That faults which did much more harm than any fault of style can do. But I beg the House to observe this, that an error which produces the most serious consequences may not necessarily prove that the man who has committed it is not a very wise man; and that, on the other hand, an error which directly produces no important consequence, may prove the man who has committed it to be quite unfit for public trust." Speaking of the Opposition, Sir Robert Peel said: "You are continually occupied in asking the question, "What next?' in connexion with Lord Ellenborough's acts. was the sole occupation of Lord Ellenborough for four or five months after he reached India ; and that was your doing. He landed at Madras on the 15th April, in full dependence upon your statements of the condition of that country-in full dependence upon the information furnished him by his predecessors in office. He landed, and the first thing he hears is that there is an insurrection at Cabul; that the representatives of her Majesty, Sir William Macnaghten and Sir Alexander Burnes, have been murdered; and that there are strong doubts entertained of the safety of the British army in Affghanistan. What next? He proceeds to Calcutta; and what does he hear there? He there hears for the first time of the order issued by his predecessor in the government to evacuate Affghanistan with as little discredit as possible. He then repairs to Benares and what next? At Benares he hears the tremendous news that not only had we lost all military power in Affghanistan, but that the spirit of the native army had been so weakened and depressed as to render its recovery almost impossible. At Benares he hears the facts which caused Major-General Pollock to write this letter to Captain Macgregor (Sir Robert Peel here read a note dated 12th March, 1842, describing General Pollock's helpless condition in Peshawur, unable to advance to the relief of General Sale, because he wanted reinforcements, and because four regiments of Native troops were in a state of panic and consequent disaffection.)-What next? On the 17th April he hears of the failure of General England in the Bolan Pass. What next? He hears that Ghuznee has fallen; that it is no longer in our possession; that the barony of Ghuznee has no longer any territorial connexion with the title. These were the questions that Lord Ellenborough had to ask from day to day; these are the questions that he had to consider during a period of four or five months, daily and hourly." The Premier closed his speech by remarking, that it would give a ten times more fatal blow to religion than anything in the injudicious proclamation, if party hostility to Lord Ellenborough were cloaked under that sacred garb. On a division the motion was negatived by 242 to 157 votes. A motion in the Upper House expressing disapprobation of the proclamation was rejected by 83 to 25. : 10. Dr. Chalmers writes that, as convener of the Financial Committee of the Non-intrusion party, he is prepared to recommend an equal distribution of the funds collected in aid of the Free Presbyterian Church. 10.-Count Mariano Alberti convicted at Rome for fabricating manuscripts purporting to have been written by Tasso. - James Stevenson, a Cameronian enthu siast, who had travelled from Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, examined at the Mansion-house, on the charge of using threatening language regarding the Queen and Sir Robert Peel. From the conversation which took place be tween the prisoner and the Lord Mayor, the unfortunate man appeared to have gone crazy on the subject of the Kirk. At an early hour this morning earthquake shocks are reported to have been felt throughout the north of England and the south of Scotland. 13.-The acquittal of McNaughten on the plea of insanity having drawn public attention to the present state of the law bearing on pleas of that description, the Lord Chancellor states his intention of introducing a bill on the subject during the present session. 14. Mr. Ward's motion for an inquiry into the peculiar burdens affecting the land rejected by 232 to 133 votes; and an amendment by Mr. Bankes, directing the attention of the House to the unconstitutional operations of the League, negatived without a division. 15.-The Anti-Corn Law League renew their weekly meetings in Drury-lane Theatre. 16. The Town Council of Glasgow pass a vote of censure on the Lord Provost (Sir James Campbell), for advising the Government to bring in a general Police Bill for the city, instead of supporting the three local bills prepared under the sanction of the Council. 17. In the Prerogative Court, Sir Herbert Jenner Fust decides against the validity of three codicils to Lord Hertford's will; bequeathing his house in the Regent's Park, certain pictures, and stock to the Countess de Zichy Ferraris and 100,000 dollars, in United States Bank stock, to Mr. J. Wilson Croker. The codicil were unattested, but assumed to be rendered valid by one of later date. 19. Sir John Herschel gives an account o a comet presently passing through our system The tail only could yet be seen, as a VIVI luminous streak about thirty degrees in length 21.