Fletcher will frauds, but subsequently pardoned. 6.-The Illustrated News publishes the ingenious designs of Mr. Paxton's crystal palace for the Exhibition building. 8. The Court of Exchequer gives judg ment in the Gorham case, being the third decision of a court of law on the question. The Bishop of Exeter first applied to the Court of Queen's Bench for a rule to prohibit the Court of Arches from giving effect to the decision of the Privy Council in Mr. Gorham's favour. On its being refused, the Bishop made a similar application to the Court of Common Pleas, by whom it was also refused; and he then brought the matter in the same form before the Court of Exchequer. After the question had been argued at length, this court now found, as the two other courts had done, that the appeal from the Court of Arches was to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and refused the Bishop's application with costs. On the 20th, the Bishop presented his answer to the monition of the Arches Court, along with a protest. The court received the answer, but rejected the protest. Mr. Gorham was inducted to the living on the 10th of August. - Exciting scene in the French Assembly, caused by an expression used by M. Rouher, that the Revolution of February was "a disastrous catastrophe." The Opposition, led by M. Girardin, protested against the language as an indignity, and threatened to resign. The remains of Sir Robert Peel interred in the parish church of Drayton-Basset; the ceremony, in compliance with the deceased statesman's own wish, being as far as possible "without ostentation or parade of any kind." 10. "Speech day" at Harrow, specially memorable for the great company drawn together in honour of the memory of Sir Robert Peel. Most of those present examined the name of the great statesman, carved on a panel now in the seat of the head-master, and also the speech list for 1804 in the monitors' library, where "Robert Peel" appeared along with Lord Byron. In presenting the Peel medal for the Latin essay, "Quamdiu Coloniæ sint retinendæ," Dr. Vaughan said to the successful pupil (D'Arcy), "I give you this medal founded by Sir Robert Peel for the encouragement of Latin literature; and the receipt of this the perpetual prize of that eminent man must be considered to have additional value from the distressing circumstance which the country now deplores." At the entertainment which took place in the afternoon M. Drouyn de Lhuys, in acknowledging the toast of the Foreign Ministers, touched with great delicacy on the school life of the "exalted man to whose untimely grave both foreign nations and his bereaved countrymen were bringing their tributes of praise." 11. Robert Pate tried at the Old Bailey Sessions for assaulting the Queen (May 27). A defence of insanity was set up, but the jury found him guilty, and Baron Alderson sentenced the prisoner to transportation for seven years, but so far gave effect to the plea of insanity as to omit whipping from the punishment the Court might have awarded. 12.-A Congress of Deputies from the several states included in the Prussian Zollverein opened in Cassel. On the motion of Lord John Russell, the House unanimously votes an Address to her Majesty, praying that directions might be given for the erection of a monument to Sir Robert Peel in Westminster Abbey, "with an inscription expressive of the public sense or so great and irreparable a loss." Meeting in the Egyptian Hall, Mansion House, to take steps for erecting a suitable monument, within the city of London, to the memory of Sir Robert Peel. Meetings were also held in many other cities, with the view of carrying out a national memorial to the great statesman. One in Willis's Rooms, on the 23d, was presided over by the Earl of Aberdeen, and addressed by the Duke of Wellington. -Lord R. Grosvenor carries his Attorneys' Certificates Bill against Ministers a second time by a majority of 139 to 122. Royal Assent given to a bill making more effectual provision for regulating the police towns and populous places in Scotland, and for paving, draining, lighting, and cleansing the same. 16.-The Commissioners of the Great Exhibition accept Mr. Paxton's design of a crystal palace for the Exhibition building. · Drowned at sea, off Long Island, with her husband and child, Margaret Fuller, Countess Ossoli. 18.-Fire at Cracow, laying waste a largè portion of the city. 19. Sir Robert Peel returned for Tamworth in room of his late father. In Committee, Lord John Russell's resolution to grant 12,000l. a year to the Duke of Cambridge carried against Mr. Hume's amendment for 8,000l. by 206 to 53 votes. Lord Stanley presents a petition, signed by 16,000 landowners, tenants, and tradesmen of Lancashire, praying for protection to British industry. 20. The members of the Reform Club give a banquet to Lord Palmerston, to express their confidence in his policy, and in commemoration of his late triumph in the House of Commons. 