29.-Preparatory to the march of the army of the Indus into Affghanistan, the GovernorGeneral makes a ceremonial visit to Runjeet He afterSingh at the camp, Ferozepore. wards accompanied "the Lion of Lahore" to his capital. The Bengal army now at Ferozepore consisted of about 9,500 men of all arms. The levy raised for the immediate service of Shah Soojah was then passing through Ferozepore. It comprised two regiments of cavalry, four regiments of infantry, and a troop of horse Runjeet's artillery; in all about 6,000 men. troops were to advance on Cabul from Peshawur As it was designed through the Khyber Pass. to deal a blow at the Ameers of Scinde in passing, the Company's troops were to proceed in a south-westerly direction through the territories of Bahwulpore, crossing near Subzulkote the frontier of Scinde, striking down to the banks of the Indus, and crossing the river at Bukkur. It then took a north-westerly course, passing through Shikarpoor, Bhag, and Dadur to the mouth of the Bolan Pass; thence through the Pass to Quettah, and from Quettah through the Kojuck to Candahar. The troops were under the command of Sir John Keane, CommanderThe crossing of the in-chief of the forces. army at Bukkur was ineffectually opposed by Meer Roostum. 30.-Queen Pomaré and the chiefs of Tahiti send a letter to Queen Victoria, praying for the assistance and protection of England against the encroachments of French residents on the islands under her sway. - The French Government refusing to raise a blockade which they had laid on the port of Vera Cruz to enforce compensation for injuries said to have been inflicted on French subjects, Mexico makes a declaration of war against that Power. Lord Durham lands at Plymouth from Quebec. Replying to an address presented next day by the Mayor of Devonport, his lordship said: "What relates to myself is of no importance when compared with the interests of your fellow-subjects, the inhabitants of To the furtherance of Eritish North America. those interests I have publicly and solemnly declared that I would devote myself with singleness of purpose, and independently of all party considerations in this country. I am glad of an opportunity, at the very moment of Landing in England, to repeat that pledge. The necessity for this course is well understood by the people of British America, and will, before long, be also comprehended by the people of England; involving as it does the very existence of British supremacy all over the world, and the efficicnt maintenance or weak abandonment of that national policy which is expressed by the words 'Ships, Colonies, and Commerce." December 1.-Sir William Molesworth writes to his constituents from Devonport : and careful reflection, and the information that 4.-Fracas in the Tuileries garden between Disturbance at Canton, resulting in the stoppage of all trade. The Chinese authorities declined negotiation until the opium traffic was abolished. 5.-A woman performed penance at the door of Walton Church, by order of the Ecclesiastical Court, for defaming the character of a neighbour. 7.-John Millie, clerk in the Newcastle Savings Bank, found murdered in his office, and Archibald Bolam, actuary of the bank, discovered in the same room, apparently insensible and slightly injured. Bolam, on recovering, sought to fix the crime upon a rough-spoken man who attacked them both, intending to rob the bank; but at the inquest the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against himself. 12.-Sir Herbert Jenner gives judgment in the case of Breeks v. Woolfrey (see Nov. 19). "It appears," said the learned judge, "that the whole question turned upon the point whether praying for the dead was necessarily connected with the Romish doctrine of Purgatory, so as to make them inseparable. It was the doctrine of Purgatory that the Articles of the Church denounced; and beyond the Articles the Court could not go. It was necessary, therefore, to inquire what was the Romish doctrine of Purgatory,' The judge then went into a learned history of the origin and progress of the doctrine; and came to the conclusion that it was not introduced till the year 593, whilst the practice of praying for the dead prevailed at a much earlier period. He quoted the works of Jeremy Taylor, the formula of Henry the Eighth, the Book of Common Prayes promuigated by Edward the Sixth, and other documents, to prove that prayers for the dead had been duly authorized by the Protestant Church of England. There could, therefore, be no doubt that prayers for the dead were not considered as part of the Romish doctrine of Purgatory, by the fathers of the English Reformed Church. It was, however, against that doctrine that the 22d Article, chiefly reIt was urged that the lied on, was directed. (31) 35th Article, which set forth certain homilies as containing good and wholesome doctrine, was decisive against prayers for the dead; for the Homily No. 7, it was alleged, designated such prayers as erroneous. But though erroneous, they were not denounced as unlawful; and on this head also he was of opinion, that there had been no violation of the Articles of the Church of England. It was again maintained, that the words "It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead," were not those used in the English version of Maccabees: but then, he considered the main point to be, not whether they were according to the Romish or Protestant version, but whether they were consistent with the latter, and not The opposed to the doctrine of the Church. citation was also defective: it ought to have stated that the tombstone was erected without the consent of the Vicar; and the defendant might have been prepared with an answer to The what was a distinct and separate offence. citation was insufficient to raise that point. On this last head, therefore, the "articles were also inadmissible," and must be dismissed with costs. 