the arguments he could bring forward
in its favour, the right honourable baronet expressed a hope that the
church of Scotland would find a haven of peace and security, and in that
spirit of hope and peace he moved its second reading. Mr. Wallace said
that the bill would create more doubts than had heretofore existed, and
would make the people renounce the church; on which grounds he moved
that it be read that day six months. This amendment was supported by
Lord John Russell, and Messrs. Rutherford, Hume, Cochrane, and
Alexander Campbell. On the other hand the bill was supported by the
solicitor-general, Sir George Clerk, Mr. Hope Johnstone, and Sir Robert
Peel; and on a division the second reading was carried by a majority of
ninety-eight against eighty. The opponents of the measure renewed their
attempts of throwing it out on the motion for going into committee, when
Mr. P. M. Stewart moved that it be committed that day three months; but
this was negatived, and the bill finally passed, and received the royal
assent.

LAW REFORM.

Several reforms in the law were made during this session. One of the
most important of these changes was the registration act. This passed
the commons without any difficulty; and the second reading of the bill
was moved in the upper house by Lord Wharncliffe, on which occasion his
lordship thus explained its leading provisions. The objects of the bill,
he said, were first, to establish in every part of the country a real
and _bona fide_ list of voters; secondly, to settle certain doubts with
respect to qualifications which had arisen in the revising barristers'
courts; and, thirdly, to prevent the personation of voters, or the
possibility of individuals voting twice at the same election. One of the
greatest alterations in the bill was that which related to the right of
voting, as it depended on the payment of taxes. As the law at present
stood a person could not have his name placed on the list of voters
unless he had paid all his rates and taxes up to the time of making his
claim. By this bill it was provided, that persons should be allowed
to have their names inserted in the list of voters if they paid, on or
before the 20th of July next ensuing after making their claim, all the
poor's-rates and assessed taxes payable from them for twelve calendar
months before the 6th day of the preceding April. One great objection to
the existing law was, that the decisions of the revising barrister