NEWS OF THE WEEK.

OUR Parliaments,- memoranittuns, tiiis week, are more numerous than we, looked for, though of no great consequence. 'Lord STANHOPE lifted up his feeble voice on Monday, for the first time sinee.the honourable notice which it received frora,Lord, BROUGRay.a, fortnight ago: he,deelared that he would speak at.. often and on.ssaeany subjects as he pleased, whatever the Chan;=. eellor mightsay. His Lordship complained ofcold, and—so say the reporters—spokexery feebly; but his expressions, where they were' heard, seem to have been as strong as ever. The LORD CHAN- CELLOR onthe.saxne day moved for the return of' the Chancery Lunatics (not the suitorS)ovith a view to measures for their better

regulation. . The.,questiewof the Liverpool Election was spoken

to on Monday in the Commons; when Mr. EWART declared that he was supported by his perfect consciousness of innocence, and

that whatever improper practices might have prevailed at the elec- tion, they were committed without his knowledge or concurreece. This asseveration remains to be proved—or disproved—for we be-

lieve it is determined to sound the case to the depths of its iniquity. The Recorder of-Dublin, and the incompatibility of his double duty, were noticed the same evening; when an interchange of com- pliments took place between Sir ROBERT PEEL and Mr. HUME ; the ex-Secretary having contrived, as he commonly does, first to misunderstand Mr. HUME, and then to abuse him for ignorance of which' he was net guilty. An order in Council, reducing provi- sionally,the duty on berate, exposed Ministers to the solemn cen- sure of Mr. HHRRIES for their unconstitutionality; and the dis- missal of the Lord Chief Baron led, on the part of Mr. GEORGE DAWSON, to a severe charge of inconsistency ; while Sir ROBERT PEEL offered his earnest counsel against promises of economy,which he observed, any one could improve on by promises yet stronger. Sir ROBERT also deprecated all pledges of studying to preserve a state of peace; for, he remarked, if circumstances compelled the country to go to war, the Ministers would be obliged to break through them. The splash on Sir EDWARD SUGDEN'S Chancery motion terminated a second time, on Monday, by the House being counted out, after a long, and, for the subject, an interesting speech from Mr. SPENCE. On Tuesday, Lord WYNFORD introduced his bill for.the better securing of payment from fraudulent debtors. In the Commons, reform was once more discussed, and with reform, the ballot: Mr. TENNYSON, who is now a member of the Government, declared his opinion that nineteen-twentieths of the people were in favour of it. Sir ROBERT WILSON read another letter from America against ballot, whence all his political know- ledge seems at present derived. The fees of the Keeper to the Scotch Seal were ordered, on. the motion of Mr. KENNEDY; and the number of inhabited houses in represented and non-represented

town W s,. on that of Mr. rens. Commons did not sit on

Wednesday; and 'the Lords only long enough to give Lord Untitti.asi *opportunity to complain of the length of the _recess. 8 It seems to be forgotten by every one who has spoken on this sub- ject, that Parliament has already sat eight weeks longctr this year than it has done any year since 1826. In the Commons, on Thursday, when the adjournment was moved until the 3rd February —five days less than at first contemplated—some members ob- jected to it, and, among others, Sir HUSSEY VIYI AN, who thought members ought only to adjourn, in order that, by frequent meet- ings in town, they might the better learn the state of the country. Cobbett's Register, which has long been in a sickly condition— at least, ever since it was stamped—was very strenuously puffed, the same night, by Mr. A. TREVOR. If, as seemed hinted, an actual prosecution be entered on, the Indian Corn Chief may make a fortune, even at the eleventh hour of his pilgrimage. The Vice-Treasurership of Ireland was also talked at, and the Pension List ; which Mr. HERMES recommended to he preserved intact, as a portion of the Constitution, which it would be exceedingly dangerous to part with. The House did 'not rise until nearly one o'clock. We now bid it good bye for the next six weeks. The short session has been, if not an active, an interesting one.

