Opening of Parliament--State of Parties--The Duke of Wellington's health--The Duke's Correspondence with Lord Haddington--Constitution of the Judicial Committee--Debate on the state of Ireland--Lord Hertford's Will--A Pun of Jekyll's--Lord Melbourne--The Irish Church--The Privy Council Bill--Anecdote of Mr. Pitt's Peers--Cambridge--Lord Ellenborough's Recall--Lord Brougham's hostility--The Factory Bill--Lord Hardinge Governor-General of India--Lord Brougham on Lord Hertford's Case--The Emperor of Russia in London--Government Defeat on the Sugar Duties--Sir Robert Peel resolves to resign--The Opening of Letters at the Post Office--The Case of 'Running Rein'--Lord Brougham's Privy Council Bill--Summary of Events--The Tahiti Quarrel with France--The O'Connell Judgement--Lord Stanley goes to the Upper House. _London, February 2nd, 1844._--Parliament opened yesterday; as usual with a Speech saying nothing, the Government apparently pretty confident, and the Opposition bent on mischief. _February 8th._--The session has opened favourably enough for Ministers. The first night Peel made a decided speech, and he has taken a decided attitude. He declared that he did not mean to make any alteration at all in the present Corn Law, either as to duty or scale. This was such an agreeable announcement to his friends, that it put them at once into good humour, and they will now fight with him cordially and vigorously, and we shall at least have a clear line of demarcation, and good fair stand-up party contests. While he has made himself strong and his party united _for the present_, the Opposition have no unity of opinion, Howick and John Russell being evidently opposed to each other, and probably all of them entertaining all sorts of shades and gradations of opinion. Peel evidently means to give up the notion of appealing to the reason of the country, and the moderation which he hoped would help him through his _juste milieu_ course, and thinks only of rallying the great Tory body round him, and exhibiting himself as the master of certain and willing majorities. As long as this Parliament lasts, it makes him as firm as a rock, after which, God knows what will happen. The Irish trials are almost over. O'Connell made a miserable speech; Sheil and Whiteside were very good, especially the latter. The episode of the Attorney-General's challenge came very opportunely for the first night's debate, and the Government stood by him gallantly, which they probably were right in doing, for no Government will be well and heartily served, unless it throws its shield over its people when they fall into difficulties. [Sidenote: DUKE OF WELLINGTON AT THE CABINET.]