Ehattir null ruurrthirgif fir Vorliumtut.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.

Moose OF Loans. Monday, July 7. Farm Buildings Bill; Lord Hardwicke throws the bill out, on Committee, by 36 to 18—Jotee Persaud ; Government inquiry ordered—Smithfield Market Removal Bill, read a second time—Papal Aggression; Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, brought up from Commons, and read a first time.

Tuesday, July 8. Expenses of Prosecutions (Ireland) Bill, read a third time and passed—Lodginghouses Bill, read a second time. Thursday, July 10. County Courts Bill, and Jurisdiction in Bankruptcy Bill, withdrawn by Lord Brougham—Merchant Seamen's Fund; returns ordered.

Friday, July 11. The Crystal Palace ; Mr. Paxton's Petition presented by Lord Brougham—Convocation; Debate en Lord Bedesdale's Motion for a copy of cer- tain. Petitions. House or COMMONS. Monday, July 7. Inhabited House-duty Bill, and Woods and Forests Bill, passed through Committee—New House of Commons; Motion on the Decorations, by Sir Denham Norreys, debated, and negatived—Supply Votes: Secret Service Money, Convict Transportation. Expenses, debated, with divisions, and agreed to. Tuesday, July 8. At Morning Bitting—Civil Bills (Ireland) Bill, considered in Committee. At Evening Sitting—Royal Answers to Addresses—Attornies' Certifi- cate Duty; leave to Lord. Robert Grosvenor for a Bill to abolish, opposed by Minis-- ters, but carried by 162 to 132—Vote by Ballot; Mr. H. Berkeley's Motion carried, against Ministers, by 87 to 50—Reproductive Labour in. Irish Workhouses ; Motion by Mr. Scully, negatived by 64 to 42. Wednesday, July 9. Colonial Property Qualification Bill; Instruction to Com- mittee moved by Mr. Tufnell ; Ministerial Declaration ; Instruction and Bill both withdrawn—Home-made Spirits in Bond ; Ministers throW out Lord Naas's Bill; by 194 to 164—Valuation (Ireland) Bill, considered in Committee pro form& Thursday, July. 10. At Morning Sitting—Merchant Seamen's Fund Bill, con- sidered in Committee, with progress. At Evening Sitting—Continued occupation of Rome by the French—Commission of Sewers; Foundation of Houses " pumped up "—Inhabited House Duty Bill, read a third time and passed—Dyak Pirates ; Mr. Hume's Motion negatived by 230 to 19.

Friday, July 11. Registration of Assurances Bill—Public Business—Commission of Sewers—Episcopal Revenues—Quarantine-- Don-Pacifico— Court of Chancery and Judicial Committee Bill, read a third time and passed—Charitable Trusts at Roches- ter ; Mr. Mowatt's Motion for a Commission negatived—Supply Votes for British Museum, and for Education.

TIME - TABLE.

The Lords.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.

Monday 5h 711 Om Tuesday 6h Oh 115m Wednesday No sitting.

Thursday bh 7h Om

Friday Mt .... 10b tOm

bin

Sittiams this Week, 7'4 T2-n141111 — this Session, PAPAL Acionessiox.

The first greeting of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill in the House of Peers was not a welcome. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE introduced the bill on Monday, and gave notice of the second reading for next Monday week. Lord MONTEAGLE wished it to be understood that the first reading of the bill was only assented to as a matter of courtesy usual in respect of bills brought up from the other House.

The bill is so changed that it is difficult to know what party is to father it. Proposed only to repel a particular aggression, it affects a part of the king- dom to which that aggression did not apply ; ostensibly a bill to prohibit ecclesiastical titles, it extends to the crippling of the free government of a church which has been recognized as the church of a considerable portion of the people. Though himself prepared to resist an aggression made on the laws of the country, he well knew the excitement and alarm which such a measure was calculated to produce in Ireland. He asked if the Government would produce a copy of the address to the Queen from the Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church exercising episcopal functions in Ireland, respecting measures in relation to the Papal rescript; and lay on the table any de- spatches from the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland on the subject of such legisla- tive measures ?

Lord LANSDOWICE declined discussion; and stated that there is no objec- tion to lay on the table the first document, but that any such document as the second does not exist.

VOTE BY BALLOT.

Mr. IlExay BERKELEY supported his annual motion in favour of ballot- voting with his usual vivacity : pointing the arguments on principle, which he briefly revived from past yearly discussions, with illustrative references to recent occurrences.

