NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE proceedings in Parliament have now run down to the dry tech- nicalities of legislation and the dregs of debating; a few officials - and a few pertinacious enthusiasts still breaking the quiet of either House, while the expanse of almost empty benches looks as com-
fortless and dreary as an unsuccessful theatre. Yet the business has not been without interest or importance.
In the first place, a "constitution" has been remodelled—that of Newfoundland. The colony enjoyed the usual Colonial burlesque of King, Lords, and Commons, only in so Democratic a form as to the Commons that it may be said to have had an universal suffrage. The colonists managed badly: what we should call the ." Liberal" party seem to have been unduly liberal with blud- geons and the like expletives; and the "Aristocratic" or commer- cial party contrived to bring the Commons or Assembly into dis- -credit by procuring the return of persons in servile situations. From whatever causes, there was a display of violence and inde- corum. The late Ministry suspended the working of that consti- tution until a new one could be made; and in the interval Lord STANLEY succeeded to the Colonial Office. He proposes to blend the Legislative Council and Assembly, the Lords and Commons, in one House, consisting of ten Government nominees and fifteen elective members; and to raise the qualification of candidates and electors, with other measures for curtailing the licences of elec- tions. Under the pressure of an unwonted opposition for a mere Colonial question, Lord STANLEY has conceded that the union of the two chambers shall be temporary; and that the qualification -for electors, which, according to the original scheme of his bill, *mild have effected a sweeping disfranchisement, shall not be so 'high and so exclusive. The bill seems a not unreasonable mea- sure ; but the very objectionable fact remains, that the colony -which was made the subject of this absentee legislation was totally enheard by the assembly that legislated; and that the House of Commons, carrying on its ordinary system in respect of Foreign and Colonial affairs, acted upon the faith of mere assertions by a Minister, and picked information, obtained at second- hand, with no real original information of its own for guid- ance. The legislating body sat by while Lord STANLEY, the organ of certain unknown personages in Downing Street, asserted some things, and Mr. O'CONNELL and Mr. CHARLES BULLER asserted opposite things; and there was a sort of compro- mise between the disputants, volunteered by one side; and then the House ratified the compromise. The House did not legislate: Lord STANLEY legislated; the House voted. If no great harm was clone in the present instance, at least a very dangerous practice
was maintained—that by which Parliament lends itself to be a mere voting-machine for individuals who legislate in the obscurity ,of subordinate offices, without responsibility.
One of the most respectable attacks on the Slave-trade has been tnade this week by Lord BROUGHAM. The clumsy efforts of Eng-
land have failed to suppress the traffic: it preserves its hateful
existence, like the scorpion which is so fiat and grovelling that the great stone laid upon it hides without crushing. Lord BROUGHAM, in a speech which for its matter may be called short, exposed the flourishing state of the trade in Cuba and Brazil, the participation of British subjects, and the active intervention of British military officers. These things -were not unknown before; but Lord BROUGHAM has made them so glaring that they can no longer be tolerated on the indolent plea of obscurity. The Duke of WEL- LINGTON admitted, in substance, that something must be done, but that Government were not competent to the task; and he promised on their part to " consider " any measure which Lord BROUGHAM might introduce next session, with a view to making
it effective. What is to be done is undecided: Lord %comma thinks that a declaratory act would suffice. Mr. Dinrcommi has revived the clebates on the trial of the Sedg- ley Chartists and the Deptford disturbance and interference of the
Police: but the facts of the Deptford case are doubtful, or at least disputed. Of a cognate character is Mr. SHEII:11 ques- tion respecting a spy, or Irish " bloodman," who avowed at a recent trial that be was employed by the Police, and that he had entrapped several persons into acts of Ribandism. Lord ELGyr wholly condemned the principle of thus employing informers to make crime; and he promised to write for information. It is to be believed that Lord &Jar will be able to clear the Government of all participation in such practices; for surely Sir ROBERT PEEL'S colleagues could not make such an outrageous mistake as is im.- puted to them. Lord RADNOR has had a few more last words about the Corn-lair, in moving the second reading of a bill for the total repeal; the un- hesitating rejection of which by the Peers was a matter of course. Some incidental remarks on Church affairs are worth note. In Committee on the Ecclesiastical Corporations Leasing Bill, Sir JAMES GRAHAM declared that the public money could not be called upon for Church-extension until the resources of the Church should be proved to be exhausted. And in answering some of Sir Joint EASTHOPE'S Leicester-inspired questions, the Premier did not say whether or not he should consider the subject of Church-rates during the recess, but he refused to say that he would introduce any measure next session. Sir JOHN asked him, whether he was satisfied with the present state of the law? Sir ROBERT replied, that he did not know whether he was satisfied with the present state of any law! Here is a sign of the times! It used to be the fun- damental principle of Toryism, that whatever is is right, and that our "glorious constitution" is perfect: the man chosen by the Tories sees perfection in nothing that is. He is a " Conser- vative " and will not alter needlessly or hastily; but nothing is too sacred to be altered on fit occasion. The advancing tide of common opinion has made a new high-water-mark.
