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HISTORICAL CHRONICLE.

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

May 21. Lord Brougham rose for the purpose of bringing forward a resolution on the subject of GENERAL EDUCATION. The Noble Lord went at great length into a review of the existing system of education in this country. Referring to the Report of the Education Committee in 1818, he said, it appeared from that document, that there were, at that time, schools capable of educating 640,000 children: viz., endowed schools, containing 166,000, and schools supported by voluntary contributions for 478,000. In 1818, the number of children in unendowed dayschools was 50,000; in 1828, the number had increased to 105,000; and the whole number, which in England in 1818 was 478,000, had, in 1828, increased 1,000,000; and at present, in thirty-three counties from which he got returns, 1,144,000 children were receiving education. The great increase had, however, taken place in the endowed schools. thought the number of schools should be increased, and the system of instruction extended, and that education ought to be more equally distributed; for whilst, take England through, the average was as high as one in twelve, take the populous counties of London and Lancashire, the average did not exceed one in thirteen, or one in fourteen.

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Under these circumstances, he did not mean to say that the Government should take the whole expense of public education upon itself, but he was of opinion, that they should meet it halfway, and he hoped a grant of public money, to be so appropriated, would be agreed to. After some further details, the Noble Lord concluded by moving a string of resolutions pro forma, embracing all the points of his speech, and preparatory to an ulterior measure which it was his intention to submit to their Lordships.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

May 25. The Marquis of Chandos,
after depicting the sufferings of the agri-
cultural interest, in a speech of consider-
able length, brought forward a motion for
their relief, to the following effect:-
"That a humble Address be presented to
his Majesty expressive of the deep regret
which the House feel at the continuation
of the distress experienced by the agricul-
tural interest, and to express the anxious
desire of the House that the attention of

Majesty's Government should be
г. MAG. VOL. IV.

reduce some portion of those burdens to directed to the subject, with the view to which the land is subject through the pressure of local and general taxation."-motion.-Lord J. Russell disapproved of The Earl of Darlington seconded the the address as far as it went, in calling for specific reductions of taxes. Already it would derive more from the improvethat interest had experienced benefit; and tion of tithes. He moved, as an amendment of the poor laws and the commuta attention of the Government to the rement, "That the House directs the early commendation of the Committee appointed last Session on the payment of county rates, with a view to the utmost practical alleviation of the burden of local taxation."-A long debate followed; and on a division, the motion of the Marquis of Chandos was lost by a majority of 211 against 150.

May 26. On the report of the GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY Bill, Mr. Miles moved the introduction of a clause to pre. naming a penalty of 201.-It called forth vent travelling upon it on the Lord's Day, divided upon, when the numbers were, much discussion, and it was eventually ayes, 34; noes, 212.

June 1. Mr. Cayley brought forward inquire into the means of affording a motion, for a select Committee to relief to the agriculture of the country, and especially to consider the subject of a silver, or conjoined standard of silver several Members took part, amongst and gold. A debate ensued, in which which were Mr. C. P. Thomson, Sir R. Peel, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. division, by a majority of 216 to 126. The motion was eventually lost upon a

June 2. Mr. Grote brought forward a in Parliamentary Elections. In a speech motion for the adoption of the BALLOT of considerable length, he contended that by the Ballot-an opinion which the last independent voting could only be secured general election, and still more recent events in Devonshire and elsewhere, had strengthened.-Sir W. Molesworth seconded the motion, and enumerated the different places at which the Whigs were beaten for want of the Ballot, as he contion, and moved the previous question tended. Mr. Gisborne opposed the mowhich Dr. Bowring, Lords Howick and upon it.-A long discussion followed, in Stanley, Lord J. Russell, and Sir R. Pecl,

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took part, the last of whom suggested that the amendment should be withdrawn, and the question met by a direct negative. Eventually the House divided on the original motion, which was negatived by a majority of 317 against 111.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

June 3. Lord Brougham brought in a Bill to alter and amend the LAW OF PA TENTS. His Lordship stated, that it was his intention to repeal the Statute of James, and consolidate into one Act all the Acts which had since passed relating to patents. The object of the Bill was to give greater facility in procuring patents, and to secure the enjoyment of them to the inventors, in a better manner than was now the case. He proposed that the person wishing to have a patent should record his specification, and obtain a fiat from the Attorney-General; but the patentee should then enter his disclaimer, and give notice of his invention in the Gazette, and advertise the same in some of the newspapers in the neighbourhood in which he lived; but having obtained the fat of the Attorney-General, which expressed the patent to be innocent, and not noxious or fraudulent, and having filed his disclaimer (of which evidence might hereafter be given in the Courts of Law and Equity, in case his patent was invaded), he should have the sole use of his patent. He also proposed a clause to give a power of applying to the Privy Council for an extension of time, beyond the usual period of 14 years.-The Bill was then read a first time.