66 A gathering, described as an aggregate meeting of the clergy of the Church of England," held in St. Martin's Hall, Longacre, to protest against the decision of the lawcourts in the Gorham case, and to take steps to prevent the order of the Court of Arches to induct Mr. Gorham from being carried into effect. A protest against Mr. Gorham's heresies was carried, as also an address to the Archbishop, and a petition to the Queen, praying for the revival of synodical action. supplemental meeting, presided over by Dr. Pusey, was held simultaneously in Freemasons' Tavern. A 24.-In moving the second reading of the Compound Householders Bill, Sir William Clay explained that his object was to remove a grievance affecting a numerous class of householders. At present, if the owner of a house compounded with the parish officers for the payment of the parochial rates, the overseers had no power to return the name of the occupants to the returning officer as entitled to vote in the election of members to serve in ParliaThe tenants of proprietors who, under local acts, compounded for their rates, though ment. they occupied tenements to a higher value than 10, were allowed to be placed upon the register only after payment of the existing rate; consequently after every rate they were obliged to make a fresh application. The effect of this system was, that great numbers of persons in the metropolis and other places who, according to the spirit of the Reform Bill, were entitled to be upon the register, were disfranchised. This bill would obviate the necessity of parties so placed making incessant claims; in short, it would place them, in this respect, upon a par with county voters who, having once substantiated a claim, were not under the necessity of renewing it so long as they remained in the occupation of the same house. They were, however, relieved from none of the conditions of residence or payment of rates which were required by the Reform Act. The 'measure was approved by Government, and passed through both Houses. 25. Battle of Idstadt between the armies of Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. It lasted over two days, and resulted in a loss to the Duchies of nearly 3,000 men. This was the first engagement of any moment since the sus pension of arms in July 1849. The Prohibited Marriages Bill withdrawn by the Earl of St. Germains. 26.-Baron Rothschild attempts to take his seat in the House of Commons, but withdraws on the refusal of the Speaker to swear him upon the Old Testament only. On the 30th he was sworn on the Old Testament, and continued taking the oath till he came to the words "on the true faith of a Christian," which he refused to take, and withdrew. Sir F. Thesiger then moved that a new writ be issued for the City of London; and Mr. Wood an amendment, that the representation was full. The latter was negatived by 221 to 117, and the former without a division. In the House of Lords, Lord Brougham criticises with great severity the Attorney General's refusal to file an application to the Court of Chancery for an injunction to stay proceeding with the proposed Exhibition building in Hyde Park. A committee of the Metropolitan Church Union having informed the Archbishop of Canterbury that they intend presenting him with an address requesting him not to proceed with the institution of Mr. Gorham, his Grace writes: "Your address proposes that I should assume to myself the authority of reversing the sentence of this (the legitimate) court, should refuse to do what the law requires of me, and should deny to Mr. Gorham a right to which, after a legal trial and examination, he is declared to be entitled. I submit to your committee, with all due deference, that I cannot consistently receive an address of which this is the purport; and I must therefore respectfully decline to name a time for ita presentation to me." In reply to a remon strance from the committee, the Primate again wrote: "Assuredly there are occasions, as you remind me, when it becomes a duty to obey God rather than man. But I beg to observe, that before any one takes upon himself the responsibility of contravening the law of man he ought to be very certain that in doing so he would be obeying God. Now nothing which I find in the law of God gives me reason to believe that I should be acting in conformity with His will if I refused Mr. Gorham admission to the cure of souls, on the ground of his hesitating to affirm the spiritual regeneration of every baptized child; and the will of God in this matter had need be very plainly declared before I could think myself justified in accusing Mr. Gorham of heresy, much more before I could assume the right of individually condemning him after the decision of the legitimate tribunal in his favour." 26.-The Commissioners of the Great Exhibition accept Messrs. Fox and Henderson's tender of 79,800/. for the erection of Mr. Paxton's design on the site selected by them in Hyde Park. The contractors obtained possession of the ground four days afterwards. 27.