19ebnttoi anlf flrattellingt in parTiamtnt. 1. REPLY TO THE ADDRESS.

The SPEAKER announced to the House of Commons on Monday, that he had presented the Address of the House to the King on the previous Saturday ; and that his Majesty had made the following gra- cious reply.

I thank you sincerely for the assurances which you have given me, in this loyal and Ilutirul Address. of your disposition to cooperate with me in the improvement, with view to their maintenance, of our institutions in Church and State.

'• I team with regret that you du not concur with me as to the policy of the appeal uhich I Itsve made to the seuse of my People. " I never have exercied, and I never will exercise, any of the prerogatives which I hula. except for the single purpose of promoting the great end for which they are intrusted to me—the public good ,• and I confidently trust, that no measure conducive to the general interests will be endangered or interrupted in its progress, by the oppor- tunity which I have afforded to my faithful and loyal subjects of expressing their opi- nions through the free choice of their Representatives in Parliament.

Sir Roaeav PEEL moved the thanks of the House to the King for his most gracious reply.

Mr. HUME thought the reply called for no special vote of thanks; but being assured by Sir Roatar PEEL that it was customary to vote the thanks of the House on all such occasions, he withdrew his objec- tions, and the motion was agreed to.

2. REPORTED DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT. .

On Monday, the order of the day having been read for the House going into a Committee of Supply, and the SPEAKER having put the question that he should leave the chair,

Lord JoHN RUSSELL rose to put some questions to Sir Robert Peel relative to the rumours of an intended dissolution of Parliament.

The House has shown, by two votes, that it is not disposed to adopt the pro- positions made by his Majesty's Ministers. In an Amendment to the Address to the Throne, It has called for measures of a more decided character than the adviiers of the Crown thought fit to suggest in the Royal Speech ; and it has declared that the only step yet taken by Ministers, namely, the dissolution of the late Parliament, was unnecessary and impolitic. As far, therefore, as the opinion of the House conveys a censure, it has fixed that censure upon that act of the present Ministers. I believe that no Ministers ever before stood in so ex- traordinary a situation ; and I thought it right, two votes having passed against them to call the attention of the House, before we went into a Committee of Supply, to the rumours that have prevailed, and to ask the right honourable Baronet if he had given any authority for those rumours? The rumours to which I advert imply that Ministers having advised his Majesty to appeal to the sense of his People, would not be content with that seose so expressed ; but since the result had been adverse to their Views and measures, again to appeal to the sense of the People, and to endeavour to wear out and vex the country by repeated dissolutions. There have been rumours even of a more extraordi- nary nature—that should Ministers think it advisable to recommend his Majesty to dissolve this Parliament before the Mutiny Act shall have been passed, they would consider themselves authorized to maintain a standing army in time of peace; contrary to the known constitution of the country, and without the consent of Parliament. (Expressions of dissent front Si, Robert Peel.) I admit, as the right honourable Baronet seems to indicate, that it was a very absurd rumour ; and though it may have entered into the head of some sanguine projector, it is hardly to be imagined that any reasonable Minister would advise such a course. But whatever apprehensions I might have felt on the ground of thPse rumours, they have been in a great degree dispelled by the tenor of his Majesty's answer to the Address of this House. Although his Majesty regrets that this House did not concur with him in the fitness of the late dissolution, yet he adds that he ' confidently trusts that no measure, conducive to the general interests, will be endangered or interrupted in its progress' by that event. Now I cannot believe that Ministers would have advised the King to give that answer, if they bad in contemplation a second dissolution, by which the progress of all measures of reform conducive to the public interests would immediately, and of necessity, be terminated. Therefore I will not ask the right honourable Baronet the direct question I had proposed to put to him, but unless I hear some contradiction from him, I will conclude from the answer his Majesty was advised to give, that it is not the intention of Ministers to interrupt the course of the House, either in respect of the measures it may think necessary to adopt for the reform of abuses, or in respect of the advice which, as the Great Council of the Nation, it may feel called upon from time to time to offer to his 3Iajesty." With regard to the question of Supply, he recommended that the House should not go far in voting the public money. He did not agree with Mr. Hume that the King should have stated the nature of the intended proceedings with regard to Corporation and other Reforms ; but what had passed in other parts of his Majesty's Palace of West- minster [alluding to the declaration of Lord Lyndhurst] had tended to increase his suspicions that no effectual Corporation Reform would be proposed by Ministers. With regard to the Irish Church, Lord John Russell gave notice, that before the close of the month, he should di- rect the deliberate attention of the House to the whole subject, and state the course which the late Cabinet had intended to pursue in rela- tion to it.

Sir ROBERT PEEL professed himself quite ready to answer Lord. John Russell's questions; and spoke as follows.

" I have nut felt it my duty, in consequence of the vote of the other night, to tender my resignation—(A burst of cheers from all the Ministerial benches) —and I do intend to persevere in that which' consider I owe to his Majesty and to the public, notwithstanding that vote, by submitting to the consideration of the House those measures on which the Members of the present Government have formed their opinions, and which are alluded to in the Speech from the Throne. I am certainly aware that the House of Commons did by a small majority—a small majority in an exceedingly full House, the numbers being 309 to 302— not pass a censure on the King's Government, but by a majority of only seven imply a difference of opinions. to the necessity of a dissolution ; and expressed apprehensions, which I think are unfounded, that measures conducive to the general interest will be interrupted and retarded by the appeal which his Ma- jesty made to his People. But I do not believe that that majority which came ao a vote in favour of the Amendment to the Address did iiieu, to imply an opinion that that vote was tantamount to a vote for the removal of the Govern-

ment. I think there are many who cencnrred in tluit vote, who ill admit that

I should act inconsistently with my duty, if! considered that vow significant of an opinion that I ought to retire from the post I occupy. Some honourable Members who spoke in the debate expressly declared that such was their

opinion. I shall take the several questious of the noble Lord, net exactly in the order in which they were put, but in the order in which they present them- selves to my mind. With respect to the Irish Church, I do iutend to present to the House the Report that may be niade by the Commissioners appointed under the late Government. When I came into office, I amertained that the Commissioners had applied themselves sedulously to their duties ; that they had completed their inquiries regarding nearly half the parishes of Ireland; and

that they were proceeding with the remainder ; and his Majesty's new servants did not consider it consistent with their duty, the Comtnission having been ap- pointed by the Crown, to interfere with its progress. Without pledging our- selves as to measures, I can say with truth, that we have given every facility to the conduct of the investigation. The noble Lord lour stated that I inti- mated an op:nion that I would not act upon the Report, or found a measure upon its suggestions: but I beg to assure him that he misapprehended my meaning. What I said was this—that I still remained of opinion that ecclesi- astical property ought not to be diverted from strictly ecclesiastical purposes. That is the principle that I still maintain ; that is the principle on which I was disposed to act ; but I did not preclude myself, by that declaration, from the adoption of any measures recommended by the Commissioners; not inconsistent with that principle."

