The Week.

lordship allegod , had libelled him , should be called to the bar of tho Houso . Tho motion was agreed to . The Earl of Essox wished to know whether the Habeas Corpus Act would be further suspended in Ireland . In asking tho question ho made somo observations which he had bettor left unsaid . Ho talked of leniency having hitherto been tried in vain with Ireland , and hoped that any of tho wretched robels who might bo taken would bo doalt

with in the most rigorous fashion . He went on to exprosa a hope that if the military in Ireland should find it necossary to shed blood in the suppression of the rising , they would not ha called upon to answer for it at tho bar of a civil court . The Earl of Leitrim went boyond oven this . Apparently ho was in favour of the Habeas Corpus Act being susponded in England as

well as in Iroland . Look , said ha , at what had taken placo at Chester . Ho had heard that Manchester was tho headquarters of the Fenian conspiracy—nay , worse still , that tho Fenian movements wero directed by a member of tho Houso of Commons . Lord Derby's reply was in admirable contrast to tho speoches of thoir panic-striken lordships of Essex and Loitrim .

England , ho could assure the Houso , would not bo deprivod just yet of tho Habeas Corpus Act . The rising in Kerry was a most insignificant affair , which had mot with no encouragomont or support from the peoplo . The Govornmont would tako care that ¦ where deep guilt was it would bo punished rigorously , but care would be taken that major and minor offonces were not punished

alike . As to the military , the Governmont would know how to protect them . The noble oarl could givo no information as to whether the Habeas Corpus Act would again be susponded in Iroland , but the tendency of his spooch was that it would . There was an unusual sceno in tho House of Lords on tho 19 th inst . On the motion of Lord Ledesdale , Mr . France , a railway contractor , was called to the bar of tho House , and questioned as

to a pamphlet and somo correspondence in which ho had accused Lord Redosdalo of impropor conduct in roforonco to tho Mold and Denbigh railway . After the questions had boon askod and answered , Mr . Franco was ordered to withdraw , and on tho motion , of Lord Rsdesdale the matter was referred to a select committee . —Lord Carnarvon moved the second reading of tho bill for tho Confederation of tho British North American

Colonies . He went minutely into tho details of tho moasuro , and before sitting down effectually disposed of tho objections which have been mado to tho scheme . Tho Marquis of Normanby , formerly Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia , contended that there was no sufficient reason to believe that tho people of Xova Scotia wero adverso to tho proposal . Earl Russell thought

it would , perhaps , have been hotter to proposo a Legislative Union than a Federal Union . Lord Monck , Governor of Candia , gava tho measuro his warm support , and after a fow observations from LordLyveden the bill was read a second time . In the House of Commons on the 14 th inst . Mr . "Walpole was questioned on the same subject , and gave in effect , though at

greater length , the same answer . He declined to say what the Governmeut would do as to the further suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act . —The Chancellor of the Exchequer was questioned by Lord Robert Montague , and Mr . Bernal Osborne , as to what the Government meant by their Keform resolutions . Lord Robert wished to know whether the Government intended

honestly and sincerely to bring in a bill this session , founded on such resolutions as the House might see fit to pass . Mr . Disraeli fenced the question rather adroitly at first , but being closely pressed , he said , in effect , that the Government would bring in a bill as soon as the resolutions were passed , if they liked the resolutions that were passed . If they did not like them they would not bring in a bill . Mr . Osborne wanted to know what reductions in the county and borough franchise the

Government intended to propose — a question which the Chancellor of the Exchequer declined to answer . —Various questions were put and answered . One of them was whether the Government had undertaken the defence of Colonel Nelson and Lieutenant Brand . Mr . Disraeli said it had , on the ground that it was the duty of a Government to do so , when the acts of a subordinate officer , done in accordance with the orders of his superior , were legally impugned . The statement was received with loud Ministerial cheers . —In committee of the

whole House , the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved resolutions , altering tho duties on sugar , and tho drawbacks allowed . No loss would bo causod to tho revenuo by the change , which was proposod in ordor to carry out a convention with France , Holland , and Bolgium . Mr . Crawford approved of tho resolutions , bocanso they appToachod to an equalisation of the duties on sugar . Mr . Gladstone explained that tho resolutions had been prepared

by tho lato Government , but that the merit of the change "was duo to itho Emporor of tho Fronch , who had first suggested it . Tho resolutions woro carried—Sir Stafford Northcoto obtained loavo to bring in a bill to abolish tho offico of Vice-President of tho Board of Trade , and substitute a socretary with a seat in Parliamont . Mr . Milnor Gibson oxpressod approval of tho

moasure . —Mr . "YValpolo introduced two bills , one of which alters tho law as to tho offencos for which capital punishment is inflicted , and tho other provides that executions shall tako place within the walls of prisons . Tho first bill professes to bo based on the report of , tho commissioners , but really makos an important difforonco . Tho commissioners wished that tho jury

should bo allowed to find whether a murder was of the first or second dogroo . If of tho first , sontence of death was to bo passed ; if of tho second , somo othor punishment was to be inflicted . Mr . "Walpole , however , proposes to define tho crimes exactly for which doatb . is to bo tho penalty , and thus , in effect , tako tho quostion out of tho hands of tho jury . Tho bill also

deals with infanticido . Mr . Bright , Mr . Ewart , and other gentlemon criticised tho bills , andloavo was given to introduce them . The discontent of the Tory party with the Government Reform Resolutions was further marked in the House on the 15 th inst .

Mr . H . Bailie , the Conservative member for Invernesshire , gave notice of a motion rejecting the resolution proposing plurality of votes . —Subsequently , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , in answer to questions which were put , said that on the 25 th inst . , he would state the views of the Government as to bribery and corruption and other matters . —There is likely to be a fight over a proposal of the Government as to compensation for cattle

suffering from plague slaughtered by order of the Government inspectors between the 26 th August , 1 S 65 , and the 23 rd November following . A sum of £ 25 , 000 is said to be asked for this purpose , and last night Mr . Gladstone significantly inquired whether full notice would be given before the estimate was proposed . Mr . Corry said it would . —A long debate took place

in reference to the Cretan insurrection . It was originated by Mr . Gregory , who moved for papers on the subject . He attributed all the troubles in the East to the iniquities of the Tuiks , and entered at some length into details of the atrocities they had committed . He urged in effect that there should be an interposition between the Turks and their Christian subjects .

In the course of the discussion Mr . Layard passed a glowing eulogium on Turkey , and jrefused to credit any of the stories that were told against her . So far as the Cretans were concerned , he contended that they and not the Turks were blameable . Mr . Gladstone took part in the discussion , but was by no means so complimentary to Turkey as Mr . Layard had been . Everybody praised the despatches of Lord Stanley , who wound up the debate by the exposition of his policy in the