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1. CHANCERY. On Monday, Mr. MICHAEL A. TAYLOR made a long speech on the adjourned question of Chancery ; which Mr. G. SPENCE followed with one still longer--so long, indeed, that at last he spoke the whole of the members out of the House, and the House in consequence adjourned. There is, no resolution before the House on this subject, nor any bill ; but merely a matter-of- course motion for certain returns, which 'nobody opposes. The question has been discussed nine hundred and ninety-nine times already ; and whenever a resolution is offered or a bill introduced, it must be discussed and rediscussed in all its particulars.

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2. CHANCERY LUNATICS. .in'movin.2..., on Monday, for returns connected with Chancery lunatics, Lord BROUGHAM -took occa- sion to enter into the question of the guardianship of these per- sit.. His Lordship said, that .the Agulations of the Court suffi- e:e.:;,protected any man from beingeonlined 94 a lunatic with- out very sufficient evidence,'—first, been:use; without strong prim; dreicie4vidence, no commission . tunatioo:vas ever jawed ; and next,-because, n the exercise obese duties, -the CeinniisSion were sufficiently cheeked bublic 'opinion: The managementof-the • lunatics was, he ISelieved;not subject to much censure; butit was at least posSiblethafklie zeal for the reeteveryof the patients-might not, in some cases,* So active as was desirable, from the plain fact that those ilrho had applied for and procured the commission, and to whose keeping the patients were virtually assigned, had a strong interest in their non-recovery. Lord Brougham- proposed, - as a check, that the Court should appoint two Or more 'medical men, to whom the supervision of the lunatics, whirseproperty is vested in the Court of Chancery. should be intruded. He stated, that from returns made to Lord Lyndhurst, the eases of recovery in lunacy varied from 1 : 2 to 1: 2 1. From the inveteracy of the Chancery cases, however, he imagined that 1 : 20 would be a fair proportion of recoveries; which, as the number amounted to about 400, would give about 20 recoveries, supposing the number- of 900 to be kept up, to be reported every year. The return moved for by Lord Brougham was for the number of luna- tics, the dates of the longest and shortest confinements, the allow- ances for each, and the amount of property out of which the allowances were to be made.

Lord ELDON remarked, that Lord Brougham was mistaken whet he said that lunatics such as he described were under the careof Chancery: Chancery only took care of their property— their persons were looked after by a Commission of the Crown. He was sorry that the number had greatly increased; but he was surethat whoever investigated his conductin respect to that un- . happy class of persons, would find that he had done his duty to. wards them.

The return was ordered.

3. FRAUDULENT DEBTORS. On Taesday, Lord WYNFORD presented a bill, the object of which is to prevent debtors from de- frauding their creditors; by living luxuriously in prison, or on the Continent, and still retaining then' property. The bill particularly regards that nominal imprisonment which debtors who can give security to the Marshal of the King's Bench, are- subjected to_ n the rules of that prison. It in extension of the existing statute of George the Second; which assigns the property of a debtorfr. his creditors at large, where the debt is Under .1001., to all cased Qfs..,43}%;;;;_i.; debt whatsoever. With respect to persons going abroad, whes‘ personal effects are at present liable to forfeiture by an act of-Ottte,, 7sy•le- - ' lawry, his .Lordship means to provide that their rents she. 4. • also be liable to forfeiture, and that there shall be no reversal: Of - outlawry on,the plea that the debtor was not withinthe four se-ns . -when the writs were issued. This bill was read a first-time.

4. REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. RUMS, in pre- senting the Middlesex petition on Tuesday, took occasion to press. on the House the necessity of reform, and of its necessary accom- paniment, the ballot. Sir GEORGE WARRENDER had no objection to retrenchment, but he was altogether opposed to reform, and he did not think the country wished it. When the Edinburgh petition was presented, he would show that the talent and property of that city were opposed to reform. The late events at Liverpool and Preston had confirmed him in his opposition to reform. Mr. WARBURTON said, the only conclusion to be drawn from the Liverpool election was, that by extending the franchise bribery would be abolished. The electors of Preston demanded of Mr. Stanley whether he would vote for ballot and the repeal of the Corn-Laws, and he refused to do either ; under these circum- stances, their conduct did them signal honour.