He denied that he had any secret wish, or motive, or intention, to obstruct Corporation Reform; but refused to state any thing as to the intentions of Goverrinent on the subject, until the Report of the Com- missioners should he laid on the table.

With reference to the dissolution of Parliament, he contended that he might with propriety abstain from saying any thing. When Earl Grey was questioned by Lord Wharneliffe, in April 1831, as to his in- tentions on the subject of dissolving the Parliament, Earl Grey de- clined giving any answer, and said that the question was a very unusual one. But Sir Robert would go further than Earl Grey, and declare, that lie had never, directly or indirectly, sanctioned the rumours re- ferred to by Lord John Russell. The rumour as to the intention of Government to keep up a standing army in case the House should re- fuse to pass the Mutiny Bill, must be, he thought, of very recent origin, as the first whisper he had heard of such a rumour was from Lord John Russell's own lips.

Mr. IlustE wished to know distinctly whether Sir Robert intended to retain his situation, in opposition to the wishes of the great mass of the community. (Cries of "Ni., no !") Mr. Hume continued— "If I thought that the majority in the House did not represent the majority out of it, the case would be different; but as I think that the majority in the House does represent a very large ma;ority out of it, I beg to know whether it is to be understood that the present Ministers will continue to hold the reins of Government, although they will be unable to carry any measure without severe conflict ? I ask this, because, after the recent appeal to the People, they have a right to expect steady, staid government, on which dependence can be placed as to the measures to be introduced, and as to the probability of carrying those measures. Are we to understand, that notwithstanding the decisions against him, it is the right honourable Baronet's intention to persevere, doubting that the opinion already expressed is the opinion of the majority ?"

Sir RonEar PEEL replied.— " When I answered the question put to me by the noble Lord, I stated simply a fact—that in consequence of the vote of the other night I had not considered it my duty to tender my resignation ; and I do assure the honourable Member for Middlesex, that in my situation I find it quite sufficient to dispose of prac- tical questions for discussion and decision, without attempting to meet the hypothetical points and uncertain contingencies in respect to which he asks for an answer. I have not resigned: and I mean to proceed in the execution of my duty, by submitting to the consideration of Parliament the measures con- templated in the Speech from the Throne; but as to the course I shall pursue, or the course the House is likely to pursue, those are matters which must be de- termined by future events, in respect to which I consider it utterly inconsistent with my duty to pronounce an opinion."

After some further remarks from Mr. Hums:, Mr. Ewan; Mr. O'CONNELL, Major BEAUCLERK, and Captain ALSAGER, the conver- sation was discontinued.

3. ORANGE ADDRESSES.

Mr. FINN, on Wednesday, questioned Mr. Goulburn respecting the presentation of Orange addresses to the King.

He was induced to ask this question in consequence of having seen a state- ment in the Court Circular of the 26th of February, that " Viscount Cole pre- sented 162 addresses from the Orangemen of Ferinauagh, 2 from Mayo, and I from Manor Hamilton, congratulating his Majesty on the exercise of his royal prerogative, and expressing their confidence in his present servants; and that a similar address was presented by Mr. Leycester, M.P., from the Orangemen of the county and city of Calk; and that Earl Roden presented four addresses from the Protestants in the counties of Down and Waterford belonging to the Orange institutions, thanking his Majesty for the dismissal of the late aliuistry." The question to which he wished to have an answer given was, whether such addresses, professing to come from Orange Associations, had been presented in that character te. his Majesty ?

Mr. GOULBURN could not say whether the statement was correct or not, but he believed it was usual to present all addresses that were re- spectfully worded.

Mr. RONAYNE wished Mr. Goulburn to say, whether he himself had not within the last few weeks, received officially addresses from professed !Orange Lodges in Ireland, to be presented to his Majesty, and to which he had returned an answer that the same had been most graciously received by his Majesty ?

Mr. GOULBCRN admitted that he had done so.

Certain addresses had been lately presented by him to his Majesty, in which the persons signing them had described themselves as belonging to Orange So- cieties—(Lorul cheering from the Opposition)—and that others had been pre- sented by certain persons describing themselves as members of Trades Unions. (Cheers and laughter from Ministers.) In such cases, no other answer was given from the Throne than that the address of A. B., &c. had been re mind. No not-ice was taken in the answer of the designation which the per- sons might have given themselves in the address.

Mr. EIVART asked whether those Trades Unions were legal or il- legal?

lie appiehended if the,Dorehester labourers, who were convicted last year of being members of an illegal Union, had, as such members, vent an udress to the Crown, it would have been the duty of Ministers to advise the Crown to refuse the acceptance of that address. It was therefore material, on this ques- tion, to know whether the cases were parallel?

Mr. E. J. STANI.EY wished to know whether it was usual for the Crown to return an answer to all address in terms expressive of the gracious manner in which it had been received?

Mr. Gounwats could not tell the express terms of the answers to the addresses in question. He believed that he had followed the usual practice in regard to these addresses.

Lord MORPETH reminded Mr. Goulburn, that in 1831, the Duke of Wellington refused to receive an address because the parties who signed it belonged to a Political Union.

A Member on the Opposition side of the House asked Mr. Goul- burn, whether he, as a Minister of the Crown, considered an Orange Lodge to be legal or illegal ; and whether be thought it right to present an address from such a society to his Majesty?

A considerable time elapsed before any member of the Government rose to answer the question ; and during the interval there was very

loud cheering from the Opposition. At length, Mr. GOULBURN rose and said, that the reply to the addresses was intended as an acknow- ledgment of their receipt, not of the legality of the designation which the parties who signed them gave to themselves. (Loud cheering from the Opposition.) Mr. E. J. STANLEY then said, perhaps the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer could tell him whether, when petitions were presented to the

Throne supposed to originate from unrecognized societies, it had ever been the practice to add to the acknowledgment of such petitions the words " graciously received ?"