12.-Royal proclamation issued, warning justices that great numbers of evil-disposed and disorderly persons have lately, in some parts of Great Britain, assembled themselves together after sunset, by torch-light, in large bodies and in a tumultuous manner, with banners, flags, and other ensigns, and have continued so assembled until a late hour of the night, and during the time they were so assembled have by loud shouts and noises, and by the discharge of fire-arms and the display of weapons of offence, greatly alarmed the inhabitants of the neighbourhood of such assemblies, and endangered the public peace." 14. Sir John Colborne, G. C. B., gazetted as Governor General, Vice Admiral, and Captain-General of all her Majesty's Provinces within and adjacent to the Continent of North America. 15. The Earl of Durham declines to receive a deputation from the Westminster Reform Association, on the ground that the body they represented, as appeared from their public meeting, merely wanted to use the influence of his name for their own ends. planations made by the office-bearers of the society led to the address being afterwards forwarded to Lord Durham. Ex 19. Came on in the Court of Queen's Bench, the case of Conroy v. Lawson, a prosecution for a libel which appeared in the Times The article imnewspaper of March 9th. puted to "a certain newly-created Baronet, attached to the household of the Duchess of Kent," mismanagement of the concerns of her Royal Highness, who had accumulated a debt of 80,000l., towards the silent discharge of which debt Parliament had voted an annuity of 30,000l. Disrespectful conduct to William IV. was insinuated against the "Baronet ;" 66 who, it was said, wished to have been sent Ambassador to Sweden, but the Queen refused to give him the opportunity of exhibiting his respectful" manners to the King of Sweden. And then came the two following paragraphs, in which the pith of the offence lay :-"Should he quit his present position, we ask, where are talents to be found capable of applying a due portion of the 30,000l. to the liquidation of the 80,000l., and who can so well understand wiping off as he who has chalked on? There is another matter also worth notice. There is a certain estate in Wales, purchased and paid for not long ago. If any public inquiry should take place whence the money for the payment came, who so competent to answer the question as the Baronet?" For the defendant, Sir John Campbell said that nothing like fraud was insinuated against Sir John Conroy, and that he ought to have presented himself in court for cross-examination if he wished to exonerate himself from the rumours in circulation. The jury returned a verdict against the defendant, and Lord Denman sentenced him to pay a fine of 2007, and suffer imprisonment for one month. 20.-Meeting in King-street, Manchester, for considering measures to be adopted to secure the total and immediate repeal of the Corn Laws. This was the beginning of the AntiCorn-Law League agitation, the Manchester Chamber of Commerce adopting a petition today against the monopolists. The second centenary of the famous Assembly of 1638 celebrated at Glasgow by a banquet in the Trades Hall. 26. The Tory party defeated in all the Birmingham wards at the first municipal election under the new charter of incorporation. Mr. William Scholefield was elected the first mayor. 27.-Apprehension, near Manchester, of Stephens, a Wesleyan preacher, and one of the most violent agitators against the New Poor Law. At the examination it was shown that he had repeatedly denounced people by name, and sought to incite the crowds who followed him to acts of destruction. One witness said he told the people to get guns and pikes, and have them ready over their chimney-pieces. When the grand attack was to be made, they were to go to the factories with a dagger in one hand and a torch in the other. He also talked about tarring and feathering one person, and sending him as a present to the Poor Law Commissioners. Stephens was liberated on bail, and soon afterwards addressed a meeting of 5,000 at Ashton-under-Lyne, declaring that with the aid of a rural police the Poor Law Commissioners intended to destroy all children above the number of three born of poor people. 31.-The Polish leader Skrzynezki made a Belgian general, but dismissed at the instance of Austria and Prussia. 1839. January 1.