Mr. Gime, Sir George Warrender's colleague, said, nine. tenths of the thinking portion of the borough which they repre- sented were in favour of reform.

Sir ROBERT WILSON opposed ballot, and quoted a letter from America he had received the day before (Sir Robert seems to maintain a correspondence with the New World on the subject) against ballot. It had been proposed in Virginia, and rejected. Mr: HOBHOUSE thought no reform could be efficient without ballot, and that no reform which did not include it would satisfy the people.

Mr. HARVEY thought reform good even if the ballot did not go along. with it ; and that to hold up the latter as a sine qua non was unwise, and not justified by the public feeling respecting it.

Mr. Caecaeer defended the late Administration: it was highly popular, and deserved to be so, for it carried the Test Acts repeal and Catholic Emancipation, and also greatly reduced the expendi- ture.

Sir ROBERT INGLI s denied that the intelligent and well-educated part of the community had changed their minds on reform : the cry at present proceeded only from the lower orders, and would soon be hushed.

Mr. HORACE Twiss thought, if the country were polled, more would vote for the present system of election than could ever be found to agree on any other.

ATTWOOD made a strong speech against the Ministry.

When he saw an Administration so vaunting of the support of the peo- ple, priding itself on the support of Parliament, its members boasting at town and county meetings with most extravagant, and, as he thought, most unwarranted ostentation, that they relied on the confidence of the people in their ability and zeal, he was anxious to learn on what grouhds they thus plumed themselves—to what extent of reform they were pre- pared with and for the people — what sacrifice they were prepared to make of place and patronage, in obedience to public opinion—in fact, on what measures they meant to stand, and claim their boasted popular support? How did their acts, few as they were—perhaps fortunately for themselves and the country—square with their professions? All that he had heard was their determination to add to the standing army, and that too while we were at peace with the world, and professed a determination to continue so,—for no other purpose, he feared, than to silence by force the discontents of the people, whose confidence forsooth they all the while boasted the possession of. The fact was, they laid claims to a po- pularity they had no pretensions to, and they were practising a gross de i - lusion on the public n their promises to afford relief, which they knew in their hearts they could not fulfil. Such was the conduct of the noble Premier in the other House of Parliament, a few hours after he had ac- cepted of office. He then said that Ministers would apply themselves to affording relief; and as yet they had done nothing. But they deceived themselves, and not the public, if they supposed they could continue thus to delude the people with empty boasts and emptier promises.

Mr. Hume was about toe read Earl Grey's speech in defence of that nobleman, but was called to order.

Mr. HOME—" Well, then: there was a certain island called Brobdignag, the minister of which was a venerable chieftain of a certain order (Hear, and laughter) ; and this man in the council of the elders said, The

people are distressed and they complain, but it is better for us to conciliate sad endeavour to remove the cause of their grievances, than to wax wroth and smite them with the sword of justice.' (Hear, hear.) Such ivas the language and the course pursued by the noble person in anotoer place, of which the member for Boroughbridge had most unnecessarily complained. It was but just to give the new Ministers a fair trial, end not to add to the difficulties which every honest Ministry must expe- rience, under the existing system, in their attempts to redress puolic grievances.

The petition was ordered to be printed, chiefly for the edifica- tion of Mr. Cuaws, the member for Sussex, who complained grievously of some expressions which it did not happen to contain.

