d into a full explanation of the details of the bill,
and emphatically called upon the peers to support it, as they valued the
preservation of the monarchy, laws, and liberties of England. He would
not say that monarchy was the best form of government that ever existed,
but an attempt to alter it in this country would be the height of
insanity and crime. The only opposition to the measure in the house of
lords came from Lord Brougham, who contended that due consideration had
not been employed either in the framing or passing of this bill. The
wisdom of making a definite arrangement for the life of a sovereign who
might be expected to reign for the next half century was questionable;
and yet this was to be done, and a civil list voted which exceeded that
of lier majesty's predecessors, while parliament was left in the dark as
to those very important revenues possessed by the crown, the incomes of
the duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster. After a few words from the Duke
of Wellington, who expressed his apprehensions that the bill did not
contain a sufficient provision for pensions, the bill went through the
committee, and was afterwards read a third time and passed without a
division. It was customary that the royal assent should be given to
bills of this nature in person, and the queen went in state to the house
of lords on the 23rd of December for that purpose. On presenting the
bill, the speaker observed, that it had been framed in "a liberal and
confiding spirit," on which the queen bowed her acknowledgment, and
after the royal assent had been given to that and other bills, her
majesty left the house.

On the 11th of December, a message was brought from the queen to both
houses, recommending to the consideration of parliament the provision
made by law for the support of her royal highness the Duchess of Kent,
and expressing her majesty's reliance on their zeal and loyalty to adopt
such measures for the future provision of the duchess as her rank and
station, and increased proximity to the throne might require. On the
following day this message was taken into consideration by a committee
of the house of commons, when an additional grant of L8000 a year,
raising the annual income of the duchess to L30,000, passed without much
discussion.

THE SUBJECT OF THE PENSION LIST.

The chancellor of the exchequer redeemed a pledge which he had given
in the debate on the civil list, by moving "for a select committee to
inqui