Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-25
FROM 0URL0ND0N CORRESPONDENT

LONDON, DECEMBER 3, 1852.
The great event in the Parliamentary proceed
ngs hitherto is the debate on Mr.. VILLIERs's re-
solutions respecting freetrade and the result, which
we stated last week This result showed that "pro-
lection" could only muster fty-three votes in its
defence. These ffty-three votes, says the Times,
include sharp lawyers, successful merchants,
railway gents, crazy pamphleteers, and eloquent
Irish barristers" The Ministerial journals, strange.
to say claim taco vicortes upon this occasion, and
simply upon the ground that the Ministers voted
us that they knew they were sure to have beating
and they preferred to receive it from oldheaded
bamboo in the hands of Lord PALMERsToN, rather
than from rough crabtree cudgel in those of Mr..
VILLIERs therefore they voted against the latter,
and hurnby aouosccd in tho iniction of the former
swelling the majority which passed vote of Gen.
their commercial policy; that policy which
their cepa de 5ata their ostensble claim to conf
dence and support The only way in which the Ministry
be said to be victorious is that they voted in both
maortes, and yet in Office The clear result Of the
debate was that large majority of freetraders, in
der to close the question, and give the country leisure
for noble pursuits agreed accept less terms Of
capuaton than some honest men were prepared to
ac and the great body of Proteconists had the wit to
captulate comparatively mild conditions The House
fore let Ministers remain undistu ed in Office for the
present The TRAILS still to come and fair trial we
presume to be- but the determination not to have that
trial abstract resolutions about freetrade is owing
the generous policy of the eetraders particularly of
ie fty-one Peetes and Liberals who voted with Gov
eminent Mr. Viliers's resolutions, and not to the
strength Of Mr.. DIsraeis own forces in the House.
Lord PALNERsTos has managed to monopoze credit for
adrotnes and make himself the and focus Of
all present political attraction Skilfu in effecting
playful but nevertheless very summary eectment Of
Ministry, he has shown himself equally adroit in
saving one from well-merited destruction The only
drawback to this display Of power is that the he
turned out Of Office his political friends and old
colleagues while those whose official existence he has so
promptly rescued missed opportunity Of sbus-
ing and calling him to account for almost every act Of
his political life.
Ministers have, however yet to undergo the ordeal Of
motion in the House Of Lords made by the Marquis of
CLASRcARDE upon the proprety Of passing resolutions
by that body respecting reetrade analogous to those
passed in the House Of Commons Last night the Mar
quis finding he could not carry his own resolution nc
cepted that proposed by Lord DERBY, which the Times
says merely making their lordships say is
bad thing, and has done good but il Is now the
law Of the land and it is better not to 60 on changing
the law forever let set the question rest and
take up with free-trade" " This appears" says the
Times, fto be the sum and substance Of Lord DERBYs
resolution.
Parliament has plenty Of work upon its hands One
hundred and seventeen election petitions have been pre-
sented affecting the seats Of than 100 members
nearly one-ffth part Of the Houseand notice has been
given Of hundred and sixty bills amendments
to bills the subject of railways Mr. NAPIER the At
torney General for Ireland has given notice Of four bills
relative to that country Ireland is certainly in posi-
ton requiring immediate attention The landed propre
taryso lately only eight thousand in population Of
eight millions increased increasing ten times over
while the population is diminishing at the rate Of quar-
ter Of million year II has been mournful puzzle
until this day why twenty thousand Irish capitalists should
have invested nearly forty millions pounds Of money in
the English funds while the under production Of Ireland
was spectacle to the world Now, not only is some Of
that money invested in the purchase Of Irish SOIL but
gold pouring in the four winds to fertze the fields Of
industry and give to Ireland enough and to spare To
afford her fair chances TO loosen the bonds Of the land
owners and open way for capital TO ow in is the OBJ
ec Of all recent law reforms for Ireland and emneny
Of Mr. Nspiers four proposed bills These bills are de-
signed to help the landlord and tenant to work together
for their common interests One Of them consodates no
less than two hundred statutes The first bin provides
for making loans for the improvement Of land The Sc