NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE extraordinary session is in full career : the old familiar voices, the old familiar arguments and figures of speech, nightly awake the echoes in the Senate; but the most extraordinary thing about it is the small interest evinced by the public. What is Parliament collected at this untimely season for! In vain you search the Royal Speech for the reasons. That which was to be the reason is absent, and another is substituted : Parlia- ment was summoned to indemnify somebody for breaking the Bank Charter Act, but after all that statute has not been broken ; so that there would be nothing for the august body to do if it were not that it may turn its time to account in legislating for Ireland. But for that recourse, it would have seemed as if the Legislature had assembled only to listen to the Royal expressions of " concern" and "satisfaction," "lamenting" and "confidence," at the vicissitudes of the recess.
However, something is to be done about the Bank Charter Act; and though precise views of Ministers are not to be stated till next Tuesday, it is tolerably certain what the course of proceed- ing will be. The whole subject of "the Money-laws" is thrown open for the season ; Ministers having no fixed or definite pur- pose either in the way of altering or of maintaining the law of 1st. They seem as if they would incline to its maintenance. Only Lord -Lansdowne decidedly thinks that the matter cannot be disposed of in this "fragmentary session." An inquiry is to be instituted, and then the question will be deferred for due deli- beration at the ordinary season. As respects the Bank Charter Act, therefore, it seems that Parliament has been summoned to hear a talk on the subject, and that there is to be a blue book next year.
Something more definite has been propounded on the subject of Railways. The time allowed for calling in capital is to be ex- tended ; and in respect of lines not yet commenced, the express con sent of the shareholders is to be exacted, not negatively as to the breaking up of a company, but positively as to the prosecution of their enterprise; a very discreet and salutary measure, we are inclined to suppose, for spreading the expenditure over a longer time, without any compulsory or vexatious interference in the private affairs of railway companies. On the other great subject, Ireland, though it stands as the reason in the Royal Speech, nothing very explicit has yet been declared : for particulars, see a speech to be spoken by Sir George Grey on Monday next. The one thing certain is, that the very name of Ireland let loose upon the House of Commons the loqua- cious tribe of Irish Members, and occasioned the dullest, tamest opening debate on record. Ministers have intimated that there is to be some "coercion," and some " improvement "; no more money will be demanded from Parliament ; but a balance in hand, of provisions purchased for the last season of dearth, will now be available for cases of local destitution.
Apart from measures a degree of curiosity was natural, to see how party sections would display themselves in the new Parlia- ment. As yet the effect is not striking. The most generally ac- tive, perhaps' was the Protectionist section; whose proclaimed leader, Lord Stanley, began the Opposition share in the opening debate of the Lords ; his lieutenant in the Commons lagging in on the second night, with a speech on the report of the Address. Lord Stanley did his best to revive his old "slashing" style; and Lord George Bentinck got up a show of oratorical heat, with an immense assortment of oddly applied statistics. The practical points on which the leaders of the great Country party take their stand are poor and trivial. Lord Stanley and his coadjutors maintain that Ministers are bound to crave an indemnity, because virtually they authorized a violation of the Bank Charter Act, and positively broke the constitutional law by recommending an interest of 8 per cent, which is in effect to tax the subject with- out the intervention of Parliament. Lord Stanley's other point is a complaint that 10,000,000 quarters of foreign corn had been admitted, and that the distress which that corn was introduced to alleviate was caused by the free trade which permitted the intro- duction of said corn. Such are the tangible points in the Oppo- sition policy as developed by Lord Stanley and Lord George Ben- tinck; such are the constitutional grounds on which they take their stand—poor souls!
The other active section consisted of the Irish Members ; loud, voluble, importunate, not materially changed, but on the whole rather moderated. There is indeed Mr. John O'Connell in lieu of the real Daniel O'Connell; whose pattern is elaborately aped even to the writing of leadership letters to the Dublin staff of the Repeal Association.
The Ministerial section were nearly passive; Ministers them- selves speaking no more than was necessary, but to the purpose— sticking to their own policy, such as it is, and talking with an un- common display of firmness and self-reliance. Lord Lansdowne ably and !easily repelled Lord Stanley ; Lord John made light work of his noble and indignant friend Lord George Bentinck. The weak part of the Ministerial position was the defence touch- ing the contemplated infringement of the Bank Charter Act; which they did not " authorize"—they only " advised" it, " as individuals." This is almost as feeble as the Protectionist quib- ble about the usury tax.
In the opening debate, the English Members generally, not P belonging to the Protectionist party, preserved a remarkable and judicious silence.
Touching foreign relations, some important disclosures were made in the Speech and opening debate. Lord Palmerston has consented to join the four Continental Monarchies in a Swiss me- diation ; and Lord Minto has been sent to Italy, not to meddle, but only to " advise."
Lord Stanley and others of his party, besides Members of other sections, made an unmistakeable declaration against the pretence of suppressing the slave-trade by an armed squadron on the coast of Africa.
