The Week.

he proposes to strike ont in committee one of the most valuable parts of the bill , namely , that which enables the jury to declare ¦ Avhether there has been malice aforethought . The bill orders that executions shall be private . To that the Earl of Malmesburg strenuously objected . The Bishop of Oxford defended it . Lord Romilly objected to capita ! punishment altogether . The

'bill was read a second time . The Earl of Derby , having hitherto always opposed the Qualification for Offices Bill , on ihe occasion of its going through committee , expressed regret it ivas not more comprehensive . Iu the HOUSE OJ COIDIONS the Reform debate Avas resumed by Mr . Lowe , in a speech of -which it is almost enough to say it was loudly cheered by the

Tories . Never , probably , since the days of Colonel Sibthorp has there been heard in the House more undiluted Toryism than Mr . Lowe talked . He spoke for nearly two hours and a half , and concluded with a peroration almost as effective as the one he ^ appropriated the other day from Canning . Mr . Hodgkinson , in a brief , plain speech , put the question once

more on its true footing , and shoived tiie utter fallacy of the statistics which have been produced . Mr . Yorke opposed the hill , which was ably supported by Mr . Leeman . Lord Boyston did not share in the fears of working-class predominance which afflicted Mr . Lowe ; but he should oppose the bill as tending to degrade the franchise . Mr . Allen gave the bill his

hearty support . Mr . Bromley as heartily disapproved of it . Mr . Ofcivay thought the Conservatives would act wisely in agreeing to the bill . Mr . E . AA ' . Duff detailed , the reasons why he was throwing in his lot with the Adullamites , and Mr . Edward James ended a speech in dispraise of the bill by saying that he should vote for the second reading . Mr . Schrieher stoutly opposed the bill . Mr . Childers came next , and produced a most favourable impression bv a speech in which he thoroughly

showed up the inconsistencies and tergiversations o <¦ Mr . Lowe . Lord Cranbourne moved the adjournment of the debate , and after some complaints from members who wanted to speak but could get no opportunity , the debate was adjourned . On the 27 th ult . the debate on the Reform Bill ivas resumed , but we cannot congratulate either the House or the country on the result of the momentous division . A Ministerial majority

of no more than five bodies ill for the early and tranquil settlement of the Reform question . We must look forward to new delays , fresh difficulties , prolonged intervals of complication and confusion . During the previous night's debate , the broad question of the popular franchise was as directly and fiercely debated as in any of the Parliamentary struggles in 1831-2 .

The debate which preceded the closing scene , illustrated the fixity ancl clearly marked distinctness of the views of Reform held on each side of the House . Personal idiosyncrasy had of course its weight , but the issue between the two parties is now so thoroughly understood that no amount of ingenuity could disguise if . If sophistry could have confused the question

before the House , the speech of Lord Cranbourne , otherwise not remarkable , ivould have had a considerable effect . AVe have heard a good deal in this discussion of false sentiment , and Mr . Gladstone has been much found fault with for pleading , on behalf of the men proposed to he added to the electoral body , that they were too much allied to their fellow-countrymen in

blood , religion , and domestic affection to be challenged with the harshness that might be applied to an invading army . At least the sentiment involved iu this appeal ivas sincere . Mr . Gladstone proved that he was ready to act upon it , not only by proposing the admission of a considerable proportion of the working classes to the franchise , but hy doing this in a manner ivhich exposed himself and his Government to almost

unprecedented machinations , in order that , come what might and whatever else might fail , the extension of the franchise might be pressed upon the attention of Parliament . But what shall we say of Lord Cranbourne ' s sentiments ? We find them equally gushing , and , judged by his own standard , equally soft and tender with those which are deemed unmanly and ridiculous in Mr . Gladstone ; but ive find them tainted by a Radical

inconsistency , which , if it do not prove them utterly insincere , at least casts upon them the reproach of being mere shallow professions of a theoretical and unfelt belief . According to the division list on the Reform Bill , it seems that there were no less than thirty-three Adullamites , including some half-dozen whom few people expected to find in such company . . Notably

there was Mr . Osborne Stock , the returned of Carlow , who previously to finding an opening in Ireland , made great professions of liberalism at Coventry . He is petitioned against ; but the Tories will hardly press him very closely after this vote . Two Conservatives—if Sir George Bowyer may be called onevoted for the Government . There ivere six absent Liberals ,

somo of whom had good cause of absence , and others who had none . The Government will not gratify Mr . Lowe and his Tory friends by going out of office . They will do what they have promised—stand or fall by the Reform Bill . The House on the 30 th ult . was very full at the hour for commencing public business , in anticipation of hearing from the Chancellor of the

Exchequer a statement as to the course the Government proposed to pursue in reference to tbe Reform Bill . The Peers , Gallery was crowded . Shortly before five o ' clock the Chancellor of the Exchequer rose and announced that the Government would proceed with the bill ; that ou the 7 th inst . leave ivould be asked to introduce the Distribution of Seats Bill ; that bills for Scotland and Ireland ivould be introduced on

the same evening , and that they ivould be proceeded with at the same time as the Franchise Bill . The Budget ivould be brought in on the 3 rd inst ., and he appealed to the House to alloAv it to be got through . He hoped to be able to state on that evening the course ivhich ivould be taken with reference to Church-rates . There was a fire of questions , eliciting nothing

more than has been stated , and Mr . Bouverie , while expressing his satisfaction at the course taken hy the Government , made a suggestion that the Reform Bills should be referred to a select committee . Mr . White wanted to know if the Government intended to accept any alteration in the standard at which they had fixed the . borough and county franchise , The Chancellor

of the Exchequer , hoivever , only ansivered the question bv declaring that the Government would stand or fall by the vital parts of their bill . —Some matters of small importance were then disposed of , and the House went into committee on the Civil Service estimates . Many votes were passed , including one for £ 7 , 000 for restoring the Westminster Chapter-house .

Ou the 1 st inst . the House was engaged first with motions for the issue of commissions of inquiry into the prevalence of corrupt practices at Totnes , Lancaster , Eeigate , and Great Yarmouth . The discussions upon the motions wore general . Finally all of them were agreed to . Then Mr . Ferrand wanted to alter his motion in reference to the Harden petition , and in

the discussion which ensued , Mr . Smollett read a letter in reference to the getting-up of the Glasgow petition in favour of the Franchise Bill . The letter made a series of allegations as to the petition , the effect of which was that numerous fictitious signatures had been put to it . An inquiry , however , elicited the fact that the letter was anonymous . Finally , Mr . Ferrand withdrew his motion , and the committee on the Harden petition will remain as before . Several hills were advanced a