Star.
London, England, 1831-05-28 00:00:00

COURT NEWS.

I .
LITERATURE.—REFORM.
His Majesty held a Chapter—
the
rby subm—.
itted to the
Icy Advice, most ropmffi torts. ort the
of the Most Noble Ora a
Rcforor MIL ((MOWRY.
the Garter, at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at the Palace of Si. .
spirited and cogent address, to that part of
James's, for the purpose of investing Earl Grey with the Blue Riband • • This is a verY
of the Order as a supernumerary Knight. . the British community, who may be now said to have the
Lord Waldegrave, as Lord in Waiting, having informed domestic peace and prosperity of this country more especially
the principal King at Anus, that the King was ready to hold the in their power—whose voice is to decide whether the notion
Chapter, the following Knights catered the Throne-room in their is to be torn asunder by civil feuds, or united in fresh
Order: the junior Knights test. dressed its the splendid robes of the
Order ; the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Exeter, the Duke of bonds of social affection.
Devonshire, the Duke of Dorset, the Duke of Beaufort, the Duke of We cannot believe that the aristocracy of Britnin can err
Rutland, the Earl of Westmorland, Prince Leopold. . on such an important question, as that which occasions the
His Majesty was attended by Lord Foley as Captain of i. resent address ; but should there be still waverers, let them
the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen Pensioners, the Marquis of Clan-
order
ri.ad and improve by this pamphlet. I n to promulgate
ricer& as Captain of the Yeoman Guard, Lord Frederick Fitzciarenee
it,: sensible remarks, we shall make the following ex-
as Equerry in waiting, and the Master of the Robes.
The officers of the Older present were--the Bishop of ti acts :
Winchester, Prelate of the Order ; the Bishop of Salisbury, Cleancellot " The elections which have just taken place. and the enthushom
of the Order; the Dean of Windsor, Registrar; sir George Nsyler, which exists in the country upon the subjer, make it quite evident
Garter Principal King at Arms; and Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, Usher cf that the beetle of Reform is won in the House of Commons. A
the Black Rod. moderate degree of foresight would have shown the Tories that eir 2
been the event of a general election—with the King- ::fe
The Chapter was opened by reading the statute under
. government, and the people,--all united in favour of this one great
which the Order is held.
measure.
The Principal King at Arms retired to an adjoining room, '' But it is evident that it is not to the understandings of this party
and introduced Earl Grey to the Sovereign, who conferred the honour that " coming events cast their shadows Left re."
of knighthood upon his Lordship, with the sword of state. The Earl " Nor is the experience of the past less a sealed book to ti7e Tories
then retired, when his Lordship was elected a supernumerary Knight than the prescience of the future. They have seen, both in our
of the Order. own history, and in that of other nations (ay, and recon.ly too) the
The two junior Knights present (the Duke of Richmond ruin that has followed upon the determination to stand by old abuses,
and the Marquis of Exeter) left the Chapter-room. and introduced and the refusal of timely concession to the reasonable wishes of the
Earl Grey, the principal King at Arms carrying the garter, reoond, people. And what use have they made of these exampl. s? Why,
and badge, upon a crimson velvet cushion, Prince Loopld then pre- they refused, only last year, to transfer the right of sending members
ertr„i the corrupt borough of Retford to the flourishing and indepen.
rented the Earl to the King, his Lordship kneeling on his riehe knee.
when his Majesty was graciously pleased to place the garter round his dint town of Birmingham. .Thus verifying, politically, the
left leg. I •r.-urge of scripture, that," seeing, they do not see ; and hearing they
The noble Earl then rose, and the Chancellor pronounced do not understand."
