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his reply next day, and in the afternoon, when proceeding homeward, narrowly escaped from the attentions of an excited mob pretending sympathy with the Claimant.

14. The French Assembly express approval of the Government bill relative to the nomination of mayors.

The Rev. George Richardson Mackarness elected Bishop of Argyll by an absolute The candidature majority in both Chambers.

of Provost Cazenove was withdrawn.

15. The Baroness Burdett-Coutts presented with the freedom of the city of Edinburgh, "in recognition of her ladyship's devoted zeal and patriotism in the promotion and munificent support of useful and charitable institutions, and also in consideration of her ladyship's association with Edinburgh as the honoured descendant of one of its chief magistrates."

16. The allegations against Prince Bismarck in a book recently issued by General Della Marmora, lead to a scene in the Prussian Lower House. In the course of a debate on education, Herr von Malinckrodt declared that the Ultramontanes were as faithful patriots as Prince Bismarck, and he asked, amid considerable uproar, "Were they present at the

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conference between Prince Bismarck and M. Govone when a cession of territory on the left bank of the Rhine was discussed?" adding, "I myself was not present, but I met with this statement of the interview in a reliable quarter. After a reply from Herr Kleoppel, the motion was allowed to drop, and the debate on the Civil Marriage Bill resumed. Prince Bismarck shortly afterwards entered the House, and obtained leave to speak on a matter of privilege. He characterized the statement of Herr von Malinckrodt as an audacious and lying invention, made in a malignant and calumniatory manner. The Imperial Chancellor added:-"I never uttered a syllable of the sort. I have never spoken of ceding a village or a meadow of German territory. The whole accusation is throughout an audaciously invented falsehood concocted to blacken my character. (Loud cheers.) I ask for no special consideration from my opponents, but I am entitled to ask that they shall behave more decently in the sight of foreign countries and our own Sovereign." Later in the discussion Prince Bismarck said:-" It is remarkable that Herr Malinckrodt attaches greater value to the It testimony of a foreigner than to mine. would require a man's lifetime to contradict all that my enemies write against me. safely say, and I am proud to be able to say it, that I am the most strongly and the best hated man of any country in Europe. Has not Herr Malinckrodt sought to keep you and the country in the belief that Della Marmora's book tells the truth? I do not wish to convince him, but I ask you, could I not have obtained the most immense results if I had been willing to cede a portion of German territory to France?

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Did I do so? You have no right to ask the leader of the Government to justify himself against calumny in the open tribune. That is a proceeding to characterize which no parliamentary expression can be found. The public press will, no doubt, find one to supply the deficiency."

16.--Died, at Bonn, Dr. Max Schultze, anatomist.

17.

- Narrow escape of the De Broglie Government on the Nomination of Mayors Bill. An amendment by M. Ducarre, of the Left, enacting that the mayors should not be selected except from the members of the municipal councils, was lost by only fourteen votes, the numbers being 343 and 329. A subsequent amendment, proposed by M. Feray, of the Left Centre, that the mayors should be selected from the municipal councils in communes having a population of less than 3,000, was rejected by 341 against 336, showing a majority for the Government of five only.

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The German Emperor writes to the Old Catholic Bishop, Dr. Reinkens:-"I thank you for the hearty congratulations which you have offered to me on the occasion of the renewing of the year. May God's blessing advance the work begun by you in His name, also in the new year. May continually widening circles be penetrated by the unquestionably right conviction, shared by you, that in my States respect for the law is reconcilable with the exercise of the religion of every community which pursues no worldly purposes, but only the one purpose-to seek man's peace with God."

18.-Died, aged 78, James Matthew Cope, for over fifty years connected with the London press.

Died, in North Carolina, aged 63, the Siamese twins, Chang and Eng. 19.-The Swedish Parliament opened by the King in person.

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The Corporation of Brighton entertain Sir Samuel Baker at a banquet in the hall of the Royal Pavilion. Addressing the assembly after dinner, Sir Samuel said there was now a fair prospect for the development of the country of the White Nile, but the future would of course depend upon the energy and intelligence of the Governor, who should be perfectly unfettered by Egypt, and should be furnished with supreme power. He much feared that the Viceroy was rather too impatient for quick returns from his new territories; but as he had now intrusted his (Sir Samuel's) late command to an English officer of high reputationColonel Gordon-he felt sure all would be done that was possible with the means furnished by the Viceroy. The good work had been begun and must be continued by English

men.