5. IRISH APPOINTMENTS. Mr. GEORGE BANRES put a ques- tion on Monday respecting Mr. Gregory, late Under-Secretary for Ireland ; when it appeared, from the statements of Sir betas GRAHAM, that Mr. Gregory was dismissed because he had made his office an instrument of party politics. Mr. Ruravere declared, "it was absolutely necessary, for the good government of Ireland, that the office of the Under-Secretary of State, which had long .been a nest or partiulity, and party-spirit, should be thoroughly e cleared." ' Mr. GEORGE Dawsole took this occasion to brink forward once more the complaint a Sir Anthony Hart's removal, and Lord Plunkett'S elevation to the Irish Chancellorship, Mr. Dawson • went on to remark off the retirement of the Irish Lord Chief Baron. Mmistets had, it wag asserted, bribed him with a barony to pro- cure his retitettlent ; and yet, in 1822, a part of these same Minis- ters had made a motion in the House, which, if carried, would ne- cessarily have had the effect of compelling an impeachment against that learned Judge. At ,the head of those who condemned the Chief Baron in 1822, stood the name of Henry, now Lord Brougham ; there were also the names fMr. Wynne, Mr. Spring :Rice, Mr. George Lamb, and others, whom it was unnecessary to particularize. And yet these same persons now advised the saddling of the country with a salary of 3,6001. a year for a man neither so old nor so infirm as to be-unable, nor, in many respects, unwilling,. to do the duties of his high office. And, by way of showing the estimation in which a Whig Ministryheld that high honour, they had superadded a peerage to the pension. Colonel O'GRADY complained, that not even one day's notice had been in common courtesy given of the attack on his father. Had but one days notice been afforded him, he could have proved satisfactorily the falsehood of the charges brought against him. The Chief Baron had held that office for twenty-five years, and it was not necessary novie when he was receiving the reward of his long labours, to designate it as a bribe from Ministers.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM defended the dismissal of the Irish Chan- cellor, as justified by economy as well as policy.

The present Administration had accepted office, on the understand- ing, that they were to carry into effect three important principles,— namely, a fair and adequate representation of the people ; a rigid system of economy and general retrenchment ; and, finally, the maintenance of the peace of the country, by the most zealous efforts which could be directed, consistently with public honour, to the furtherance of such an object. They were now upon their trial, and relied altogether upon pub- lic opinion for their support ; nor were they at all inclined to shrink from the result, for they felt confident that they should be enabled to redeem every pledge which they had given hitherto. The right honour- able gentleman opposite had said that he should take the present judicial appointments as a specimen of their future conduct; but Sir James should be sorry to take the present proceeding of that right honourable gentle-. man as a specimen of the generosity and candid dealing of the Opposition in general. Considering how the right honourable gentleman had opposed the government of Mr. Canning in 1827, Sir James felt no sur- prise that the loss of office for three short weeks should have caused him to betray so great a bitterness of spirit as he had manifested that evening; but he certainly thought that a little more forbearance would have been more to his credit.

Mr. GEORGE LAMB and Mr. M. A. TAYLOR also defended Go- vernment.

Lord MORPETH said, when Mr. DAWSON objected to Lord Plunkett's political character, he forgot that Lord Plunkett was a Judge already ; and surely if he were exceptionable on the Equity, fortiori must he be exceptionable on the Common Law Bench. Sir JOHN NEWPORT Said, if Government were to carry beneficial measures, they must have willing instruments to carry them with. It was ridiculous to find fault with them for dismissing one of their own officers.

Sir ROURRT Papr. hoped Ministers would not neglect to bestow a proper retiring* salary on Mr. Gregory, although they had found it necessary to dismiss him. He earnestly cautioned them against attempting to purchase popularity by promising retrenchment; for let them retrench as they would, there would always be found people in the Opposition who would promise to retrench more than they had done. Sir Robert assured Ministers, that Mr.. Dawson's speech did not proceed from any regret at having left office ; and for himself, he would feel a return to office to be for him a serious cause of sorrow. He concluded by strongly ad- vising Ministers to propose a. resolution declaring the inviolability of the Irish Union, in order to put down in Ireland the agitation of' that question.

Mr. GEORGE DAWSON said, the complaint against the Chief Baron was extorted from him by the unfair expressions, as he deemed them, made use of in respect to Mr. Gregory. When he designated the peerage as a " bribe " to the Chief Baron to re- tire, he used the word merely in the meaning of " inducement."