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In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, the same day, The SABBATH OBSERVANCE Bill was thrown out by a majority of 54 to 43. The WILLS' EXECUTION Bill, and the EXECUTORS' and ADMINISTRATORS' Bill, were read a third time and passed.

On the motion of Mr. Lynch, the RoMAN CATHOLIC MARRIAGES' Bill was, after some opposition, read a second time.

On Mr. Elphinstone's motion for the second reading of the Bill for limiting the POLLS for Counties and Boroughs to one day, a discussion of some length ensued. The opinion of most of the speakers was favourable to its object, though some doubted the practicability of taking the poll in one day.-The Bill was read a second time.

June 5. Lord J. Russell moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the Better Regulation of the MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS of England and Wales. After instancing some of the numerous abuses which had crept into those bodies, his Lordship pro

ceeded to state that the Bill would include 183 boroughs-containing about 2,000,000 of inhabitants. He proposed that all municipal charters, which were inconsistent with the provisions of the Bill, should be wholly abolished. One uniform system of election would be established, and there would be the same

description of officers, with the exception of a few large places. The present ratepayers of the towns were to choose the Common Council. He proposed that there should be one body only, consisting of a Mayor and Common Council, in whom the powers of the Corporation should be vested. All pecuniary rights, now enjoyed by individuals, he proposed to preserve during their lives, and also all peculiar rights; but that no person should in future be a burgess of those Corporations, except in accordance with the con

ditions to which he had alluded. Persons

The No

who were free of a city would retain the privileges which they now possessed; but he proposed that in future such exclusive privileges should not be granted. The Mayor would be annually elected by the Council, and during that time he should be a Justice of the Peace. When the officers were appointed, they would immediately have power to appoint a TownClerk and a Treasurer. He proposed to abolish all bodies instituted by local Acts, and to commit the preservation of the peace wholly to the Corporations. He proposed wholly to abolish some of the ble Lord concluded by stating that the Corporations in minor towns. above were the principal points of the Bill. Sir R. Peel said he should offer no opposition to the motion. The time, he thought, had arrived when a more efficient mode of Corporation government ought to be adopted. The reports of the Commissioners showed that amendments were required, but the Bill went to establish new principles. After a few laudatory remarks from various Hon. Members, leave was given to bring in the Bill without a single dissentient voice. It was subsequently read a first time, and ordered for a second reading on June 15th.

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versation, their Lordships divided, when the clause was negatived by a majority of 40 to 19, and the Bill was read a third time.

June 15. The Earl of Roslyn, after a few prefatory observations, moved and carried an Address to His Majesty, praying" that he would be graciously pleased to appoint five Commissioners to examine and report to the two Houses of Parliament upon the different plans proffered by the competitors for the erection of the new Houses, see p. 78.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

June 15. Lord J. Russell having moved the second reading of the MUNICIPAL REFORM Bill, Lord Stanley observed, that while he highly approved of the measure, as a whole, he was apprehensive, unless care was taken, that a mode of close voting would be introduced. He thought the Town Councils ought to be elected for six instead of three years, thus avoiding the excitement of incessant contests, while the people would still have an ample control over those bodies.-Sir R. Peci willingly assented to the second reading. He approved of the qualification of the constituent body, but thought the governing one ought certainly to possess some property qualification. He was favourable to the proposition of electing the Councils for six years, as calculated to avoid the frequent recurrence of conflicts which would probably disturb the harmony of society.-The Bill was then read a second time, without a division, and was ordered to be committed for Monday, June 22, to be discussed from day to day.

Lord G. Somerset then moved and carried an Address to the Crown, praying

FRANCE.

His Majesty to carry into effect the resolutions of the Committee on rebuilding the Houses of Parliament.

June 19. Mr. Hume brought in a Bill for regulating the expenses attendant upon elections in England and Wales, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on the 26th inst.

June 22, 23. The various clauses of the MUNICIPAL REFORM Bill were discussed in Committee; and after some ineffectual attempts at opposition, the ministerial propositions were carried without amendment. On the ninth clause being brought forward, which was considered of great importance, as tending to disfranchise all the freemen of Corporations, an amendment was proposed by Sir W. Follet, to protect the rights of freemen, whether acquired by birth or servitude, and a warm debate arose upon the question. It was urged, upon one hand, that the scot and lot voters were as corrupt as the freemen, and that the rights of the latter ought not to be attacked by a side-wind, after having been recognised by the Reform Act, which expressly reserved them. On the other hand, it was maintained that the rights alluded to were usurpations; that the effect of the amendment would be to make freemen perpetual; and that, as a new system was now about to be adopted, there was an absurdity in having two sets of burgesses counteracting each other, and perplexing the operation of the plan. The debate, which was exceedingly animated, called up almost every speaker of note in the House, and concluded by a division, the majority being in favour of the original clause. The numbers were 278 and 232, leaving a majority of 46 in favour of Ministers.

