THE LEADING POLITICAL EVENTS OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

(PRIME MINISTER-VISCOUNT MELBOURNE, L.)

1837.-Rebellion in Canada.

Mr. Disraeli elected for Maidstone (July).

Sir Robert Peel advises his party to "Register, Register, Register" (id.).

The General Election results in the return of 336 Liberals and 322 Conservatives (Aug.). The Royal Civil List fixed at £385,000; a motion by Mr. Hume to reduce it is rejected by 199 to 19 (Dec.).

1838.-Lord Durham appointed Governor-General of Canada (Jan.).

Anti-Slavery agitation; motion to abolish negro apprenticeship rejected. Mr. Glad stone spoke on behalf of the planters (Feb.).

Mr. Villiers' motion on Corn Laws rejected by 300 to 95 (March).

Chartist agitation began (Aug.)

War declared against Dost Mahomed, Ameer of Afghanistan.

Lord Durham resigns his post, the Ministry having disapproved his action (Oct.).
Irish Tithes Commutation Act passed.

1839.-Constitution of Jamaica suspended, after much opposition in Parliament. Whiteboy disturbances in Ireland; Lord Norbury shot (Jan.).

Corn Law motions rejected in both Houses (Feb.).

Ministry resigned on a vote on their Jamaica policy, which was only lost by five votes. Sir R. Peel invited to form a Government, but unable to do so, because of difficulties respecting the Queen's Household appointments. The Melbourne Ministry recalled (May). Chartist riots in various parts of the country.

Commencement of the China War.

1840.-Marriage of the Queen (Feb. 10).

Penny Postage introduced (Jan.). Ministerial defeats on the Budget, &c. (Feb.).
The Repeal agitation renewed in Ireland.

Afghanistan; surrender of Dost Mahomed (Nov.).

1841.-Deficit of 2 millions; proposal to meet it by altering the sugar and other duties rejected by a majority of 36 (May).

Vote of want of confidence carried by 312 against 311. Dissolution of Parliament (June). General Election. Result: Tories, 366; Liberals, 292 (July).

Defeat and Resignation of Melbourne Ministry. Sir R. Peel sent for by the Queen (Aug.) (PRIME MINISTER-SIR ROBERT PEEL, C.)

Insurrection at Cabul; murder of British envoy (Dec.).

Cession of Hong Kong to England.

1842.-Evacuation of Cabul, and massacre of British forces (Jan.).

Sir R. Peel introduced sliding scale of corn duties, which was carried. Motions for fixed duty (Lord John Russell) and repeal (Villiers) lost by large majorities (Feb.). AntiCorn-Law agitation active.

Whig deficit of 8 millions.

Sir Robert Peel reduced tariff on 750 articles, and imposed Income Tax.

Chartist Petition presented; hearing refused by 287 to 49 (May).

Factories Bill introduced by Lord Ashley (May).

The Ashburton Treaty with the United States signed (Aug.).

1843.-Distress in manufacturing and agricultural industries; Lord Howick's

motion for inquiry rejected (Feb.).

Disruption in the Church of Scotland (May).

A Government Education Bill for factory children withdrawn, owing to opposition from Dissenters (June).

Monster Repeal Meetings in Ireland (June and Oct.). Queen's Speech declared the intention to "maintain inviolate" the Legislative Union with Ireland (Aug.). Prosecution of Daniel O'Connell for conspiracy and misdemeanour (Oct.).

1844.-Trial of O'Connell; verdict of guilty (Feb.).

on technical plea (Sept.).

.

Reversed by House of Lords

Lord John Russell's motion for inquiry into the state of Ireland rejected.

Factories Act passed.

Surplus of three millions; many taxes remitted and duties reduced.

1845.-Mr. Gladstone retired from office owing to disagreement with his colleagues on the Maynooth question (Jan.).

Abatement of Irish agitation (Feb.). Maynooth Act passed for improving Catholic education (May).

Prolongation of Income Tax; abolition of Customs duties on 430 articles. Reduction of sugar duties (Feb.).

Mr. Miles' motion for agricultural relief rejected. Mr. Disraeli attacks Peel (March). Failure of the potato crop: Peel declares the removal of impediments to import to be the only effectual remedy (Oct.).

Peel proposes to his colleagues the repeal of the Corn Laws (Nov.). Lord Stanley and others dissented. Agitation in the country. Peel resigned. Lord John Russell invited to form Ministry, but failed. Peel resumed office; Mr. Gladstone re-joined him (Dec.).