6. VICE-TREASUR.ER OF IRELAND. On Thursday, Mr. MAU- RICE FITZGERALD moved for the Treasury minute discontinuing this office. His object was to show that it was not a sinecure. Mr. Fitzgerald held it after Sir George Hill. In the calculations into which he entered, we find it noted in the reports that he was not heard in the gallery. This is a very common complaint now- a-days : it occurs in every paper, and seems always to be made with respect to the most interesting portions of a member's speech, as if those portions were wished to be kept from the public. ,

Lord ALTHORP said, there seemed two objects contemplated in the speech of Mr. Fitzgerald,—one economical, the other political : the economical argument he did not understand. He thought the office useless, and he was confirmed in his opinion by the inquiries he had made after entering npon office. The exact saving from the suppression was 2,6001. a year. It was effected thus,—the salary of the Vice-Treastirer amounted to 2,0001., the Salary of the Beputy Vice-Treasurer amounted to 8001., the- salary attached to the office which Mr. Smith [who has been sent to Ire- land from the Treasury here to execute the duties) held was 1,0004 making altogether 3,800/. All these offices had been abolished, and in their stead had been substituted an office with a salary of 1,2001. The saving, therefore, which had been effected, was obviously the difference between 3,8061. and 1,200/. it was 2,60014 at this. strm it had been stated, and he could not perceive the difficulty which the right honour- able gentleman had in Understanding how the saving had been effected. He did not think the saving would stop here. Mr. Smith, who had now gone over to Ireland, was a very active man, and extremely Well versed in Treasury business; and he was not without expectation that Mr. Smith would be able to carry the sating farther, by dispensing with I number of clerks. So fair from agreeing with Mr. Fitzgerald in the political view of the subject, Lord Althorp said he considered it smatter for rejoicing that it had been possible to abolish. one Parliamentary. place, (Hear, kw.) For his own part he was glad of it. The right honourable gentleman had said that the Vice-Treasurer of Ireland ought to be in the-Rouse; but allow hint to is ,that they had for many years bad the Vice-Treasurer lethe House, and yet he had never seen—nor did he believe could any member point out—what advantage the country, the Government, or the House, had gained by his presence there. (Hear, hear.) The minute was granted without opposition.

7. Crvin LIST PENSIONS. In moving, on Thursday, for the warrant by which the sum of 1,200/. a year was granted to Mrs. Arbuthnot, Mr. GUEST noticed a number of other pensions on the various lists,—particularly that to Lady George Hill, of 467/., granted on the very day on which Sir George Hill quitted the office of Vice-Treasure,of Ireland with a ret:ring pensi( n for him- self—(Sir George is at present Governor in the Leeward Islands); that to Lord Minto, of 938/., granted in 1800; Mr. Greville's, of 6001.; the pensions to the Cockburn family, one of them as far back as 1789; Miss Bankhead's, of 350/., granted in 1825; the Countess of Mornington's, of 600/„ in 1813. Mr. HUME seconded Mr. GUEST'S motion; and renriked, that there was no method of getting rid of these perish:as but by at- tacking individual cases. Mr. LENNARD, alluding to the Duchess of Newcastle's re- linquishment of her pension, observed, that if the list had been annually laid on the table, many names that now appear there would never have been put in it. Mr. Alderman WarrumaN was complaining of the pensions al- lowed to Lord Bathurst's family, when he was interrupted by Mr. COURTENAY ; who stated, that the pensions in question were granted not to the family of that nobleman, but to that of the late Mr. Bragge Bathurst,—who, it seems, was a most efficient mem- ber of the Government, but never filled a place which entitled him to a retiring pension for himself, although he retired worn out with toil in the service of the Ministry. Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS thought the better plan would be to grant no pensions in future, and not to cut down pensions already granted. Mr. RommsoN said, this same system of pensioning brought Ministers into more odium than all the inflammatory publications that ever issued from the press. Mr. HERRIES complained of the silence of Ministers on such a question. Nothing more uncon- stitutional could be conceived than submitting the propriety of pensioning on the Civil List to the House of Commons.

Looking to the interest of the Monarch, and to the interests of the constitution, he hoped and believed that the noble lord and the right honourable baronet would, in their arrangements in regard to the Civil List, make it a part of them to leave to the Crown, uncontrolled by Par- liament, some means of dispensing favour and of rewarding merit. Sir JAMES GRAHAM was not prepared to say that the Crown should not have some funds, out of which to reward its servants, without the immediate control of Parliament ; but whatever pen- sions were granted out of other funds, should be under the control of Parliament.