-The Earl of Norbury shot when walking in the shrubbery near his own house, Kilbeggan, county of Meath. The assassin was seen to escape, but in the confusion managed to elude his pursuers; nor was his identity ever ascertained. A statement current at the time, that the ground from which the shot was fired showed the print of a well-made boot, gave rise to much wild speculation as to the person and motive of the murderer. A reward of 1,000l. with an annuity of 100l. was offered for his discovery. 2. A correspondent of the Times mentions that the authorities of London University having intimated they could no longer tolerate the absurd and indecent mummeries of animal magnetism, Dr. Elliotson had tendered his resignation. 7.-Violent hurricane experienced over the kingdom generally, but most destructive on the west coast and in Ireland. The Pennsylvania, St. Andrew's, Lockwood, and many other vessels wrecked, with great loss of life. The Edinburgh and Carlisle mail coach blown off the road near Selkirk. In Liverpool and neighbourhood, about 100 lives were lost; and throughout the south of Scotland most of the towns presented the appearance of having suffered a severe cannonading. The wooden roadway of the Menai bridge was torn up and carried away by the fury of the tempest. The anemometer of the Birmingham Philosophical Institution showed that the pressure had risen from 2 lbs. per foot on Saturday night to 30lbs. per foot on Monday morning. - The French Academy reports on the invention of M. Daguerre, by which the pictures of the camera lucida are rendered permanent. 10. The magistrates of King's County meet in the Court-house of Tullamore to take into consideration the disturbed state of the country, particularly with reference to the murder of the Earl of Norbury. Lengthy political speeches were delivered by Lord Oxmantown, who presudied, and Lord Charleville. Resolutions expressive of "horror and indignation" at the murder, and of condolence with Lord Norbury's family under "this dreadful and awful calamity" were passed unanimously. In acknowleiging receipt of the resolution, the LordLieutenant caused Mr. Secretary Drummond to write: "While his Excellency is disposed to make allowance for the excited feelings produced by the recent melancholy occurrence, he cannot but lament that a body of magistrates, called together as such, and presided over by the lord-lieutenant of their county, should have so tar forgotten the object of their meeting as to convert it into a display of political feeling; and his Excellency believes that those who took a prominent part in the proceedings will, when they return to the exercise of their cooler judgment, perceive that the intemperate course which they have pursued is ill-calculated to promote the professed object of the meeting, or to lessen those social evils the existence of which they deplore." 11.-Earthquake at Martinique, almost entirely destroying Fort Royal. 13.-Duel between Lord Londonderry and Mr. Grattan. Shots were exchanged without effect. 14. Commenced in the Court of Queen's Bench, the arguments of counsel in the case of the twelve Canadian prisoners brought from Liverpool, where they were in custody of the gaoler, to London, on writs of habeas corpus granted by Mr. Justice Littledale. For the prisoners it was contended, that there had been no legal conviction; that it was an old-established maxim of law that no man could suffer punishment by his own consent, or by contract; and the authority to inflict punishment must be derived, not from the prisoner's consent, but from undoubted law; that in the case of the prisoners, the Governor of Upper Canada had no such authority; that the privilege of pardon in cases of high treason and murder was expressly denied to Colonial Governors, and retained for the Sovereign; that it would be most impolitic to empower a Colonial Governor to make bargains with prisoners, to impose conditions of commutation of punishment; that such a contract was illegal; that the Governor of Upper Canada, who could not transport a prisoner to Bermuda, or to Calcutta, had no authority to send him to Van Diemen's Land; that even supposing the power to transport existed, the transportation had not been legally conducted, inasmuch as the prisoners had been transferred first to the Sheriff of Quebec, and then to the gaoler at Liverpool, neither of whom had power to detain them; and the Governor of Lower Canada took upon himself to forward the prisoners to England, though possessing no legal authority over them. Lord Denman delivered the decision of the Judges on the 21st, affirming the right of a single Judge in vacation to issue writs of habeas corpus, but on the other points was hostile to the prisoners. The Court was of opinion, that in passing the law by which the prisoners' sentence was commuted by their own consent from death to transportation, the Legislature of Upper Canada had not exceeded its powers; and that the officers of the Government, in carrying the sentence of transportation into effect, had not transgressed the law except in one instance, where the name of the prisoner was not inserted in the mandatory part of the return. 15.