He repeated the declaration already made by several leaders of the Liberal party this session, that without protection to Parliamentary voters, no plan of reform which Lord John Russell may contemplate will give satisfaction to the people, or be other than a nullity. Lord John has said that he considers the present system works well, and that he fears a change : but can that system be said to work well, the terrors of which deter a full third of the electors of this country from recording their votes, while it permits the corruption and intimidation of the majority of those who do vote ; which allows forty-eight Peers of the realm and seventeen wealthy Members of Parliament to return to that House ninety-eight Members by direct uncon- stitutional interference, in spite too of the sessional orders made annually against the interference of Peers ; which converts our agricultural voters into a mere electoral flock of sheep ; which once in seven years, or oftener, con- verts this country into one vast arena of drunken confusion and cor- ruption of all kinds; which is one great lie throughout; which grants to a man in theory that which it denies him in practice ; and which compliments a man upon his liberty while it renders him a slave ? It is the practice to use the ballot in electing the Directors of the Bank of England, the Brethren of the Trinity House, the members of all the clubs in Great Britain and Ireland ; they could not even elect a statue to Sir Robert Peel without the ballot; and a political club-a great political club too-is so in love with it that they not only elect but expel their members by ballot. There had been an instance of that lately ; and if they were to vote for giving protection to the voter by the ballot that night, tomorrow they would be expelled from their club by the ballot. Lamenting the defection from former adherence to the ballot by SirGeorge Grey, on the alleged ground that public opinion now supersedes tfie necessity for it, Mr. Berkeley, in re- futation, called into court the illustrious witness who lately descended from the moon and took up his station at Aylesbury ; and he referred to the scenes of public depravity at St. Albans and the Falkirk Burghs. The "duly elected" Member for the Falkirk Burghs has risen in his seat, laid his hand upon his heart, and assured the House that he had nothing to do with drench- ing the electors with whisky ; and the Member for St. Albans has in the same solemn manner assured the House that he knew nothing of Bell-metals and was entirety innocent of Sovereign-alley, Now, by establishing the

The Comment,.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment, Monday 415 . (nn) ih Om Tuesday ... Noon .... 3h 30m Sib 121015m Wednesday ... Noon .... 5h 24m Oh .(as) lh em

Friday Mt Jan) lh Om Sittings this Week, 7 ; Time. 44h 54m this Session, 102; — 704h 41m secret vote they would at once place the suborner eutirely at. the mercy of the suborned. He had obtained the opinions of many persons who are ac- customed to conduct elections, and they all concur in the opinion that inti- midatien would be completely set aside by the ballot. py also consider that the ballot would be a preventive of bribery in all populous constituen- cies, though some doubt may exist as to its effect upon smaller constituencies. At the lath election in Bath, 3130 electors wen qualified to vote, but only 2151 did vote. Of the 879 who did not vote, 449 dared not to vote ; and on being canvassed replied, " We wish Captain Scobell success ; we will work for him privately, but if we vote we may as well close our business." Nogreater boon than the ballot could possibly be given to the agricultural constituencies. He could assure the House that he felt a deep interest in the tenant-farmers of England. It is true he has felt it to be his duty to object to them in the character of soldiers or yeomanry, solely on the ground that they are undisciplined and disobedient; but he would do them justice in their civil capacity. There is not a better drilled or more obedient body of electors in Europe. ("Hear!" and laughter.) The Ad- jutant and the Colonel have no means of compelling obedience, but it is not so with the landlord and the steward. The farmer may refuse to go out to fight, but he must not refuse to go out to. vote. If he refuses to go out to fight, no punishment follows ; but if he refuses to. go out to vote, condign punishment ensues. Then, looking to the proceedings at the Nottingham- shire election, how can country gentlemen perpetuate a system so cruel and unconstitutional in its operation ? At one time the country gentlemen de- scribe the tenant-farmers as the free, hardy, independent cultivators of the soil ; at another time those gentlemen are found driving their tenants like a herd of swine to the next market-town. At one time the country gentlemen have the tenant-farmers [as Yeomanry Cavalry] riding on horseback side by side with them, in gaudy uniforms, with bands playing "See the con- quering hero comes" ; at another time, these stone gentlemen are ferreting the farmers like rats, in hay-stacks and straw-stacks, where they have crawled in their degradation, to prevent themselves front being compelled to violate their consciences and tell a lie. Oh for the paned of Ffogah or the stereotype of Plinph, to immortalise the discovery and dragging forth of the gloriour, yeomanry and independent electors from the hay-steak& and straw- stacks where they bad taken refuge ! for, in a Altura and more improved

* age, some bared monument will surely be necessary to convince people

that such things could be in the nineteenth century. Mr. Berkeley con-. eluded with complimentary reference to the Attorney-General and the Soli- citor-General, anticipating their votes, as he and. Mr. Grote had received them in, former yearn; and with a renewed appeal to. Lord John.Russell not to turn aside from thin greet branch of ParliamentagY reform- Mr. Elam seconded the motion ; it having been his lot for many years to see the e4ent of intimidation and coercion exercised upon. farmers and all descriptions of voters, and to know how the charge applies equally to all parties. Whether Lord John Russell think the time come or not, be- fore many years are gone somebody sitting on the Treasury bawds will be compelled to grant the demand,.