The beneEt of bringing the Civil List pensions under the notice of the House was illustrated by the case which had been mentioned to-night, of the surrender of her pension by the Duchess of Newcastle. When the subject of the Civil List was brought before the House, if he did not mis. take, it would be found that his Majesty's Ministers had pursued a middle course—preserving a due regard to economy on the one hand, and to the splendour, and he would add, the just dignity and just rights of the Crown on the other. The House must see the difficulties in which the present Ministry was placed ; but he declared, on behalf of his Majesty's Ministers, that, relying upon the support of public opinion, and honest in their intentions to endeavour to reduce the burdens of the people, they would submit the measures they proposed for the public good to the pre- sent House of Commons, although they knew that there were seats there influenced by the Government which had dissolved the preceding Parlia- ment. (Hear, hear.) Standing upon the ground of the public good, and scorning all such influence, they would persevere in the measures neces- sary to carry their plans into effect : should they fail in their endeavours —he meant no taunt—he meant no threat—their sense of public duty would impel them, notwithstanding all taunts, and regardless of all threats, to go to the British public and take their sense of those mea- sures which the House rejected. (Hear.) Whether they stood or fell, with justice and right on their side, he should not care; whether they gave umbrage to the one side of the House or the other, they would main- tain a firm course, convinced that the country would vindicate the con- duct of himself and his colleagues, as dictated by a high and firm sense of public duty. (Loud cheers.) Sir GEORGE CLERK said, there were considerations involved in such an appeal, that might not leave it open to the present Ministers to pursue it.

. 8. BARILLA. To a question of Sir GEORGE CLERK, on Mon- day, Mr. POULETT THOMSON answered, that Government had di- rected the officers of Customs to levy only a duty of 50s. on im- ported barilla, the importers giving bond for the difference, if Parliament did not sanction the reduction.

Mr. HERRIES admitted that the reduction was contemplated by the late Ministry ; but complained that Parliament had not been made acquainted with the intentions of Government. Mr. Hus- hisson had indeed acted in the same way in the case of the silk- trade; but on that occasion Parliament was not sitting. Mr. PoVr.irrx THOMSON instanced the reduction of the sugar- duties as a case in point. Mr. Haimixs—" There was a resolution of the House in that case, although there was no bill," Mr. COURTENAY said, neither Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald-nor Mr. , Herries had ever acted as the present Government had done. . Mr. ATTWOOD thought Ministers should be narrowly watched, since, even in the short time they had been in office, they had seen fit to remit taxes without consent of Parliament. . Ministers did not reply-to this heavy charge. Onlimrsday," Mr. CALCD.A.Fr complained am more of the Treasury minute. Lord ALTHORP admitted that the practice wzga not quite constitutional in principle, and ought not to be perse- vered in.

9. MR. RECORDER SHAW. Mr. O'GORMAN MAHON, in present- ing a petition from the untried prisoners in Newgate, Dublin, . took occasion to remark on the incompatible duties of Recorder pf that city and of a member of Parliament. Sir ROBERT PEEL conceived that there were regular sessions for the trial of prisoners in Dublin ' • and that it was quite com- petent for the Recorder to be absent from the conclusion of one session to the commencement of another.

Mr. HUME thought the duties to be performed by Mr. Shaw quite incompatible with each other; and he was surprised that Sir Robert Peel, while in office, had not looked into the matter, as he was the first minister of justice in the country. Sir ROBERT PEEL told Mr. Hume, that he was more ignorant than befitted the representative for Middlesex, else he must have known that the S:cretary of State had nothing to do with the Recorder of Dublin, except paying him a salary ; and the dis- posal of that question remained with the House. Mr. Hums—" It is the dety of the Recorder to hold sessions every fourteen days, and yet the honourable baronet says he has no duty to perform that is incompatible with his attendance in Parliament."

Sir ROBERT PEEL—" I said no such thing." Mr. Hums—" Then the honourable baronet accused me of ig- norance because I said that a man could not be in two places at one time. I certainly never said nor thought that the Govern- ment had power to remove the Recorder of Dublin from office."

