NARRATIVE OF PARLIAMENT AND POLITICS.

In the House of Lords, on Thursday, July 27, the
Sale of Beer Bill went through committee, amendments
were introduced by which the hours during which public
houses might be kept open on Sunday were extended from
one to half-past two, and from five to eleven p. m., with
the provision that no liquor should be furnished after ten.

On Friday, July 28, the Above Bill was read a third
time and passed; the above amendment that public
houses might be kept open from five to eleven p. m.
(instead of between six and ten) having been negatived.

On Monday, July 31, the Bribery Bill was brought
in and read a first time.

Earl GRANVILLE having moved the committal of the
Drainage of Land Bill, Lord PORTMAN strongly objected
to it, as giving extraordinary powers over property to
the commissioners whose duty it would be to carry it
out, and equally extraordinary exemptions from its
operations in favour of parties who had the means of
defending themselves. He moved, as an amendment,
that the bill be committed that day three months—
Earl GRANVILLE denied that the bill gave either
extraordinary powers or extraordinary exemptions, and
urged that it would prove a most useful measure.—Lord
REDESDALE objected to the bill, after which the house
divided, when the bill was lost by a majority of 23 to 13.

On Thursday, August 3, the Duke of NEWCASTLE
moved a resolution declaring that the Bribery Bill
presented a case of urgency which justified the
suspension of the standing order fixing the 25th of July as
the latest date for the second reading of a new measure.
This resolution was carried by 41 to 33; and, the Earl
of Derby having intimated that he should not further
oppose the bill, it was read a second time.

On Monday, August 7, Lord BROUGHAM presented a
petition from the committee of the Merchants' Association
for the Improvement and Consolidation of the
Commercial Law of England, Ireland, and Scotland,
praying the house to take up the consideration of this
measure early next session of parliament.

He subsequently asked their lordships to give a first
reading to the Bills of Exchange Bill, with the improvements
which had been suggested during the course of
the proceedings in the other house, in order to its being
printed and considered during the recess.—The bill was
then read a first time.

Upon the motion for the third reading of the Bribery
Bill, Lord REDESDALE asked from what funds the prosecutor
was to be allowed his costs? This question appeared
to be a difficult one to answer.—The Duke of Newcastle
consulted some person at the bar of the house, being
joined in the conference by Lord Redesdale. Their
lordships then proceeded to consult the Lord Chancellor,
with whom they conferred for some minutes, and
ultimately an amendment of some kind—its nature not
being stated— was agreed to.—The Marquis of CLANRICARDE
thought the allowance of travelling expenses to
electors a most dangerous provision. The best way to
meet the difficulty would be to increase in all parts
of the kingdom, as they certainly must do in Ireland,
the number of polling places. He should propose to
insert the word "not" after the word "shall." The
clause would then run thus:—"That, after the passing
of this act, it shall not be lawful for any candidate or
other person to pay, or cause to be paid, the expenses of
bringing any voters to the poll."—Lord REDESDALE
said he objected to the amendment, which, if carried,
would practically tend to a great disfranchisement of
voters.—The Duke of NEWCASTLE proposed that the
clause should be left out, and then the law would be
left in the same state as at present.—Lord CAMPBELL
preferred the clause being struck out altogether to
adopting the amendment.—Lord REDESDALE said that
seven cabinet ministers in the other house voted for this
clause, and now the noble duke proposed striking it out.
Was it to be understood thereby that he was not to
have the support of the six cabinet ministers present in
favour of it?—The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said
he would not press his amendment to a division.—
Lord BROUGHAM entirely concurred with his noble and
learned friend opposite (Lord Campbell), but was not
disposed to divide against ministers, for anything was
better than actually enacting that these payments should
be legal. The amendment was then negatived.—On
the question that the clause stand part of the bill, the
house divided.—Non-contents, 30; contents, 4; majority
for striking out the clause, 26.—The clause was therefore
struck out, and the bill, after some other verbal
amendments, was passed.

On Wednesday, August 9, Earl FORTESCUE moved
that the standing orders be suspended in order that the
Russian Government Securities Bill might be read
a second time.—The Duke of NEWCASTLE supported
the motion. He was not at all prepared to say that the
bill was necessary, but at the same time he should be
unwilling, either individually or on the part of the
government, to throw any obstacle in the way of such a
measure.—After a few words from Lord REDESDALE, the
motion was agreed to.—Earl FORTESCUE then moved
that the bill be read a second time. Notwithstanding
what the noble duke had said, he considered the bill
both salutary and necessary in the present state of things.
— Lord CAMPBELL alluded to the tepid support given
by the noble duke to the bill. He (Lord Campbell)
thought that the bill required an amendment in order
to enable it to carry out its object. He apprehended
the great object was to prevent these negotiations
out of the realm of England; hut the bill made
no provision for such an offence committed out of
the United Kingdom, for there was no mode of putting
the law in force in such a case. After some further
conversation, the bill was read a second time.

On Thursday, August 10, the Earl of ABERDEEN,
in reference to a suggestion from Lord Campbell, on
the subject of the erection of Thomas Campbell's
Monument in Westminster Abbey (which has not
hitherto been found practicable, in consequence of the
fee of £210 demanded by the Dean and Chapter), advised
the noble lord to try a private subscription in preference
to asking for a grant. Personally, he would do what he
could to forward the desirable object.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved an address for
further information respecting the State of the War,
and the negotiations connected with it. He commented
on the changes brought about by the establishment
of the war department, referred to the deficiencies
in the commissariat department, noticed the comparative
inefficiency of the blockade, especially of the White Sea,
and spoke of the serious inconvenience which had arisen
from the non-supply of gun-boats. This last view he
illustrated by what occurred at the recent reconnoissance