Mr. HUME had on the paper•a notice of an amendment, asking for leave to bring in a bill to amend the national representation. He made a speech on the general question of the four points which constitute his little Char- ter ; but, having quite the same objects as Mr. Berkeley, and being anxious that there should be no mistake as to the division, and that the division should be simply. On the ballot, he would not bring forward his amendment.

Captain SCOBELL and Sir Joanna WALMSLEY rose together, and the latter gave way for the new Member. The representative of Bath stated that he did not canvass his three thou- sand eonstituenta, thinking the practice injurious, but had met them in their several ward meetings. Looking to the incidents of that contest, he could not as an honest man and It faithful representative abstain from declaring in that House, on the first occasion on which he had addressed it, the sense lie entertained of the justice, expediency,. and absolute necessity of sheltering men in the exercise of that right which the constitution confers OR them. It is far worse than trifling to give the franchise and deny, the power of using it independently. If any better plan than the ballot can be produced, let it supplant the ballot; but no better plan having been heard of, they ought as practical and honest men to carry out that. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD rose to speak, but there arising great cries for a division, he did not persist. The division being taken, Mr. Berke- ley's motion was carried, by 87 to 50—majority 37,

PROPERTY QUALIFICATION. OF MEMBERS.

The Colonial Property Qualification Bill was introduced by Mr. Hurr to meet such cases as that of Mr. Prinsep ; who was returned as. Member for Harwich, but was unseated by a Committee, on the ground that he had not a sufficient qualification in this country, though he had Indian property sufficient to qualify him for his seat as a Director of the East India Company.

On the motion to go into Committee upon this bill, Mr. TUFNELL moved a resolution which would have negatived and swallowed up the whole measure,—that it be an instruction to the Committee to provide for the abolition of any property qualification whatever for Members chosen to serve in Parliament.

He would have been content to leave the question in the hands of Lord John Russell, to be dealt with in the new Reform Bill which he is to propose next session ; but as this bill would sanction and continue the bad system, Mr. Tufnell begged the House to allow the larger question to be mimed. He contended for returning to the old constitutional principle of leaving the electors to exercise a free and intelligent choice of their representatives. In the words of Lord John Russell, in his speech on Sir William Molesworth's motion in February 1837, " The act of Queen Anne [the Qualification Act, formerly stigmatized byLord John himself, in his -book on the English Constitution] was passed for factious purposes. The trading interest was known to be favourable to the Hanoverian succession, and to those prin- ciples of liberal policy which did not suit the taste of the landed gentry ; and it was to check the increase of the trading influence that the landed interest introduced this innovation into our Parliamentary system." The qualifica- tion is now nothing but a farce or a burden. By a slight stretch of con- science, persons having no qualification whatever can obtain. one. Scotch Members and sons of Peers are exempted. Tenant-farmers, whom many agricultural districts have expressed a strong wish to have for their repre- sentatives, are too poor to possess the qualification, and too honest to obtain a fictitious one.

Mr. EWART seconded the motion, as a Scotch Member sitting without a qualification, and feeling that he has no better title to sit without a qua- lification than any English or Irish Member.

Lord Jonas RUSSELL, after some observations on the singular shape in which the question came before the House, proceeded to admit that the arguments of Mr. Tufnell had a great deal of weight : from that admis- sion he advanced to the delivery of various confirmatory arguments of his own ' • and thence he arrived at the conclusion that the question may very well be taken into consideration by Parlianteut, But not in this way. Either it should be by a speoial bill for that purpose introduced, with the view to abolish property qua' 'cation althgether, or by a bill for general purposes relating to our representation, in which it might forma clause. In either way in which it might be introduced, be certainly was willing to give the question a favourable consideration. &en if all formal qualification whatever be done away with, there wilt remain a very real qualification in the expense of giving up all other occupations in order to attend Parliament. No person without some considerable means, who is not resident in London, is able to maintain a seat in the House of Commons, and to go to the expense of coming to live in London, and leaving any business in which he may be engaged. Take the cane of a tradesman nisi small town, or of a farmer. Lord John had no objection to see a tenant-farmer in that House, if the electors chose to send him there ; but he certainly should think, for his own sake, that very probably his attendance in that House at the close of spring and the greater part of the summer would be very injurious to his ploughing, sowing, and gathering in. (A laugh.) So likewise as to a small tradesman—his custom would very much suffer. There were many persons