Sir ROBERT PEEL could not exactly answer Mr. Stanley's question. He apprehended a good deal depended on the language of the address. (Cries of " No, no ! ") He repeated that a great deal must depend on the terms of the address- ( Cheers from the 31inisterbil side);—for he could very easily imagine that a petition or address coming from a Trades Union or Political Union might be drawn up in such language as would of itself justify a refusal to present it. He believed that no Minister would refuse to present an address to the Throne coming from a Trades Union, if there should be nothing unbecoming or disrespectful in it. He recollected to have heard discussions in that House as to whether, after the delivery of a speech from the Throne denouncing Political Unions, the House would be justified in refusing to receive petitions coming from those bodies ; and the opinion of the House was, that such petitions should be received. [" No no!" from the Opposition. " Not as coming from a Political Union."] Did the House, he asked, reject any petitions because they proceeded from Poli- tical Unions? With respect to the presentation of addresses, it would, in his opinion, be a painful task to impose on his Majesty, on the occasion of an ad- dress being offered to him at a levee, to force him or his Minister to reject it, on account of the presumed illegality of certain acts performed by the persons signing the address as members of an association. He thought the general rule should be to widen rather than to narrow the door for the reception of petitions. lie was certain that that was the principle on which the House always acted, and that pi inciple ought to be acted on uniformly. It was not the practice of that House to inquire narrowly into the legality of bodies presenting petitions to Parliament ; it was but natural for the Crown to receive petitions from its sub- jects without makina a minute inquiry with respect to the particular societies from which they might profess to come. As to the answers returned to ad- dres.es, lie believed they were more matters of form, and that they usually stated that the addresses had been graciously received. (" No, no r) This was a good and necessary rule, unless the illegality of the societies addressing the Throne was to be invariably assumed. Sir Robert Peel added, in reply to a question from Mr. E. J. STANLEY, that the receipt of the address could not be a recognition of the legality of the society.

Mr. Goorneast, being questioned by Mr. SHEIL, offered to lay co- pies of all the addresses presented by him, and the answers returned by him, on the table, but would not promise to do the same with that said to have been presented by the Duke of Wellington.

Mr. SUM. then gave notice of a motion for the production of that address.

Mr. Straw thought that too much stress was laid on the subject under discussion: Orange societies had never been declared illegal by a court of law.

Mr. O'CONNELL said, that this arose from the difficulty of obtaining evidence.

But this had happened— that more than one Judge had stated his opinion that they were illegal societies, and more than one witness had protected himself, when under examination, from disclosing the nature of an Orange institution, or the oath of secrecy taken, and signs used by its members, by saying that he was not bound to commit himself, and the Court so decided. But the statute law in Ireland had gone infinitely beyond that. He knew that among the upper classes of Orangemen the oath was not taken. Dr. Le FROY—" Among all classes." Mr. O'CorstiELL—" No." On the contrary, he could prove that the lower

orders of Orangemen took the oath still. But the statute law in Ireland made it illegal to belong to any society where any secret oath, declaration, or test was

required. Now, DO man could enter an Orange lodge without giving a test that

he was a Protestant. At the bar of the House Alderman King refused to explain what that test was, because he was bound by oath not to tell. The system of

tests was observed beyond a shadow of doubt; and the danger of countenancing such societies was manifest already, by the evidence taken before the Committee in 18:15. On that occasion, the promedings of one entire chapter were read. Mr. Brownlow, who then declared himself to be an Orangeman, denied that the following verse formed any part of the proceedings; but the quotations from Scripture came close up to it. The verse to which he alluded ran thus--." Thy feet shall be wet with the blood of thine enemy, and the tongue of thy dog shall be red with the same." Whether the lower orders belonging to those societies would proceed even to the realising of that verse was a question for the gentle- men who administered the government of Ireland to consider ; especially at a period when Orange societies in Ireland were so encouraged, and when all the appointments were exclusively given to men who favoured those bodies. The very last appointment—that of Chairman of Carlow Sessions, was given to Mr. Robinson, nephew to Lord Farnham, and lie believed a very respectable young gentleman, but who, he also believed, had never had a brief. The honourable Mr. Plunkett, also, who declared himself to be an Orangemen, had been ap- pointed an Assistant Barrister. Sir HENRY HARDINGE denied that the present Government had ap- pointed persons to office on account of thew Orange politics; and re-

ferret: ta Sir Edward Sugden and Mr. Pennefather in proof of this. Be firmly believed that Mr. Robinson was not an Orangeman : he cer- tainly was no relation of Lord Farnham.

Mr. O'CONNELL admitted that his only authority for the statement respecting Mr. Plunkett was the newspapers. If Mr. Robinson were no relation, he was the "moral agent " of Lord Farnham. It was also

otorious that Lord Roden was offered a place, but declined it.

Mr. LEFROY stated, that the Orangemen gave up taking oaths when oaths were declared illegal. The assertions respecting the Orangemen were gross, false, and infamous.

Sergeant O'Louctimsz said, he would state a circumstance that would, he thought, satisfy the House, that the present Government intended to countenance the Orange faction.

In December last, a meeting took place in Dublin of the members of the Orange Institation of the county and the city ; at which meeting the Loral Mayor presided. Some most violent speeches were delivered on that occasion ; and among the rest was one by the Reverend Mr. M'Cree. At the conclusion of his speech he read some stanzas of a poem, of which he was probably the author. The two last lines of which ran thus :—

our hope is in the Lord on high

Then put your trust in God, toy boys, and keep your powder dry." At the end of each stanza, the meeting were described as raising a shout by way of chorus. Within one short month of this disgusting exhibition, the Lord Mayor, who so presided, was honoured by the company of the represen- tative of Majesty in Ireland, at the Mansionhouse, attended by all the officials of his Government. Now, if the Government did not mean to patronize the Orange faction in Ireland, the Lord-Lieutenant and his Secretary would not have attended that dinner. He put it to the sense of the House, whether any institution at which such sentiments as those he had alluded to were uttered, could be tolerated as not being essentially injurious to the peace and prosperity of the country ? and whether, instead of being countenanced by the Govern- ment, it ought not to be immediately put down.

Sir HENRY HARDINGE replied, that the Lord-Lieutenant and Secre- tary for Ireland had something else to do than to read songs that any person might sing at public meetings.

The honourable and learned gentlemen must have an extraordinary idea of the law, in accusing them of countenancing a party faction because, in the ob- servance of that co.irtesy which had always been shown to the Chief Magistrate, they had attended a dinner at the Mansionhouse. He repeated that he had never heard of the song; but if he had he should not consider that the Lord Mayor was never to be visited by the Lord-Lieutenant because a person had been so impudent as to sing it before him.

Sergeant O'LOUGHLIN said, it was the sentiment of the song, not the act of singing, that was so objectionable. The words appeared in all the newspapers ; and be put it to the House whether the Chief Secretary for Ireland ought to have been ignorant of them ?

Mr. RONAYNE asked Sir Robert Peel to look at the two Privy Councillors he had made—recognized friends and supporters of the Orange system. Colonel Perceval had also been promoted by Minis- ters, and Lord Roden had been offered a high appointment.

Sir ROBERT PEEL thought that the discussion had been sufficiently prolonged. Mr. HUME spoke strongly against the system of countenancing the Orangemen. Colonel CONOLLY, Sir ROBERT BATESON, and Colonel VERNER de- fended the Orange Societies, as calculated to obstruct the almost trea- sonable designs of Mr. O'Connell.