-County Mayo election terminates in favour of the Free-trade candidate, Mr. O'Higgins, who polled 141 votes; his opponent, Mr. Butt, 95. It was said there were not 25 more votes unpolled in the county, which had a population of about 300,000. 29.-Heard at Stafford Assizes the case of Bainbrigge v. Bainbrigge, raised to try the validity of a will alleged to have been made by an insane person, under circumstances of fraud. Thomas Bainbrigge, the testator, was a person of ancient family and large estates. Originally of polished taste and cultivated manners, an early disappointment in love affected his mind, and drove him into seclusion, a soured and slightly eccentric man. An illicit connexion with his housekeeper brought him a daughter, to whom he became much attached. The child was educated in a costly manner, and as she grew up was introduced to society and well received, as Miss Bainbrigge. At the age of thirteen, he made a will entailing his estates on her and her issue; but at sixteen she went astray with the coachman, to her father's excessive but not unrelenting indignation. A child was born in 1803, in her father's house, received the name of Marianne, and soon secured his eccentric affections. Two years later his daughter eloped with the son of a tenant on the estate, named Arnold, who was greatly disliked by Bainbrigge. He then made a fresh will, in which he cut off Mrs. Arnold, and resettled all his estates on her daughter Marianne. A fall from his horse at Derby increased his eccentricity at times to madness. He became careless in his personal habits, and encouraged his grand-daughter in language and conduct of the most depraved character. He tried on one occasion a horse which had offended him, sentenced it to transportation, but afterwards commuted the sentence to confinement in a dark room. Still, at the justices' meetings his brother magistrates were not able to discover anything so far irregular as to preclude him from taking part in the public business of the district. Matters continued in this way till the 15th June, 1818, when an excessive indulgence in brandy-drinking, to which he was addicted, brought him to his death-bed; and Mr. Blair, his solicitor, a man of high professional station and character, was sent for to make his will. This gentleman drew a testament which gave the reversion of the estates-to the prejudice of the testator's nephew and heir-at-law-to persons whom the testator had regarded with the utmost aversion; namely, after the death of his grand-daughter Marianne and her issue, to the sons of his daughter Mrs. Arnold. Marianne, like her mother, had run away at sixteen, and had two children; but she and her children were dead, and the question of succession now arose between the testator's heir-at-law and the family of the Arnolds, in whose favour the will had been made. It was declared by some of the attesting witnesses that the testator was never conscious from the day he took to his bed, on Monday the 15th of June, till his death on the next Saturday, and that Mr. Blair guided his hand to sign the will when he was in a state of dying stupor. Mr. Blair himself took advantages under the will, and the testator's relations were kept from seeing the deceased during the whole of his last illness. After the death, when the will was read over, the youngest brother of the deceased Captain, now Major-General, Bainbriggesaw the original full of blanks and pencil interlineations. When, after years of foreign service, he came home and went to Doctors' Commons, he found the original will so different a document in appearance, that he believed it to be one substituted for that which was read over to the relatives in 1818. On the other hand, respectable clerks, who were in Mr. Blair's employment when he drew the will, swore to having written the original document and to the identity of the original with the one now in Doctors' Commons. Lord Campbell's opinion in summing up was favourable to the good faith of Mr. Blair, and the validity of the will; but the verdict of the jury was in favour of the plaintiff, the heir-at-law. then 30.--Fall of the Brinthsway cotton mill, Stockport, causing the death of eleven people, several being women and children. 31.-Scene at Newcastle Assizes between Mr. Justice Wightman and the county justices, who refused to permit his lordship to pass through the room to consult with Justice Cresswell, while they were sitting transacting business. After a sharp altercation, the High Sheriff led Mr. Justice Wightman through the apartment. August 1.-Railway accident at Glasgow, in connexion with a special train conveying excursionists from Perth to the Highland and Agricultural Society's show. At Cowlairs the train was divided into two sections, one of which was sent down the tunnel, but brought to a stand after entering some little way, in consequence of another train in front. While in this position the second section came down at great speed, and dashed into the first, smashing two of the trucks occupied by the excursionists. Five people were killed on the spot, and many others injured. 