Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub
[merged small][ocr errors]

Five footmen, in the service of nobleEen in London, charged at Queen-square with assaulting and threatening a servant in Earl Galloway's employment, because he would not conform to the rules of the footmen's club by paying his "footing" for the use of the room set apart for them at the House of Lords. They were fined 10s. each.

Died at the Viceregal Lodge, Dublin, Captain Thomas Drummond, Under-Secretary for Ireland, and inventor of the Drummond or lime light.

17.-In consequence of the refusal of Ferdinand II. of Naples, to discontinue the working of the Sicilian sulphur by private monopoly, in opposition to the treaty of 1816, the British Government commence hostilities. The monopoly was broken up the following month.

18.-O'Connell organizes a new Society in Dublin, to be called the "National Association for Justice or Repeal," and announces that the first sum collected for its support amounted to 44/.

20. Prince Albert thrown from his horse in the Home Park, but injured so slightly as to be able to mount again immediately, and proceed to a stag-hunt at Ascot.

24.-Meeting in the Freemasons' Hall, Earl Stanhope in the chair, to petition Parliament against the continuance of the opium

war.

25.-Died at Paris, aged 58, M. Poisson, President of the Académie des Sciences.

27-The Court of Common Council, by a vote of 56 to 30, agree to present a piece of plate to each of the Sheriffs, in testimony of the Court's approbation of their patriotic and magnanimous conduct in refusing to submit to the decrees of the House of Commons instead of the commands of the Court, whose officers they were.

28. At the meeting of the Synod of Moray, the "moderate" party carried a resolution permitting the seven suspended Strathbogie ministers to vote on making up the poll, and to act and vote on any business taken up by the Synod.

29.-Disturbance in the Italian Operahouse, caused by Laporte's non-engagement of Signor Tamburini.

It is reported regarding the wood pavement in the Metropolis, that, over the portion laid down in Oxford-street during the last sixteen months, there had travelled 7,000 vehicles and 12,000 horses, with scarcely any appearance of wear or change on the surface.

29. A gardener, named Smith, attacks three police-officers in the prison yard at Huddersfield with a pruning-knife, and inflicts such injuries on Duke, the chief of the force, that he dies in a few hours.

On resuming business after the Easter recess, the Cambridge Election Committee report that Mr. Manners-Sutton had by his agents been guilty of bribery and treating, and that an extensive and corrupt system of treating prevailed on the part of many influential members of the constituency of Cambridge. The elections at Ludlow and Totness were also declared void this session.

30.-Marriage of the Duke de Nemours with the Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg.

May 1.-A penny postage envelope, designed by W. Mulready, R.A., issued to the public.

2. In the Court of Queen's Bench, Lord Denman reverses the decision of Dr. Lushington in the Braintree Church Rate case, thus

affirming the power alleged to be vested in a majority of the vestry.

5.-Sir William Molesworth brings the subject of transportation before the Commons, in supporting two resolutions: (1) "That the punishment of transportation should be abolished, and the penitentiary system of punishment adopted in its stead as soon as practicable;" and, (2) "That the funds to be derived from the sales of waste lands in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land ought to be anticipated by means of loans on that security, for the purpose of promoting extensive emigration to those colonies.' No division took place, the motion being simply recorded in the votes.

Select Committee appointed by the House of Commons to inquire into the several duties levied on imports into the United Kingdom, and how far these duties are for the protection of similar articles manufactured in this country, or for the purpose of revenue. Their report presented next session condemned the present tariff as incongruous and diffuse, and recommended an immediate change in the protective duties presently levied.

6.-The Gresham Committee meet to decide between the plans of Mr. Tite and Mr. Cockerell for the New Royal Exchange. The former chosen by a vote of 13 to 7.

O Lord William Russell found murdered in his bedroom, No. 14, Norfolk-street, Parklane. "This morning," said the housemaid, "I rose about half-past six, and went down stairs about a quarter before seven o'clock. I went into the back drawing-room, and there I saw his lordship's writing-desk broken open, and his keys and papers lying on the carpet. I opened the dining-room and found the drawers open, and the candlesticks and several other pieces of plate lying on the floor. up stairs and told my neighbour servant the cook, with whom I slept, what had happened,

