Small progress in actual public business was made by either

house of Parliament last night.

In the House of Lords, the Earl of ABERDEEN called Lord Mel- bourne's attention to the claims of those creditors of Spain who held what are called Indemnity Bonds—namely, bonds to the amount of 3o0,000/. given under a treaty with England to merchants whose pro-

perty had been illegally confiscated by Spanish authorities during the South American war. Although those creditors had a prior claim to

others, no interest had been paid to them since 1836 ; and the influence of the Government had been exerted in another direction to procure payment for the Auxiliary Legion. I to thought that Government was bound to protect the holders of Indemnity Bonds, and that Spain had the means of paying the debt.

Lord 7SIELBOI7RNE admitted the facts to Ile as Lord Aberdeen stated; and he had no doubt that ultimately Spain would be enabled to dis- charge all her obligations; but, though a large, it was a very poor country, exhausted by civil war. Now, however, that a better state of 'things might be expected, it would be the duty of Government to urge the Spanish Government to pay oil' these claimants.

A bill to alter the law of Scotland, sa as to enable persons to give evidence against their near relations, in criminal cases, was read a second time ; after sonic opposition from Lords IIADDINGTON and ABERDEEN, and an emphatic remark in support of the measure by Lord DENMAN.

The Sale of Beer Bill was read a second time, and referred to a Select Committee,

The House of Commons was occupied for sometime with the Farnham Rectory Bill, which encounters strenuous opposition front the Liberals. The debate was adjourned to Monday ' • the numbers being 58 and 58, and the Speaker giving his casting-vote for the adjournment.

Mr. Fox Kula: postponed the Scotch Prisons Bill to next session, in consequence of Sir William Rae's absence.

On the motion that the House should go into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Jou:: FIELDEN moved for a Select Committee " to inquire further

into certain disclosures made to the Committee on Mills and Factories

by Mr. Stuart, Inspector of Factories, on the 23d day of June last, and by Mr. Beale, Superintendent of Factories, the day following, as to

their employment in other matters than those assigned to them by the authority- of Parliament ; and to ascertain how far the Inspectors and Superintendents of Factories have been employed by the Government in the capacity of political spies." Mr. Fielden read, in a confused and hurried manner, extracts from evidence given to the Committee on Factories, and from a letter written by Mr. James Stuart to a Super- intendent, which, he contended, supported the charge against Govern- ment of having established a system of political espionage, and of having employed the Inspectors and Superintendents of Factories as their spies. Mr. Stuart had informed the Superintendent that he had orders from Government to watch the assemblies of the people and ascertain the feelings of the working. classes upon public questions.

General JOHNSoN seconded the motion.

Mr. Fox Marini complained of Mr. Fiehlen's conduct in founding a charge upon a confidential letter, which could only have been commu- nicated to him by it In•each of faith in the party to whom it was ad- dressed. Ile distinctly denied that the Government employed spies, or that the intbrmation required of the Factory Inspectors was political. It related to the state of the crops, the general condition of the working- classes' their prosperity or distress. This was a species of information which Government ought to possess, and which the Factory Inspectors were well qualified to give.

Mr. DISRAELI said, it was clear that the information sought was of a political nature ; and he supported the motion.

Lord ASHLEY, though generally agreeing with Mr. Fielden on Fac- tory questions, thought him altogether wrong in this instance. Mr. ItuaamEv also, Mr. MARK PHILLIPS, and Mr. Human considered the motion ill-advised, and calculated, by exciting an unjust prejudice against the Inspectors and Superintendents, (in whose conduct Lord Ashley saw nothing wrong,) to render the operation of the Factory Act null and void.

Sir ROBERT PEEL dwelt upon the difficulty and importance to a go-

vernment of obtaining correct information ; and drew a distinction between those who furnished accounts of what they saw and heard and those who instigated the unwary to illegal acts and afterwards betrayed them. It was With encouraging spies of the latter description that Lord Castlereagh and Lord Sidmouth had been charged by the party now in power--repeatedly charged, but most unjustly ; for Sir Robert declared his firm conviction that they never used such means of procuring evi- dence against the seditious and disaffected. Those Who made these charges were now themselves sensible of the importance of secret int■)r- motion ; and should they return to the Opposition benches, he hoped they would show the same forbearance that he did now.

Lord Joust Ressma. acknowledged that he had experience of the advantage of procuring trustworthy and confidential communications, and he protested against the application of the odious term of spies to those who gave it. But he would remind Sir Robert Peel, that in 1817, persons were employed by Government who did instigate the people, by false representations, to riotous proceedings; and those per- sons were paid out of the fund intrusted to the Secretary of State. They were not recognized officers of the Government, but secretly em-

ployed and paid. Mr. WAELEY, Mr. BEOTHEETON, and Mr. 1NlesTz opposed the motion, and called upon Mr. Fielden to withdraw it. That gentleman, however, persisted in dividing the House ; and the motion was ne- gatived, by 71 to 10. The other business does not require particular nOtice.