bigotry the mind of man, and we cannot think your Lordship
will pledge the legislation of the 19th century to an enactment so
offensive as this irresponsible police power is to"--

To whom? Well--taking "commerce" as a misprint for "conscience" one
might imagine that the remonstrants were "Maltese Cross JOHN
TUAM," DANIEL, or DENNIS, or DERMOT, or whatever-his-name-is CAHILL,
FREDERICK LUCAS, and other such gentry--and clergy--denouncing a
sanguinary, atrocious, diabolical, fiendish, &c. &c. proposition for the
deliverance of nuns from false imprisonment. But no. The individuals to
whom the "irresponsible police power" is "offensive," are simply

"One branch of English tradesmen."

That is to say, they are the Metropolitan Omnibus Proprietors,
complaining by the pen of MR. H. GRAY, their Chairman, to LORD ABERDEEN,
against certain clauses of the Hackney Carriage Act. We dare say this
"one branch of English tradesmen" will no more be rendered subject to an
"irresponsible police power" than any other branch of the same tree; but
if "like master like man" is a true proverb, the proprietors of
omnibuses are gentlemen whom it is quite right the police should "look
after," and, at least, have power to make them "move on." We are glad to
see that they admire the onward progress of civil freedom, and hope they
will contrive to make their drivers and conductors stick to that; for
the liberty which those persons are in the habit of taking is too often
destitute of civility.

* * * * *

OUR QUARTER'S ACCOUNT.

[Illustration]

MR. PUNCH'S Quarterly account has, like that of the nation, been duly
made up, and presents equally satisfactory results with the national
finance sheet.

There has been an increase of 537 Epigrams on the corresponding quarter
in last year.

In the Jokes department there has been no very great increase, but this
is accounted for by the contributor whose business it is to make them
having fancied himself in love, and taken to ultra-sentimental poetry.
But we are happy to state that he has been unmistakeably thrown over by
the young lady, and will at once return to his duties.

On the Capital Hits the increase is very large, and although this may in
some measure be due to the military array at Chobham, there is no reason
to think there will be a drawback, especially as no announcement has
appeared of any intention to close Parliament or the Princess's Theatre