of considerably r income who found themselves, after being some two or three years in that blouse, unable to afford the expense of, being Members, and

to neglect the business in which they were e, so that they would have, in fact, by the nature of things, a real qualification if there were no re- quirement of the kind. If they had the People's Charter, and Members were paid, they would not have that security. He never meant to give his vote iu favour of the payment of Members ; they did much better without it : but with regard to the subject of qualification, though he could not vote for the present motion, he could assure his right honourable friend, that when the subject is brought forward as a whole and separate question, he should give it his support. Mr. NEWDEGATE was jocular about the u perfect scramble. on the other side as to who should be the father of the future Reform Bill." Mr. linrtlxv entered his protest against the doctrine that it was the " ancient practice " that the people should choose Members without any restric- tions. Mr. VERNON SMITH defended his friend Mr. Tufnell from the banter of Mr. New.degate : it should be remembered. that Mr. Tufnell has only just recovered his independent power of speech: he was always an eager Reformer, and now takes the earliest opportunity of showing it. Mr. TUFNELL and Mr. HUTT concurred in the belief that they should best consult the interests of Reform by leaving the business entirely in. Lord John Russell's hands. So both the resolution and the bill were withdrawn.

SECRET SERVICE MONEY.

In Committee of Supply, Mr. Wintikas objected to the vote of 32,000/. for secret service money. A general impression exists that it is used for corrupting electors. He moved that the vote be reduced to 20,0001. Mr. CORNEWALL LEWIS showed that the vote has decreased from 60,5001. in 1826 to the present amount. M. 11V24,B thought the time is come for discontinuing this vote. The House ought to know what is done with the money. Lord Pal, tannroar would, rather tell what is not done with it : it is not used in bribery at elections. No Govern- ment could do without a vote of a certain amount of such money. Mr. DISRAELI defended the vote, with sarcastic banter at the expense of Mr. Williams for the tone of illiberality—almost of irrationality—whieh per- vaded his speech. Mr. COBDEN defied any person to assign any honest or honourable principle to the vote. It is wanted for spies abroad; but the secrets that are sold are in nine cases out of ton lying secrets. The country will be as safe without this expenditure. Mr. Dimwit% re- marking that Mr. Cobden disclaims the use of means by which fortified cities have been taken and great battles prevented, observed, that such arguments naturally produce not the slightest effect on one who despises history and defies experience. The vote was carried by 140 to 41,

TRANSPORTATION OF CONVICTS.

The vote of 98,8601. for the expenses of transporting convicts was ob- jected to,by Mr. HUMS; who stated that the inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land have resolved to employ not a single convict that may be sent out. Would Government suspend the vote till they have better information as to how the convicts are to be disposed of on their arrival ? Mr. CORNE- WALL LEWIS stated, that though the cost of prison and convict establish- ments at home has increased in the year from 237,0001. to 201,0004, the expenses of transportation have been reduced from 119,0001. to 98,0001. The Government is therefore diminishing the proportion of prisoners suffering transportation. The CHANCELLOR of the RECHEQUER said, it is impossible to stop transportation ; we cannot do more than diminish it. Van Diemen's Land is not the only colony concerned; for in some parts of Australia the settlers are anxious to have convicts.

Mr. HAMILTON and Mr, HENLEY protested against turning convicts loose in this country. Colonel DUNNE stated that the eceumulation of prisoners in Ireland threatens a fresh pestilence. Mr. VERNON Swim thought it but waste of money to send convicts to colonies which will not receive them. Mr. AGLIONBY implored the Government not to take the reports of governors as expressing the wishes of colonies, when in fact they are founded only on the statements of a few individuals.

Lord Toms RUSSELL commented on the disorepanoy of the views he had heard expressed by Mr. Henley, representing a large portion of the feeling of the country, and other Members.

