British manufacture.

• Mr. BARING thought, if the trade were thrown open, private adventurers would be oppressed. If, therefore, the diplomacy of

the Company were removed, it must be supplied in some way; but if an ambassador or consul were sent out, he might have to interfere too frequently. In conclusion, he saw no reason that the House should notdo something practical on the subject.

Mr. GRANT moved for a committee to inquire into the state of the trade between England and China and the East Indies. The motion was agreed to, after a conversation in which Mr. W. WHITMORE, Mr. ASTELL, Mr. STUART WORTLEY, Mr. C. FER- GUSSON, Mr. HUME, Sir J. MALCOLM, and Sir CHARLES FORBES took a part. The new Committee consists of the following mem- hers— Mr. Charles Grant, Mr. Baring, Mr. Astell, Mr. Williams Wynn, Mr. Cutlar Fergusson, Sir James Mackintosh, Lord Ashley, Mr. Littleton, Mr. AhLrman Thompson, Mr. Hume, Mr. George Bankes, Mr. Irving, Mr. Courtenay, Mr. Wolryche Whitmore, Lord Viscount IVIorpeth, Lord Vis- count Acheson, Mr. 'Wrightson, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. John Wood, Mr. Callaghan, Sir Charles Forbes, Sir George Staunton, Sir James Macdo- nald, Mr. Fazakerley, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Shelley, Mr. Stuart Wortley, Sir John Malcolm, Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Gaily Knight, Mr. :John Loch, Lord Nugent, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Denison, Mr. Protheroe, Lord Viscount Milton.

22. SUTTEES. An attempt was made in India by some of the more zealous of the Brahmins to meet Lord W. Bentinck's order for the suppression of Suttees, and a petition was forwarded to this country praying to be heard against it before the Privy Coun- cil. A counter-petition was got up by the more influential and less bigoted, and sent to England by the celebrated Ham- Mohun Roy. It was addressed to the House of Lords, and was presented last night by the Marquis of LANSDOWNE.

The petitioners state their decided conviction, after looking into the Shasters and Vedas, that the inhuman custom which had been abolished was not authorized by the Hindoo religion. They observe, that it was first instituted by certain Hindoo princes for private and personal rea- sons; and they farther declare, that one of the most important injunc- tions of Menu was, that widows should live in the observance of purity and virtue after the death of their husbands—that they should lead a life of chastity and austerity, but that they should not destroy themselves..

23. SLAVE MANUMISSION. In answer to a question, Lord Howicis said, it was not the intention of Ministers to propose, in the present session, any compulsory regulations with respect to the manumission of slaves in the Colonies.

24. NEWFOUNDLAND. On Monday, in answer to questions front Mr. ROBINSON respecting this island, Lord HOWICK said—

The petition for a local legislature had attracted the most serious at- tention of his Majesty's Government, and that it was their full persuasion that the people of Newfoundland were entitled to have a direct control in the management of their own affairs. But there would be great diffi- culty in introducing a local legislature into a colony in which there was only one town of large importance,—namely, St. John's. The other towns there were at a great distance from St. John's; they were all small towns, and the communication between them and St. John's was, during a great portion bf the year, entirely cut off. With respect to affording protection to the English fishing on the French shore, it should be recol- lected, that the right to fish there was disputed by the French; and the treaty of 1783, and the subsequent declaration, rendered it extremely doubtful ; while it remained so, Government could not give protection. Ile had no intention whatever to bring in any new act for the revision of the laws respecting fishing this session.

Mr. RoniNsoN, not -deeming these answers satisfactory, gave notice of a motion on the subP.ct for the 5th of July.

25. LARGE FLEET AT PORTSMOUTH. Captain BOLDER() (nomi- nee of Mr. Neeld for Chippenham) said he had seen "a very large fleet of ships" assembled at Portsmouth : he was very anxious to know why it had been assembled—" it was the largest fleet as- sembled there for the last sixteen years."

Sir JAMES GRAHAM said, the fleet in question was merely as- sembled to practise certain naval evolutions, which required a good deal of preliminary exercise to perform correctly.

26. GENERAL BUSINESS. The number of Private Bills on the Votes is great, as all the bills of last session as well as those of this, make their appearance there. The most novel in title is a bill called the " Zemindar of Nozeed and Mustaphanagar"—ob- ject not stated. The Tobacco Prohibition Bill, Master of the Mints Salary Reduction Bill, Double Land-tax Bill, and London Coal Bill, are severally inproaress. Mr. SADLER has a motion for the 14th on. the subject of theIrish Poor; and Mr. BENETT, whose resolutions on Liverpool were "counted out" on Wednes- day, renews them on the 7111. Petitions have been presented and referred against Coleraine and Beeralston elections. Several amendments are threatened in the Committee on the English Reform Bill, the second reading of which stands for Monday : they are all by friends, and unimportant. Mr. O'Cosr- ars:LL intends, in the Committee on the -lush Bill, to move that the franchise in Ireland be placed on the same footing as in Eng- land. This involves the restoration of the forty-shilling free- holders.