F THE LAW.

Early in this session Mr. Brougham directed the attention of the commons
to the state of the common law courts, and the common law itself, in a
speech which occupied six hours in delivery, and was remarkable for its
vast variety of detail. He moved "that an humble address be presented
to his majesty, respectfully requesting that it may be his majesty's
pleasure to cause a commission to issue, to inquire into the abuses
which have been introduced in the course of time into the administration
of the law of these realms, and of the courts of common law; and to
report on what remedies it may seem fit and expedient to adopt for their
removal." It was generally agreed that there was no subject more worthy
of attention than the improvement of the law; but at the same time it
was obvious that the unbounded nature of the inquiry proposed by Mr
Brougham would prevent it from producing any practical effects. Mr.
Brougham's motion therefore was lost: but in the course of the session
two commissions were issued, one to inquire into the state of the common
law, and the other to take into consideration the state of the law of
real property.

BILLS CONNECTED WITH ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.

In the course of this session bills were introduced into parliament to
disfranchise the corrupt boroughs of Penryn and East Retford. Penryn
first engaged the attention of the commons. A bill transferring its
elective privileges to Manchester was carried and sent up to the lords;
but the lords threw it out, as not being supported by evidence of
corruption sufficient to warrant disfranchisement. A bill was also
brought into the house to transfer the franchise of East Retford to
Birmingham; but as at the time it was introduced there was a certainty
that the Penryn bill would be rejected by the peers, the commons
agreed that the measure should stand over till the next session, on the
understanding that no new writ should be issued for East Retford. Other
bills connected with elections of members of the house were brought into
the commons; but they either did not pass that house, or were rejected
by the lords, except one, which regulated the manner of taking the poll
at city and borough elections, and which passed into a law. The chief
feature of this latter bill was, that it cut down the duration of the
poll from fifteen to six days.

CORN-LAW QUESTION.

One of the most important questions debated during this session