1846.-Peel proposed the completion of free trade (Jan.), and the gradual repeal of

the Corn Laws, to be finally extinguished at the end of three years.

First reading of Free Trade Resolutions carried by 337 to 240 (March).

Second reading of Corn Importation Bill carried by majority of 88 (April). Third reading carried by 327 to 229 (May).

Irish Coercion Bill defeated by 292 to 219. Peel resigned (June). Lord John Russell succeeded.

(PRIME MINISTER-LORD JOHN RUSSELL, L.)

Sugar Duties Bill introduced (July).

Dissension in the Repeal party (Aug.). Severe distress in Ireland (Sept.).

British protest against the marriage of the Duke of Montpensier and the Infanta Louisa of Spain, as tending to evasion of the Treaty of Utrecht, and a war of succession.

1847.-Increased distress and famine in Ireland: grant of £10,000,000 for relief. Corn and Navigation Laws suspended (Jan.).

General Election. Result: Conservative Free Traders, 105; Protectionists, 226; Liberals, 325 (July).

Many outrages in Ireland: Coercion Act passed (Nov.).

Resolution for admitting Jews to Parliament passed. Mr. Disraeli supported (Dec.). 1848.-Chartist demonstration at Kennington (April).

Disturbances in Ireland (Smith O'Brien).

Crown Government Security (Ireland) Act passed, to punish treason-felony.
Smith O'Brien's encounter with police, and arrest (Aug.).

1849.-Mr. Cobden's motion to reduce the expenditure of the country rejected (Feb.) Motion to abolish Church Rates lost by 183 to 20 (March).

Final Repeal of the Corn and Navigation Laws.

1850.-Proposed abolition of the Irish Viceroyalty (March). Proposal withdrawn. Death of Peel (July).

Roman Catholic Bishops appointed in England; great excitement in the country (Nov.). 1851.-Ecclesiastical Titles Bill introduced (Feb.).

Mr. Disraeli's motion for relief of agriculturists lost by 14 votes (Feb.).

Mr. Locke-King's motion to reduce County franchise carried against the Government. Lord John Russell resigns (Feb. 24), but resumes office (March 3).

Bill to assimilate County and Borough franchise rejected by 299 to 83 (March).

Dismissal of Lord Palmerston, Foreign Secretary, on account of his having approved the coup d'état of Napoleon III. (Dec.).

1852.-Lord John Russell's Ministry defeated on the Militia Bill, and resigned (Feb.) Lord Derby summoned to form a Ministry (id.).

(PRIME MINISTER-THE EARL OF DERBY, C.)

General Election. Result: 310 Conservatives, and 345 Liberals (July).

The Derby Ministry defeated by 19 votes on its Budget proposals. Resignation of the Government (Dec.). Lord Aberdeen undertook the formation of a Ministry (id.).

(PRIME MINISTER-THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, L.)

Coalition Ministry of Whigs and Peelites. (Mr. Gladstone Chancellor of the Exchequer). 1853.-Soap duties abolished. Succession duties imposed (April).

England and France united to protect Turkey against Russia. English fleet sent to the Black Sea (Dec.).

1854.-Lord John Russell's Reform Bill introduced (March); afterwards withdrawn. War declared against Russia (March 27).

Income Tax doubled, to meet costs of the war (April).

British victories in the Crimea (Oct., Nov.)

Lord Derby charged the Government with misconduct of the war (Dec.).

1855.-Government defeated on Mr. Roebuck's motion respecting the conduct of the

war (Jan.).

Lord John Russell and Lord Derby failed to form Administrations; Lord Palmerston succeeded in doing so (Feb.).

(PRIME MINISTER-VISCOUNT PALMERSTON, L.)

Abortive Conference of the Great Powers at Vienna (March).

Resignation of Lord John Russell (July).

Fall of Sebastopol (Sept.).

1856.-Life Peerages condemned by the House of Lords (Feb.). Treaty of Peace with Russia signed (March 30).

Seizure of an English vessel by the Chinese, and bombardment of Canton (Oct.). 1857.-Cobden's motion condemning the Chinese policy of the Government carried by 263 to 247 (March).

Dissolution of Parliament.

General Election: Liberals, 871; Conservatives, 284 (id.).

Indian Mutiny broke out (May).

Commercial crisis: bank failures, &c. Bank Charter Act suspended (Nov.).

1858.-Orsini's attempt upon the Emperor Napoleon (Jan.).

The Conspiracy to Murder Bill introduced, making the offence a felony. Defeat of the Ministry on Milner Gibson's amendment condemning Bill (Feb.).