-Died, at his residence, Keswick, age 69, Robert Southey, D. C. L., Poet Laureate. A special meeting of the Commission o the General Assembly held in Edinburgh, wher a minute is agreed to, stating that in the cir cumstances the Commission "deem it incumben upon them to announce to the Church and to the country, as they now do with the utmost pain and sorrow, that the decisive rejection of the Church's claims by the Government and b Parliament appears to them conclusive of the present struggle, and that, in the judgment of the Commission, nothing remains but to make immediate preparations for the new state of things, which the Church must, so far as they can see, contemplate as inevitable." 21.-Lord Falmerston draws the attention of the House to the terms of the Ashburton treaty, or capitulation, as he called it. Sir Robert Peel explains that the papers moved for could not be produced at the present time without detriment to the public interest. The motion was therefore withdrawn on the 23d. 24.-Major-General Napier writes from Dubba to Lord Ellenborough: "The forces under my command marched from Hyderabad this morning at daybreak. About half-past 8 o'clock we discovered and attacked the army under the personal command of Meer Shere Mahomed, consisting of about 20,000 men of all arms, strongly posted behind one of the large nullahs by which this country is intersected in all directions. After a combat of about three hours the enemy was wholly defeated with considerable slaughter, and the loss of all his standards and cannon. At the Nenagh Assizes the Rev. John Mahon, priest of Tornavera, was examined as a witness in the trial of two men named Larkin and Gleeson, charged with shooting at Patrick Tierney, when he admitted having denounced Tierney in the chapel, on the morning of the day on which the attack was made. 29.-Numerous Presbytery meetings held roughout Scotland on this day, when the Non-intrusionists withdraw from the Moderates, and send up separate lists of ministers and elders for the ensuing General Assembly. April 1.-Augustus Sintzennich attempts to at the Rev. Mr. Hayden, in St. Paul's Cathedral, during the afternoon service. The pistol missed fire, and was almost instantly taken possession of, when it was found to conan a charge of powder and five shots. Sintich, who was thought to be insane at the me, was at once seized. 4-At the election for Durham city Lord Dungannon, Conservative, is returned by a majority of 101 over Mr. Bright, of the League. 5-The police make a sudden descent upon the Dublin gaming-houses, and lodge most of the proprietors and frequenters in prison. Fines varying in amount were afterwards inflicted. - The public accounts for the quarter ending to-day still show a deficiency, in certain branches of revenue, but not to such an alarming extent as those of 31st December last. In the Customs the decrease was 275,5167. and in the Excise 1,788. The income-tax collected for the quarter amounted to 1,885,232/., making up a nett increase on the quarter's returns of 1,748,945%. 6.-William Wordsworth gazetted Poet Laureate to her Majesty. Mr. Charles Buller introduces, but withdraws after debate, a motion for an address to the Queen, praying that extensive and systematic colonization might be rendered available for augmenting the resources of the kingdom, giving additional employment to capital and labour and thereby bettering the condition of the people. 7.-Explosion at Stormont Main Colliery, near Newcastle, and loss of twenty-seven lives. The House of Lords pass a resolution approving of the Ashburton Treaty as advantageous and honourable to both parties. Wreck of the Solway, one of the West India mail-steamers, on a rock twenty miles west of Corunna. Captain Duncan, with about thirty of the passengers and crew, perished in the ship. 12.-William Sharman charged with attempting to bribe Lord Monteagle, by enclosing 5. in a letter to him, requesting an appointment in the Custom-house or Post-office. As the appointment was not made, Sharman raised an action to recover the amount; but the Commissioners now intimated that instead of inflicting any further punishment they would simply order the 51. to be paid over to the Exchequer Fund, as conscience-money. 13.-Explosion in Waltham powder-mill, when nearly the whole of the works were destroyed, there being over 2,000 lbs. in each of the two departments blown up. Seven lives were lost. 19. The defeated Ameers of Scinde arrive as captives in Bombay, on board H. M. sloop Nimrod. 21.-Died at Kensington Palace, aged 70, Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, and uncle to the Queen. 24. At Sunderland, a sailor named Ferry, who a few days before had escaped from the lunatic asylum at Gateshead Fell, murders his wife and two children, by attacking them with a fire-shovel. 25. This morning, at five minutes past 4, the Queen was safely delivered of a daughter, the Princess Alice Maud Mary. incendiary, an investigation was going on before the Island authorities regarding the murder of the captain by the second mate. 27. Funeral of the Duke of Sussex. The remains, followed by a procession of about a mile in length, were interred in Kensal Green Cemetery. The purchase of arms throughout Ireland being greatly on the increase of late, Lord Eliot obtains leave to bring in a bill relative to their manufacture, importation, and registration. Numerous meetings in Ireland this month, regarding the withdrawal by Government of a contract for mail coaches from an Irish manufactory. May 1.