Should that element be withdrawn, the slave trade would reappear like a cancer that has been vainly extirpated.

19. Apologising for his inability through ill health to attend the meeting in St. James's Hall, called to express sympathy with the Emperor of Germany, in his conflict with the Pope, Earl Russell writes:-"The very same principles which bound me to ask for equal freedom for the Roman Catholic, the Protestant Dissenter, and the Jew, bind me to protest against a conspiracy which aims at confining the German Empire in chains never, it is hoped, to be shaken off. I hasten to declare, with all friends of freedom, and, I trust, with the great majority of the English nation, that I could no longer call myself a lover of civil and religious liberty were I not to proclaim my sympathy with the Emperor of Germany in the noble struggle in which he is engaged. We have nothing to do with the details of the German laws; they may be just, they may be harsh; we can only leave it to the German people to decide for themselves, as we have decided for ourselves. At all events, we are able to see that the cause of the German Emperor is the cause of liberty, and the cause of the Pope is the cause of slavery.'

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Circular, signed by Mr. Disraeli, sent to the Conservative members of the House, intimating that "Her Majesty having been pleased to direct that Parliament should reassemble on the 5th of February, I trust that you may find it convenient to be in your place on that day."

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21.—Replying to a deputation in favour of conceding household suffrage to counties, Mr. Gladstone said the question should not be lightly taken up by any Government, and should be undertaken only when a Government is determined and reasonably believes it can carry it to a successful and satisfactory result. Mr. Gladstone concluded by saying he should be glad when the period was reached to give effect to those views which he had from time to time expressed, impressed as he was with the conscientious opinion that the object sought for by the deputation would form an additional strength to the throne and to the laws, and add to the general happiness of the country.

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regarding Religious Equality, the Education Act, and Disestablishment.

21.-A body of Chinese labourers employed on the Costa Rica railway works, resisting an attempt made to force them to work during a fog, are fired upon by the military at night, and six killed.

22. In the course of the inquiry regarding the Claimant's witness Luie at Bow Street today, a certificate signed by Mr. Whalley and Mr. Onslow is read, certifying on their part "and on the part of all who have known Jean Luie in relation to the Tichborne case, that he has shown himself to be a man of thorough honesty and great intelligence, and that he has borne himself through all his life as a man entitled to confidence and respect. He has been exposed to great difficulties, harassment, and temptation through this affair, and has remained staunch and true, and rendered very great service to Sir Roger Tichborne."

23. Married, at the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna. The Orthodox ceremony was performed by Greek ecclesiastics, and the Anglican by Dean Stanley.

The first division of the Court of Session sit in the case of Padwick v. Stewart, an action raised to test the validity of the entail executed over the estates of Murthly and Grandtully. In 1871 an agreement was entered into between Mr. Padwick and Sir William Stewart, who was then proprietor of Murthly, to sell the estates at Sir William's death to Mr. Padwick for the sum of 350,000l. Sir William died in April 1871, and Mr. Padwick brought this action to have it found that the agreement for the sale of the estates was an effectual one. Sir Archibald Douglas, Sir William's brother, who was the next heir of entail, maintained that the entail of the estates was a valid one, and barred any sale. The court decided against Mr. Padwick.

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Mr. Albert Grant intimates to the Metropolitan Board of Works his intention of presenting Leicester Square as a place of public recreation. "I further, " he wrote, "intend to erect at the four corners granite pedestals, on which busts in marble of a suitable size will be placed of the following celebrated men, all known to have been locally connected with the traditions of Leicester Square:-These will be Hogarth and Sir Joshua Reynolds, both of whom lived and died in houses in the square; Dr. Samuel Johnson, the friend and constant visitor of Sir Joshua Reynolds; and Sir Isaac Newton, who lived in Leicester Place adjoining the square for many years after he became President of the Royal Society; men who, it will be admitted, are worthy of being illustrated by the sculptor's art, but who have not, that I am aware of, yet received any recognition of their greatness in that form in any public open space in London."