F

I ran

I also told the valet, who slept in an adjoining room, and asked him what he had been doing with the silver, for it was lying all about. He said he had been doing nothing with it, but he got up and went down stairs, when he declared the place had been robbed. I then said, 'For God's sake go and see where his lordship is.' He went into his lordship's room, and I followed him, when on opening the shutters we found his lordship in bed murdered. We then ran into the street, and alarmed some of the neighbours." Dr. Elsegood was amongst the first who went into the room afterwards. found his lordship in bed in the front room on the second floor, lying on his back, partially towards his right side. A towel was thrown over his face, which I removed. He appeared

"I

to have been dead about four hours. On removing the towel I found a wound extending from the left shoulder down to the trachea, four or five inches in depth, and seven inches long. The wound, which had been inflicted by some sharp instrument, must have caused almost immediate death. The deceased could not have inflicted such a wound on himself, and then placed the cloth over his face." In a confession made in prison on the 22d June, the valet Courvoisier described the manner in which the murder was committed, thus: "As I was coming upstairs from the kitchen, I thought it was all up with me. [Lord William Russell had been complaining of his conduct.] My character was gone, and I thought murdering him was the only way to cover my faults. I went into the dining-room and took a knife from the sideboard. On going upstairs I opened his door and heard him snoring in his sleep. There was a rushlight burning in his room at this time. I went near the bed by the side of the window, and then I murdered him. He just moved his arm a little, and never spoke a word. I took a towel which was on the back of the chair and wiped my hand and the knife. After that I took his key and opened the Russian leather box, and put it in the state in which it was found in the morning. The towel I put over his face, and undressed and went to bed."

6.-Lord Stanley postpones his motion on the Irish Registration Bill, in consequence of the absence of Lord John Russell, caused by the death of Lord William.

In

8.-Police-officers searching the house of Lord William Russell find two bank-notes for 10. and 5. hidden behind the skirting board adjoining the sink in the butler's pantry, and to which Courvoisier only had access. that portion of the house they also ultimately find the missing rings, locket, and gold coins secreted in obscure corners. "The watch and seal were in my jacket pocket which I had on until the Friday morning, and then I undid the ribbon and took the seal off. Having the watch in my pocket, the glass came out; but I did not know what to do with it, as the police

were watching me. I dropt some of the pieces of glass about the dining-room, and at different times put the large pieces in my mouth, and afterwards having broken them with my teeth spat them in the fire-place. I afterwards burned the ribbon, and put the watch under the lead in the sink."-Confession. In Courvoisier's box were also discovered a screwdriver and chisel with which certain marks in the pantry corresponded. On the evening of the 10th Courvoisier was taken into custody, and conveyed to Bow-street.

9.-Lord Palmerston writes to Earl Granville at Paris: "Her Majesty's Government having taken into consideration the request made by the Government of France for permission to remove from St. Helena to France the remains of Napoleon Buonaparte, your Excellency is instructed to assure M. Thiers that her Majesty's Government will, with great pleasure, accede to this request." ""

11.-Feargus O'Connor sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment in York Castle, for libel.

12. The Rev. G. Grantham, of Magdalen College, Oxford, killed by falling from the window of his room on the second storey of the new buildings.

Earl Stanhope's motion praying her Majesty to take immediate steps for the suppression of the opium trade, as dishonourable to the character and detrimental to the interests of her subjects, negatived in the House of Lords without a division.

14.-Motion in the House of Commons, by Mr. T. Duncombe, agreed to, that Stockdale and his attorney be discharged from Newgate.

15. The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Baring) introduces the Annual Budget. He estimated the gross income for the year at 46,700,000l., and the expenditure at 49,432,000l. To meet the deficiency it was proposed to increase the Assessed Taxes 10 per cent.; the Customs and Excise (with certain specified exceptions) 5 per cent., and to lay an additional duty of 4d. per gallon on all spirits—British, colonial, and foreign.

19. The question of transportation discussed in the House of Lords in connexion with a resolution submitted by the Archbishop of Dublin, that such punishment be abolished immediately, completely, and finally.

20.-Lord Stanley's Registration of Voters Bill (Ireland) carried into Committee by the narrow majority of 3 in a House of 599.

[blocks in formation]

discretion of the Governor and Executive Council.

20.-Feargus O'Connor, writing from York Castle, complains of the severe treatment to which he, a political prisoner, is subjected, in being compelled to associate with criminals, and perform all the menial labour usually laid on that class.

-York Minster narrowly escapes a second destruction by fire. As it was, the belfry, where the flames were first seen, was totally destroyed, and the oaken roof of the nave seriously injured.

21.-Opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The first division was on the choice of a moderator, when Dr. Makeller, supported by the non-intrusion party, was carried (in opposition to Dr. Hill, of Dailly, nominated by the retiring moderator), by a majority of 195 to 147.

