The Week.

reading of the Borough Franchise Bill . The hill sought to extend the franchise to the working classes , now almost entirely unrepresented in that House . The present time he thought in all respects fitting for the carrying out of such a measure . Pledges had been given that a measure of reform should be carried , and . he thought it better that those pledges should be redeemed at a period of political calm than to wait

for anything like popular coercion . The wish for reform was no less than it had been . Liberal institutions were spreading over the world , and he contended that we ought to advance with the spirit of the ago . Mr . Bazley seconded the motion . Mr . Cave moved tbe previous question . He contended that the people were satisfied with their institutions . Mr . Marsh

seconded the amendment , arguing that an extension of the franchise would lead to more bribery . The Chancellor of the Exchequer said it was clear that while the Opposition deprecated the extension of the franchise those on his side of the House were not unanimous on the matter . Another point was that this was not a time when it would be advisable or

justifiable for the Government , however composed , to submit a motion on the subject to Parliament . He declined to go into the Xiledges of Government and parties , but he had no hesitation in saying that since 1 S 51 this subject had formed a most unsatisfactory chapter of Parliamentary history . TI 12 effect of the discussion on it must be to being homo to the public mind that

they had not been so closely adherent to their duties in the matter as they ought to have been , and that it was for the interest of the country that it should bo speedily settled . He did not wish to deny that the working classes had sympathy in the House , but without discussing the form of extending the franchise he would contend that there ought to bo a sensible addition to the constitution from the poorer classes . It was

the duty of those who wished to exclude 49 ' 50 ths of the people from the franchise to show that the incapacity of the working classes excluded them . They were told that the working classes did not agitate for the measure . Was it desirable that they should wait for such agitation ? Ho thought not ; but that , on the contrary , it should be obviated by wise and prudent measures . What had taken place in Lancashire bad sufficiently

shown the fitness of the working class for the franchise , and he believed that such an extension of it as now proposed would do more than anything else to promote union among all classes and to infuse new vigour into the British constitution . Mr . Whiteside , in a humourous speech , opposed the Bill . Mr . IV . E . Forster supported it . After a discussion , in which Mr .

Newdegate , Mr . Bass , Lord Fermoy , Mr . S . Beaumont , Lord H , Scott , Mr . Watkins , Mr . Gveenall , ancl Sir J . Elphinstone took part , the House divided , when the Bill was rejected by 272 votes against 216 . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The report of the Registrar-General on the mortality of the metropolis for the last week , shows

that the health of London is at present in a satisfactory state . The deaths amount to 1 , 317 , which is as nearly as possible the amount of the ten years' average . The births for the same time amounted to 1 , 879 , which is rather low , as the average would give 2 , 025 . Again Mr . Purdy's weekly statement gives evidence of increased activity in the cotton manufacturing districts . Last week nearly 5 , 000 paupers went off the poor

rate ; the decrease for the whole of April was 19 , 580 . Last month 2 , 610 persons were removed from the relief lists of the Ashton-under-Lyne Union ; 2 , 830 from Manchester township , and 3 , 060 from the Preston Union . The pauperism of the entire district is now rather more than 115 , 000 . Last week the guardians disbursed £ 6 , 669 in out-door relief ; or £ ? . 656 less than in the corresponding week of 1863 . These

unions have still 30 , 293 able-bodied adult paupers on thoir hooks . -The Poor Law Board lave sent one of their inspectors down to Bethnal-green to inquire into the cause of the death of a poor woman named Anficld , whose death is alleged to have been hastened by the neglect of the workhouse officials to attend to her case . The inquiry was adjourned till next day , when it lias been continued , but the inquiry is still going on . ——The rumour that Dr . Jeune will be the now Bishop of Peterborough , is confirmed . The Deanery of Lincoln will thus be rendered vacant . The Committee of the Stafford House

Garibaldi Fund , have ascertained , on satisfactory evidence , that , the General " would certainly decline the subscription for the purchase of an estate to be made ou his behalf , " and it has , therefore , been decided to return the subscriptions already paid . It would seem , however , that Garibaldi recognises a second and " unfettered" fund , ancl has , in point of fact , already requested that an instalment should be forwarded

toliim . The promoters of the " suppressed" Primrose Hill gathering held a meeting on the Hill on , Saturday evening , without let or hindrance , Mr . Cowper having previously informed them that they were at liberty to use that spot for the purpose . Of course , this was not what they expected or desired , and one of the speakers protested against its being supposed that

the meeting assembled only by permission of Sir George Grey , Mr . Cowper , and " that arbitrary despot , " Sir Richard Mayne . Mr . Shaen stated distinctly , though he gave no authority for his assertion , that at the famous meetingat Stafford House on Sunday , the 17 th April , Mr . Gladstone told Garibaldi that the Government was certainly desirous that he should leave . Among the

resolutions adopted was one condemnatory of the principle that an open air meeting could only be held on the hill with the permission of Government , and a deputation was appointed to wait upon Mr . Gladstone relative to Garibaldi leaving England . The Chancellor of the Exchequer received the deputation on Tuesday , and entered fully into a discussion of tho discrepancies that appeared between bis version of what passed between Garibaldi and him , as ho gave it to the House of Commons , and as Mr .

Shaen declared it at tho Primrose Hill meeting on Saturday . Mr . Shaen said that the authority for his statement was Mr . Cowen , of Newcastle , who told him thathe had it from Garibaldi himself . Mr . Gladstone denied in the most emphatic manner that ho had used any language to Garibaldi that could by possibility be construed into a meaning that the Government wished Garibaldi to leave for political or for any reasons . The right hon .

gentleman and the deputation parted with mutual expressions of courtesy . Garibaldi arrived at Caprera in tiie Undine on Monday . Colonel M'Murdo , speaking at a volunteer dinner in London , on Friday evening last , gave a very interesting account of a conversation he had with Garibaldi at Stafford House , on the subject of the behaviour of volunteers iu the face of an

enemy ; and Colonel M'Murdo , supported by such experience , gave it as his opinion that in the hands of our volunteer force , which now numbers 163 , 000 men , England is " perfectly safe from any attempted invasion . " The festival of the Sons of the Clergy was held in St . Paul ' s Cathedral on Wednesday . There was an immense congregation , and the two English

Archbishops and several other dignitaries of the Church assisted on the occasion . Full choral service was performed by the choirs of the Chapels Royal and the metropolitan cathedrals . The sermon was preached by Dr . Hook , the Dean of Chichester . The 210 tb anniversary of this association appears to have been one that will prove memorable in its annals .

A meeting was held at the Adelphi Theatre on "W eclnesday , ancl presided over by Mr . Charles Dickens , to consider the establishment of the Shakespeare Foundation Schools , in connection