Resignation of Lord Palmerston. Lord Derby sent for by the Queen (id.).

(PRIME MINISTER-THE EARL OF DERBY, C.)

1859-Reform Bill introduced. Identical County and Borough franchise (£10) proposed (Feb.). Ministerial defeat on the Reform question (March).

Dissolution of Parliament (April). New Parliament: Conservatives, 305; Liberals, 348 (May).

Volunteer Corps authorised (May).

Vote of want of confidence carried by 323 to 310. Resignation of the Government (June). Lord Granville invited to form a Government, but eventually Lord Palmerston became Prime Minister (id.)

(PRIME MINISTER-VISCOUNT PALMERSTON, L.)

Budget shows estimated deficiency of five millions. 4d. added to Income Tax.

1860.-Commercial Treaty with France negotiated by Cobden (Jan.). Reform Bill introduced and withdrawn (March).

Rejection of Paper Duties Repeal Bill by the House of Lords, on the ground that the state of the finances did not admit of the remission (May). Resolutions passed asserting the power of the House of Commons over Money Bills.

1861.-Reform was ignored in the Queen's Speech; and motions proposed by private members for reducing the franchise were rejected in the Commons.

The Government having embraced all their financial schemes in one Bill, the Lords pass the abolition of the paper duty (April).

Church Rates Abolition Bill thrown out by the Speaker's casting vote (June).
New Bankruptcy Act abolished imprisonment of common debtors.

The Prince Consort died (Dec. 14).

1862.-Lancashire cotton famine necessitates a Central Relief Committee. The Alabama leaves the Mersey, nominally for a trial trip (July).

1863.-Marriage of the Prince of Wales to Princess Alexandra of Denmark (Mar. 10). The Ionian Islands being resolved in favour of union with Greece, England consents. 1864.-The Government escaped defeat in the Commons by a majority of 18 on a motion of censure with reference to the Danish war; but were defeated on a similar motion in the Lords by nine votes (July).

1865. Dissolution of Parliament. General Election: Liberals, 861; Conservatives, 294 (July).

Death of Viscount Palmerston. Earl Russell succeeds him as Premier, the Earl of Clarendon replacing him at the Foreign Office (Oct.).

(PRIME MINISTER-EARL RUSSELL, L.)

Governor Eyre's severity in Jamaica caused much discussion. The Government recalled him, and he was prosecuted, but the Grand Jury threw out the bill.

1866.-Bill suspending Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland passed (Feb.). Commercial panic in the City; Bank Charter Act suspended (May).

Government introduced Reform Bill proposing County Franchise £14 rental, Borough Franchise £7 rental, and lodgers paying £10 clear annual value. Second reading carried by majority of 5, in House of 636. Bill wrecked in Committee on motion of Lord Dunkellin, supported by Mr. Lowe, Lord Grosvenor, &c. (May and June).

The Ministry resigned; the Earl of Derby became Premier, and Mr. Disraeli Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons (June).

(PRIME MINISTER-THE EARL OF DERBY, C.)

1867.-Mr. Disraeli introduced Reform Bill for England, which created household suffrage in boroughs, with a lodger franchise of £10; in counties a £12 occupation frauchise. An extensive redistribution of seats was effected, and the minority vote was introduced (Feb.) After introduction of Bill, General Peel, and Lords Carnarvon and Cranborne resigned (March). Bill received Royal assent (Aug. 15).

The Abyssinian expedition to rescue English prisoners from King Theodore necessitated an Autumn Session (Nov.).

In the autumn outrages occurred at Manchester and in Clerkenwell, with the object of rescuing Fenian prisoners.

1868.-Lord Derby resigned from failing health. (Feb.)

(PRIME MINISTER-RT. HON. B. DISRAELI, C.)

Mr. Gladstone proposed Irish Church Disestablishment resolutions; carried against the
Government (April), who decided to appeal to the constituencies in the autumn.
Scotch Reform Bill passed, giving seven additional seats to Scotland, and reducing
franchise in counties and boroughs (June).

Irish Reform Bill passed, lowering borough franchise from £8 to £4 (June).
Telegraphs Bill passed, authorising State purchase of telegraphs.

General Election: Liberals, 392; Conservatives, 265 (Nov.).

The Ministry resigned, and Mr. Gladstone became Premier (Doc.).

(PRIME MINISTER-RT. HON. W. E. GLADSTONE, L.)