-An anonymous person writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that while he had made a true income-tax return on his legitimate trade, he had been for some time engaged in smuggling, and begged to hand over 14,000/., the profits of three years' transactions in that way, as conscience-money. 2.-The number of petitions presented up to this date against the Factory Bill amounted to 11,611, bearing 1,757,297 signatures. The petitioners were mainly Dissenters, who objected to the educational clauses of the bill. Mr. Hume's motion expressing approval of the Ashburton Treaty as alike honourable and advantageous, carried by a majority of 238 to 96. Paris and Orleans Railway opened. 5. Sir Robert Peel introduces his scheme for relieving the spiritual wants of the kingdom, by the endowment of additional ministers and the augmentation of small livings. He proposed to authorize the advance of 600,000l. by the Bounty Board to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, on the security of certain revenues of the Ecclesiastical Fund; this advance, to the extent of 30,000l. a year, to be used, not in the erection of churches, for which private liberality would be sufficient, but solely for the endowment of ministers. 8.-An association of noblemen and officers in both branches of the service formed to suppress duelling as sinful and irrational. The Chancellor of the Exchequer introduces the annual Budget. The estimates for the bygone year showed a deficiency of 750,000/. in Customs, and 1,200,000/. in Excise, against which, however, there was to be placed 2,580,000l. of uncollected Income-tax. The total revenue for the ensuing year was estimated at 50,150,000l., and the expenditure at 49,387,6457. 9. Mr. Villiers introduces his annual motion on the subject of the Corn Law, which after five nights' debate is negatived by a majority of 381 to 125. On the last night of the discussion Mr. Cobden, departing from his usual style of showing the evil effects of the system on manu. facturing interests, carried the war into the enemy's country by showing that the laws injured the farmer. "The farmers," he said, 46 are now disposed utterly to distrust everybody who promises them anything; and the very reason they are ready to look on us with friendly eyes is that we never promised them anything. We tell them distinctly that legislation can do nothing for them. It is a fraud. They must never allow bargaining for loaves and rent to be mixed up with politics. They must deal with their landlords as with their wheelwrights and saddlers, with a view to busi ness, and business alone. Those who are most rampant for Protection are the landlords of the worst-farmed land, the Members for Wilts, Dorset, Sussex, Somersetshire, and Devon. shire and why is it so? Not because the tenants are inferior to those elsewhere-Eng. lishmen are much the same anywhere; but the reason is, there are political landlords-men who will not give their tenants leases but with a view to general elections. 9.-In answer to Lord Jocelyn, Sir Robert Peel states the intentions of Government with reference to the Repeal demonstration now being made in Ireland. There was no influence, he said, power, or authority, which the preroga tives of the Crown and existing laws give to Ministers, that would not be exercised for the purpose of maintaining the Union. An Executive Government can lose nothing of moral or real strength by confiding as long as possible in the ordinary powers which the law and constitution give them; but if the neces sity should arise for further powers, he should without an instant's hesitation appeal to Parlia ment. "I am also prepared to make, in my place here, the declaration which was made, and nobly made, by my predecessor-I mean Lord Althorpe-that, deprecating as I do all war, but above all civil war, yet there is no alternative which I do not think preferable to the dismemberment of this empire." 11.—At a meeting of the Repeal Association in Dublin, O'Connell denounces the Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Brougham, and others, for their vindictive hatred of Ireland, and promises that when her Majesty visits her Irish subjects she will hear of nothing but Repeal from one end of the country to the other. 12.-Died, Lord Fitzgerald and Vesey, President of the Board of Control. He was suc ceeded by the Earl of Ripon. 13. In the Court of Exchequer, a jury give a verdict of 4,500l. damages against Hure and Vidil, glass importers, Old Jewry; and of 6,000l. against Candy & Co., silk importers Watling-street, for illegally defrauding the Board of Customs, through the aid of officer appointed to inspect the imports. (See May 22. Singular accident to Mr. Brunel, en gineer. While amusing the children of a friend by seeming to pass a half-sovereign into his mouth and out at his ear, it suddenly slipped, and became lodged in the trachea. Various efforts we made to extract it, but they proved availing, and surgical aid was called in. Various consultations took place among the most eminent professional men, and an appaatus was constructed for inverting the body of the patient in order that the weight of the coin might assist the natural effort to expel it by wighing. The first attempt in this way failed, at to-day, on being again inverted, Mr. Brunel felt the coin quit its place on the right side of the chest, and in a few seconds it dropped from smouth, without causing distress or even inconvenience. 15.