onsulting the magistrates who had convicted the man, he reduced
the punishment to two months' imprisonment, and it turned out
that the clergyman was himself a man of indifferent character,
who had been promoted at the instance of Lord Fitzwilliam, and
the rest of the subscribers to the petition were ignorant people
who had signed it at his instigation: the object was unworthy of
the indulgence which was carelessly and improperly extended.
These things exasperate the magistracy, whom Lord John is apt to
regard with aversion and suspicion; but the Judges are deeply
offended when their sentences are arbitrarily set aside, as they
have sometimes been.

[Page Head: THE CORN LAW QUESTION.]

The Corn Law question, which appeared so formidable before
Parliament met, has lost much of its terrors; and an error
committed by one of its champions, Mr. Wood of Preston, greatly
assisted to damage it. Peel turned against him certain admissions
which he made of the prosperity of trade, with extraordinary
dexterity and effect. The Anti-Corn-Lawites were so enraged and
mortified that they punished their blundering advocate by
dismissing him from his post of President of the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce; and his constituents invited him to resign.
This, and the strong demonstration in favour of the existing
system the first night, the divided opinions and indifference of
the Government, and the diversion made by the Chartists, have
placed the Corn Laws in perfect security for this session at
least. It is curious to see the conduct of the 'Times': just
before Parliament met it thought the time was come when something
must be done, and it accordingly took up the cudgels against the
Corn Laws; but now that it finds the time is not come, it has
dropped the subject altogether, and relapsed into silence.

There seems very little probability of any discussion about
Canadian affairs till Government introduces some legislative
measure, and the expected personalities and recriminations will
silently pass away. Brougham and Durham are reconciled after a
fashion; Ministers and Durham mutually desire to sheathe their
swords. The correspondence which has just appeared at the tail of
the Report exhibits a grand specimen of arrogance and vanity on
Durham's part, not unmixed with talent, albeit his letters are
intolerably prolix. Glenelg has, however, much the best of the
controversy as soon as they begin to cross their weapons, and his
despatch co