- The Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand proclaims the sovereignty of these islands to be vested in the Queen of Great Britain. Auckland made the capital of the colony, Sept. 19th.

22.-Public meeting held at Edinburgh in support of the Earl of Aberdeen's bill for removing doubts respecting the allocation and admission of ministers to benefices in Scotland. Resolutions approving of the bill were submitted and carried. Next day a meeting was held in the same city to express disapproval of the bill.

25.-At a meeting of the Roman Catholic Institute, in Freemasons' Hall, an encyclical letter from Pope Gregory was read, approving of the design of the Institute, "for protecting the followers of our divine faith in freedom and security, and for the publication of works vindicating the Spouse of the Immaculate Lamb from the calumnies of the heterodox."

26.-The General Assembly discuss the appeal of the Strathbogie ministers against the legality of the sentence of suspension. Patrick Robertson, advocate, was heard for the ministers, and Dr. Cook submitted a motion, declaring that the decision of the Commission exceeded its powers, and ought to be rescinded. A counter-motion, moved by the Procurator, was carried by a majority of 227 to 143. A few days afterwards this case came again before the Assembly, when it was carried by a majority, that the sentence of suspension be continued til the meeting of Commission in August next, when, if the seven ministers still continued contumacious, they should be served with a "libel."

[blocks in formation]

28. Captain Otway, of the Life Guards, killed in Hyde Park, by his horse falling back and crushing him.

29.-Confusion and many narrow escapes in Kensington Gardens, caused by the sudden appearance of a half-clad lunatic, on horseback, while the crowd of nobility in their carriages were listening to the band of the 1st Life Guards.

30.-Intelligence reaches England of the suf focation of 600 slaves in the "middle passage,' and the death of 100 in the same vessel during her return to Mozambique for a new cargo.

June 1.-The first public meeting of the Society for the Extinction of the Slave Trade, and for the civilization of Africa, held in Exeter Hall, presided over by Prince Albert. "I sincerely trust," he said, "that this great country will not relax in its efforts until it has finally and for ever put an end to a state of things so repugnant to the principles of Christianity and to the best feelings of our nature." This was the first_public_address delivered by Prince Albert in England, and was so well received as to reward his Royal Highness for the great anxiety he felt as to its delivery. "He was nervous," the Queen writes, "before he went, and had repeated his speech to me in the morning by heart." Mr. Fowell Buxton, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Ashley, and others, also addressed the meeting.

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, by a majority of 64, approve of the sentence of the Commission suspending the seven ministers of the Strathbogie Presbytery. (See Dec. 11, 1839.)

2.-Serjeant Talfoard calls the attention of the House of Commons to the unnecessarily harsh treatment of Vincent and O'Connor in prison. Lord John Russell stated in reply, that certain prison regulations at present in force would be relaxed; but that the facts had been greatly exaggerated.

3.-The fancy "properties" of the Eglinton tournament sold by auction, and purchased, in most instances, by the Metropolitan theatres.

5.-Count Bertrand, in presence of a brilliant court, delivers up to Louis Philippe the arms of Napoleon, which he had been long forced to conceal, but which he now hoped to see placed on the coffin of the great Captain, under a tomb"destined to attract the observation of the universe." In reply, the King said: "I esteem myself happy that it should have been reserved to me to restore to the soil of France the mortal remains of one who has added so many glories to our triumphs, and to discharge the debt due by our common country in surrounding his bier by all the honours which are so justly due to him."

7. Fire in Ivy-lane, Newgate-street, and loss of five lives-Mrs. Price and four children. Died at Berlin, in his 70th year, Frede rick William III., King of Prussia.

F 2

8. The city of Natchez, New Orleans, nearly destroyed by a tornado. About twenty persons were killed, and the loss of property was estimated at over 1,000,000l.

[ocr errors]

In the Court of Queen's Bench, Lord Denman gives judgment in the case of Capel, Vicar of Watford, who had obtained a conditional rule for setting aside a rate which included his tithes. It was now decided that under Mr. Poulett Scrope's Act, in spite of the Archbishop's proviso, tithes and rent-charges must be rated like lands-at what they will let for.

9.-The Chinese attempt to burn the English shipping at Canton by fire-boats.

10. The newspapers publish the details of an attempt at murder said to have been made by the Swiss governess in the household of the Duke of Argyll. About midnight she was noticed with a knife in her hand making for the Duchess's room, and secured mainly through the presence of mind of the youngest Lady Campbell.