1869.-Mr. Gladstone introduced Irish Church Disestablishment and Disendow.. ment Bill (March). Second reading carried by majority of 118; third reading by 114. Bill read a second time in Lords by majority of 33 (the Marquis of Salisbury voting for it.) Extensive amendments insisted on by the Lords in Committee, most of which the Commons disagreed with. The Royal assent was given to the Bill (July 26).

The United States rejected Lord Clarendon and Reverdy Johnson's proposed settlement of the Alabama question (April).

1870.-Irish Land Bill, introduced by Mr. Gladstone (Feb. 15), passed both Houses, and received Royal Assent (Aug. 1). It recognised Ulster tenant-right; conferred rights on tenants with reference to compensation for disturbances; provided compensation to

tenants for improvements; provided facilities for the loan by Government of two-thirds of the purchase money to tenants desirous of buying their holdings.

The Elementary Education Act, introduced by Mr. W. E. Forster, and passed. It provided for the continuance of Government grants to voluntary schools; but where such do not exist, it provided for the creation of a School Board elected by the inhabitants, under the Cumulative Vote system, having power to levy a rate and erect and manage schools; schools where religious instruction is given, and which receive a grant, to be obliged to conform to a Conscience Clause; catechisms and distinctive dogmatic formularies to be excluded from rate-supported schools. The Bill was, in some particulars, strongly opposed by a section of the Liberal party, and Mr. Forster acknowledged that without the constant support of the Conservatives it could never have become law.

War declared by France against Prussia. England concluded a treaty with both belligerents, securing the neutrality of Belgium (July).

Irish Coercion Act passed.-Home Rule League founded.

1871.-Russia having declared that she would disregard the clause of the Treaty of Paris which secured the neutrality of the Black Sea, Mr. Gladstone's Government agreed at a Conference on the subject, to the abrogation of the clause.

Mr. Lowe proposed a tax of a halfpenny per box on lucifer matches, which was received with marked disfavour, and withdrawn (April).

University Tests Abolition Bill passed.

England concluded Treaty of Washington, agreeing to submit Alabama claims to arbitration (May).

Bill abolishing Purchase in the Army carried in Commons by majority of 58; the Lords deferred second reading (July 12): whereupon the Government, disregarding their decision, abolished purchase by Royal Warrant; the Lords subsequently passed the Bill, accompanied by a vote of censure on the arbitrary action of the Government.

1872.-Assassination of the Earl of Mayo, Governor-General of India (Feb. 8). Mr. Gladstone interrogated in Commons (Feb. 13), on the Ewelme Rectory scandal. Thanksgiving in St. Paul's for the recovery of the Prince of Wales (Feb. 27). An unpopular Licensing Act passed.

Government having temporarily elevated Sir Robert Collier to the Bench of Common Pleas in order to qualify him for appointment to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the transaction caused motions of censure in both Houses; they escaped defeat in the Lords by a majority of 2, and in the Commons by 27 (Feb.).

The Geneva Tribunal (Sir A. Cockburn dissenting) awards three millions and a quarter pounds sterling to the United States as damages due from England for the acts of the Alabama. The award greatly increased the unpopularity of the Government (Sept.) The Ballot Bill passed (July).

The Emperor of Germany, appealed to arbitrate respecting the possession of St. Juan, decided against Great Britain, and assigned the island to the United States (Oct.).

1873.-Napoleon III. died at Chislehurst (Jan. 9).

Mr. Gladstone introduced Irish University Bill to combine Trinity College, Dublin, Maynooth, and the Colleges of Cork and Belfast into a new University; to hand over the Theological Faculty of Trinity College to the Episcopal Church; to provide for the new University a governing body nominated first by the Act, but ultimately by the Crown, the Council, the Senate, and the Professors jointly. The Bill was defeated on the second reading by 287 to 284 (March 11); Mr. Gladstone's Ministry resigned; Mr. Disraeli was called on to form a Government, which, after deliberation, he declined to do, and Mr. Gladstone returned to office.

The Supreme Court of Judicature Act passed, constituting one High Court of Justice, and a Supreme Court of Appeal.

The Ashantee War continued through the summer and autumn; Sir Garnet Wolseley commanding the British forces, sent out to protect the Gold Coast Settlements from the Ashantees.

1874.-Mr. Gladstone suddenly dissolved Parliament (Jan 24); a General Election ensued, resulting as follows:-Conservatives, 350; Liberals, 244; Home Rulers, 58. Mr. Gladstone resigned and Mr. Disraeli became Prime Minister (Feb).