66

24.-To the surprise of all except a few familiar with the determination come to at a Cabinet meeting held yesterday, Mr. Gladstone announces the dissolution of Parliament in a long address to the electors of Greenwich. "That authority," he said, "which was in 1868 amply confided by the nation to the Liberal party and its leaders, if it has now sunk below the point necessary for the due defence and prosecution of the public interests, can in no way be so legitimately and effectually restored as by an appeal to the people, who, by their reply to such an appeal, may place beyond all challenge two great questions-the first, what they think of the manner in which the commission granted in 1868 has been executed; the second, what further commission they now think fit to give to their representatives, and to what hands its fulfilment and the administration of the Government are to be entrusted." On the Education Act, Mr. Gladstone did not doubt with regard to one or two points, calculated to create an amount of uneasiness out of proportion to their real importance or difficulty," that "the wisdom of the renovated legislature will discover the means of their accommodation." Expressing his satisfaction at the rise of wages in the agricultural districts, which he regarded as a new guarantee for the stability of the throne and institutions of the country," Mr. Gladstone passed to the consideration of the county franchise. "I have never concealed my opinion that those institutions will be further strengthened by granting to the counties generally that extended franchise which has been conceded with general satisfaction to the towns, and to the populations of a number of rural districts with a central village, which may perhaps be called peasant-boroughs." In estimating the revenue for the current year, the Prime Minister did not fear to anticipate as the probable balance a surplus exceeding rather than falling short of 5,000,000l.; and, with this sum in hand, he suggested the possibility of abolishing the income-tax. The proceeds of that tax, he said, for the present year are expected to be between 5,000,000l. and 6,000,000l., and at a sacrifice for the financial year of something less than 4,500,000l., the country may enjoy the advantage and relief of its total repeal. I do not hesitate to affirm that an effort should now be made to attain this advantage, nor to declare that, according to my judgment, it is in present circumstances practicable."

66

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Since the general election in 1868 the party losses and gains had been-Liberal seats lost 32, Conservative seats lost 9. The Liberal majority was thought to have fallen from 116 to about 70.

News from Atchin announce the capture of Kraton by the Dutch, after a successful attack on its western side. When entered, the place was found to be abandoned. result was considered as deciding the war against the Atchinese.

This

24.-Died, aged 90, Adam Black, publisher, Edinburgh, for which city he sat in Parliament from 1856 to 1865.

26. Mr. Disraeli issues his address to the electors of Buckinghamshire. He did not think it necessary at present to consider whether Mr. Gladstone has advised the Queen to dissolve Parliament as a means of avoiding the humbling confession that he has, in a fresh violation of constitutional law, persisted in retaining for several months a seat to which he was no longer entitled, or to postpone or evade the day of reckoning for a war carried on without communication with Parliament, and the expenditure for which Parliament has not sanctioned. It is sufficient to point out that if under any circumstances the course-altogether unprecedented-of calling together Parliament by special summons for the dispatch of business, and then dissolving it before its meeting, could be justified, there is in the present case no reason whatever suggested why this was not done six weeks ago, and why the period of the year usually devoted to business before Easter, which must now be wasted, should not thus have been saved. The right hon. gentleman found in Mr. Gladstone's " prolix narrative," nothing definite as to the policy he would pursue except this-that, having the prospect of a large surplus, he will, if retained in power, devote that surplus to the remission of taxation, which would be the course of any party or any Ministry. "If returned to Parliament, I shall, whether in or out of office, continue the endeavour, to propose or support all measures calculated to improve the condition of the people of this kingdom. But I do not think this great end is advanced by incessant and harassing legislation. The English people are governed by their customs as much as by their laws, and there is nothing they more dislike than unnecessary restraint and meddling interference in their affairs. Generally speaking, I should say of the Administration of the last five years that it would have been better for us all if there had been a little more energy in our foreign policy and a little less in our domestic legislation. . By an act of folly or of ignorance rarely equalled, the present Ministry relinquished a treaty which secured us the freedom of the Straits of Malacca for our trade with China and Japan, and they at the same time entering on the West Coast of Africa, into those equivocal and entangling engagements' which the Prime Minister now deprecates, involved us in the Ashantee war. Conservative party (he said) viewed the county franchise question without prejudice. They have proved that they are not afraid of popular rights. But the late Reform Act was a large measure, which, in conjunction with the Ballot, has scarcely been tested by experience, and they will hesitate before they sanction further legislation, which will inevitably involve, among other considerable changes, the disfranchise. ment of at least all boroughs in the kingdom comprising less than 40,000 inhabitants.