1.-The Attorney-General submits two resolutions which had been framed to meet Baron Rothschild's case,--the first denying his right to vote or sit in the House till he had taken the oath of abjuration in the form appointed by law, and the second pledging the House to a measure of relief for the Jews next session. At the conclusion of an animated debate, on the 5th, the first was carried by 166 to 92, and the second by 142 to 106. Fire at the New Model Prison, Parkhurst, Isle of Wight, destroying one of the principal wings containing 200 cells. 2.-Lord Brougham censures the House of Lords for its deference to Royalty in the matter of the Exhibition site. "When I lately brought forward the subject, there was dead silence within your lordships' House, and dead silence also in the House of Commons, showing most painfully that absolute prostration of the understanding which takes place even in the minds of the bravest when the word 'Prince' is mentioned in this country." The learned exChancellor was engaged in another fracas the same evening, in connexion with his proposal for a revision of the Civil List. 4. The mediation of the King of Belgium between Great Britain and Spain is so far successful as to lead to-day to the renewal of diplomatic intercourse between the two countries. Lord Howden presented his credentials as Ambassador of her Majesty at the court of Madrid. 5.-Opening of the Great Northern Railway from Maiden-lane to Peterborough. 6.-In a highly characteristic speech in the House of Lords, Lord Brougham defends himself against the "slanderous" and scurrilous" attacks of the Daily News on his management of the appellate jurisdiction of the House. 10.-Died, aged 71, Vice-Chancellor Sir Lancelot Shadwell. 11.-Fire at Gravesend, destroying twentynine houses, mostly wood, in the High-street, and causing considerable damage to eleven others. Dr. Wiseman delivers an address in St. George's Cathedral, Westminster-road, previous to leaving for Rome to be raised to the dignity of Cardinal. 12. Louis Napoleon sets out on a tour through the southern provinces of the Republic. At Lyons the President's reception was peculiarly impressive, and the day spent there the most brilliant of the journey. 14.-Royal Assent given to a bill extending the jurisdiction of the County Courts to sums not exceeding 50l. The Public Libraries' Bill was passed at the same time, and a bill authorizing the erection of a National Gallery in Edinburgh. 15.-Parliament prorogued by the Queen in person. The Royal Speech made reference principally to the Acts just passed for the better government of Australia, for discontinuing interments within the metropolis, and for extending the Elective Franchise in Ireland. A bill to admit California as a member of the United States passes the Senate. 16. The Bishop of Exeter informs the churchwardens of Brampford-Speke that he cannot license another preacher to the parish, as that would be illegal, and subject the dioce san to punishment; but if it was found after experience that Mr. Gorham administered the rites of the Church in a heterodox manner, proceedings against him would then be instituted. Mdlle. Jenny Lind sings at Liverpool, being intercepted there by the Philharmonic Society, on her journey from the Continent to America. Disastrous floods in the country be tween Brussels and the French frontier. 17.-William Bennison executed at Edin burgh, for poisoning his wife with arsenic. The criminal was greatly celebrated for his "gift" in prayer; and when his wife had passed for ever from his cruel treatment, he thanked God that she had gone to glory! "I have seen many a death-bed," he said, "but never a pleasanter one than my wife's." - Cession of the Danish possessions on the coast of Africa to Great Britain. 18.-Died at his residence, Quartier Beaujon, Paris, Honoré de Balzac, novelist. 19. Died at Brighton, in his 81st year, Sir Martin Archer Shee, President of the Royal Academy. 22.-Synod of Roman Catholic prelates and clergy at Thurles, "to hold council together for the settling of controversies, the extirpation of heresies, the improvement of morals and discipline, and for devising and establishing whatever means can tend to the greater glory of God, the better education of the people, the peace and harmony of society, and the salvation of souls." They condemned the Queen's Colleges, and recommended the establishment of a Catholic University. A Peace Congress assembles at Frankfort. 25. Prussia informs the Austrian Cabinet of its refusal to join in the restricted Diet at Frankfort. 26.-Died at Claremont, in his 77th year, Louis Philippe, ex-king of the French. He was buried in the Roman Catholic chapel at Weybridge. Low mass was celebrated in the chapel of the Tuileries on the 5th. Sept. 27.