He stated the difficulties of the subject, and made some plain admissions. Although Bermuda and Gibraltar are places to which a certain number of con- victs may be sent, yet no great additional number can be sent to any other place except to Australia. That there is any of our colonies anxious for our convicts is very little to be credited. There are some parts of Australia— Moreton Bay, for example—which are ready to receive our convicts ; but generally speaking the agitation now going on in Australia is against con- victs being sent to any part of the Australian Colonies. They say, and there is a great deal of truth in the representation, that if convicts are sent to Van Diemen's Land they afterwards find their way to New South Wales and other parts of Australia ; and what they desire is that there shall be no more transportation to the Australian Colonies. But whether it is resolved that the system of transportation be maintained, or diminished, or abolished alto- gether, it is impossible to make any sudden change. Every-exertion has been made to find out what parts of Australia are willing to receive convicts • and the number of convicts sent out will be very much guided by that consider- ation. A small number sent to a colony where there is a great demand for labour, and where the general tone of society is healthy, may be a material advantage ; but a great number sent among a thin free population would be a serious evil. If the system of transportation is to be changed, the criminal law must be changed : if the law remains the same, the Government most have the means toit out. The vote was camped, by 98 to 9. MINISTERS AND LORD Naas.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, on Wednesday, retrieved the ground he has lost this session in his yearly contest with Lord Naas about the mode of levying the duty on home-made spirits in bond. He was supported by speeches from Mr. BRAMSTON—who moved that the bill be read a second time that day three months—by Mr. Bass, and by Mr. GOULBURN. Colonel DUNNE, Mr. REYNOLDS, and Mr. J. A- SMITH, spoke against the present system. The motion to throw out the bill was carried by 194 to 166.

MINISTERAL DEFEAT BY THE ATTORNIES.

Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR has again defeated Ministers, as in last session, sn his motion for leave to bring in a bill repealing the poll-tax on attor- nies and solicitors called " Certificate-duty." He would trouble the House -with but few words. He did not propose to remove the duty in the pre- sent year ; and if the Chancellor of the Exchequer would promise that, under all favourable revenue circumstances, he would next year remove this most unjust burden on a class, he would not press the measure at all. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER felt bound to resist the introduction of the bill. His margin was already so narrow that he had been re- proached about it ; and the tax was by no means one of those which me- rit the earliest consideration in future reductions. He therefore could make no promise. On a division, Lord Robert Grosvenor carried his mo- tion against Sir Charles Wood, by 162 to 132—majority against the Pi- nonce Minister, 30.

THE HOUSE-TAX.

In Committee on the Inhabited House Duty Bill, on Monday, Mr. EWART urged the claims of " stories of buildings as in the case of model lodginghouses, or of flats as in Scotland, or parts thereof, occupied as separate dwellings, and assessed separately to the poor-rate," to the same exemptions which exist in favour of inhabited dwellinghouses. If his clause had been carried, it would have exempted all sets of chambers, or lodgings, of less value than twenty pounds. It is unjust to make a distinction between those apartments of the poor which are built horizontally and are piled on each other, and those which are built vertically and are united side by side in one block under one con- tinuous roof. Some thousands of persons in London are lodged in lodging- houses for the poor built vertically ; some hundreds are so lodged in Birken- head ; and there will soon be an additional number so lodged in Ramsgate and Brighton. The duty will press heavily on these establishments, and raise the rents.

Mr. SLANEY and Mr. ARCHIBALD IIASTIE further pressed. the philan- thropic reasons for the exemption. But Mr. Humr. took a strictly financial view ; condemning both the exemption and the bad tax which calls for such exemptions, and recalling to mind his own proposition to tax all houses of the annual value of forty shillings and upwards. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER contended, that the best principle is that which he has adopted—" to take a low duty and make no exemptions." Mr. WIL- LIAMS having observed that he understood the subject is to be "fully re- vised next year," Mr. DISRAELI assumed that the declaration referred to some promise by Sir Charles Wood, and he characterized the promise as "important." The CILANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed that Mr. Williams's version of what he had said was not correct. Mr. DISRAELI -was sorry he had not succeeded in eliciting a definite declaration from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

If that declaration had been given, Mr. Disraeli would not have troubled the House on a former evening, or now. He begged to repeat his opinion that the bill is extremely injudicious and impolitic; said to express his regret that his friend Mr. Packe is precluded by the forms of the House from ihringing forward his motion to fix ten pounds instead of twenty pounds yearly value as the boundary of exemption. We ought to have obtained not a partial but a complete compensation for the Window-duty ; and the mo- tion of Mr. Packe would have made the alterations expedient and necessarb and yet not have sacrificed any material revenue. If direct taxation is doomed to be a more important feature of our financial system than it has been, he hoped it will be understood by the country—as he believes it will be before another year—that " the principle of direct taxation must be the same as the principle of indirect taxation."