[ocr errors]

Attempt to shoot the Queen and Prince Albert by Edward Oxford, pot-boy. About six o'clock this evening the Queen and Prince left Buckingham Palace by the garden gate opening from Constitution-hill. They were seated in a very low German droschky, drawn by four horses with postilions, preceded by two outriders, and followed by two equerries. A number of people, assembled to witness her departure, were ranged in two lines outside the gate. After the carriage had proceeded a short distance up Constitution-hill, so as to be quite clear of the crowd, a young man on the Green Park side of the road presented a pistol, and fired it directly at her Majesty. The Prince, hearing the whistle of the ball, turned his head in the direction of the report, and her Majesty at the same instant rose, but Prince Albert suddenly pulled her down by his side. "The report of the pistol," says Perks, a witness, attracted my attention, and I heard a distinct whizzing or buzzing before my eyes, between my face and the carriage. The moment he fired the pistol he turned himself round as if to see if any one was behind him. He then set himself back again, drew a second pistol with his left hand from his right breast, presented it across the one he had already fired, which he had in his right hand, and fired again, taking very deliberate aim." Several persons at once rushed upon him. He was then calm and collected, admitted firing the pistols, and went away quietly with two of the police to Queensquare station. He there gave his name as Edward Oxford, 17 years of age. The Queen, as might be supposed, appeared extremely pale from the alarm, but, rising to show that she was unhurt, ordered the postilions to drive to Ingestre House, the residence of the Duchess of Kent, where her Majesty and the Prince remained a short time. On returning by Hyde Park the royal pair were received by a large gathering of ladies and gentlemen, and escorted

to Buckingham Palace, which they reached about twenty minutes past seven o'clock. In the evening large numbers of the nobility called at the Palace to offer their congratulations.

11.-On examination before the Privy Council Oxford made the following declaration:-"A great many witnesses against me. Some say I shot with my left, others with my right. They vary as to the distance. After I fired the first pistol Prince Albert got up as if he would jump out of the coach, and sat down again as if he thought better of it. Then I fired the second pistol. This is all I shall say at present. "On searching his lodgings a quantity of powder and shot was found, and the rules of a secret society, styled "Young England," prescribing among other things that every member should, when ordered to meet, be armed with a brace of loaded pistols and a sword, and a black crape cap to cover his face. The prisoner was this day committed for trial on the charge of high treason in its most aggravated form-a direct attempt on the life of the Queen. The surmises as to the attempt being part of a widespread conspiracy were not established by the careful inquiries to which the outrage led. A joint address from both Houses of Parliament was agreed upon to-day at a conference.

The Court of Session grant an interdict prohibiting the sentence of the General As sembly from being carried into execution against the seven suspended ministers of the Strathbogie Presbytery.

12. At a Court held this afternoon at Buckingham Palace, the joint Address from both Houses of Parliament was presented to her Majesty, expressive of indignation at the late attempt against her life, and of heartfelt congratulations on her preservation. Her Majesty replied, "I am deeply sensible of the mercy of Divine Providence, to whose continued protection I humbly commend myself, and I trust that under all trials I shall find the same consolation and support which I now derive from the loyal and affectionate attachment of my Parliament and my people." Addresses were also presented by many public bodies throughout the kingdom. For some weeks the excitement produced by the outrage absorbed all other topics of public interest.

13. The effect of the attempted assassination on certain portions of the Irish people may be seen from the language used by the O'Connellite Pilot: "There has been-we anticipated there would be as soon as her Majesty was announced enceinte-there has been a deliberate attempt to assassinate the Queen Yes, and put Cumberland on the throne.

Cumberland and Orangeism plotted to murder the Queen. The hand of God alone saved her to her people. Oh, may that God long protect her life, and preserve her people from the domination of Cumberlandism and the fou assassin Orange-Tory faction!"

15.-The Canada Clergy Revenues Bill read a second time in the House of Commons.

15. In the Court of Queen's Bench, A. Alaric Watts was fined 50%, for a libel on Admiral Ommanney, in so far as an article published in the United Service Gazette imputed to him disrespectful conduct in the reception of the Queen Dowager at Malta.

16. In the discussion on the Church of Scotland Benefices Bill, Lord Aberdeen explained, that one leading principle of the bill was to preserve to the civil power the right of cognizance of acts of excess which the General Assembly might commit in the exercise of what they were pleased to call their right to give effect to what they considered their solemn conviction. The bill had been received with satisfaction, he said, by a large body of the clergy and laity, though it was admitted the General Assembly took a less favourable view of it. The second reading was carried to-day in the Upper House by 74 to 27 votes.

