lation. There was, he observed, at present, a mode of virtually redeeming the tax.

Mr. Seymour's motion was withdrawn.

The amount of Law Reform accomplished this year was but small. Some progress was made in carrying on the work of preceding years, by expurgating the Statute Book of a great number of obsolete Acts, passed between the reigns of Henry III. and James II., which had either ceased to operate by reason of a change of circumstances, or had otherwise become practically defunct. The work of investigating and verifying the Acts thus dealt with was necessarily entrusted to legal draftsmen, and the result of their labours, presented to Parliament in the shape of a voluminous Bill, and vouched by the law officers of the Crown, was virtually taken upon trust by the Members of the Legislature, who could not be expected personally to inquire into the circumstances of each Act in the great mass which it was proposed to repeal. Assuming the task of revision to have been faithfully and accurately performed, it was unquestionably a great advantage to rid our voluminous Code of Statutes of so much dead and useless matter. The Lord Chancellor, on whose responsibility this measure was introduced, took occasion, on bringing it before the House of Lords, to unfold the outline of a more comprehensive plan which he had formed, which should include not only the Statute but the Common Law also, as it exists in the immense mass of judicial decisions in reports, and embody both in a complete and methodized digest. The noble and learned lord stated in his speech that the decisions of the Common Law Courts were based on Common and Statute Law, of which the former consisted of the decisions of Judges, and the latter was found in books. He proceeded to describe in what manner the Law Reports had been compiled from the earliest times, and stated that when it was proposed in Lord Bacon's time to make a digest of the laws there were only 60 or 70 volumes of Reports, but that now there were upwards of 1100 or 1200 volumes. He commented on the contradictions and anomalies in our Law Courts, some of which relied on previously decided cases, recognizing those decisions as binding, while others held themselves at liberty to reject such decisions when absurd and unjust. Hence arose what had been called "the glorious uncertainty of the law," so that it was impossible to predicate what the law in any case would be. Another evil of the present system was the quotation of manuscript notes, which upset all calculations based on published decisions. He instanced the uncertainty of the law which attached to the liabilities of provisional committee-men, and thought that, as certainty was the main ingredient of justice, and should be of law, we ought to take steps to render our procedure free from doubts. What he proposed was, that a Commission should be appointed to examine the Reports, divide them into three classes of different periods, weed them of contradictory decisions, and preserve those only which were found suitable to govern future cases. By these andother means,

which he detailed, he hoped to attain a perfect digest of the Statute and of the Common Law. He used the word "digest" advisedly, as he did not think the law of England was as yet in a fit state for codification, nor would be, until we got rid of the absurd division between the province of Common Law and the province of Equity. He proceeded to detail the efforts which had been formerly made to digest and consolidate the law up to the year 1816, when the House of Lords expressed an opinion strongly in favour of such a course. Little had been done, however, to carry out that opinion. Inadequate salaries to the two gentlemen employed on the subject prevented them from giving all their time to the work. If, however, his proposals were prosecuted with effect, he trusted that the process of revision and expurgation would not take much more than another year, after which the arrangement and classification of the different subjects could be proceeded with. Lastly, he called attention to the necessity of instituting an annual revision of the Reports, which might be accomplished by a "Department of Justice," in order to prevent the law from again falling into its present contradictory and chaotic state.

Several of the Peers, among whom were Lord Brougham and Lord Cranworth, expressed their approval of the objects of the Lord Chancellor, and their desire to aid in any measures which would conduce to the simplification and amendment of our jurisprudence. The Statute Law Revision Bill was passed without any material opposition through both Houses of Parliament, and became law, but no further progress was made in the present Session with the other measures of law reform indicated in the Lord Chancellor's speech.

From the small proportion of important public measures which were this year submitted to Parliament, an expectation had been entertained that the Session of 1863 would be of unusually short duration, and that the members would be released at a comparatively early period of the summer from their duties. The business to be done, however, though not of the highest political interest, proved to be considerable in amount, and required more time than was anticipated, so that it was but little before the usual period that the work of the Session could be brought to a conclusion. Few Bills, indeed, had this year been abandoned or postponed, as has been the case in former Sessions, from pressure of time, nor were the sittings so protracted, or the labours of members so severe as they have frequently been of late years.

On the 28th of July, the business having been got through, the prorogation of Parliament took place by Commission. The Lord Chancellor read from the throne the message from the Crown, which was in these terms :

-

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,-

"We are commanded by Her Majesty to release you from further attendance in Parliament, and at the same time to convey

to you Her Majesty's acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the performance of your duties during the Session now brought to a close.

"Her Majesty has seen with deep regret the present condition of Poland. Her Majesty has been engaged, in concert with the Emperor of the French and the Emperor of Austria, in negotiations, the object of which has been to obtain the fulfilment of the stipulations of the Treaty of Vienna of 1815 in behalf of the Poles. Her Majesty trusts that those stipulations will be carried into execution, and that thus a conflict distressing to humanity and dangerous to the tranquillity of Europe may be brought to a close.

"The Civil War between the Northern and Southern States of the North American Union still, unfortunately, continues, and is necessarily attended with much evil, not only to the contending parties, but also to nations which have taken no part in the contest. Her Majesty, however, has seen no reason to depart from that strict neutrality which Her Majesty has observed from the beginning of the contest.