The clause moved by Mr. EWART was negatived without division. 31r. lIasrm then made a fight for places of worship, lecture-rooms, public libraries, or places set apart for educational purposes, &c. But the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would concede no more than is conceded by the bill—that such places be not charged when not inhabited. A di- vision went against Mr. Mastic by 164 to 40.

A motion by Mr. WILLIAMS, that houses not paying Window-duty at present shall not pay the new House-duty, was debated briefly, and nega- tived without division.

Mr. THOMAS DUNC031BE moved that non-payment of the tax shall not cause the defaulter to lose his Parliamentary franchise. He asked Sir Charles Wood if he would assent to this clause ; and received in answer an emphatic "No !" Mr. DUNCOMBE rejoined quickly—" 'No' ; of course not : then the right honourable gentleman ought to be ashamed of himself. He is a reformer, but he rejects even this homoeopathic dose of reform." Mr. HUME and Mr. BROTHERTON sided with Mr. Duncombe : but the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER incorrigibly maintained that he is right in constitutional principle ; and declared he has always felt sur- prised at the objection to make payment of the tax the condition of the vote. Mr. Duncombe was outvoted by 119 to 60. A clause was moved by Sir DE LACY EVANS to exempt the great pre- mises occupied by coachmakers, &c., which serve to them the purposes which the tradesman's shop serves to the tradesman. But the CHANCEL- LOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed, and the clause was withdrawn.

The bill was agreed to entire, and the House resumed.

REFORM OF LAW PROCEDURE.

Lord CAMPBELL referred on Monday to a report by the Commission on the Practice of the Common-Law Courts, which reflects the highest credit on the Commissioners.

Though he did not pledge himself to agree in all the details of the report, he must say that it proceeds on excellent principles ; proposing to do away with technical absurdities, but at the same time to preserve the real prin- ciples of jurisprudence, and treating with proper contempt the proposal made elsewhere, and in journals, to get rid of forms altogether, and abolish special- pleading, without which justice could not be administered in this country with purity and satisfaction.

ANSWERS TO ADDRESSES.

Lord PALMERSTON reported to the House of Commons, on Tuesday, the gracious answer of the Queen to the address voted on the 27th June,

praying the addition of two lay members to the Chancery Practice Com- mission ; and to the address voted on the let July, praying effectual re- lief to the spiritual destitution of the country through extending the pa- rochial system by the revenues of the Established Church. Her Majesty has acceded to the first address, and given directions accordingly. To the subject of the second address the attention of her Government had been "previously directed, with a view to the most effectual mode of effecting the views set forth in the address ": her Majesty will " cordially concur in any well-considered measure for the important purpose."

LODGINGHOUSES FOR THE POOR.

The Lodginghouses Bill is guided through the House of Peers by the same patron who lately carried it through the House of Commons. We explained the provisions of the bill very fully when it was in the Lower House. The second reading in the House of Peers was moved on Tuesday, by the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, with a speech repeating to his new audience much of that matter which he had adduced before, as Lord Ashley. After displaying the full bearing of the measure in a philanthropic point of view, he gave some details of the cost to the public of great epidemical causes, which the erection of public lodginghouses would be largely instru- mental in saving. It appears from calculations made liy himself and his co- adjutors of the Board of Health, that if the sanitary condition of our towns were improved according to the plans they suggest—the erection of public lodginghouses being an important feature of those plans—within ten years hence the poor-rates would be reduced to one-third of their present amount. Their Lordships would be surprised and gratified to learn how extraordinary an interest has arisen in foreign countries about our movement for the erec- tion and management of lodginghouses for the people. There is a very large amount of correspondence from all parts of Europe—from Paris, Germany, Spain, and Italy—and also from the United States, asking for plans ; and very many of the foreigners who come to see the Crystal Palace come also to Lord Shaftesbury to be taken to those establishments, which they have heard of, for the benefit of the working classes. They warmly declare that

i nothing is more satisfactory, or more full of promise for the wellbeing of this country than the efforts made for the advantage of the working people, more particularly in this particular direction to which he now called atten- tion.

The House of Commons had received the measure with great favour, and he trusted that it would be received with eival favour by their Lordships ; who, lie was quite sure, would not fall short m this labour.

Nothing but approbation of the bill, and compliments to its author, fell from the Peers who spoke,—the Marquis of NORMANDY, Lord KINNAIRD, the Earl of HARROWBY, and the Marquis of LANSDOWNE. Lord HAR- ROWBY made a suggestion of general interest.

