The Week.

for upwards of thirty ycara , and sat for a greater part o E that time for Hertfordshire . Mr . AA . Baker , coroner for the eastern division of the county of Middlesex , died at his residence in the llegent ' s-park on Tuesday . His duties , lor a time , will he transferred to Mr . AA akley . Mr . Pritchard , the High Bailiff of Southwark , also died last week . -In the House of Lords on Tuesday , tho Duke of Argyll commented severely on tho recent regulation of the Post Office , with regard to the pre-payment of letters . On ThursdayLord Colchester announced its withdrawal

, . On Monday , the Lord Chancellor ' s bill for amending the law of debtor and creditor , was read a second time , and ordered to be committed . The business before the House of Commons during the past week has been of tho greatest importance . On Thursday , Mr . Fitzgerald ' s motion for a committee on Roman Catholic oaths was carried after a warm discussion . On Friday , Lord Palmerstou , according to notice , questioned the government on their foreign policy . Mr . Disraeli in reply , had the satisfaction of informing the Housethat government had received a communication

, , which induced them to believe that tho Roman States would be evacuated by the French aud Austrian troops , with the concurrence of the Papal government , and Lord Cowley had repaired to Vienna on a mission of peace aud conciliation . On the same evening , Sir John Pakingtou made his statement in reference to the navy , from which it appeared that the present government had found the navy in a very inefficient and imperfect condition as compared with that of France ; measures have beeu taken howeverto place this country in a

satisfac-, tory position in that respect . Ou Monday , a very crowded house assembled to hear Mr . Disraeli ' s exposition of the government measure of reform . After alluding to the gravity of the subj eet , he said there were two classes of parliamentary reformers . One of these schools would apply ancient rules to modern circumstances , and preserve , while they improved the constitution . Iu this class are her Majesty ' s ministers . It would be impolitic to overlook the existence of another—a new school of reformers , who insist upon subjecting representation to the rules of a numerical

majority . Tho desire for the franchise is a natural feeling which ought not to be confounded with disaffection . In their consideration of this subject , the government have taken no thought either of enlarging or diminishing the constituencies , but simply to confer tho franchise upon all fitted to possess that high privilege . One means of extending the borough franchise is , the introduction of the clement of personal property . It is proposed , therefore , to confer the suffrage on persons having property iu the funds or stocks to the value of £ 10 per annum , persons who have had £ 60 in a savings' bank for the same periodpublic servantsmilitary

, , , naval or civil , enjoying a pension of £ 20 per annum , aud lodgers paying £ 20 a-year . ^ An educations !! suffrage it has been found impossible to construct ; but as an assimilation to it , tho borough franchise is to be conferred upon members of learned societies , and of the learned professions , graduates of all the universities , ministers of religion , and certificated schoolmasters . It is proposed not only to lower the county franchise to £ 10 , but to confer the borough franchise on the possessors of 40 s . freeholds within their borough boundaries . It has

become necessary to revise those boundaries , and this may be done b y the Enclosure Commissioners , their conclusions being embodied in a Bill . Tho authors of the bill had carefully studied what places were insufficiently represented , aud eight additional county members would by their plan be created , and also seven additional constituencies , to obtain which fifteen boroughs now returning two members , were to be deprived of one each . The right hon . gentlemau concluded with a terse and eloquent peroration , which was followed by loud and lause

prolonged app . In the discussion which followed , Sir G . C . Lewis and Lord Palmerstou contented themselves with asking explanations . Mr . Baxter moved , as an amendment , his resolution touching Scotland and Ireland , but did not press it . Mr . Fox , Lord John Russell , Mr . Roebuck , and Mr . Bright strongly condemned the measure for its exclusion of the working classes . Mr . Newdegate Mr . Bentinck , and Mr . Drummoud spoke from the Conservative point of view . Mr , Disraeli , in his reply , announced the second reading for Monday , the 21 st .