"The Greek nation having chosen Prince William of Denmark for their King, Her Majesty is taking steps with a view to the union of the Ionian Islands to the Kingdom of Greece. For this purpose Her Majesty is in communication with the Powers who were parties to the Treaty of 1815, by which those islands were placed under the protection of the British Crown; and the wishes of the Ionians on the subject of such union will be duly ascertained.

"Several barbarous outrages committed in Japan upon British subjects have rendered it necessary for Her Majesty to demand reparation, and Her Majesty hopes that her demands will be conceded by the Japanese Government without its being necessary to resort to coercive measures to enforce them.

"The Emperor of Brazil has thought fit to break off his diplomatic relations with Her Majesty in consequence of Her Majesty not having complied with demands which she did not deem it possible to accede to. Her Majesty has no wish that this estrangement should continue, and would be glad to see her relations with Brazil re-established.

"GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

"Her Majesty commands us to convey to you her warm acknowledgments for the liberal supplies which you have granted for the service of the present year, and towards the permanent defence of Her Majesty's dockyards and arsenals; and Her Majesty commands us to thank you for the provision you have made for the establishment of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"The distress which the Civil War in North America has inflicted

upon a portion of Her Majesty's subjects in the manufacturing districts, and towards the relief of which such generous and munificent contributions have been made, has in some degree diminished, and Her Majesty has given her cordial assent to measures calculated to have a beneficial influence upon that unfortunate state of things.

"Symptoms of a renewal of disturbance have manifested themselves in Her Majesty's colony of New Zealand, but Her Majesty trusts that by wise and conciliatory measures, supported by adequate means of repression, order and tranquillity will be maintained in that valuable and improving colony.

"Her Majesty has given her assent to a measure for augmenting the income of a considerable number of small benefices, and she trusts that this measure will be conducive to the interests of the Established Church.

"Her Majesty has given her assent to an Act for the revision of large portion of the Statute Book by the removal of many Acts which, although they had become obsolete or unnecessary, obstructed the condensation of the Statute Law.

"Her Majesty has felt much pleasure in giving her assent to an Act for placing upon a well-defined footing that Volunteer Force which has added a most important element to the defensive means of the country.

"Her Majesty has gladly given her assent to an Act for carrying into effect the additional Treaty concluded by Her Majesty with the President of the United States for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade; and Her Majesty trusts that the honourable co-operation of the Government of the United States will materially assist Her Majesty in those endeavours which Great Britain has long been engaged in making to put an end to the perpetration of that most disgraceful crime. Her Majesty has assented with satisfaction to many other measures of public usefulness, the result of your labours during the present Session.

"It has been gratifying to Her Majesty to observe that, notwithstanding many adverse circumstances, the general prosperity of her Empire continues unimpaired. Though great local distress has been suffered in Great Britain from the effects of the Civil War in America, and in Ireland from the results of three unfavourable seasons, the financial resources of the United Kingdom have been fully maintained, and its general commerce with the world at large has not been materially impaired.

"It has been a source of great satisfaction to Her Majesty to find that her East Indian possessions, rapidly recovering from the disasters which lately overspread them, are entering upon a course of improvement, social, financial, and commercial, which holds out good promise for the growing prosperity of those extensive regions.

"On returning to your several counties you will still have important duties to perform; and Her Majesty fervently prays that

the blessing of Almighty God may attend your efforts to promote the welfare and happiness of her subjects, the object of her constant and earnest solicitude."

After this, the Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read, and the Lord Chancellor, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to her commands, declared Parliament to be prorogued until Wednesday, the 14th day of October next.

Thus ended the Parliamentary Session of 1863. It was remarkable for the absence not only of constitutional changes or reforms, but also of exciting questions or animated party contests. Not a single division occurred in either House, which could be described as a strictly party division, although that which took place on the Church-rate Bill approximated nearly to that character. Neither were the legislative results, if we regard the weight of the measures which received the Royal Assent, considerable. Nevertheless, on examining the list of Acts passed -124 in number, in addition to 238 private and personal Actswe shall find a fair proportion of useful and practical measures; sufficient at least to redeem the Session of 1863 from the reproach of barrenness. It should be remembered too, as has been more than once remarked in answer to such imputations, that the British Parliament does not sit merely and solely for the purpose of enacting statutes. It is the organ and mouthpiece of the national opinions, which it not only represents, but also to a great extent enlightens and instructs, by the discussions which take place within its walls. It is the ultimate court of appeal in all controversies, and the supreme arbitrator in all grievances. It exercises a judgment and wields a powerful moral influence over the affairs not only of this country but of foreign nations, for it may be truly said that there is none so remote or so powerful as not to acknowledge the influence and yield a deference to the voice of the British Parliament. In the proceedings of the Session here recorded may be found no unimportant instances of this truth. Some of the debates on foreign policy were well calculated to exercise, and beyond all doubt did exercise, a considerable effect on the counsels of the States to which they referred.

The interest of the year, so far as its domestic history is concerned, is chiefly centred in the proceedings of Parliament which have been now briefly recorded, and in the political and public incidents of which some account has been given in the preceding chapters. There are two great features, of very different character, for which the annals of 1863 will be chiefly conspicuous-the one, the auspicious marriage of the heir to the throne, and the ceremonies and celebrations by which it was distinguished; the other, an event of very different aspect, yet of great, though painful, interest, the Lancashire distress. Sad as are the incidents of this chapter of the year's history, it is yet one which, taking all the circumstances into account, the nation will, we believe, hereafter look back upon with feelings of sorrow not unmixed with pride and satisfaction.