-An extreme Chartist party being anxious to force on the question of Universal Suffrage in preference to the Corn Laws, Feargus O'Connor made an unsuccessful attempt to-day at the Leeds meeting to carry a resolution: "That we consider all restrictions upon the importa tion of foreign grain as unjust in principle and injurious in its effects; nevertheless we are of opinion that no salutary alteration can be made in the present system until those for whose benefit the change is contemplated shall have a voice in the choice of those Representatives to whom shall be entrusted the power of preventing the recurrence of so great an evil as the present Corn Law." At Birmingham the Chartists were successful in carrying their resolution in opposition to the Anti-Corn-Law party who had called the meeting. 15.-A Special Commission opened at Clonmel for the trial of various persons charged with murder, and other Whiteboy offences. 18. Three lives lost on the ice at Duddingstone Loch, Edinburgh. 19. The Sultan refusing to fulfil his engagements regarding the cession of Aden, the place is bombarded and taken to-day by a naval and military force under Captain H. Smith, of the Volage. This was the first occasion in which her Majesty's forces by sea and land were engaged in warfare together. 20. The Chilians defeat the Peruvians under Santa Cruz, at Yungay. 21.-Anti-Corn-Law meeting at Manchester, attended by many members of Parliament and extensive manufacturers.-Writing to-day to his Stroud constituents, Lord John Russell said: "I gave my support to the Bill of 1829, considering it an improvement on the former prohibitory system; but it is my opinion that a moderate fixed duty would be more advantageous, not only to trade and manufactures, but likewise to agriculture, than our present fluctuating scale. It is desirable not to alter too frequently the laws by which the direction of capital and the channels of industry are regulated; but it is also desirable not to maintain a system of duties which, as experience has shown, increases the high prices of dear years to the consumer, and depresses the low prices of cheap years to the producer. I give you this as my individual opinion; but it is one which I shall be ready to support by my vote in the House of Commons.' February 1.-Case of Lady Flora Hastings. Lord Melbourne informs Sir James Clark, M.D., that a communication has been made by Lady Tavistock respecting Lady Flora Hastings (in the Duchess of Kent's household), whose appearance had given rise to a suspicion in the Falace that she might have been privately married. Sir James stated, that while deprecating such suspicions he was bound to admit that Lady Flora's appearance in some degree countenanced them, but would not venture to give an opinion without more ample means of observation than she had permitted. On the 16th Sir James acquaints Lady Flora with the existing suspicions, when she stated that for these suspicions there was not the slightest ground. "After the interview with Lady Flora, it remained for me," writes Sir James Clark, "to communicate what had passed to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. I therefore informed Lady Flora that I was going to her Royal Highness for that purpose: to the propriety of this Lady Flora immediately assented. accordingly went to the Duchess of Kent, and stated the nature of the interview I had had with Lady Flora. Her Royal Highness immediately expressed her entire disbelief of anything injurious to Lady Flora's character, and she asked me my opinion. However reluctant I felt to express any doubts on the subject after Lady Flora's declaration, I could not decline giving a conscientious reply to her Royal Highness's question; and I answered to the effect that the suspicions I previously entertained were not removed. In the course of the evening of the day on which I made the communication to Lady Flora Hastings, I received a note from her Ladyship, of which the following is a copy-Saturday.-Sir, although I think you perfectly understood me this morning, that I did not wish you to take any steps without hearing from me, it is perhaps better to obviate the possibility of any mistake that I should distinctly say so. I shall be governed entirely by her Royal Highness's wishes and orders. Yours sincerely, FLORA ELIZ. HASTINGS.' I heard nothing more on the subject till the afternoon of the following day (Sunday, February 17th), when I received another note from Lady Flora, of which the following is a copy-Sir, by her Royal Highness's command, I have written to ask Sir Charles Clarke to name an hour this afternoon to come to me. He has answered my note by coming, and is now here. Could you come and meet him?Yours sincerely, F. E. HASTINGS.'-On receiving this note, I immediately went to Lady Flora, and found Sir Charles with her Ladyship. He stated to me, in Lady Flora's presence, as part of the conversation he had had with her, that he urged her, if there were any grounds for the suspicions entertained, to admit the fact now, as after the examination it would be too late. After this conversation, Lady Flora requested that Lady Portman might be called in. On her arrival, Lady Flora retired to her chamber, where her maid was in attend ance. After Sir Charles Clarke had made an examination, he returned with me to the sittingroom, and stated, as the result, that there could be no pregnancy; but at the same time he expressed a wish that I also should make an examination. This I at first declined, stating it to be unnecessary; but, on his earnestly urging me to do so, I felt that a further refusal might be construed into a desire to shrink from a share of the responsibility, and I accordingly yielded. After finally consulting, we gave the following certificate:- Buckingham Palace, 17th February, 1839.