The same subject was again brought under discussion last night, by Mr. SHEIL ; who moved for copies of the addresses and answers alluded to in the debate of Wednesday ; also for a copy of a letter written by Lord Manners, when Lord Chancellor of Ireland, relative to the lega- lity of Orange Societies, and the opinions of the Attorney and Soli- citor-General on the same point.

The topics introduced into this debate varied but little from those used in the discussion given above. Mr. SHEIL endeavoured to prove the close connexion of the present Government with the Irish Orange- men. He read accounts of the meetings of Orange Lodges in Dublin, at which Lords Roden and Cole attended, and of the Lord Mayor's dinner, where the song alluded to by Sergeant O'Loughli.s was read by the Reverend Mr. M.Crea. He also quoted passages from the letter of the Secretary of the Downshire Orangemen to Lord Roden, with a number of addresses thanking his Majesty for dismissing the Ministers who had established "a system of education founded on Anti-Scrip- tural principles namely, the mutilation of the Word of God." Mr. SUM. taunted ;he Orangemen with being the earnest supporters of the present Ministers, who had avowed their determination to maintain and extend this very system of education.

Mr. GOULBURN complained of being taken by surprise by that part of Mr. Sheil's motion which referred to the opinions of Lord Man- ners and the Irish Law Officers ; and he refused to grant those papers. He again said, that all the addresses he found in his office had been presented to the King, and the same answers returned. He had fol- /owed the practice of his predecessors in office.

Mr. FEARGES O'ConNon urged Mr. Sheil to press his motion. He also observed that Irish Members had been too much in the habit of expressing themselves with warmth in the House ; but now they were allied to a powerful party, and for the irritation they had displayed would substitute the moral power they possessed.

Sir ROBERT PEEL challenged the Opposition to divide the House on the question of obtaining those papers which Mr. Goulburn re- fused. He hoped Mr. Sheil would go to a division, and, having no moral force on his side, show the House what his physical strength was. Sir Robert at considerable length defended his own political consistency in regard to the treatment of Orange Societies, which he bad always discountenanced. He recommended the use of mild and soothing language towards the Orangemen, instead of the bitter taunts with which they were assailed. He objected to the principle of Mr. Sheil's motion, which tended to narrow the right and to fetter the privi- lege of the subject to address the Throne.

Mr. Simi. withdrew that part of his motion which referred to the papers for the production of which no notice of his intention to move Lad been given ; and gave notice that he should move for them next Thursday. He disclaimed all wish to enter into a contest of physical

strength. • Sir ROBERT PEEL scknonledged that he should have used the terra " numerical," not " physical " strength.

Colonel PeecevAL spoke very warmly in his own defence, and that of the Orangemen generally, of whom he avowed himself one. He utterly denied that the Orange Societies were illegal. He would not defer to Mr. O'Connell's opinion on this point ; and reminded Mr. O'Connell, that not long since he had himself eulogized the Orangemen in the highest terms. He offered to give Mr. O'Connell all the tests and declarations used by the Orange Societies.

Mr. O'CONNELL did not hesitate to repeat his firm conviction of the illegality of Orange Societies. He ridiculed the idea of " soothing" the Orangemen, and told Sir Robert Peel that they would laugh hint to scorn for such advice. He referred to the appointments of Lord Roden, Mr. Shaw, and other partisans of the Orange faction, to prove the decided Orange tendency of the Government. He maintained that the whole history of the Orange faction proved its intolerant bigotry and hatred of the mass of the nation.

Mr. SHAW reminded the House, that Orange Societies had never yet been declared illegal in a court of law. Ile reproached Mr. O'Connell with his inconsistency in foully abusing the Orangemen one day, and endeavouring to wheedle them into becoming Repealers the next. He utterly denied that he had himself been u partisan. Mr. Shaw then commenced a virulent attack on Mr. O'Connell, especially for the system of agitation by which he had succeeded in defeating Mr. Fitzgerald in Kerry. He had held out a threat of assassination against those who supported the Knight of Kerry.

Mr. O'CONNELL rose amidst cries of " Order !" and addressed tile Speaker—" I cannot allow such language to pass without noticing it. I scorn to reply to it. I content myself with calling on you, Mr. Speaker, to say whether such language ought to be used ?"

The SPEAKER decided, that such language exceeded what Parlia- mentary usage allowed.

Mr. SIIAW withdrew the offensive expressions; but said that be had read Mr. O'Connell's threat about painting Death's head and cross- bones on the doors of the Knight's voters. He then proceeded to quote passages from Mr. O'Connell's speeches, abusive of the Whigs, with whom he was now leagued ; and concluded by declat ing, that the time was now come for Parliament to say whether Irish Protestants were to enjoy protection as British subjects, or live in hourly danger of assassination.

Mr. O'Cores:Ese challenged Mr. Shaw to name a single act of vio- lence at the Kerry election.

Mr. Straw said, he would name one. A man named Bourke re- fused to promise not to vote for Mr. Fitzgerald; Mr. O'Connell told him a cross should be painted on his door : shortly after, the man's house was attacked and his door smashed in.

Mr. O'CONNELL rose and advanced to the centre of the house: when there, he said—" I declare most solemnly, in the presence of God who is to judge me, the whole story is totally false."

Lord JOHN RUSSELL commenced by observing, that Mr. Shaw ap- peared to think that personal remark and invective would satisfy the House.

"Now, Sir, I beg to say, that I, for one, feel little interest in personal re- mark and invective ; and whether the honourable and learned gentleman be right or wrong in the allusion he made to the circumstances which took place in Dublin and elsewhere, and leaving him to join the Orange Association, or any other society, I do feel, as one interested in the peace of Ir land, that the tone of the honourable and learned gentleman—( Cheers)— that the violence with which he spoke—(Renewed cheers)—that the total want of candour which he exhibited towards his political opponents—that the entire absence of moderation from his manner of treating the subject before the House—these things, I say, Sir, do make me seriously regret that his Majesty has chosen him as one of those who are to give him advice in his Privy Council." ( Coati- need cheers.) He had been asked whether he was prepared to join Mr. O'Connell in procuring the Repeal of the Union : he was as much opposed as t ver to that project ; but he would remind the House that at the time he spoke against the repeal of the Union, he had said distinctly and em- phatically, that if the forfeiture of the office he then had the honour to hold were to be the consequence, he would not sit another th,y as a Minister of the Crown in that House, unless the grievances complained of by the people of Ireland were redressed. Sir Robert Peel's language, he admitted, had always been conformable to that which he had used that night, but while a different system was Furst ed in Ireland, it mattered little what was the tone assumed by a Prime Minister in the House of Ccmmons.

