. The act allowed the commissioners
for the reduction of the national debt to apply the surplus to the
purchase of exchequer-bills, as well as stock; and since the revenue had
been diminished so much by the reduction of taxes, the surplus had been
applied in the purchase of such bills. He had done this in order to
diminish the number of securities in the hands of the bank; and although
the plan was operose, the effect was, that the debt was not reduced,
unless there was a real surplus of revenue.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

The king prorogued parliament on the 20th of October, in person. On the
one all-absorbing topic, that of reform in parliament, he remarked:--"In
the interval of repose which may now be afforded to you, I am sure it is
unnecessary for me to recommend to you the most careful attention to the
preservation of tranquillity in your respective counties. The
anxiety which has been so generally manifested by my people for the
accomplishment of a constitutional reform in the commons house of
parliament, will, I trust, be regulated by a due sense of the necessity
of order and moderation in their proceedings. To the consideration of
this important question the attention of parliament must necessarily
again be called at the opening of the ensuing session; and you may
be assured of my unaltered desire to promote its settlement by such
improvements in the representation as may be found necessary for
securing to my people the full enjoyment of their rights, which, in
combination with those of the other orders of the state, are essential
to the support of our free constitution." Parliament was prorogued to
the 22nd of November, but subsequently by proclamation to the 6th of
December.

CORONATION OF WILLIAM IV.

The coronation of William IV. took place on the 8th of September. The
ceremony was shorn of the grotesque pageantry of chivalric times, and
was confined to the interior of the abbey. The royal procession moved
in state carriages from St. James's Palace, and was escorted by the
cavalry. His majesty was saluted with hearty cheers from the multitude,
such as greeted his father in the most palmy days of his reign. His
majesty, the first naval king that ever sat on the British throne, was
dressed in an admiral's uniform. As the procession passed, the bands
which were stationed at different points played the national anthem,
which tended to excite the enthusiasm of the people. In conformity
with pr