The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE week in Parliament has been one more of words than work. Tho
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER broke ground on Monday with the
Savings-bank Bill, which excites the apprehensions of every manager
and trustee throughout the kingdom ; and Sir GEORGE GREY followed
with his clumsy device for pleasing the supporters and opponents of
transportation. The great public meeting held yesterday may be
accepted as a palpable proof that the Home Secretary has completely
failed to satisfy the anti-transportation party ; and we doubt whether
this knotty question of convict treatment can be so easily disposed of
as the philanthropists believe.
The motion of Mr. LOCKS KING for leave to introduce a bill to abolish
the property qualification of Members of Parliament brought up the
Premier, who easily put aside the Honourable Member for East
Surrey, by saying that the time for such discussions would be when
the new Reform Bill of next session should be before the Legislature.
" The Liberals" seemed complaisantly to take the hint from the Treasury
benches. Mr.Loexr KING represents the extreme opinions entertained by
many of the Radical party. The Hon. Member for East Surrey is, ur
doubt.ldly, an independent Liberal, but his views on this subject have
the crudeness of a levelling mind. He was mistaken in his history of
the laws requiring property qualification for members. Originally the
independence of the representative interest was endangered by the rapid
growth of the capitalists in the towns, and it was thought advisable to
connect the Parliamentary representation with property in land, a
measure which was passed in the reign of Queen ANNE.
Mr. LOCKE K-NG'S motion produced at least one result—in more
positively committing the Prime Minister to the introduction of a
Reform measure. Mr. FAGAN'S Ministers' Money Bill met, on the one
hand, with the warm approval of Lord PALMERSTON, and on the other
with a promise of determined opposition from Mr. DISRAELI. Heretofore
its abolition has been opposed by every Ministry, and Mr. DISRAELI
was quite right in saying that the measure of the Member for Cork
struck at the root of all Church property. Such a bill should certainly
be introduced with the authority of the Government, as Ministers
have committed themselves to its support. We are glad to find that
the Leader of the Conservatives boldly announced his intention of
giving the measure his earnest opposition. On this, occasion we
shall not enter into the particulars of the whole question ; but, briefly,
it is the old subject of the Appropriation Clause, upon which the
Reform party and Earl GREY'S Cabinet broke up in 1834. If Parlia-
ment has a right to confiscate the prescriptive property of the Protes-
tant clergy in certain cities in Ireland, the Church is endangered, and
the fifth Article of the Act of Union is infringed upon. The impor-
tance of this momentous subject cannot possibly be exaggerated, and
we must remind our friends through the country that it was upon
this subject of Imperial Protestantism that the Conservative connec-
tion regained its strength in the country.
Last night concluded the Parliamentary week with the third
reading of Sir GEORGE GREY'S Transportation Bill and the leave ob
tained by Lord PALMERSTON to introduce a bill for the admission of
Jews to Parliament.

Among a mass of notices of motion of more or less importance,
and the introduction of bills, w•e briefly notice, reserving for future
comment, Sir JOHN PAKINGTON'S promise to call attention to popular
education, Mr. HARDY'S Beer Bill, and the Government programme of
reform for that portion of the la►v relating to the rights of married
women.

With respect to foreign affairs, the long-promised settlement of
the Neufchatel question appears to be at hand. No►one should more
sincerely rejoice at the prospect than the Noble Earl her Majesty's
representative at Paris.
The full and complete amnesty granted to his Hungarian subjects
by the Emperor of AUSTRIA is a gratifying proof that the Emperor
bolds the welfare and happiness of his subjects most warmly at
heart.

The intelligence from China is unimportant In India the dis-
affection of the native troops, we regret to see, has not yet subsided.
It is ridiculous to deny the dangerous tendency of such insubordina
tion. The operations of the Persian expedition have concluded with
the cleverly-planned and well-executed capture of Mohammerah. The
forts were taken in reverse with admirable skill, and the place cap-
tured at a blow. Unfortunately, our apprehensions of its unhealthiness
have been publicly confirmed by Sir HENRY RAWLINSON, who pro-
nounces it to be "a pestilential hole." Sir JAMES OUTRAM, no doubt,
will take every necessary step for the preservation of the health of his
troops, but the miserable deaths of Major-General STALKER and
Commodore ETHERIDGE are not favourable omens.

" Who is to be the new Solicitor-Geueral '?" is a question eagerly
asked in legal circles. The names of Mr. kruEttrox, SergeantKlNG-
LOME, Mr. COLLINS, And Mr. HEATING, have been freely mentioned.
Some of these gentlemen have large practice, but we confess that we
do not see the special resources for juridical reforms in the law in
any of these gentlemen. Mr. kriiihrroa has a most extensive prac-
tice ; Mr. COLLINS is sometimes shrewd and ready in debate ; but,
without any disparagement of their powers, we do not think that an
effective law reformer will be found in any one of them. Scientific lawyers
are wanted to aid the Crown in drafts for new measures of legal reform.
Toe Liberal Bar has latterly been degenerating, and seine of the
eminent practitioners professing Ministerial polities have not seats in
Parliament. Mr. QUINN, of the Northern Circuit, is spoken of in Whig
ci oleo as one of the chief rising Ken of their connection. He has