He thought it might be well, when bills are brought before Parliament for i widening the streets, making improvements in the Metropolis, and develop- ing the resources of property thereby, that care should be taken to insert m such bills a provision for the erection of structures similar to those contem- plated by the present measure, for the accommodation of the displaced popu- lation. That population could not, on account of its necessities, extend beyond a certain area ; and if large streets were made on the sites of their present dwellings, they could only occupy another spot in a more crowded condition, unless care were taken to provide proper accommodation for them.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that this suggestion is very, worthy of consideration.

He was not prepared to say that their Lordships should make a standing order in their journals on the subject ; but there might be a standing order in their own murals when bills for constructing large streets come under their consideration.

THE NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS.

On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Sir DENHAM Normal's moved an amendment, that the architect be directed to report on the de- tails of the manner in which he would recommend that the interior of the new House of Commons should be completed ; and that he be directed to prepare his plans with due attention to the style of decoration usually adopted at the period to which the general architectural character of the New Palace belongs. It is quite evident that the Commissioners and the architect are at issue as to the mode in which the House should be finished. It is known that Mr. Barry is said to have gone beyond the instructions given by the Commis- sioners. Thinking he knew more about it than they, he took advantage of their absence, or of their being asleep, and commenced decorating the House as he, the architect, thought it ought to be decorated : but the Chancellor of the Exchequer detected him, and stopped him in the middle; and then, like a child detected in a fault, he pleaded that he had not intended to do more than he has done. The House has declared that it will have its building finished in the plainest style possible ; but to build a palace in one architec- tural style, and decorate it in a manner suitable to another style, is absurd. The matter should be taken out of the hands of the Commissioners : there could be no confidence in their judgment, for they do not understand the style of architecture they have been requested to superintend. Let Mr. Barry have an opportunity of making the statement mentioned, and then let the House determine finally whether he shall be allowed to proceed according to his conceptions or not.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed the motion : a practical superintendence by the House would be far better rather than architec- tural reports. The House will have that in a short time; for in the course of a fortnight or so they will have an opportunity of holding one or two morning sittings in the building, to test the convenience of the alterations recommended by the Committee of last year. Mr. Hums preferred a report. The hall was to have been finished two years ago : look at it now. Then look at the Assembly room. It was Mr. Hume's opinion that he could not expect to live to see the building finished. Mr. GREENE observed, that it would be better economy to vote a larger yearly sum. Mr. CLAY stated that the foreigners to whom he has shown the building expressed their unqualified admiration of it.

The motion was negatived without division.

DRAINAGE DOINGS OP THE COMMISSION OF SEWERS.

Lord DUNCAN asked Lord Seymour, on Thursday, whether damage has not been done to the foundations of Crown property by the operations of the Commissioners of Sewers in Westminster—by their ".infernal ma- chine " at the corner of Great George Street. - Lord SEYMOUR said, in- deed there has. He warned the Commissioners last year, but they disre- garded his warnings. The consequence is, that the Exchequer Bills Office, the United Service Museum, Lord Liverpool's house, Alderman Thomp- son's house, and several others, have been Undermined; and so effectually that the two structures first named will have to be rebuilt. The occu- pants will have to proceed against the Commissioners for the damages. THE Dux. SLAUGHTER AT BORNEO: SIR JAMES BROOKE.

The motion made by Mr. HtfsiE on Thursday had a double drift. It suggested that the Rouse should pray of the Queen, first, that she would issue a Royal Commission to inquire "into the proceedings of Sir James Brooke," and "especially" into the attack by the East India Company's forces under his direction upon " the wild tribes called the Sakarran and Sarebas Dyaks, on the night of the 31st July 1849 " ; and secondly, that she would take the opinion of the Judges, and lay it before the House, on the legality or otherwise of the holding by Sir James Brooke of the following apparently incompatible offices :

