Hospital. The law of bankruptcy would also be
amended, but he did not propose to give the county-
court judges any jurisdiction in cases of this description.
It was also the intention of the government to proceed
with the digest of the criminal law, the measures in
relation to which would be founded upon the existing
reports.—Lord BROUGHAM expressed his satisfaction at
the announcements made by the Lord Chancellor; and
presented himself a number of bills for the amendment
of different branches of the law.

On Friday, the 19th, the Earl of St. GERMANS
inquired from the government whether there was any
prospect of the minutes of proceedings of the International
Sanitary Conference held in Paris in 1851, for the
purpose of considering the Quarantine Regulations of
Europe, being soon laid upon the table? He also wished
to know upon whose advice the letter from the Privy
Council to the Commissioners of Customs was written,
which directed that all letters arriving from certain
northern ports, or having recently suffered from cholera,
should be placed in a state of precautionary quarantine;
one passage in which he considered abandoned the only
principle upon which the quarantine system could be
maintained? The noble earl further inquired whether
the La Plata had been released from quarantine, and if
not, what measures had been taken for the reception
and accommodation of the unfortunate persons on
board the vessel?—The Earl of MALMESBURY replied
to the first question, that he could not lay the papers
upon the table because the negotiations were not yet
concluded; but he had every reason to hope they would
not terminate without ten or twelve countries signing
the convention, if not all.—The Earl of LONSDALE, in
reply to the second question, said that the letter in question
had been written upon the advice of a skilful
physician. With regard to the La Plata, a physician
had been sent down to the port at which the vessel had
arrived, from whence he would forward such
recommendation as might seem desirable to him.

In reply to a question from Lord Redesdale, Lord
COLCHESTER said the government had come to the
determination of moving for a select committee to
consider the subject of Railway Regulation.—The Earl of
DERBY added that when railway companies came to
parliament for new and amended bills to extend the
powers they already possessed, the opportunity should
be taken to introduce fresh regulations for the conveyance
of mails and troops.

The Earl of DERBY, in moving the adjournment of
the house, expressed his deep satisfaction and
thankfulness at the result of the great solemnity of the Duke
of Wellington's funeral. He warmly praised the
organisation and arrangements of the whole ceremony;
the temper and patience of the troops and the police;
and, above all, the order and excellent conduct of the
immense masses assembled on this occasion. "I know
not, my lords," he said, "how you may have looked
upon this manifestation of public feeling, and good
sense and order, but I know this, that as I passed along
those lines, it was with pride and satisfaction I felt that
I was a countryman of those who knew so well how to
regulate and control themselves; and I could not help
entertaining a hope that those foreign visitors, who have
done us and themselves the honour of assisting at this
great ceremonial, might upon this occasion, as upon the
1st of May, 1851, bear witness back to their own country
how safely, and to what extent, a people might be
relied upon, in whom the strongest hold of their government
was their own reverence and respect for the free
institutions of the country, and the principles of popular
self-government controlled and modified by
constitutional monarchy. And who will forget the effect
within the cathedral? When, amidst solemn and
mournful music, slowly, and inch by inch, the coffin
which held the illustrious dead descended into its last
long resting-place, I was near enough to see the
countenances of many of the veterans who were
companions of his labours and of his triumphs, and was
near enough to hear the suppressed sobs and see the
hardly-checked tears, which would not have disgraced
the cheeks of England's greatest warriors, as they
looked down for the last time upon all that was mortal
of our mighty hero. Honour, my lords, to the people
who so well know how to reverence the illustrious
dead! Honour to the friendly visitors—especially to
France, the great and friendly nation, that testified by
the presence of their representative, their respect and
veneration for his memory! They had regarded him as
a foe worthy of their steel. His object was not fame
nor glory, but a lasting peace. We have buried in our
greatest hero the man among us who had the greatest
horror of war. The great object of this country is to
maintain peace. To do that, however, a nation must
possess the means of self-defence. I trust that we shall
bear this in mind, not in words only, but in our actions
and policy, setting aside all political and party
considerations, and that we shall concur in this opinion—
that in order to be peaceful, England must be powerful;
but that, if England ought to be powerful, she ought to
be so only in order that she should be more secure of
peace." These sentiments were received with loud
cheers from every part of the house.

On Monday, the 22nd, the Marquis of CLANRICARDE
desired to know the nature of the Business proposed to
be Transacted before the Christmas Recess.—The Earl
of DERBY replied that the object of the house in meeting
before Christmas had been to consider the expediency of
any alteration in our commercial system, and to close for
ever the controversy with regard to protection and free-
trade. The result of the late elections had convinced
him that, though a large number of constituencies were
well disposed to support the government, they were
determined not to assent to an alteration in our recent
commercial policy, and that any such attempt would
instantly be negatived by a large majority. Under these
circumstances, he had felt it his duty to advise her
Majesty to declare that the principle of unrestricted
competition ought to be adopted. After making this
explicit statement, the government might have rested,
but it went further and announced its budget for an
early day, from the details of which the country would
be enabled to judge of the sincerity of the government
and the wisdom of its policy. An attempt had been
made, indeed, in the Lower House to anticipate
discussion by a resolution to which no member of the
government could agree, but it would be well if those
who were about to support that motion would consider
not so much how to overthrow the government, but how
they could form an administration if it were overthrown.
Having said so much, he would now answer the noble
lord's question, and state that it was not the intention
of the government to propose any other important
measures before Christmas.

The House of Commons assembled on Thursday, the
4th inst. Between two and three hundred members
were present. Soon after two o'clock the house was
summoned to attend the House of Lords to hear the
reading of the royal commission opening the parliament.

On their return, Mr. R. PALMER, addressing the
clerk, Sir Denis Le Marchant, proposed the Re-election
of Mr. Shaw Lefevre as Speaker, in a short speech
descriptive of the importance and responsibilities of the
office.—Lord R. GROSVENOR seconded the motion,
believing that the appointment of a fit and proper
person for the office was doubly important at the present
moment, when the liberties of Europe and the right of
public opinion hung by a thread; and when, apart from
these considerations, the nicely balanced state of parties
in the house rendered the office one of unusual difficulty.
—Sir R. H. INGLIS supported the motion, and passed
a high eulogium upon Mr. Lefevre for the moderation
and ability with which he had discharged his duties
during the thirteen thousand hours that he had occupied
the chair.—Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE, before the question was
put, expressed his sincere acknowledgments, and his
belief that the faithful and impartial discharge of the
duties which it was proposed to impose upon him would
meet with the support and co-operation of the house.—
The motion was carried with much cheering, in the
midst of which the mover and seconder conducted Mr.
Lefevre to his seat.—After a few words of acknowledgment
from the newly-elected Speaker, the CHANCELLOR
of the EXCHEQUER congratulated the right hon. gentleman
upon the reception of the highest honour which
English gentlemen confer upon any one who possessed