FOREIGN NEWS.

The cause of the Queen of Spain, in the northern provinces, has been on the decline. The troops of Don Carlos have have every where prevailed, and the whole of the Basque provinces may be said to be in their possession. General Valdez, with his army, has taken up his position on the banks of the Ebro, without attempting any decisive operation; his troops, it is said, being in a general state of disorganization.

The greater portion of the strongholds of the Queenites in the northern provinces have been evacuated; Oraa and Espartero have been completely defeated, and

colours destroyed; El Pastor has

elled to steal off, in the dead of

the night to Saint Sebastian, in such haste, as to leave in Tolosa an immense quantity of ammunition, guns, cannons, &c. Villa Franca capitulated to the Carlists on the 3rd of June, after having been well defended; and Tolosa was evacuated on the 5th; Bilboa also, having been bombarded for several days by the Carlists, was expected to capitulate.

Owing to the unfavourable position of affairs, it has at length been decided on by the Queen-Regent's Government to apply to England, France, and Portugal, for that active assistance which by the articles of the Quadruple Treaty it was contended those powers were bound to furnish; consequently a protracted negociation was entered into on the part of

Lord Granville and M. de Broglie, respecting the question of intervention. It appeared to the representatives of the governments of England and France that Spain was not in a condition to bear the charge of a levy of 25,000 men in England, France, and Belgium; and that therefore the only safe course would be to charge these States with the immediate outlay, at the same time guaranteeing to them re-payment on the part of Spain, as soon as she should be in a condition to pay the debt. It was therefore agreed upon, that each of the Powers who permitted levies to be raised for the support of the constitutional cause in Spain, should support the troops leaving their respective territories. Accordingly, in the London Gazette, of the 10th of June, a notice appeared, authorizing the enlistment of British soldiers in the service of the Queen of Spain, for the period of two years. The command of the British troops has been entrusted by General Alava to Colonel Evans, M. P. for Westminster. The entire force will be 10,000 men; to be divided into 8,448 infantry, 552 rifles, 700 cavalry, and 300 artillery. Steam vessels are engaged to transport the first division of the English auxiliary legion to Spain. Six thousand men are to sail from Algiers for Malaga, as the French quota.

PORTUGAL.

A sudden change of the administration has been effected at Lisbon, arising, it is stated, out of circumstances connected with the young Queen's contemplated marriage. A partiality is said to have existed for the young Duke of Nemours, but which was opposed by the Empress and the ministers. The latter were unexpectedly dismissed, and Marshal Saldanha placed at the head of the new ministry, with the Duke of Palmella as his coadjutor, who were both favourable to a matrimonial alliance with the Orleans family, and to which the French monarch had given his assent. The English ministry, however, have expressed so strong a feeling of disapprobation at the contemplated marriage, that Saldanha has informed Lord Howard de Walden that it had been definitively abandoned.

A private letter from Lisbon, dated May 16th, says: A very extraordinary scene took place at the Estrella Nunnery the other day, upon the occasion of the Queen's visit to that convent. It appears that upon her Majesty's arrival there, the nuns seized and dragged her in solemn procession through the cloisters, took her to the church, knelt down before her, and commenced a regular din of lamentations and supplications, requesting

the Queen not to forsake the Catholic religion of the country, which was fast sinking, &c., and it was with no small difficulty that her Majesty regained her liberty from them, after near one hour's suffering of this clamour.'

GERMANY.

A project of the highest importance, but which has for some time been considered as imaginary and impracticable, a plan for uniting the Rhine and the Danube, is about to be carried into execution. A company, under the direction of Baron Le Flèche de Kendelstein, has been

formed for the purpose, supported by several rich bankers at Amsterdam, and in Germany. When finished it will unite the Black with the North Sea, which are now separated by a distance of 400 leagues.

On the 16th of May, the city of Munich was thrown into consternation by a tremendous explosion. The powdermagazine, situate at the distance of about half a league to the west of the city, was blown up, with the whole stock of bombs, grenades, Congreve-rockets, and 300 barrels of powder. The houses, even in the remotest parts of the city, were shaken, the rooms were filled with dust, and from the pressure of the atmosphere, not only were the windows broken, and the fragments of glass scattered into the furthest corners of the rooms, wounding whomsowindow-frames were shattered, the doors ever they struck, but in many houses the forced from the locks and hinges, and many persons in the streets thrown down. Six the magazine was left upon another. In persons perished; and not one stone of the knapsack of one of the artillerymen who perished in the explosion, a letter was found, addressed to his commanding officer, declaring his intention to commit the act of destruction, owing to the illidle and dissipated student in one of the usage he had received. He had been an universities, and, after entering the army, his conduct was such as to preclude all idea of his obtaining promotion.