. . "namely, of sovereign ruler of Sarawak, he being a British subject ; of her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General to the Sultan and Inde- pendent Chiefs of Borneo, he, Sir James Brooke, residing at Sarawak, where there is no independent chief; and also of the appointment of Governor of the British settlement of Labuan distant three hundred miles from Sarawak, at which British settlement Sir James Brooke has not been actually present more than a few months during the last three years." Mr. Hume reprehended the attempt made on the last occasion when this subject was introduced, to give a public question the appearance of a squabble between two individuals ; and he explained that any seeming delay which may have occurred is due to the extreme difficulty he has experienced in obtaining the documents which ought to have been forthcsiumg. Stating how his attention had been first called to the subject of the slaughter of the Dyaks by an extract from a Singapore paper, he narrated the successive at- tempts which he had unsuccessfully made to procure information from Govern- ment. Finding it impossible to get information from the Government or the East India Company, he resorted to naval officers who had commanded on the Bornean stations : from the letters he has received in reply he read a great number of extracts, proving, in the opinion of the writers, that the Dyak tribes, unlike the Malays, are not pirates, and that their expeditions of boats are only the means of carrying on intertribal wars. Some of these officers he named; the others, he said, would be ready to give their evidence before a Commission. He then argued, that even if these Dyaks were pirates, they had been slaughtered with unnecessary promiscuousness; instead of being captured and condemned judicially. In reference to the various offices held by Sir James Brooke, Mr. Hume argued, that as an English subject he cannot legally hold those relations to the Sultan of Borneo which he holds as Rajah of Sarawak ; for he has not the sanction of the Crown to do so.

The case in defence of Sir James Brooke was opened by Mr. HEADLAM, as a convert in his favour, who before last year's discussion had no know- ledge of the subject, nor acquaintance with Sir James Brooke : he holds the proofs to be overwhelming that the Dyaks are pirates. Mr. MONCK- TON MILNES and Mr. HENRY DRUMMOND again came forward with vin- dications of the personal motives of Sir James Brooke; and Mr. COCH- RANE came forward on the same side with a letter of warm praise and admiration from Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, who has hitherto been assumed to have condemned Sir James.

Mr. GLADSTONE touched lightly on the evident personal animosity which exists somewhere against Sir James Brooke.

Expressing his own admiration of that distinguished man; expressing also his ob'ection to the motion, both that it was too multifarious, and that it too obviously took the tone of a personal charge against Sir James Brooke, although he was not in command of the forces whose tactics are con- demned; and giving his opinion, after an examination made with all the pains in his power, that the balance of testimony is in favour of the opinion that the tribes destroyed bore the character of pirates, though not formidable ones ; he yet acknowledged the painful conclusion that the work of destruc- tion was promiscuous, and to some extent illegal—a large portion of Svc hundred human beings had been put to death without legal warrant. With this impression, he thought there should be inquiry.

Lord PALMERSTON replied to Mr. Gladstone, that he assumed the Dyak pirates to have been destroyed after they ceased to resist ; whereas it is the peculiar character of these pirates "never to surrender." He con- cluded a brief speech by expressing his conviction that the House would by an overwhelming majority "proclaim to the world that Sir James Brooke retires from the investigation with untarnished character and un- blemished honour."

Mr. COBDEN recapitulated Mr. Hume's facts; denied once more that the Dyaks are pirates ; and maintained that Rajah Brooke was not putting down piracy, but, by the aid of the nation's ships, was waging war with his own neighbours for the purpose of becoming possessed of their land. Colonel THOMPSON must say—being somewhat in the habit of consider- ing conflicting evidence—that he no more believed in the existence of Dyak.pirates in Borneo than ho believed in dragons in Cappadocia.

The motion was rejected by 230 to 19, JOTEE PERSAUD.

In the Rouse of Peers, on Monday, the Earl of ELLENBOROUGH returned to the case of Jotee Persaud. Declaring that he would have left the mat- ter entirely in the hands of Government if he could have understood that inquiry would be made into the conduct of the magistrates concerned in this case, or even if Lord Broughton would give an assurance that he would orderthat conduct to be investigated, he did not pause for an answer, but went at some length into statements in confirmation of the alle- gations which he lately brought before the House. Lord BROUGHTON stated, that he has already written out to India, directing an investigation into all the circumstances of this extraordinary case. He then read a number of quotations from documents and papers, to show that public opinion in India is by no means so uniformly on the side of Jotee Persaud as is represented by his partisans in India and here. But even the state- ment of Lord Ellenborough himself reduces the delinquency which ho complains of "pretty much to an error of judgment."

CONTINUED OCCUPATION OF ROME BY THE FRENCH.

Mr. B. COCHRANE asked Lord John Russell, in the absence of Lord Palmerston, whether he has received any official information respecting the army of occupation in Rome, to the effect that the French are pre- paring 10,000 additional beds for troops ; are fortifying Civita Castellana, the Castle of St. Angelo, and Civita Vecchia ; have occupied all the gates of Rome ; and are in fact showing every intention permanently to oc- cupy that city ? Lord Joust RUSSELL stated, that the accounts received by the Government are not to this effect ; and as to permanent occupa- tion of Rome by the French, all the communications which have lately passed between her Majesty's Ministers and the French Government lead to quite the opposite conclusion.