10. COBBETT'S REGISTER. On Thursday, Mr. ARTHUR TREVOR recurred to the subject of Cobbett's Register of Saturday the 1 lth ; and concluded with a resolution, declaring the publication in ques- tion—in which the recent riots were by implication defended, be- cause they had led to a reduction of tithes and rents—to be a wicked libel. Mr. BULLER contended, that it would more become the wisdom of Parliament to restrain Attorney-Generals from pro- secuting libels than to urge them on. Lord ALTHORP objected to the proposed resolution, as prejudg- ing the question which Mr. Trevor wished to see tried. If the House declared the publication a libel, it Was impossible that a jury should come to the consideration of it with unprejudiced minds. No such resolution had been offered to the House for fifty years ; and this he thought was a strong prima facie argument for not entertaining it. On the suggestion of Mr. CROKER, the resolution was at length withdrawn. So that Cobbett and Sir Thomas Denman, if they do Meet, will now meet on fair terms.

11. SWAN RIVER. On Monday, Lord TEYNHAM, in moving for returns connected with this settlement, asked Lord Goderich if it was the intention of Government to abandon it? Lord GODERICa. said, no • such intention existed on the part of Government. Captain Stirling, the Governor, a man of cultivated mind, had re- ported most favourably on the prospects of the settlement ; al, though there, and in every colony, there were at first great diffi- culties to be overcome. His Lordship acknowledged Government had had no communication from Swan River since the 1st Ja- nuary last. (The private accounts come down to the 4th May.) The papers agreed to be given were, Captain Stirling's letter of the 1st January, and a return of the vessels cleared out from London for Swan River, with the number of passengers they carried out as residents there.

12. TREATIES WITH HOLLAND AND RUSSIA• In the Lords, on Thursday, previous to the motion for the adjournment, Lord WYNFORD, after moving for the order in Council by which the duty on barilla had been suspended, observed, that by one of the treaties of 1815, Great Britain and Holland mutually agreed to pay a debt of fifty millions of florins due by Russia. The condi- tions of the payment were, that Belgium should continue unitedto Holland ; if they were again disunited, then the obligation to pay the debt ceased. Lord Wynford observed, that this contemplated event seemed now to have arrived, and he therefore should wish to have a statement of the payments to account, and whether any or how much still remained due. The papers were granted; Ead Gamy having declined giving, any opinion on . the question of the actual or acknowledged separation of Holland and Belgium, until they were laid on the table.

13. ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT. Lord ALTHORP, on Thurs- day, stated that Ministers had changed their mind in respect to the day of adjournment: they now proposed the 3rd instead of the 8th - of February. He thought that there would be ample time for the House to get through the business of the session, as it was not in the habit of meeting on an earlier day than the. 3rd or 4th, and had then, for the most part', forms to go through, which occupied the first three or four days after it met. General GASCOYINE thought no -satisfactory reason had been assigned for so long an- adjournment; vnd Colonel Sinnione suggested that the • House might still sit to receive petitions, if had nothing else to do. Mr. Imre; WELLESLEY thought the present Ministry some- thing like the hare with many friends—every one wished it well, but nobody gave it any asSisti.nee„ Igintsters were the he.it

judges of the proper length of the adjournment, and ought to be allowed in common courtesy to settle it. Lord F. L. GOWER concurred with Mr. Wellesley, that the ob- jections taken to the course proposed by Lord Althorp were em- barrassing and unfair. To a question from Mr. BRISCOE, Lord ALTHORP replied, that the question of Reform would be brought forward by Ministers as soon as possible after the recess. In answer to another question, the same noble Lord said the Budget would also be brought for- ward on as early a day as possible after Parliament again met.

14. GENERAL FAST. Mr. SPENCER PERCEVAL, on Thursday, gave notice of a motion, alter the recess, for a general fast through- out the kingdom.

A number of Members—" General what ? General What ? "

Mr. PEoCsvA L—". A gen e rai PSI."

The House—" Oh"! Oh I"

• Hours of Adjournment.—The House sat on Monday, and rose at a quarter after twelve o'clock ; on Tuesday it rose at ten o'clock, and adjourned to Thursday; on Thursday it rose at a quarter before one o'clock, and then adjourned till Thursday, the 3rd of February.