-The Queen, Prince Albert, and Royal Family leave Osborne for Scotland by way of Castle Howard and Edinburgh to Balmoral. On their progress the Royal party made a formal opening of the High Level Bridge at Newcastle and the Border Railway Bridge at Berwick; and on the 30th, during the sojourn of the Court at Holyrood, Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the Scottish National Gallery. 28.-The submarine electric telegraph laid down between the English and French coasts. The points chosen were Shakespeare's Cliff, at Dover, and the opposite chalk headland at Cape Grisnez, midway between Calais and Boulogne. In settling down into the bed of the ocean the wire received injuries which for a time interrupted the communication. 31.-Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the state, study, discipline, and revenue of Oxford University. (See April 23, 1852.) September 1.-The delivery of letters on Sunday resumed at all post-offices. 2.-Died, aged 74, Sir Charles Watkin Williams Wynne, M.P. for Montgomeryshire, a politician of much influence in the House on questions of privilege and points of order. 4.-Attack on General Haynau at Barclay and Co.'s brewery. Presenting himself with some friends to inspect the premises, the labourers and draymen supplied themselves with brooms and mud, with which they belaboured "the Austrian butcher," and compelled him to retreat along the Bankside to the George publichouse. Here the attacking party were reinforced in large numbers, but all attempts made to discover the apartment in which the General was locked up failed. He was conveyed by a party of police across the river to Somerset House, and from thence in a cab to Morley's Hotel, and left England on the 6th for the Continent. This occurrence gave rise to a diplomatic correspondence between Austria and Great Britain, the Ambassador of the firstmentioned Power complaining of the insult offered to a distinguished subject of the Empire, and asking for the punishment of those concerned in the outrage. The Home Secretary explained the difficulty of proceeding in a Summary manner with the case, as General Haynau refused to make any distinct charge to the police at the time of its occurrence; and so far as inquiry afterwards was concerned, although the assistance of police had been offered to Barclay and Co., neither the originators of the attack nor even the most prominen* actors had been discovered. The correspondence was closed by the Austrian Ambassador expressing the intention of his Government to reserve to themselves "the right to consider in a similar case whether we should or should not act reciprocally towards British subjects in Austria." 4. Decree issued by the Emperor of Brazil, making the importation of slaves a piratical offence. 6. The municipal authorities of Cherbourg entertain the President on his northern tour, and invite a number of distinguished English naval officers to meet him. The President proposed as a toast "The City of Cherbourg." "I propose this toast in the presence of these distinguished strangers, now our guests. They can convince themselves of the fact, that if we desire peace it is not because we are weak, but from that community of interests and those sentiments of mutual esteem which bind together the two most civilized nations of the globe." These words were followed by repeated shouts of "Vive l'Empereur !" Vive Napoléon !" 8.-Died at Beaumaris, Chief Justice Doherty, of the Irish Court of Common Pleas, the opponent of O'Connell in the once famous Donervile conspiracy case. 9.-Lieut. Gale, aeronaut, killed in the neighbourhood of Bordeaux. He ascended on horseback from that place, and had reached the ground safely between Merignac and Cestas. He was engaged in exhausting the balloon of the remaining gas, when the peasantry who assisted him succeeded earlier than he seemed to expect in removing his horse. The balloon, disencumbered of the horse's weight, instantly soared aloft, snapping in two a young fir-tree which held the grapnel. Mr. Gale was not in the car, but got entangled in the ropes: he held on while the balloon floated nearly two miles, and dropped either with it or just before it fell. His body was found in a tree, and the collapsed balloon in an adjoining wood. 13.-Congress pass a Fugitive Slave Bill, permitting owners to follow them into free states, and making penal any assistance shown in their flight or opposition offered to their arrest. In further concession to the Southern States the free-soilers now agreed to reject the testimony of slaves in the courts of justice. 15. The Elector of Hesse-Cassel quits his capital in consequence of the refusal of his Diet to vote supplies without a budget. His Prime Minister, the Austrian agent Hassenpflug, secures for the King the support of the Frankfort Diet. Prussia moved her army to assist the Hessians. 16.-Explosion of a firework factory in Weaver-street, Spitalfields, destroying the premises, damaging thirty-eight adjoining houses, and injuring a number of operatives employed in the factory. Ac. Affray between Lord Brougham and a body of watchers, on the river Eamont. (309) |