"The party in Ireland, will care little for your speeches and declarations in Parliament; for they will consider that, notwithstanding such speeches and declarations, Orange Associations are the object of your especial protection. I consider that the character of the present members of the present Government bears full testimony to the approbation and support of Orangeism. I cannot help considering the honourable and gallant Member opposite (Colonel Pert-o- val) as the organ of that body in this House, when he conies forward, avowing his connexion with it. Did he now say to the House, ' I shall retract my Orange opinions, I shall separate from that connexion ?" No; his whole speech was to the effect, I declare myself an Orangeman, and that the society is not illegal, but an organized society, bound together by a special bond of association. I will allude to another circumstance. What was the first act of the present Government? It was to offer to the Earl of Roden the highest place in his Majesty's household—one in which he would be entitled to be with his Majesty in opening the Houses of Parliament, and to accompany him on till occasions of state and ceremony. Can any one believe, under such circumstances, that this Government wishes to discredit Orange Societies. When they offer their pa- tronage aad countenance to those who are so connected with these societies? We shall be glad to know—we should wish that they would no longer continue to favour those who have distinguished themselves by their connexion with Orange Societies. Without, however, saying any thing of kind, with one breath the Government affected to discourage Orange Societies, and with the next they bestowed upon them their highest favour and protection." He then referred to the opposition of many members of the present Government to the Irish system of education, which was now to be upheld by the satire persons ; and read the following extract from a speech of Mr. Shaw, delivered at Exeter Hall, and which Lord Rad- nor quoted in the House of Lords, in the session of 1832.

A long discussion arose as to the propriety of making public an order of the Commander-in- Chief. It was contended by Mr. O'DWYER,

Mr. O'CONNELL, Mr. HUME, Mr. HARDY, and Mr. CHARLES GRANT, He admitted that a plan already ied had faled. but he thought that one carriel that if any such order had been issued, it was an act of common huma- on by means of C5rdS and tickets might be feasible. There could be no difficulty nity only that the peasantry should be informed of it ; as at present in receiving the names of those who go into the Lobby ; and Came in the House they were under the impression that the soldiery would not fire at might be counted and individually ascertained by the delivery of each gentle- them with balls. This was the ease at Rathcormack. Mr. Lirri.r.- man's card. The cards and names might then he handed over to clerks, and TON said, the order was a merciful one in point of fact, as much blood- arranged alphabetically, and the lists then published with the authority of the shed had arisen from the practice of endeavouring to awe the peasantry Speaker's signature. In conclusion, he moved for the appnintinent of a Cons- by ouly firing over their heads in the first instance, which ended in 'Mace to consider the best mode of publishing correct and authmtilsIted lists

firing at them point-blank, of the divisions.

Sir IIENav HARDINGE, Sir C. D'ALBIAC, and Sir ROBERT PEEL ob- jected to making public a confidential order of the Commander-in- Chief ; but did not deny that such an order as that referred to in Mr. O'Dwyer's motion had been issued.

Sir C. D'Almi.‘c said—

The first duty of a British soldier was obedience ; and he would contend that the duty of obedience on the part of a body of troops when under the control of the civil power, was as imperative as when under their own officers. If he were commanded by Lord Hill, or by the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- ment, to put down a riot, he should conceive that, from that moment, the whole responsibility would be removed from them and from the Magistrates, and would be placed upon his shoulders; and if by any refusal to obey the orders he had received any evil consequences ensued, he should be amenable for them to the laws of his country.

Amidst cries of" Question ! " he referred to the riots at Bristol ; and contended that the disorder would have been but trifling, bad not mis. taken lenity been shown in the first instance by the commander of the troops.

Mr. O'CONNELL remarked on the observation of Sir Charles D'Albilre, that a soldier's first duty was obedience to orders,

True, it was so, if the order was itself lawful; but if the soldier was directed to do any thing against the law, and he were to execute that order to the extent of taking away the life of another, lie would be gnilty of murder, even though he obeyed his officer or the magistrate. No officer or magistrate could screen the soldier by pleading that he had done the act by vittue of his obedience to them. lie was sorry to find a general officer so little acquainted with his duty as to tell the House of Commons that a soldier avoided all responsibility if he obeyed the orders of his superiors.

Sir CH.% Imes D'Asarac begged to explain. Ili, principle was this—that if an officer were ordered by Lord Hill, or the Secretary of the Home Depart- ment, to obey the orders of the Metropolitan Magistrates, and he were to refuse

to obey them, he would throw himself open to the laws of his country for any ill consequences that ensued, and to reprehension and punishment by his Sovereign. Mr. O'COISNELL—" I did not mean to say that the honourable and gallant officer was not bound to obey a legitimate order ; lint the honourable and gallant

officer conceives that it is his duty to obey at all events, and that the duty of obe- dience justifies the act on his part."

Sir CHARLES D'ALB1AC-•-" Most unquestionably, I say it is. If the magis- trate should give ever so imprudent or capricious an order, if I were not sensible of any impropriety in obeying the order of that magistrate, it would be my duty to obey that order."

The motion was finally withdrawn, on the understanding that a sug- guestion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL should be adopted, to the effect that the substance of the order should be promulgated through Ireland. During the whole of the discussion, the highest compliments were paid to the Irish Commander.in-Chief, Sir Hussey Vivian, " The Government may make what regulation it pleased, but I trust the People know their duty too well to submit to its enactments. It may degrade our mitre, it may deprive us of our property ; but if the Government dare to lay its hands upon our Bible, then we mast come to an issue. We will cover it with our bodies—we will. My friends, will you permit your Christian bre- thren to cry to you in vain? In the name of my country and my country's God, I will appeal from a British House of Commons to a British public." (Cheers fiom the Opposition benches.) Mr. SIIAW, with warmth, denied the statement. He said the state- ment was made by Lord Radnor; lie never said any thirg like that. Lord JonN RUSSELL then continued the extract- " His countrymen would obey the laws scs long as they were properly admi- nistered; hut if it was sought to lay sacrilegious hand on the B.ble—to tear the standard of the living God, and raise a mutilated one in its stead—then it would I e time not to halt between two opinions; then in every valley and or. every hill would resew:el the rallying-cry To your tents, 0 Israel !'" (Loud cheers from the Opposition.) " The right honourable gentleman has denied the correctness of the report of the speech. Why, it appeared in the Standard and other newspapers of the day ; it was afterwai us quoted by Lord Radnor in the House of Lords; and now he takes the first and only opportunity of giving it a con- tradiction." (Prolonged cheers.) Now he called upon the members of the Government, who had so bitteily opposed the Irish system of Education, to come forward at once, and say " We recant all that we have before said," or make an opposite declaration.

