e insults to England and to a
defenceless Englishman were concerned, which was discreditable to a
statesman of any free country, or indeed to any speaker that had a
sympathy with manhood and national dignity. In the elections which
ensued, the tone adopted on that occasion by the chancellor of the
exchequer, and the conduct of Lord Malmesbury, told effectively against
the government in various constituencies in the north of England. A
feeling was created that the rights of Englishmen in foreign countries
were neglected by their own government, and that so far as English
ambassadors and ministers were concerned, Englishmen abroad were at
the merey of any foreign tyrant who thought proper to wrong them. This
feeling had extended for some years upon the continent, and the debate
in the commons promoted by Lords John Russell and Palmerston, brought
out such glaring criminality on the part of the English foreign office
in connection with Mr. Mather, that the sentiment became strengthened on
the continent that unless an English traveller had powerful connections
in his own country, he might be made the object of foreign outrage with
impunity. Mr. Bernai Osborne only expressed the truth in the strong
language with which he concluded his speech, "Lord Malmesbury had
trifled with the honour of the country, and disgraced it in the eyes
of the whole continent of Europe." In the House of Lords, warm debates
arose upon the same question, in which Lord Malmesbury made a defence
still more disingenuous and unpatriotic than it was feeble.

LAW REFORM.

Notwithstanding the difficulties of the government, various useful bills
which had been prepared by the Whigs, but which the Russell government
was unable to carry, were passed into law. By the end of June, all these
measures were enacted as laws.

PROROGATION AND DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT.--GENERAL ELECTION.

On the 1st of July, her majesty in person prorogued her parliament, and
announced her intention of speedily dissolving it. This event took place
shortly after, and was followed by a general election, when the voice
of the country was so decidedly given against protection as to cause
the abandonment of all idea by the protectionist party of re-imposing a
corn-law. The orators of the government, however, announced throughout
the country their intention to promote a parliamentary struggle for
the re-adjustment of the public burdens, so as to relieve the landlord
intere