io_ members, partly of magistrates, and partly of ratepayers.
A further alteration was made this session in the original poor-law
amendment act, the principal feature of which was an alteration in
the enactments of the statute of 1835, relating to the maintenance of
illegitimate children. By this alteration, a more efficient mode of
obtaining from the father a provision for his child's maintenance was
placed in the power of the mother, by means of a proceeding in which
she herself was entitled to make the application, and not, as under the
original law, the officers of the parish: more stringent remedies were
also substituted for enforcing the remedy against the putative father
than had before existed. Towards the close of the session, repeated
discussions of an animated nature took place in both houses of
parliament, on the subject of a petition which was presented by Mr.
Thomas Duncombe, from Serafino Calderara, Joseph Mazzini, W. J. Linton,
and William Lovett, complaining that their letters had been opened at
the post-office. Mr. Duncombe, in the commons, and the Earl of Radnor
in the lords, moved for committees of inquiry, which were ultimately
appointed; and these committees made their reports during the session;
from which reports it appeared that the warrants of the secretary of
state had only been issued in peculiar emergencies; and that the cases
in which his power had been exercised formed a small annual average,
and did not amount to an invasion of private correspondence, which the
assailants of government had represented. No other result arose out of
the conflicts upon this subject than a bill introduced by Lord Radnor,
in the house of lords, for the abolition of the power complained of; but
this bill did not proceed beyond the first reading.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

Parliament was prorogued by commission on the 5th of September. The
speech announced that her majesty had given her cordial assent to
the bill for regulating the issue of bank-notes; adverted to some
discussions which had taken place with the government of the king of the
French on events calculated to interrupt the friendly relations of the
two countries, but which danger had been averted; congratulated the
houses on the improvement which had taken place in the condition of
manufactures and commerce; and expressed high satisfaction at the spirit
of loyalty and cheerful obedience to the law manifested in all parts of
her majesty's kin