" Let them either say that the present system of education is liberal and wise, and that they are content to give it full effect under the present establishment, or that it is nut. Let them say or do one or the other. It is not fair that they should, on the one hand, take an opportunity of promoting societies which were violent and vehement, and on the other band come before a British House of Commons with different representations. (c/wire from the Opposition.) This System is not wise ; nay, I will say it is not honest. (Loud cheers.) While I maintain opinions and principles, I will maintain them consistently ; I will maintain them in office and out of office ; and I now ask the honourable gentle. men opposite, what is the consistent and uniform plan on which they propose to govern Ireland " (Loud cheers.) Sir HENRY HARDINGE defended the consistency of the Irish Go- vernment, and declared that he had neither voted for nor against the system of education for Ireland. He denied that the Irish appoint- ments indicated an undue leaning towards Orangeism. He maintained that the Kerry election had been carried by the Death's head and cross- bones system.

After some explanatory remarks from Lord JOHN RUSSELL and Sir H. HARDINGE, and a brief speech from Mr. MAURICE O'CONNELL, Mr. Shell's motion was agreed to.

4. ORDERS TO THE MILITARY IN IRET,AND. .5. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

Sir JOHN CAMPBELL, on Wednesday, moved for leave to bring in a bill to abolish imprisonment for debt in England and Wales. In the course of the discussion which ensued, Mr. RICHARDS, in a speech which received the usual tiibute of laughter, objected to the bill, "as a commercial man." It would not facilitate the recovery of book debts: and it would have the effect of reducing the amount of paper in circulation, inasmuch as to lessen the number of bills of exchange to one half of their present amount. No bills would be sent forth except by those who had the most ample means of meeting them. It would also have the effect of lowering prices.

Mr. WA amoroN apprehended no injurious consequences from the bill. So far as regarded its operation on the circulating medium, if it had the effect of driving bad bills out, and leaving none but good, its results would be highly beneficial. It was not from the circulation of hills drawn on men unable to ;sly them that the community derived any benefit. The only effect of multiplying bad bills must be artificially to raise prices for the moment ; but when those bilk cause to be dishonoured, a panic would ensue, and prices would again be low- ered in a corresponding degree. The system which had of late years increased in prevalence of substituting bills of exchange and negotiable securities for book debts, might, under this bill, be rendered more general; but that would, in his opinion, be a beneficial result.

Mr. HAwes concurred with Mr. Warburton. Leave was sit MI to bring in the bill ; and it was then read a first time. Subsequently in the course of the same evening, Sir W. RAE (Lord Advocate) obtained leave to bring a bill to abolish imprisomnent for debt, in certain cases, in Scotland.

6. DIVISIONS OF THE HOUSE.

Sir S. WirALLEv moved the following resolution on Tuesday. " That as a number of Members, larger than there is any precedent of, has divided within the present house without inconvenience, it is expedient, with a view to save time, and to relieve the Speaker front an unpleasant duty, that all divisions shall for the future take place within the !loose." Mr. WARRURTnN, Mr. PRYME, and Sir GEORGE CLERK, said that this would bean inconvenient arrangement. Sir GEORGE CLERK also observed, that time was saved by going into the Lobby, and much con- fusion created by moving from one side of the House to the other.

Sir S. WHALLEY withdrew his motion ; after stating that if it had been adopted, he had intended to suggest, that a clerk should accom- pany the Tellers, and " prick each Member with a pill."

On Wednesday, Mr. WARD called the attention of the House to the subject of giving publicity to the votes of Members by correct and authentic lists of the divisions.

At present, the House suffered all the evils of publication without enjoying its benefits. Lists, unauthenticated by the Speaker's signature, were sent by

Mr. O'DWYER moved, on Tuesday, for a copy of any order issued individual Members to the newspapers ; and a gentleman who bad been mine- by the Commander of the Forces in Ireland to the military, directing presented as to the mode in which he gave his vote had no resource except an them in future, when employed in the collection of tithes, to abstain appeal tn the courtesy of the editor. He bad seen in one day Ave reclawations from firing over the heads of the peasantry. in the Times newspaper from individuals upon this subject, and on the following

day nine. And then it was very fairly observed by the editor "We Nave over and

over again, risque ad nauseant, stated that we have nothing to do with these lists. Why does not the !louse adopt SOMO plan of taking them correctly?" Mr. O'CONNELL, Mr. HUME, Mr. HARDY, and Mr. CHARLES GRANT, He admitted that a plan already ied had faled. but he thought that one carriel that if any such order had been issued, it was an act of common huma- on by means of C5rdS and tickets might be feasible. There could be no difficulty nity only that the peasantry should be informed of it ; as at present in receiving the names of those who go into the Lobby ; and Came in the House they were under the impression that the soldiery would not fire at might be counted and individually ascertained by the delivery of each gentle- them with balls. This was the ease at Rathcormack. Mr. Lirri.r.- man's card. The cards and names might then he handed over to clerks, and TON said, the order was a merciful one in point of fact, as much blood- arranged alphabetically, and the lists then published with the authority of the shed had arisen from the practice of endeavouring to awe the peasantry Speaker's signature. In conclusion, he moved for the appnintinent of a Cons- by ouly firing over their heads in the first instance, which ended in 'Mace to consider the best mode of publishing correct and authmtilsIted lists

The motion was agreed to, and a Committee appointed.

3IISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS.

CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. On Monday, Sir ROBERT PEEL moved that Mr. BERNAL be appointed Chairman of Coannittees of the House.

He believed that his motion would meet with general concurrence. He only protested against misconstruction on this proposal ; the situatioa was justly deserved by the assiduity, impartiality, and habits of business, of Mr. Bernal; and what might be the fate of a motion in favour of any other Alember, lie did not inquire. (Some cheering.) Honourable gentlemen might indulge in that taunt, but he could aseure them it was not deserved ; for he had never con- templated the appointment of any other Chairman. This pre?osal, on his part, might make the vote unanimous; and that circumstance might give addi- tional value to the distinction.

Lord Joust RUSSELL complimented Mr. Bernal on his qualifications for the office. Mr. Bernal then took the chair, the House going into a Committee of Supply.

NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. A Committee of the House of Commons was appointed on Monday, on the motion of Sir ROBERT PEEL, to consider the best means of providing new Houses of Parlia. meat. Sir ROBERT PEEL said, that the present site would be the most convenient to Members and the public. Mr. HUME observed, that of the Commit tee which sat last year, more than half were io favour of changing the site. The followilig gentlemen were then named for the Cominittee,—Sir Robert Peel, Lord John Russell, Sir John Hob- house, Air. Tracey, Lord F. Egerton, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Hume, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Hughes Hughes, Mr. Ridley Colborne, Mr. War- burton, Sir George Clerk, Sir James Graham, Mr. Spring Rice, Lord flowick, Marquis of Chandos, Lord Stanley, Mr. Littleton, Sir Richard Vyvyan, Sir Harry Verney, Sir Charles Burrell, Mr. Ban- nerman, and Lord G. Somerset.

