the bill be read that day six months. The debate, in
which the general question of marriage with a deceased
wife's sister was again opened up, was adjourned.

PROGRESS OF BUSINESS.

House of Lords.—January 31. Opening of parliament.—Her
Majesty's speech.—Address and amendment; address carried
by 152 to 103.—Bill to consolidate and amend the Laws relating
to Bankruptcy; and Bill for the Regulation of Select Vestries,
read a first time.

February 5th.—Clergy Proceedings Bill read a first time.

11th.—Ecclesiastical Commission Bill read a second time.

12th.—Bill to shorten the Language of Acts of Parliament,
brought in by Lord Brougham and read a first time.

18th.—Dolly's Brae; Lord Stanley's charges against the
government, and Lord Clarendon's defence.

21st.—Irish Poor Law, Lord Desart's resolutions withdrawn.

22nd.—Royal assent given to County Cess (Ireland) Bill.

25th.—Ecclesiastical Commission Bill considered in committee.

House of Commons.—January 31. Address and amendment
moved; debate adjourned.

February 1.—Division on the Address; carried by 311 to
192.—New writs ordered for Windsor and Colchester.

5th.—Mr. Horsman's motion respecting Ecclesiastical
Commission debated and withdrawn.

6th.—Irish Law Reform; four Bills, viz., the Common Law
Process, Court of Chancery, Registration of Deeds, and
Judgments Bills, brought in by Sir J. Romilly.—Ceylon Inquiry;
motion made by Mr. Hawes for re-appointment of committee;
vote of censure proposed by Mr. Disraeli, and negatived by 140
to 68; amendment by Mr. Hume negatived by 109 to 100.
House adjourned without putting the original question.

7th.—Mr. P. Scrope's motion for leave to bring in a Small
Tenement Rating Bill negatived.—Lord D. Stuart's motion for
papers on the affairs of Hungary debated and withdrawn.—
Mr. Macgregor's motion to incorporate a suburban district of
London into a borough, vice Sudbury disfranchised, withdrawn.
—Mr. S. Wortley's Marriages Bill read a first time.—Mr.
Anstey's motion for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal Penal Acts
against Roman Catholics negatived.

11th.—Ceylon Committee re-appointed.—Pirates Head-money
Repeal Bill read a second time.—Australian Colonies Bill read a
first time.—Bills brought in for Improving the Mercantile
Marine, Regulating the Merchant Seamen's Fund, and Regulating
the Admeasurement of Merchant Shipping.—Parliamentary
Voters (Ireland) Bill, and Electors (Ireland) Bill, ordered to be
brought in.

12th.—New River Company's Water Bill, second reading
postponed.—Process and Practice (Ireland) Bill read a second
time.

13th.—Bill to amend the Laws relative to Highways read a
first time.

14th.—Public Libraries, leave given Mr. Ewart to bring in a
Bill.—Transportation of Felons, Mr. Adderley's motion for leave
to bring in a Bill negatived.—Mr. Ewart's Committee on Public
Libraries re-appointed.—Leave given Mr. Pusey to bring in a
Landlord and Tenant Bill.

15th.—Distressed Unions in Ireland, Lord John Russell's
resolution for further aid.—Court of Chancery (Ireland) Bill read
a second time.—Registrar's Office Bankruptcy Bill, reference to
a Select Committee carried against Ministers.—Merchant
Shipping, Mercantile Shipping, and Merchant Seamen's Fund
Bills, read a first time.—Army Estimates presented.

18th.—Australian Colonies Bill read a second time.—Landlord
and Tenant (Ireland) Bill read a first time.—Commons Enclosure
Bill read a first time.

19th.—Party Processions (Ireland) Bill considered, as amended.

20th.—Address for a Royal Commission to Ceylon agreed to.—
Bankrupt and Insolvent Members Bill thrown out on second
reading.—Benefices in Plurality Bill, Larceny Summary
Jurisdiction Bill, and Tenants at Rackrent Relief Bill, read a second
time.

21st.—Local Burdens on Land; Mr. D'Israeli's motion
negatived by 273 to 252.

22nd.—Party Processions Bill read a third time and passed.—
Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill, and Elections (Ireland)
Bill, read a second time.

25th.—Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill in Committee.
Proceedings obstructed by repeated motions that chairman
report progress.