The

Writing of the proposed disestablishment of the Church and divorcing religion from the work of education, as solemn issues which the impending election must decide, "their solution (he went on) must be arrived at when Europe is more deeply stirred than at any period since the Reformation, and when the cause of civil liberty and religious freedom mainly depends upon the strength and stability of England. I ask you to return me to the House of Commons to resist every proposal which may impair that strength, and to support by every means her imperial sway."

26.-Proclamation issued for the dissolution of Parliament, writs for new elections to be returnable, 5th March.

Grand parade of troops at St. Petersburg in honour of the visit of the Prince of Wales.

Announcement made of the death of Dr. Livingstone, while journeying in the direction of Unyanyemba. He was born at Blantyre, near Glasgow, in 1817.

Mr. Disraeli, writes Mr. Lowe to his constituents, tells us that he does not think the condition of the United Kingdom is improved by incessant and harassing legislation. "This means that it is best not to legislate at all, or, if you do legislate, to take care to offend no one. Compare the state of England with her state forty years ago. To what do we owe the change? To laws which harassed the owners of boroughs, the corrupt corporations, the protected trades and industries, and the universities in short, all persons and institutions which held privileges adverse to the general welfare. The man who prefers custom to law announces a principle which would stereotype every abuse, and substitute the blind guesses of barbarism for the clear and well-considered conclusions of a civilized age." Mr. Lowe puts his trust in a university "which is itself a product of harassing legislation," and concluded with the remark, "The night comes upon all, but we will not draw the curtain while it is yet day."

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In the matter of the Taunton election petition, Mr. Justice Grove decides that the Attorney-General was duly elected, and that the cost of proceedings must be paid by petitioners.

Fire at the British Embassy, Lisbon, Sir Charles and Lady Murray making a narrow escape from suffocation.

27.-Meeting in St. James's Hall to express sympathy with the German Emperor in his struggle with the Pope. Sir John Murray, Bart. (of Philiphaugh), presided, and the speakers were the Dean of Canterbury, Sir Robert Peel, Bart., Sir Thomas Chambers, Q.C., the Rev. Dr. Jobson (an ex-president of the Wesleyan Conference), Mr. Newdegate, Mr. J. Lowry Whittle, Colonel Macdonald, and Dr. Joseph P. Thompson, an American clergyman A letter had been received from

the Archbishop of York stating that while he declined to commit himself to the objects of the meeting, no one was more opposed to Ultramontanism than himself. A similar letter was received from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

27.-Accident at Manuel Junction on the North British line, the 6.35 London express from Edinburgh to Glasgow running into a mineral train shunting there, and killing fourteen The engine driver was wounded,

passengers.

and the stoker and another man killed. The collision was disastrous in the extreme, the carriages of the passenger train being piled up to a great height above the engine, and many of the passengers killed on the spot. A large number were injured, while others escaped almost miraculously, though buried in the débris. A staff of doctors and assistants was procured from Edinburgh.

Nonconformist manifesto issued describing Mr. Gladstone's views on religious equality as vague and unsatisfactory. The Committee urged on the metropolitan constituencies the propriety of eliciting from candidates a promise to support those alterations in the Education Act, which, in the judgment of this Committee, are necessary-viz. the abolition of the 25th clause, the universal establishment of school boards, with a board school in each district, and compulsory attendance. "It is also desirable that the opinions of candidates should be ascertained on questions of religious equality. They recommend that, should the answers not be satisfactory, the advisability of securing candidates favourable to the principles of this Committee be carefully considered, and that the suddenness of the demand which has been made on the electors should not be allowed to interfere with the performance of this important and paramount duty." Another appeal to electors proceeded at this time from the Labour Representation League, asking working-class voters to vote for labour candidates, "that you may practically assert the principle of direct labour representation. We ask you also to vote for labour candidates that you may remove from yourselves the degrading stigma of class exclusion."

28.-Marshal Gablenz, formerly Austrian commander in the Sleswick-Holstein war commits suicide at Zurich.