On Tuesday, a Committee of the Lords was appointed. Lord BROUGHAM stud, steps should be taken for the temporary accommoda- tion of the Peers. They were at that moment breathing air that was not properly respirable. He bad observed an offensive smell ; mid if the air thrown into the (louse came from or through pipes that bad been newly painted, and that threw off their effluvia by heat, be could assure their Lordships that the air was unwholesome as well as dis- agreeable. The Earl of Rossr.vsz observed, that he believed that the House was at present heated by steam, and he could not unelerstand how the matter complained of by Lord Brougham could arise. The Duke of WELLINGTON said it should be inquired into.

IRISH CHURCH, Mr, WARD last night withdrew his motion re- specting the Church of Ireland, which stood for Thursday the 12th, as Lord John Russell had given notice of a motion on the same subject ; and be found, from communication with Lord -John Russell, that he could join in that motion without any compromise of his principles : he should also have the pleaaure of seconding it.

ED.UCATION IN IRELAND. Sir HENRY IIARDINGE stated on Mon- day, in reply to a question from Lord Enitainvon, that the Govern- ment plan of education in Ireland, as settled by the late Ministers, would be followed up, and that the amount of the estimate for the current year would be larger than that of the last.

Last night, the Duke of WELLINGTON said, in reply to Lord RODEN,

". It is the intention of his Majesty's Government to propose an estimate daring the present session for the support of the national schools of Ireland. and that the estimate will include a sum greater than the suns voted last year, on account of the payment for certain buildings connected with the subject."

POOR LAWS FOR IRELAND: PROVISION FOR THE CATHOLIC CLERGY.

The Duke of WELLINGTON stated on Tuesday, in reply to questions by the Marquis of WESTMINSTER, that there was certainly no intention of proposing a Poor-law Bill for Ireland, at least until the Report of the Commissioners now investigating the subject should be made ; and that it was not intended to make fr provision for paying the Catholic Clergy.

OATHS: Brsitors IN PARLIAMENT. In the House of Peers, on Monday, the Maiquis of WESTMINSTER objected to the number of Bishops on the Committee of the Duke of Riehmond'a Bill for abolishing Customhouse and other Oaths. He said, it was better that the Bishops, like the clergy in general, should be relieved from the po- litical cares that were now cast upon them ; for he thought that the more they were withdrawn from politics, the better would they be able to discharge their important spiritual duties. The Duke of RICHMOND considered that the subject of the bill was closely con- nected with the religion of the country, and therefore he had placed six Bishops on the Committee, with twenty-four lay Peers.

UNIVERSITY Otinis. A discussion arose in the House of Peers, last night, on a motion of Lord RADNOR for copies of the oaths taken at the Universities. His object was to show the gross impropriety of calling upon young men at college to swear to observe a certain line of conduct for the rest of their lives, and the power of dispensing with the observance of the statutes which the students had sworn to ob- serve. Lord BROUGHAM spoke in favour of' the motion, and against the practice of the Universities. The Duke of 1Vnialsicros: and the Bishop of LLANDAFF and GLOUCESTER defended the Universities. The motion was agreed to.

BALLOT: VOTING BY PROXY. The Marquis of WESTMINSTER stated, in reference to the subject of corrupt voting at elections, that nothing but the Ballot would cut up the practice. Ile also said, that in the present state of the country he thought it best to postpone for the pre- sent his bill for putting an end to voting by proxy in the House of Peers.

BRIBERY. Mr. GISBORNE moved, cn Tuesday, " That in all cases in which an election shall be declared void on the ground of bribery or treating, it is expedient that the expense of the petitioners should be borne by the public."

Sir F. Pot.i.ocn, Mr. WYNN, Sir R. PEET., and Mr. BARING opposed, and Sir JOHN CAMPBELL supported the resolution. In the end, Mr. GISBORNE postponed his motion, on the suggestion of Mr. 11U31E.

CHURCH COMMISSIoN. Mr. GOULBURN informed the House of Commons, on Wednesday, in reply to a question by Mr. 13alsEs, that is tablet showing the income which every dignitary of the Church re- ceived` from the Church, was now in the course of printing; and he hoped that it would be completed so as to be laid on the table at an early period.

Punic EDUCATION. On the motion of Mr.Roneues, on Tuesday, the Committee on Public Education was reappointed. Mr. Flanvnit wished the inquiries of the Committee to be directed to the amount of property applicable to the purposes of education, instead of the state of education generally, and the necessity of granting additional funds from the public purse.

It was a :matter not only of regret, but of censure, that although a Commis- eion had been sitting for shout seventeen years, at an expense of not less than a quarter of a million sterling, the investigation was not more than half finished, and that what had been dune had been done ill. He would not trouble the House with details, but it was worth consideration whether some means could not be devised for making the existing funds applicable to the purposes of in- struction. He would venture to say, that if the annual amount of money arising out of real and funded property were honestly applied to the objects of the benevolent founders, there was not a child in the country who need go without education for lack of means.

Mr. ItranntarroN and Sir ROBERT PEEL thought that there would not be sufficient time for such an extensive inquiry as that into which Mr. Harvey's motion would lead the Committee. The latter also objected to the composition of the Committee : there were 18 Members from the Opposition, and only 4 from the Treasury side of the House. It was finally agreed that the names should be settled the next day.

INCREASE OF THE REGIUM DONUM. On Wednesday, Colonel CO- NOLLY presented three petitions from parishes in the county of Donegal, connected with the Synod of Ulster, praying that an equal amount of the Royal bounty, or Regium Donum, should be paid to each minister of the Synod, by endowing them with a stipend of 100/. a year each. He admitted that, as his proposition went to equalize the stipends of the ministers by increasing the lower class up to the rate of the higher, it would occasion an additional expense of 7000/. a year; but, coming as it did from a very peaceable, orderly, and loyal class of his Majesty's subjects, he did hope that it would receive the attention of Govern.. meat.

Here the SPEAKER interrupted Colonel Conolly, to inform him, that petitions for a grant of money could not be presented without the con- sent of the King. He had to apologize for allowing a petition con- taining a similar prayer to be presented to the House on a previous evening ; but he did not know its impost till it was submitted to him to be printed.

