The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-02 00:00:00

Volittral.

CABINET Couticrts were held at the official resi-
dence of the First Lord of the Treasury on Saturday
last, and on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday in this
week. All the Ministers pres9nt.

THE REGULAR BUSINESS OF THE SESSION Will
commence on Thursday next, the 7th of May, when
the Queen's Speech will be delivered by Royal Com-
mission.

LORD PALMERSTON (says the Daily Newt) has pro
mised to take charge of a bill to remove the disabi-
lities under which our Jewish fellow-subjects labour.
Mn. FREDERICK PEEL is repotted to have resigned
his office in the War Department. Mr. Massey, it
is also said, will move the army estimates.
THE NEW BISHOP OF NORWICH, the Hon. and Rev.
J. T. Pelham, will, it is expected, be co )sec rated at
Lambeth Palace early in June, on which occasion
the Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate, being
assisted by the Bishops of London, Winchester, and
Ripon. The new bishop will not be entitled to a
seat in the House of Lords until another vacancy
arises on the episcopal bench, other than in tho
dioceses of Canterbury, York, London, Durham, and
Winchester.

GENERAL WILLIAMS' ELECTION AGENT, Mr. Clark-
son of Caine, has written to the Times, by desire of
the gallant general, to deny that he has any intention
whatever of vacating his seat for Mr. Frederick Peel.
THE NEW SPEAKER has appointed the Hon.
George Waldegrave as his secretary, the Rev.
Thomas Gamier as his chaplain, Mr. G. K. Rickards
as his counsel and examiner of election recognisances,
Mr. Robert Bally as his trainbearer.—Mr.
Beckerson, for many years the inspector of polico
attending the House of Commons, has been promoted
for his efficient services to he Superintendent of the
L Division, and Inspector Bray, of the A Division, is
appointed in his place.
THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE COCKBURN was enter-
tained by the local Chamber of Commerce at a
public dinner at Southampton on Saturday last.
Mr. Justice Williams, Mr. Baron Bramwell, the
county and borough members, and the leading
gentlemen of the neighbourhood were present.
After the usual loyal toasts, the President of
the Chamber, in a highly complimentary speech,
proposed the health of the Lord Chief Justice. Sir
Alexander Cockburn, in reply, alluded to his long
political connection with Southampton :
I cannot but feel that my political sun has set, and that,
although your kindness may to some extent gild the eve-
ning which I see gathering round me as a political man,
it cannot permit me to hope that that which was the pride
and glory of my existence—the honour of representing
you in Parliament—can ever again be mine. I cannot tell
you, gentlemen, the inexpressible pang which that con-
sciousness and that conviction cause to me at this
moment. To be, as I have said, your representative in
Parliament, and to till the high office of Attorney-General
of England, was to me the summit of ambition. 1 desired
nothing further, and, if I could have had my will and way,
that was the position I should have filled to this hour, and
never have desired to pact with it while I had strength amid
energy to fulfil its duties. But, alas, man cannot frame
his own destiny as he will, and I became conscious that
mans years of active life, and five of the combined efforts
of official and parliamentary labour, had produced a certain
amount of bodily wear and tear. I was told that certain
warnings were not to he neglected, and that I should do
wrong, and perhaps destroy my capacity for public use-
fulness altogether, if I did not accept the highly honour-
able office which I now fill, and which is far beyond toi.
thing I could have laid claim to. Bail I followed my own
will I should still be. Attorney General, and—may I add?
—still representative of Southampton ; but wise and
anxious friends counselled me, and to their sober wisdom
I have yielded. I should have preferred still to toss on
the stormy sea of political life rather than to be navigtc
ting the smooth and tranquil waters in which I now float,
and I can assure you from the bottom of any heart that ono
of the greatest of my pangs the severance of that con-
nection with you which formed my greatest happiness.

THE BOARD OF TRADE RETURNE for the month and
the three months ending the 31st March, 1835, 1830,
and 1857, have been issued this week. We subjoin a
statement of the total declared value of the exports
of British and Irish produce and manufactures
during the month and three months, including only
the "enumerated articles "