The Week.

twenty minutes to seven o ' clock . On the 13 th inst the royal assent was given by commission to several Bills . Earl Eussell moved the second reading of the Jamaica Government Bill . There was a brief debate , after ivhich the motion was agreed to . Their lordships adjourned at twenty minutes past six o'clock . In the HOUSE OI . Coimoxs on the Sth inst ., the second reading of the Oaths Bill was moved , and Mr . Disraeli

made haste to say that he did not intend to oppose the measure . He announced , however , that he should move amendments in committee to define more perfectly the oath of allegiance and to insist on the Queen's supremacy . Sir George Grey did not think the amendments ivould be desirable , while Sir H . Cairns fully agreed with them . —Mr . Newdegate raised the old standard

Protestantism and the Church in danger , and moved the rejection of the Bill , which was seconded by Mr . Whalley . The division showed these gentlemen nearly alone , for the numbers were—for tho Bill 298 , against it 5 . ¦—Mr . Sheridan called attention to the case of Mr . Ferguson and the policeman in plain clothes at Sydenham . He strongly condemned the practice

of the police interfering with people in the manner Mr . Ferguson had been meddled with . —Sir George Grey took up the defence of the police , and condemned the tone in which Mr . Sheridan had spoken of thc affair . Shortly afterwards the House went into committee on the army estimates . The speaker has hurt himself . It seems that a few days ago he had the

skin rubbed off his shin while riding , and the little wound has become most painful and troublesome . The right hon . gentleman was unable to take the chair in tlie House of Commons on the Oth inst ., and Mr . Dodson presided in his stead . Tho business was of a varied character . Thc Chancellor of tho Exchequer laid the electoral statistics on the table . Mr . Hughes sought to get an alteration made in the standing orders , so as

to more effectually protect working men from evictions from their harass by invading railways . lie failed , however , and had to withdraw his motion . —Sir Robert Peel called attention to the smoke nuisance , and pointed out the necessity of a general measure for dealing with the evil . After some discussion , Sir George Grey virtually promised that the matter should be dealt with . There was rather au amusing discussion in reference to

dogs in Scotland and dogs in general . The House later went into committee on the navy estimates , and disposed of somo votes . In the neighbourhood of Palace-yard on the 12 th inst . there were all the signs of great interest being felt in Parliamentary proceedings . Very early people ivho had been fortunate enough to obtain members' orders for tho strangers '

gallery were in waiting iu St . Stephen ' s Hall , and remained there throughout the day with praiseworthy perseverance . Iu the afternoon the crowd in Westminster Hall and its approaches grew thicker , and distinguished members , as they came up and were recognised , received loud cheers . Inside the House the members began to muster before three o ' clock , and at prayers

there was not a vacant seat in the House . Immediately after prayers the strangers' gallery was opened , and in a few moments every seat was occupied . So with the Speaker's Gallery . In the peers' seats were the Duke of Cambridge , Earl Russell , the Archbishop of York , tho Bishop of London , tho Duke of Argyll , Earl Granville , Lord Ebury , ihe Earl of Longford , Earl

De Grey and Eipon , Count Apponyi , Austrian Ambassador , & c . It was stated that the Princess of Wales had a seat in the ladies' gallery . Mr . Gladstone entered the House from behind the Speaker ' s chair at half-past four o ' clock , and was warmlycheered . The right hon . gentleman began his exposition of the Government scheme of Reform at a quarter to five o'clock , and concluded a few minutes before seven o'clock . The details of his speech it is not necessary here to go into . The proposals

are briefly these . The county franchise is to be reduced to £ 14 rental , and some copyholders and leaseholders in towns are to be admitted . Persons who have had £ 50 deposited in a savings bank for two years are to have a vote . All ratepaying clauses aro to be abolished . Compound householders , whose tenement is worth £ 10 per annum , are to be admitted on making a claim . Lodgers paying £ 10 are also to be similarly admitted . Finally

and chiefly , the borough franchise is to be reduced to a £ 7 rental . There are other provisions—one of ivhich is for the disfranchisement of the dockyard employes . These extensions and changes will , it is estimated , increase the number of electors in the kingdom by 400 , 000 . —Mr . Marsh followed the Chancellor of the Exchequer , and spoke in opposition to the

bill . In the debate whicli followed , Sir F . Crossley , Captain Grosvonor , and Mr . Baines spoke in favour of tho measure ,, while Sir James Ferguson , Lord R . Montague , Mr . Laing , and Mr . Ilorsman opposed it . Finally the debate was adjourned until the 13 th inst . on the motion of Mr . Lowe . —Mr . Lowe opened the adjourned debate on the Government Reform Bill "

His speech may be described as a simple declaration that the working men are drunkards and rowdies , and unfit to vote . Mr . Villiers answered him most effectually . In the debate ivhich followed Professor Fawcett , Mr . Bright , and Viscount Cranbournc took part . Finally leave was given to bring in the bill . Early in tho evening the Chancellor of the Exchequer

had stated , in reply to a question , that the second reading of the Reform Bill would be moved on the 12 th of April , and the measure would bo proceeded with from day to day until it was disposed of . He should not bring in his budget until the bill was done with . During Mr . Lowe ' s speech on the debate the Prince of Wales occupied a seat under the gallery . On the lt-th inst ., Sir Henry Hoare gave notice of his intention

to ask tha Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government would introduce a bill for the redistribution of scats . — -Mr . Stone also gave notice that in committee he should move the omission of the clause disfranchising voters in Government dockyards . —¦—Sir Column O'Loghlcn sought to pass a bill to compel railway companies iu Ireland to run at least one train each way on Sundays . There was a long and rather warm

discussion , which ended in the measure being defeated by 200 voles to S 3 . The other noticeable piece of business in the day's proceedings was the consideration of the Lord's amendment iu Mr . Hunt ' s Cattle Plague Bill . — -Mr . Hunt complained that he did not recognise his own work in the measure as it had come from the Upper House . —Mr . Baring , after pointing out

that almost every clause had been altered , suggested the withdrawal of the bill , promising meanwhile that the Government would strengthen the hands of tho Privy Council to enable them to deal with the matters about which Mr . Hunt was most most anxious . On this understanding the bill was withdrawn .

GEXEHAL HOME NEWS . —According to the Registrar-General ' s returns , the mortality last week rose to an extraordinary height , the deaths almost equalling the births , or 4 , 155 of the former against 4-. 5 SG of the latter . This is at the rate of 35 in the 1 , 000 . Loudon is -1 below the average , but tho lowest of all is Hull , with 2 G ; the highest Liverpool , with 55 . The deaths for

London were 1829 , which is 331 above the average . The births were 2 , 272 , which was also above the average . A conference of Poor Law Guardians was held on the Sth inst ., at St . James ' s Hall , in reference to the Houseless Poor Act . Dr . Brewer presided . The general opinion appeared to be that the present manner of relieving " casuals" increased vagrancy . Finally , a resolution was carried , declaring it to be desirable that the present Houseless Poor Act should be repealed and a mora