Sir ROBERT PERT. said, it was not sarprising that the petition bad escaped the Speaker's vigilance, as he could only have known its con- tents from the description of the person who presented it. With re- spect to the petition presented by Colonel Conolly, he was intrusted by the Crown with the power to give or withhold assent to its pre- sentation ; and as the subject of it was one involving many impor- tant considerations which he had not had time duly to weigh, he re- commended that the petition should be withdrawn. This was accor-

dingly done. •

INCOME OF THE KING OF BELGICM. Lord STANLEY, aS one of the trustees for the management of King Leopold's English income, stated on Wednesday :(the attention of the House having been drawn to the subject by Mr. RoninsoN) that There was a very considerable sum received on account of King Leopold now lyiug at the banker's, and which would be pcid into the Exchequer as soon as the signatures of all the trustees could be obtained ; it being necessary that the whole body should sign an order for payment. Mr. Ellice, who was one of the trustees, was not at present in the cumin), ; but the moment he returned the transfer would be made. During the three-quarters of a year that the trustees had been acting, the balance that accrued was something more than 27,000/. In the course of the present year, he anticipated that the amount carried to the

public credit would not be less than 34,000/. Next year the payments out of the annuity would be diminished by 3,0001., on account of the rent of Marl- borough House ; and in a year or two he expected that the public would re- ceive 40,000/. out of the original 50,000/.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS : RECTOR OF ST. MARGARET. Mr. WAKLEY, on Wednesday, put two questions to Sir Robert Peel- . The first was, " Have any new regulations been made by the College of Physi- cian(' respecting the admission into the College of Scotch graduates ill medi- cine ?" The second was, " Are the inhabitants of the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster, to have the right of electing their Rector, now that the emolu- ments of a Prebendal stall in Westminster Abbey have been attached to the emoluments of that living ?"

Sir ROBERT PEEL said, he would endeavour to answer the questions- though to every one who heard them, they must appear rather uncon- nected.

lie did not know whether the new regedations to which Mr. Wakley referred were the regulations by which it was proposed to admit Dissenters into the Col- lege of Physicians ; but if they were, be was given to understand that those regulations had met with the approbation of the College. The state of the practice of the College was this--in order to get a licence to practise as a physi- cian, an individual must have resided at an University for a certain number of years. What was now proposed was, to dispense altogether with the necessity of residence at the Universities in persons applying to become Licentiates of the College of Physicians; instead of which residence and degrees, a certain form of examination and attendance in medical schools would be required. Persons passing this examination, and complying with the rules of attendance, would be qualified to become Licentiates and Fellows of the College; so that those individuals who might be educated at the Universities would have no preference over others who had attended the course of study referred to. With respect to the other question, whether the Minister of St. Margaret's should be appointed, he did not exactly know whether the honourable Member meant "appointed by ballot." (Laughter, and a gesture of dint frolit Mr. Wahley.) Well, then, appointed not by ballot, but by the general election of the inhabitants : with respect to that question, he infornied the houourable gentleman, that it was not intended to call on the parishioners to elect the minister—the Crown would appoint him.

NEWSPAPER PROSECUTIONS. Mr. CCRTEIS asked the Solicitor. General, on Wednesday, whether be intended to bring in a bill indem- nifying newspaper proprietors from the consequence of omitting to re- gister the residences of their printers and publishers, as well as their names and the places of printing and publication. Very numerous infor- mations for the recovery of the 100/. penalties had been laid. Sir W. FOLLETT said, that he had no objection to bring in a bill to relieve those who had inadvertently transgressed the law, but he must first know under what circumstances the act had been violated. Sir ROBERT PEEL thought that Parliament, or those who introduced the bill, ought to bear a part of the blame, if blame were imputable any where, for the scanda- lous and pettifogging suits of which Mr. Curteis had spoken.

ENLISTMENT. Major BEAUCLERK asked Mr. HerrieS, on Wednes- day, whether enlistment had been proceeded with in the Army since last year? It had been promised that the vacancies should not be filled up by enlistment ; but he had recently seen several bodies of recruits on their way to London. Mr. HERRIES said, that recruiting bad been suspended until the Army had been reduced to that point at which the House thought reduction should cease. The Army was now reduced as low as possible ; as would more distinctly appear when he brought for- ward the Estimates.

CHESTER CRIMINALS EXECUTION BILL. The House of Commons, on Wednesday, went into Committee on this bill, introduced by Mr. JERVIS: Mr. Richards was chairman, and took the chair amidst shouts of laughter from the Opposition. When in Committee, Sir F. Por.Locic moved an amendment to the effect that the execution of criminals in the city should devolve on the Sheriff of the city of Chester, but that in cases where the Judges ordered the execution of criminals to take place in any particular part of the county, it should become the duty of the Sheriff of the county to see execution done. This amendment was car. red, on a division, by 115 to 55.

LOCAL COURTS. Sir F. POLLOCK mentioned, on Tuesday, that he intended to bring in a bill to facilitate the administration of justice in Local Courts.

SCOTCH COURT OF SESSION. SirWILLIAM RAE (the Lord Advocate), obtained leave, on Wednesday, to bring in a bill for better regulating the forms of process in the Court of Session. He said that he thought that his bill would comprehend the objects he understood Mr. Wallace to have in view.

LAW or LIBEL. Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice, on Tuesday, that on Wednesday next he should move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the law of Libel. Sir F. POLLOCK promised his assistance to any gentleman who would endeavour to amend the existing law ; al- though he could not promise to bring forward a measure himself. FACTORY BILL. Petitions for the repeal of this bill were presented on Wednesday, by Lord MORPETH. A brief discussion arose, in the course of which Mr. GOULBURN mentioned, that the opinions as to the consequences of the bill being enforced were very contradictory ; and he intended to allow its going into operation, in order that the ac- tual effect might be seen.

CASE OF THE FRESHFORD PAUPERS. Mr. ROEBUCK, last night, presented a petition from Colonel Napier, in which the particulars of the cruel treatment of the Freshford paupers (which lately excited so much public attention) were detailed. A discussion ensued. Major Dzatici.sag and Colonel WOOD attributed the sufferings of the paupers to the operation of the Poor-law Bill. Mr. PouLtsrt SCROPE explained, that the neglect of the Magistrates to perform the duties imposed on them by the new as well as the old law, was the Iva' cause of the in- famous state of the Freshford Workhouse. Mr. GDULBURN said, that the parish would be called upon to prosecute the Overseers ; and if the parishioners refused to do this, then the Attorney-General would be instructed to undertake the prosecution.

RATHCORMACK INQUEST. Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR, on Tuesday, brought forward his motion for a copy of , the evidence at the Rath- cormack Inquest ; but withdrew it, at the suggestion of Sir 11. IIARDINGE, until the trial of the officers was over.

POST OFFICE. Sir ROBERT PEEL stated, on TueSday, in reply to Mr. WALLACE, that the Post.office Commission wiuld be reap- pointed, and thekreport laid before the House as early as p sssible.

MALT-TAX. The Marquis of Cumsoos stated last night, in reply to a question from Mr. H. B. CURTEIS, that he should certainly bring forward his motion for the repeal of the Malt-tax on Tuesday next.

NAVY ESTIMATES: THE SUPPLIES. Last night, Sir ROBERT PEEL gave notice, that the Navy Estimates would be brought before the House on Friday next ; and Mr. HUME announced, that be would submit to the House, if no other person did, that the Estimates should be for six months instead of twelve. [Loud cries of" Three months!" 1- Estimates fur three months rl