The Atlantic steamship British Queen arrived at Portsmouth, having made the voyage from New York in fourteen days, fourteen hours, less longitude. Her last outward voyage was made in thirteen days, eleven hours, from port to port, the quickest yet made.

17.-The Lord William Bentinck and the Lord Castlereagh, troop-ships, wrecked off Bombay.

18.-Commenced in the Central Criminal Court, before Chief Justice Tindal and Baron Parke, the trial of François Benjamin Courvoisier, for the murder of Lord William Russell. Counsel for the prosecution, Messrs. Adolphus, Bodkin, and Chambers; for the prisoner, Mr. Charles Phillips and Mr. Clarkson. The first witness examined was the housemaid, Sarah Mancel, who spoke to the appearance of the house on the morning of the murder, and the conduct of the prisoner when they found their master murdered. On the second day an important witness turned up, viz. Charlotte Piolaine, of the Hôtel Dieppe, Leicester-square, who spoke to the fact of the prisoner (formerly a servant there) having left a portion of the missing plate with her, some days before the murder was committed. "He had a paper parcel in his hand, and asked me if I would take care of it until the Tuesday following, when he would call for it. I said, Certainly, I would;' and he left it with me and went away. I put the parcel in a closet, locked it up, and never saw the prisoner till this day. I took the parcel out of the closet yesterday for the first time, in consequence of a statement read by my cousin out of a French newspaper, to the effect that it as likely, seeing that the prisoner was a foreigner, he might have disposed of the missing plate at some of the foreign hotels in London." On the following morning the prisoner made a confession of guilt to his counsel, Mr. Phillips; but after consultation with the Judges it was considered proper to carry on the original line of defence, particularly as the prisoner himself wished this done. Mr. Phillips continued to discharge his irksome task to the close of the trial

[ocr errors]

on the third day, when he addressed the Court in defence of Courvoisier. The concluding portion of his address gave rise to sharp criticism as to the responsibilities resting on counsel with reference to prisoners who had confessed their guilt:-"It was not a strong suspicion," said Mr. Phillips, "or a moral conviction which would justify the jury in finding a man guilty of murder. If, notwithstanding that suspicion, they felt bound to acquit the prisoner, he was still answerable to the laws of his country for the robbery, if guilty; and even supposing him guilty of the murder-which indeed was known to Almighty God alone, and of which, for the sake of his eternal soul, Mr. Phillips hoped he was innocent-it was better far that in the dreadful solitude of exile he should, though not in the sight of man yet before the presence of God, atone by a lingering repentance for the deed, than that he should now be sent in the dawning of his manhood to an ignominious death, in a case where the truth was not clear. After having now travelled through this case of mystery and darkness, his anxious task was done: that of the jury was about to begin. Might God direct their judg ment! One of the attributes of the Almighty was that day given to them-the issue of life and death was in their hands. To them was given to restore this man once more to the enjoyments of existence and the dignity of freedom, or to consign him to an ignominious fate, and brand upon his grave a murderer's epitaph. His had been a painful and an awful task, but still more awful was their responsibility. To violate the living temple which the Lord had made to quench the fire which His breath had given-was an awful and tremendous responsibility. The word once gone forth was irrevocable. Speak not that word lightly. Speak it not on suspicion however strong, on moral conviction however cogent, on inference, doubt, or anything but a clear, irresistible, bright, noonday certainty. He spoke to them in no spirit of hostile admonition; Heaven knew he did not. He spoke to them in the spirit of a friend and fellow-Christian; and in that spirit he told them, that if they pronounced the word lightly its memory would never die within them. It would accompany them in their walks; it would follow them in their solitary retirements like a shadow; it would haunt them in their sleep and hover round their bed; it would take the shape of an accusing spirit, and confront and condemn them before the judgment seat of their God. So let them beware how they acted." Chief Justice Tindal then charged the jury, who afterwards retired, deliberated an hour and twenty minutes, and returned with a verdict of "Guilty." The Chief Justice prefaced the sentence of death with a brief and feeling address, interrupted by his own sobs; his utterance at times was quite choked. "The age of your victim," said Chief Justice Tindal, "his situation of master, had no effect on you. To atone to society, which has received a shock by your crime, and to prevent

« VorigeDoorgaan »