-Given at the Court of St. James's, her Majesty's letter to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. "The faith of our Crown," it went on, "is pledged to uphold you in the full enjoyment of every privilege which you can justly claim; but you will bear in mind that the rights and property of an Established Church are conferred by law; it is by law that the Church of Scotland is united with the State, and that her endowments are secured; and the ministers of religion, claiming the sanction of law in defence of their privileges, are specially bound by their sacred calling to be examples of obedience. The Act ratifying the Confession of Faith, and settling Presbyterian Church governrent in Scotland, was adopted at the Union, and is now the Act of the British Parliament. The settlement thus fixed cannot be annulled by the will or declaration of any number of individuals. Those who are dissatisfied with the terms of this settlement may renounce it for themselves, but the union of the Church of Setland with the State is indissoluble, while Statutes remain unaffected which recognise the Presbyterian Church as the Church established by law within the kingdom of Scotland." The document was signed by Sir James Graham. 18. Mr. Roebuck's motion in favour of secular education, rejected by 156 to 60 votes. Disruption in the Church of Scotland. -day the anxiously anticipated Assembly menced its sittings in Edinburgh. Shortly ure 1 o'clock Divine service was commenced a the High Church, and a sermon preached by Welsh, the retiring Moderator, who took his text the words, "Let every man be fly persuaded in his own mind.' On the cecision of the services the Assembly adComed to St. Andrew's Church, fitted up as Temporary Hall of Assembly. The retiring derator took the chair about 3 o'clock. Soon afterwards the Lord High Commissioner, Marquis of Bute, was announced, and e whole assemblage received him standing. Prayer was then offered up. On the members reaming their seats, Dr. Welsh rose. By the eager pressure forward," writes the historian of the "Ten Years' Conflict," who was present, "the Hush!, hush!' that burst from so many lips-the anxiety to hear threatened to defeat itself. The disturbance lasted but a moment. 'Fathers and brethren,' said Dr. Welsh--and now every syllable fell upon the ear amid the breathless silence which prevailed-' according to the usual form of procedure, this is the time for making up the roll. But, in consequence of certain proceedings affecting our rights and privileges, proceedings which have been sanctioned by her Majesty's Government, and by the Legislature of the country; and more especially in respect that there has been an infringement on the liberties of our constitution, so that we could not now constitute this Court without a violation of the terms of the union between Church and State in this land, as now authoritatively declared, I must protest against our proceeding further. The reasons that have led me to come to this conclusion are fully set forth in the document which I hold in my hand, and which, with permission of the house, I will now proceed to read.' After a full narration of the rejection of the Claim of Right by the Legislature, and the coercion exercised by the civil courts, the protest concluded: 'We protest that in the circumstances in which we are placed, it is and shall be lawful for us, and such other Commissioners chosen to the Assembly appointed to have been this day holden as may concur with us, to withdraw to a separate place of meeting for the purpose of taking steps along with all who adhere to us-maintaining with us the confession of faith and standards of the Church of Scotland, for separating in an orderly way from the Establishment, and thereupon adopting such measures as may be competent to us, in humble dependence on God's grace, and the aid of the Holy Spirit, for the advancement of His glory, the extension of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, and the administration of the affairs of Christ's house according to His holy Word; and we now withdraw accordingly, humbly and solemnly acknowledging the hand of the Lord in the things which have come upon us, because of our manifold sins, and the sins of the Church and nation; but, at the same time, with assured conviction that we are not responsible for any consequences that may follow from this our enforced separation from an establishment which we loved and prized, through interference with conscience, the dishonour done to Christ's crown, and the rejection of His sole and supreme authority as King in His Church.' Having finished the reading of this protest, Dr. Welsh laid it upon the table, turned and bowed respectfully to the Commissioner, left the chair, and proceeded along the aisle to the door of the church. Dr. Chalmers had been standing immediately on his left. He looked vacant and abstracted while the protest was being read; but Dr. Welsh's movement awakened him from his reverie. Seizing eagerly upon his hat, he hurried after him with all the air of one impatient to be gone. Mr. Campbell of Monzie, Dr. Gordon, Dr. Macdonald, and Dr. Macfarlane followed him.” The effect upon the audience was overwhelming. A loud cheer burst from the gallery, which, however, was suddenly hushed, and the whole audience stood gazing intently on the scene below, while the members of Assembly who remained also looked on in silence, as