ITALY.

A new era, says a correspondent from Rome, is at hand for the town of Tivoli. The Arno will be led into another chan

nel, some hundred paces further up. The rock opposite to Tivoli is broken through -a work which will illustrate the reign of Gregory XVI.-the river precipitating itself into the valley, in a north-western direction from the present cascade, will form a new cascade, equal in elevation and volume to that of Terni. The channel cut in the rock is 300 feet in length, and has been completed for some months,

and the preparations for conducting the river into its new bed will be shortly terminated.

EGYPT.

According to the latest accounts the plague has been committing dreadful ravages, in both Lower and Upper Egypt, setting every precaution at defiance. At Foua, a town of 25,000 or 30,000 inhabitants, 19,000 had already been attacked, and of these, barely 500 escaped. Alexandria is almost a desert, having lost, by death and emigration, two-thirds of its population.

CAPE DE VERDE ISLANDS.

Letters from Cape de Verde inform us that the garrison had risen at St. Jago against their officers, and proclaimed Don Miguel. After many excesses, the population of the town and its neighbourhood was roused to oppose them, and they finally succeeded in expelling them. The mutinous garrison took possession of some Sardinian vessels, and sailed away, it was supposed for Italy, to tender their services to Don Miguel. Nothing is further known about them, and the island was perfectly quiet when the last advices left.

AMERICA.

A rail-road is about to be formed between New York and Lake Erie, of the almost incredible length of four hundred and eighty-three miles, and at the cost of five million six hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars! Shares to the amount of upwards of one million eight hundred thousand dollars have already been taken in the city of New York, and the rail-road is expected to be finished in about three years. A canal, 115 miles in length, is about to be constructed between Michigan and the Illinois River, at the cost of three million dollars.

Accounts from Buenos Ayres state, that the late governor, Quiroga, and his suite of ten persons, returning from a mission of mediation between two discordant provinces (Tucuman and Salta), were attacked in the neighbourhood of Cordova by a band of assasins, who lay in wait for them, and murdered them in cold blood; only one person attached to the embassy escaped. This individual was a courier, who at the moment of attack was several yards in advance of the travelling carriage which contained the ill-fated sufferers, and instantly putting spurs to his horse, saved his life.

DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES.

INTELLIGENCE FROM VARIOUS PARTS

OF THE COUNTRY.

There is some probability that the hitherto-unexplored mineral treasures of Dartmoor will be brought to light; some of the ancient workings (the supposed stream-works of the period of the Phonicians and Carthaginians) have been opened, and great quantities of tin have been found. The Chudleigh United Company have, according to report, not only the most extensive set, but they have also some of the richest lodes. A short time since, a wheelbarrow and some miners' tools were found, that had been buried 36 years since, which were in a perfect state of preservation; some men had just then got to the lode, when the water broke in upon them, and, having found, they were obliged to give up. The present company are working with spirit.

May 16. The external repairs of Great Malvern Church have commenced, the first stone having been laid this day at the northwest angle of the nave, by Thomas Woodyat, Esq., of Holly Mount. The Rev. Mr. Phillips, of Gloucester, and the Rev. Mr. Kinsey, of Cheltenham, have set on foot a subscription for the preservation of this noble structure.

Jane 2. A meeting of the St. Asaph

Diocesan Society for Promoting the Building and Enlargement of Churches, &c. was held at Mold, the Bishop of St. Asaph in the chair. The following grants were made in aid of building a chapel at Pont Blenddyn, in the parish of Mold, 2007.; ditto, Oswestry, 250.; ditto, Rhyl, 2007.; ditto, Ruabon, 300.7; ditto, Llangadfan, 1501.; and of enlarging the church at Ysceifiog, 1007.

June 10. A dreadful storm visited Durham; during which, the western tower of the cathedral was struck with lightning, hurling down an immense mass of stone, which, alighting upon the pavement beneath, was dashed into innumerable portions. At this moment, a party of students belonging to the University, who had been inspecting a monument lately erected to the memory of the Rev. J. Carr, late master of the grammar-school, alarmed by the crash, rushed from the cathedral, and, lamentable to relate, two of them were instantly annihilated by the falling fabric. Another had his right foot dreadfully mutilated, and a fourth was most severely bruised by several fragments of the stone, which, rebounding, struck him on the abdomen. The names of the unfortunate youths who perish are Hagle and Brown.

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