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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 772, 7 September 1853, Page 3

The House or Peers.— The physical wrilers of the middle ages supposed lhal Ihe “spirits" which animated (he human system flew to lids part or lhal as impulse or accident might drive (hem; and lhal‘•‘humours’which disordered that system settled with a like partiality and caprice. With equal foundation some such theory might he imagined tor the various successes of our political constitution. At one lime it is the Commons (hat vigorously fulfils its hoasl of being the leading branch of the Legislature ; then the Lords come out with unwonted lustre ; and there have been even years when the Crown fairly outshone the rest of Ihe system If it is asked which of the three has taken the lead this year, there hardly can he a doubt that the palm must he given to the Lords. We know not how it is —whether the weakness of one house is (he opportunity of the other, or some incubus has been removed from (he energies of our nobility, or some Augustan era is approaching in its annals, hut certain it is, Ihe speaking in Ihe Upper House just now is vastly above that of the Lower. The British people may he verywise, our freeholders may know a man when they sec him, and our 10/. householders may he excellent disccrners of spirits; but somehow their nominees are beaten by a set of men either horn to their positions or summoned by Royal favour. The representative system has 650 chances, and it is very odd if with so many throws it does not sometimes get a prize; the hereditary has not half the number of chances, and is in small esteem, but out of weakness it has become strong, for it has shown this year more ability and eloquence than all the representatives of the people. We have our Commons, it is true, as we lake care to tell the world, and wonder why the world docs not follow our example; hut we have also our Lords; and when (he admirers of constitutional government point to our example, they arc bound not to leave out of it the less progressive, less liberal, and less popular part—our hereditary Senate. — Times.

A sum of £1.500 bas been subscribed towards the Moore Testimonial. The London subscription amount* ed to £27 9. The testimonial is to consist of a statue in bronze, and is to be placed in the space fronting the old Parliament I louse ot Ireland. Ilia subsciiption for a monument to Thomas flood, having reached £4OO, lias been closed. It is to he a bronze bust on a gran ile pedestal, embellished ,in relief from his writings, to be placed in the cemetery at Konsal Green, with the simple epitaph ** He wrote the * Soogof the Shirt! ’ ’ Ihe subscription for a monument to Caxton not having reached the desired amount, the sum collected is to be funded for an annuity in connexion with the Printers’ Pension Society.