seat after seat became vacant. Whenever the leaders of the movement made their appearance outside they were received with bursts of applause from the masses assembled in George-street, and which were continued and reiterated with enthusiasm as they marched through the streets leading to Tanfield Hall, Canon-mills. The procession consisted of about 1,000 persons, walking four abreast. At Tanfield the new Free Assembly was formally constituted, and Dr. Chalmers elected Moderator amid the most enthusiastic displays of feeling. Speaking of their new position, Dr. Chalmers said they hoped henceforward to prosecute their labours in peace, on the ground of British tolera tion. They were neither Voluntaries nor Anarchists: they quitted a vitiated Establishment, but would rejoice in returning to a pure one: they were advocates of a national recognition and support of religion. In the old Assembly, Principal Macfarlane of Glasgow was elected Moderator. The ten years' conflict thus ended in the separation of the contending parties. On the 22d the sentence of deposition formerly pronounced against the Strathbogie ministers was declared by the old Assembly to be of no effect, by a majority of 148 to 33. The minority in this case urged that though the original sentence was harsh, and possibly unnecessary, yet having been pronounced by a competent court it ought to have been more observed than it was. The Assembly, taking into consideration the Protest and Deed of Demission, found that the ministers who attached their names to the Protest "had ceased, by their own act, to be ministers of the Church of Scotland; that their several churches have become vacant, and that they are disqualified for receiving any presentation or appointment to a parochial or other spiritual charge in the Church as by law established, unless reponed by the competent ecclesiastical judicatories, and that the subscribing elders are no longer elders in any of the parishes or sessions connected with the Establishment." Presbyteries were instructed to intimate the vacancies without delay to patrons and those entitled to nominate. "In respect that there are ministers and elders, not members of Assembly, who have adhered to the Protest and subscribed one of the same import, Presbyteries are instructed to meet to ascertain if any of their members have so done; and on their acknowledging such signatures, or not appearing when cited to answer for it, steps to be taken as above for declaring their churches vacant, and supplying their places." On the same day it was unanimously resolved that the Veto Act passed in 1834, having infringed on civil and patrimonial rights, was ultra vires of the Assembly. The Free Assembly sat till 30th May, the time being mostly occupied with discussions relating to the fabric of their constitution. Up to that date the total number of ministers who signed the Protest was 444; of these 139 filled quoad sacra charges. The Act of Separation. was agreed to on the 23d, the signing of the document occupying about four hours. It solemnly renounced for its subscribers the status, privileges, and emoluments derived from the Establishment; reserving to ministers, however, the right to act as pastors of particular congregations or portions thereof adhering to them, with the rights and benefits accruing from the Ministers' Widows' Fund; and disavowing the renunciation of churches built by private contribution and not endowed by the State. It contained also the order, that the Act of Separation should be transmitted to the Moderator of "the Ecclesiastical Judicatory by law estab lished." 20.-Lady Jane Colville burnt to death in her own drawing-room, Rosslyn House, Hamp stead, by her dress coming in contact with a taper placed on the floor for convenience. 21.-Dr. Pusey preaches a sermon in Christ Church, Oxford, in which he was alleged to have avowed a belief in the Romish doctrine of Tran substantiation. Vice-Chancellor Wynter demanded a copy of the sermon for examination by a Board of Heresy. A decision was given adverse to Dr. Pusey, and he was sentenced to be suspended from preaching before the University for two years. No reason was assigned for this decision. to The Commissioners appointed to inquire into the frauds carried on in the Inland Revenue department complete their report to Parliament. They had received specific informa tion regarding the following frauds :-I. The granting of false certificates by the export-offi cers, permitting the export of one article under the name of another; as in the case of ma chinery, the exportation of which is prohibited. 2. Granting a false certificate of the quality, or of the existence of goods for exportation, obtain an amount of drawback-duty far exceed ing what is legally due, or a drawback for an imaginary exportation of articles which are not exported. 3. The "dummy system, or the substitution of a package of low-duty goods for a package of high-duty goods. 4. The negli gent or wilful under-valuation of goods, where they are subject to ad valorem duties; and the dishonest or careless and faulty enumeration the goods, where their amount is to be stated 5. The improper computation of tare in packages. 6. A complicated method of undervaluing goods. The landing-waiter entered an account of the goods in his "rough book the goods were permitted to pass under the inspection of the landing-surveyor, which was |