-We have examined with great care the state of Lady Flora Hastings, with a view to determine the existence or Don-existence of pregnancy, and it is our opinion, although there is an enlargement of the stomach, that there are no grounds for suspicion that pregnancy does exist, or ever did exist.-(Signed) CHARLES M. CLARKE, M.D.; JAMES CLARK, M.D.'-Before parting with Lady Flora, both Sir Charles Clarke and myself pressed upon her Ladyship the expediency of her appearing on that day at table as usual." 3.-Kurrachee bombarded and taken by the British 4.-The Baptist missionaries of Jamaica address the Governor on the willingness of the blacks to work, if reasonable wages are given, and describe their own sect as distinguished in the island by "the misrepresentations and calumnies of unreasonable and wicked men." 5.-Parliament opened by the Queen in person. The attendance of Peers and Peeresses both in the body of the House and in the strangers' gallery was observed to be unusually numerous. Referring to the engagements with Affghanistan, "events," said her Majesty in the Royal Speech, "have induced the GovernorGeneral of India to take measures for protecting British interests in that quarter of the world, and to enter into engagements the fulfilment of which may render military operations necessary." Regarding Canada, it was with deep concern her Majesty acquainted "my Lords and Gentlemen" that "the province of Lower Canada has again been disturbed by insurrection, and hostile incursions have been made into Upper Canada by certain lawless inhabitants of the United States of America." The Speech contained the following allusion to the Chartist agitation:-"I have observed with pain the persevering efforts which have been made in some parts of the country to excite my subjects to disobedience and resistance to the law, and to recommend dangerous and illegal practices. For the counteraction of all such designs I depend upon the efficacy of the law, which it will be my duty to enforce, upon the good sense and right disposition of my people, upon their attachment to the principles of justice, and their abhorrence of violence and disorder." The measures promised to be brought forward related to Irish municipal corporations, the Ecclesiastical Commission, and law reform. In the debate on the Address in the Lords, Lord Brougham made a bitter attack on O'Connell, for insinuating at a public meet ing in Dublin that Lord Norbury had been assassinated by his own son.-The Member for Dublin retaliated in the Commons. He despised the malignity of the attack, and sought to demonstrate its falsehood. "I admit," he said, "I should ask myself what right I have to complain when even maiden modesty cannot protect her who holds the highest station in the empire from the obscene slanders of those who have dared to pollute her name by coupling it with an insinuation too base to mention. The sycophant of one monarch and the slanderer of another, I admit that a charge coming from so foul and polluted a source is best treated when it is despised. He may call himself the Friend of the People;' he may be the enemy of the Throne: I don't envy him the notoriety which he has acquired in either character."-An amendment on the Address in the Commons relating to the im. proved representation of the people, moved by Mr. Duncombe, was negatived by 426 to 86 9.-Discovery of the Balleny Islands, a group of five, in lat. 66° 22′ of the Antarctic circle. 11.-Lord Durham's report on the affairs of British North America, with accompanying correspondence, laid on the table of the House of Lords by Lord Melbourne. The late High Commissioner described at great length, and with admitted ability, the contest between the French and English races in Lower Canada, their utter incompatibility of character and implacable hatred of each other; noticed the struggle which had so long existed between the House of Assembly and the Executive Government, the complicated distraction of Upper Canada, and the evils still unremedied, grievances unredressed, and abuses unreformed at this hour. The concluding portion of the Report was occupied with the consideration and suggestion of remedial measures, the first of which was the early restoration of the Union of the Canadas-one Province with one Legislature." 12.-Lord John Russell announces the intention of Government to constitute a Board of Education, consisting of five Privy Councillors, and to place at its disposal from 20,000/ to 30,000l. per annum for aid to schools. This scheme was abandoned later in the session, and the National Society and British and Foreign Bible Society allowed to divide between them such grant as was given. (See June 3.) 14. In the Court of Queen's Bench, Barnard Gregory, of the Satirist, was found guilty of a libel on Mrs. Hogg, the wife of the M.P. for |