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Revision of Poor-Law Burdens-His Speech-He is answered at length by Sir George Grey-The Motion is supported, during a protracted Debate of two nights, by Mr. Seymer, Sir John Tyrrell, Lord John Manners, Mr. Stafford, and Mr. Gladstone, and opposed by Mr. Bright, Mr. Hobhouse, Mr. Wilson, Sir James Graham, and Sir Robert Peel-On a Division, the Motion is negatived by a Majority of 21 votes. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM-Mr. Hume proposes, on the 28th Feb., a Resolution for the Extension of the Franchise-The Motion is seconded by Sir Joshua Walmsley, and advocated by Mr. Feargus O'Connor, Mr. W. P. Wood, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. B. Osborne, and Mr. Locke King-Sir George Grey, Mr. Henry Drummond, and Lord John Russell, address the House on the other side-Mr. Hume's proposition is negatived by 242 to 96.

T the commencement of the

of the British nation presented a tranquil and, with partial exceptions, a cheering aspect. The revenue, notwithstanding the recent reductions in the Customs duties, exhibited gratifying signs of buoyancy, the excess of income over expenditure when the year commenced being somewhat more than two millions. The foreign trade of the country had likewise greatly increased, the value of the exports having risen from about 48,000,000l. in 1848, to about 58,000,000l. in 1849. Concurrently with these facts, a diminution of pauperism, and an increased facility of subsistence, and larger command of the comforts of life on the part of the working-classes, afforded proof that the recent changes of commercial policy had not altogether disappointed the anticipations of their authors. The depressed condition of the classes connected with the cultivation of the soil, alone furnished an exception to the general well-being. The difficulties experienced by the farmers in adjust ing their operations to the reduced prices occasioned by unfettered imports, appeared to be no nearer to a satisfactory solution than before. The dissatisfaction of this class of

the community with the circum

measures had placed them, was deeply felt and loudly expressed. As to the remedies applicable to the grievances of which they complained, a great diversity of opinion prevailed; some deeming that a return to a protective system could alone restore agriculture to a healthy state; others despairing of a reversal of the newly-adopted system, and preferring to seek relief through the remission of financial burdens. Few persons, however, ventured to deny that the embarrassed condition of the landed interest presented matter for grave consideration, and a fair claim for any relief that might not be inconsistent with the interests of the other classes of the community. With the exception of a partial excitement occasioned by the renewal from time to time of the still unsettled controversy of free trade, the country in general wore an appearance of perfect tranquillity and repose; nor was the reassembling of Parliament regarded with anything more than that natural interest which uniformly attends the commencement of a new session. This event took place on the 31st of January, when Parliament was opened by commission,

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might be rendered necessary by the relaxation of the restrictions formerly imposed by the navigation laws of this country.

"The Governments of the United States of America and of Sweden have promptly taken steps to secure to British ships, in the ports of their respective countries, advantages similar to those which their own ships now enjoy in British ports.

"With regard to those foreign states whose navigation laws have hitherto been of a restrictive character, Her Majesty has received from nearly all of them assurances which induce her to hope that our example will speedily lead to a great and general diminution of those obstacles which previously existed to a free intercourse by sea between the nations of the world.

"In the summer and autumn of the past year the United Kingdom was again visited by the ravages of the cholera; but Almighty God, in His mercy, was pleased to arrest the progress of mortality, and to stay this fearful pestilence. Her Majesty is persuaded that we shall best evince our gratitude by vigilant precautions against the more obvious causes of sickness, and an enlightened consideration for those who are most exposed to its attacks.

"Her Majesty, in her late visit to Ireland, derived the highest gratification from the loyalty and attachment manifested by all classes of her subjects. Although the effects of former years of scarcity are painfully felt in that part of the United Kingdom, they are mitigated by the present abundance of food, and the tranquillity which prevails.

"Her Majesty has great satisfaction in congratulating you on

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Some of the measures whach were postponed at the end of the last Session for want of time fe their consideration will be again laid before you. Among the most important of these is one for the better government of the Australian Colonies.

"Her Majesty has directed various measures to be prepared for the improvement of the condition of Ireland. The mischiefs arising from party processions, the defects of the laws regulating the relations of landlord and tenant, the imperfect state of the grand jury acts, and the diminished number of eletons for members to serve in Parliament, will, together with

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Speech the two Houses & pourned, Amer the delivery of the Royal and having span met at a late hour in the evening, the Earl of Essex rose to move the Address, and after an appropriate speech, in the course of which he paid a high compliment to the public press for its exertions in the cause of order, and expressed his conviction that the distress under which the agricultural portion of the community at present laboured was of a temporary nature, the noble Lord moved the Address, which was an echo of the sentiments contained in the Speech

Lord Methuen seconded the Address, and was followed by

The Earl of Stradbroke, who

declared that, so far as his experience of free trade went, the present agricultural pressure seemed likely to be permanent. If the history of the Corn Laws were reviewed, it would be found that though low prices had occasionally occurred, they were entirely different, both in cause and effect, from the low rates which at present prevailed. Upon this point, therefore, he ventured to move the insertion of the following paragraph, after the words "commerce and manufactures:”—“That we regret, however, to be compelled humbly to represent to your Majesty that in many parts of the United Kingdom, and especially in Ireland, the various classes of your Majesty's subjects connected with the cultivation of the soil are labouring under severe distress, mainly applicable, in our opinion, to recent legislative enactments, aggravated by the pressure of local taxation." The Earl of Desart seconded the amendment, because he felt convinced that the interests of the landlord, labourer, and tenant in Ireland were fast tending to a

state of utter annihilation and ruin.

The Earl of Carlisle saw no great difference between the Address and the amendment, and he, for one, deriving as he did all his income from land, entered most fully into that part of her Majesty's Speech in which she lamented that the owners and occupiers of land were subject to distress. Still no contradiction had been given, nor, in his opinion, could be given, to

that
part of the Speech which con-
gratulated the country on the im-
proved condition of commerce and
manufactures. Still less could the
existing distress in Ireland be al-
leged as an answer to that sentence

which expressed Her Majesty's gratification at the increased enjoyment of the necessaries and comforts of life which low prices had bestowed on the nation at large. From returns in their possession the Government were able to state that, comparing the 1st of January, 1849, with the 1st of January, 1850, there had been in England a decrease of above 7 per cent. on the persons maintained out of the funds for the relief of the poor; while in Ireland the cost of supporting the poor in the workhouse had fallen from 2s. 1d. to 1s. 1d. per head. Though the agricultural horizon might be gloomy and lowering, he was not prepared to contemplate under any circumstances a return to protection, and for his part, rather than consent to any measure which would check the importation of the necessaries of life, he would resign his office and his rank. He therefore called upon their Lordships to affirm, by a decisive majority, their unwillingness to reverse the policy which they had so recently sanctioned.

The Duke of Richmond warned the last speaker that the time might come when it would be fortunate for him to be shorn of his honours. To speak plainly, he thought the agricultural interest had been slighted in the Speech from the Throne, which, as he understood it, did not even admit that the agriculturists were suffering from distress. The noble Earl had talked of the cheapness of provisions, but had omitted to say anything about wages, which had fallen excessively in some districts, in which hundreds of labourers were out of work. It was surprising to hear the noble Lord talk of the courage which their Lordships

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