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As the weather is to decide the question of the corn-laws, the rains that have lately fallen may be called, with truth, the reins of government.

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SPORTING IN DOWNING STREET.

“COME OUT—­WILL YOU!”

The extraordinary attachment which the Whigs have displayed for office has been almost without parallel in the history of ministerial fidelity.  Zoologists talk of the local affection of cats, but in what animal shall we discover such a strong love of place as in the present government?  Lord John is a very badger in the courageous manner in which he has resisted the repeated attacks of the Tory terriers.  The odds, however, are too great for even his powers of defence; he has given some of the most forward of the curs who have tried to drag him from his burrow some shrewd bites and scratches that they will not forget in a hurry; but, overpowered by numbers, he must “come out” at last, and yield the victory to his numerous persecutors, who will, no doubt, plume themselves upon their dexterity at drawing a badger.

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PUNCH’S EXTRA DRAMATIC INTELLIGENCE

(BY THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE OBSERVER.)

The dramatic world has been in a state of bustle all the week, and parties are going about declaring—­not that we put any faith in what they say—­that Macready has already given a large sum for a manuscript.  If he has done this, we think he is much to blame, unless he has very good reasons, as he most likely has, for doing so; and if such is the case, though we doubt the policy of the step, there can be no question of his having acted very properly in taking it.  His lease begins in October, when, it is said, he will certainly open, if he can; but, as he positively cannot, the reports of his opening are rather premature, to say the least of them.  For our parts, we never think of putting any credit in what we hear, but we give everything just as it reaches us.

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THE MONEY MARKET

Tin is twopence a hundredweight dearer at Hamburgh than at Paris, which gives an exchange of 247 mille in favour of the latter capital.

A good deal of conversation has been excited by a report of its being intended by some parties in the City to establish a Bank of Issue upon equitable principles.  The plan is a novel one, for there is to be no capital actually subscribed, it being expected that sufficient assets will be derived from the depositors.  Shares are to be issued, to which a nominal price will be attached, and a dividend is to be declared immediately.

The association for supplying London with periwinkles does not progress very rapidly.  A wharf has been taken; but nothing more has been done, which is, we believe, caused by the difficulty found in dealing with existing interests.