26th.—Leave given Mr. W. J. Fox to bring in a Secular
Education Bill.—Mr. Hume's motion for a drawback on brick
and timber duties withdrawn by consent.

27th.—Marriages Bill; motion for second reading; debate
adjourned.

At a meeting of the Rutland Protectionists on the
28th of January, very violent language was used by
some of the farmers. A Mr. Cheetham held forth in the
following strain:—"The phantoms of ruined farmers
must haunt the sleeping pillow of Sir Robert Peel.
Knowing how much he was execrated, he really should
think he must move about in fear and dread. Even if
Sir Robert Peel should ever have a majority again, he
dared not take office. He knew that if he was in Sir
Robert Peel's position, he should be afraid of the poniard
and the dagger; and so he had a right to. (Here he
was interrupted by loud cries of 'No—no!') He should
be sorry to say what he did not feel, but he thought he
was justified in saying what he had, seeing what a narrow
escape Peel once had, when he was not so much execrated
as he is now. He believed that Cobden and Peel were
travelling the same road. Peel, he was informed, had
a strong grudge against the aristocracy, because one of
them in the House of Lords once called him a weaver's
son. Sir Robert Peel's son need not be afraid of being
called a weaver's son or a weaver's grandson, but he
would be called 'the traitor's son.'" Mr. Stafford, M.P.,
made the best apology he could for this language: he
was sure Mr. Cheetham meant no harm, but his words
might be misinterpreted. The usual Protectionist
resolutions were passed.

The County meeting at Brecon ended in a signal
defeat of the Protectionists. Called by themselves, well
attended, with Colonel Pearce, the High Sheriff, a man
of their own party but of impartial mind, for chairman,
it ended by carrying a Free-trade amendment by a
decided majority.

The County meeting at Bedford began in favour of
the Protectionists, but ended in a virtual defeat. The
townsmen of Bedford at the last moment crowded into
the place of meeting, outnumbered the Protectionists,
and threatened to carry Anti-Protectionist resolutions;
to prevent which, the chairman dissolved the meeting
prematurely.

The Manchester Financial and Parliamentary Reform
Association held a meeting in the Free-trade hall on
the 29th ult., for the purpose of hearing addresses from
Messrs. Cobden and Bright previously to their departure
for their Parliamentary duties. Upwards of 8000
persons were present, including Messrs. Henry, M.P.,
Brown, M.P., Kershaw, M.P., Sir E. Armitage, Mr.
H. Ashworth, and many other prominent friends of the
movement. Mr. G. Wilson was in the chair, and stated
the object of the attendance of the members of the
association to be for the purpose of seeking the co-
operation of the meeting in favour of a scheme for
enfranchising the people, to a certain extent, through
freehold qualifications. Mr. Cobden addressed the
meeting, exposing with great force the Protectionist
fallacies at present so industriously propagated throughout
the provinces, and showing the important purposes
which might be accomplished by means of the freehold
land movement. Mr. Bright followed, strongly and
ably advocating the same course. Their speeches made
a powerful impression on the immense assemblage.

Several great meetings have been held in the
manufacturing districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, with the
view of securing the integrity of the Ten Hours' Act, and
subverting the mode of working by shifts and relays.
In particular, a meeting of delegates was held at
Bradford on the 23d inst.; another at Oldham on the 25th;
and a meeting of power-loom overlookers at Manchester
on the 26th; at all of which petitions to Parliament
were adopted.

There have been Serious Riots at Limerick; large mobs
having for several days marched through the streets
demanding bread. Several bread-shops have been broken
into and plundered, and in one shop the till was rifled
of money. A large force of military and police was called
out and captured a number of the rioters. Several of them
were brought before the magistrates, and sentenced to
various terms of imprisonment. The great majority of
them refused to go into the workhouse, and in parading
the streets they frequently shouted "Bread or Blood."

Archbishop Slattery has just issued a letter, addressed
to the Catholic clergy and people of Cashel and Emly,
denouncing the Queen's Colleges, on account of their
grievous and intrinsic dangers, and in conformity with
the judgment pronounced upon them by the Holy See,
by which it is declared to be unlawful for Roman
Catholics to encourage or frequent these institutions.

Lord John Manners was returned for Colchester on
the 6th, in opposition to Mr. Wingrove Cook.