The Press.
London, England, 1858-07-24 00:00:00

701

the usual accolade of cheering when he placed
this significant Bill in the Speaker's hand.

TUESDAY.
A country of woods and waters, of genial climate
and luxuriant fertility, crying, " Come, and till
me." There are many such regions in all
quarters of the globe. If the human race were
doubled, there are vacant districts in every one
of the great continents, where another thousand
million of human beings could find room for
lodgment or food for subsistence. One such
region was described to-night to the House, and
plans proposed by which tillers might be sent
there to grow and reap the ample harvest its
surface was ready to yield. There are many
other districts, perhaps, better endowed with ad-
vantages of soil and climate, and more accessible to
commerce ; but the country in question happens to
be our own, and many good reasons were shown
why it should not longer be condemned
to barrenness, or tabooed from cultivation, in
order to furnish hunting-ground for the Indians
who purvey furs to the Hudson's Bay Company.
Mr. ROEBUCK, who inaugurated the discussion,
allowed it to close without requiring any special
vote on the question, being satisfied with the
promise elicited from the Colonial Secretary that
the charter of the Company would be carefully
revised before the opening of another session.
The new Chelsea-bridge toll question has been
compromised. The tax is to be maintained till
the Government advances are repaid ; but foot-
passengers pass free on Sundays, and holidays.

WEDNESDAY.

The Jew Bill went through its terminal stage,
after some final unavailing protests, and a last
appeal to division.
When this was done, and the Bill safe, Lord
Jolts RUSSELL proposed some resolutions re-
specting the Peers amendments in the Oaths
Bill, and their "reasons" for insisting on the
same, in which as bitter an insult was conveyed
to their Lordships as could well be concentrated
within the compass of seven lines, or rendered
compatible with the forms and courtesies of
Parliament. The Commons passed the resolu-
tions, not apparently much displeased to find that
the other House, after so protracted a contro-
versy, had placed itself entirely at their mercy.

THURSDAY.

The Finance Minister that was, told how the
expenditure of the country "as sanctioned by Par-
liament during the session " had considerably
exceeded the original estimate. The Finance
Minister that is, told how the revenues of the
country as accruing to the Exchequer still more
considerably exceeded his anticipations. Both
were right. On the balance it appears that the
nation may be congratulated on having grown
somewhat richer than Mr. DISRAELI ventured to
prognosticate in his Budget-speech last April.
The Bill for purifying the Thames—which
will hereafter be cited as "The Metropolis
Local Management Act Amendment Act "—was
discussed in committee in the morning, and
again at night. Suggestions how the work
ought to be done were plentiful, and still more
plentiful were suggestions how the work ought
not to be done. The debate revolved slowly
round these points of detail for several long
hours, but ended just where it begun—in a reso-
lution to leave the matter entirely m the hands
of the Metropolitan Board.

FRIDAY.

Mr. VERNON SNIML who declined to make
any statement of Indian finance affairs last year,
wished his successor at the Board of Control to
go through that ceremony before the session
ended. Lord STANLEY observed that while
India was convulsed with revolt it was impossible
to tell the House anything on the subject of its
finances which could be of the slightest utility.
The Noble Lord took another opportunity of
mentioning that Government had despatched
17,000 men to India since February, and were
preparing means to strike a crushing blow upon
the relics of rebellion in Bengal during the next
cold season.
Whether, and how, candidates should provide
voters with conveyance to the poll was discussed
for many hours, apropos of a clause in the Bill
continuing the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act.
At last it was determined, by a moderate majo•
rity, to allow the candidate to hire any vehicle he
liked for the purpose, but under the restriction
that no money must be actually paid to the elec-
tor for travelling expenses.

A