Mr. Gladstone addresses his Greenwich constituents at Blackheath. A large number gathered to welcome him, although the day was somewhat unfavourable. He defended the home and foreign policy of his government against the criticism of Mr. Disraeli, and undertook to show that the Dutch treaty regarding the Straits of Malacca had been carried through when that statesman was in office in 1858. On the subject of finance the Prime Minister was careful to have it understood that by repeal of the income-tax he meant its total and absolute repeal. His statement was received with loud

and long-continued cheering. Any attempt (he said) to tamper with this or that schedule of the income-tax I am convinced would fail, and would likewise impair the general stability and credit of the finances of the country. Mr. Gladstone concluded by declaring "I will not lead one section of the Liberal party-in what I think an unnatural and fratricidal war against some other section of it. I have too much respect for them all to enter upon such a course, and I am perfectly persuaded that there is plenty of work to be done upon which you are united and agreed, and for the doing of which you will give effect to your union of sentiment at this dissolution by a corresponding union of votes. If you do that-if again you march to the poll with one heart and with one soul, as you have done upon former occasions, in view of continued application and of further triumph of those principles to which you have so long and so energetically and so successfully been devoted-then I say with the utmost confidence that, in spite of Conservative reaction, and in spite of the seductions of foreign policy-aye, and in spite of the Straits of Malacca-once more, and not for the last time, victory will crown your cause.

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29.-The Lord Chief Justice commences his summing up to the Jury on the Tichborne case, on this the 169th day of trial.

First members returned to the new Parliament, the elections in Cirencester, Harwich and Marlborough being made without opposition. Numerous nominations take place on this and following day.

30.-Died aged 92, Admiral Thomas Gill, who entered the navy in 1794, and was present at the capture of Port-au-Prince, St. Domingo.

31.-Election speeches made by Mr. Gladstone at Woolwich, Mr. Disraeli at Aylesbury, and Mr. Bright at Birmingham. In explanation of his position as Chancellor of the Exchequer the Prime Minister said, when he found that a question was raised as to his vacation of the seat, he obtained the best legal advice he could, and the present Master of the Rolls, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, the Lord Chancellor, and the law officers of the Crown, had all advised him that he ought not to certify that his seat was vacant. He therefore reserved the question for the decision of the House of Commons. Mr. Gladstone afterwards urged upon the Liberal party the necessity for united action, and cautioned them to be moderate in their views, and not to strive after things which were, for the present at least, unattainable. Mr. Disraeli amused his hearers by describing the Prime Minister's reason for dissolving"as far as his meaning could be gathered from a document of remarkable length-that it was because the Government only enjoyed a majority of 66. Now, if the Conservative Government enjoyed a majority of 66 he believed it would be able to carry on the business of the country with satisfaction and benefit to the nation. He compared the position of the

Her

country to that of a sick patient who really suffered nothing except from the nerves. Majesty's Government were evidently a nervous Ministry, for, in the midst of apparent prosperity and with a large majority in Parliament, they suddenly dissolved it." Concerning recent domestic legislation Mr. Disraeli reiterated his opinion that, for the last five years the policy of the Government had been to make everybody uncomfortable. Turning to foreign affairs, he urged that the consequences of inattention to these matters were costly wars, ignominious treaties, and sham arbitrations got up as a cloak in order to pay hush-money for blunders or insults committed. With regard to the Crimean war, he said-If we had declared that the moment the Russians crossed the Pruth hostilities would be declared, no war would ever have taken place; and if the country were indebted to any one more than another for the costly result of this indecision it was to Mr. Gladstone, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. Gladstone evidently forgot now that foreign affairs were simply the affairs of this country in foreign parts; and, seeing that his policy had entailed on this country such an immense loss of treasure, it was the height of folly for him to pride himself on cutting down the dockyard establishments and paring the income of a few hard-worked clerks. Touching upon the Abyssinian war, he justified the conduct of the Conservatives for undertaking that war, and said that the cost exceeded the original estimate because it was found absolutely essential to conclude it at once without involving a second campaign. The appointment of Lord Napier of Magdala to the command of the army in Abyssinia was ridiculed by the Liberals because he was only an engineer officer, but so, indeed, was the appointment of Lord Mayo as Viceroy of India, the present Government going so far as to advise her Majesty to recall that noble lord from his post.-M. Bright remarked, "They say that we-that is the Liberal party-have disturbed classes and interests unnecessarily, that we have harassed almost all sorts of people, and have made ourselves very unpopular thereby. Why, if they had been in the wilderness, no doubt they would have condemned the ten commandments as a harassing piece of legislation.' He pleaded guilty to the charge that they had disturbed a good many classes and a good many interests, and in doing so he offered as the justification the fact that in no single case had they injured a class or interest, and in every case they had greatly benefited the country.

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