It is to Inc members of the Upper House of Parliament that we
the following admonition: "
To the honour of Gon omnipotent, and in
memorial
of the blond would principally address the following observations; and fur this tea-
inanyr St. George, tie about thy leg, for thy renown, this noble gar-t, his faithful Commons,
to : wear it as the symbol of the most illustrious Order, never to be son, that, as we have before stated., the Kin
anti the Pe epic, being all united for the success of the reform bill, the
Peer. are at present the only branch of the legislature, as well as the
forgotten or laid aside, that thereby thou may'st be admonished to be 1
eairy body in the ram whose opinions arc not declared upon this em us; and having undertaken a just war, in which thou shalt tie
ininnonnt subject. We trust they will not attempt to disturb thc
all-
engaged, thou may'st stand firm, valiantly fight, and successfully
cooquer" unanimity of t; eir countrymen by an unseasonable cr intemperate op.
positron to their wishes.
The noble Earl then knelt again upon his right knee, when To such persons we wend.] say, what do you expect to obtain by a
the Sovereign was pleased to place the blue riband upon his leik shoul- continuance of your ungracious position to the wishes of the people ?
der, and after rising the following admonition was pronounced : It is impossible that you can hope, with King, Ministers. Ed Coin.
" Wear this riband about thy neck, adorned with the image of the mons against you, to prevent the measure of reform ikon) taking effect.
blessed martyr and soldier of Cnairr, St. George, by whose imitation When Sir Joseph Jekyll d;ed, he left his fortune to pay the national
deb:. " Sir," said Lord Mansfield to one of his relation., " Sir Jost ph
provoked, thou may'st so overpass, both prosperous and adverse advert.
tures, that, having constantly vanquished thy enemies, both of body and was a got d man and a good lawyer, but his bequest is a very foolish
soul, thou may'st not oely receive the praise of this transient combat, but one—he might as well have attempted to stop the middle Lodi of
be crowned with the palm of eternal victory." Blacktiiars Bridge with Iris full-bottomed wig i.. So say we to sliese
Each Knight then shook hands with his Lordship, and opponents of Reform—and we particularly beg the attention of Lced
congratulated him upon his election. The Chapter then broke up. Mansfield's descendant to the ape phthegm of his anceror. The House
Yesterday was the birth-day of Prince George of Cum- of Lords can no more step the success of reform, than Sir Joseph
heel:end, when his Royal Highness entered his 13th year. Their Ma- Jekyll's bequest could pay the national debt, or his wig impede the
current of the river Themes. Many of the persons we are now address.
jesties, and the whole of the members of the Royal Family, sent to
ing are, doubtless, like Sir Joseph, good men ; and some of them, like
congratulate the Prince on the auspicious event, and all of them made
presents to their youthful relative. The day was celebrated at Kew hint, man he rod lawyers—but their conduct, like his bequest, is
with every demonstration of rejoicing. A dinner was given to all the exceedingly foolish. Nsy it is worse than foolish, it is dangerous in
poor men and women in the neighbourhood, and a variety of prizes the extreme. It is, doubtless, impossible for the House of Lords no
were distributed to the successful candidates in the rustic spons, which stem the tide of reform—but in attempting to do it, the rash set may
endanger their own safety, and with theirs that of all of us, who are,
were contended for on Kew-green during the afternoon. The Duke and
Prince George of Cumberland were present to witness the games. to a certain degree in the same boat with them.
Their Majesties gave a grand dinner in houour of the day If the Tory Lorlis had any chance of being able, by their opposition
to it, to prevent the progress of reform, we should not be surprised,
M the numbers of the Royal Family, and some of the Foreign Ambits.
with the view they take of that question, at their exerting themselves
odors end Ministers to meet the Duke, the Duchess, and Prince George
strenuously against it. But is this the case? We will put it to the
ef Cumberland, who came from Kew for that purpose. In the evening
there was a concert. understanding of any one of them, whether there is even a possibility
The establishments of the Duke and Duchess of Cum-
of their resisting successfully the current of public opinion, which cow
aat, so strongly 0,,, way.
barbed, both at Kew and in town, were regaled with excellent dinners. Buttrehy, it may be asked, do we suppose that any set of men can
The King gave audiences yesterday to the Duke of act thus madly—simply because of their previous conduct? Because
Devonshire, Earl Grey, the Duke of Richmond, and the Bishop of they have never cone.ded any thing to the wishes of the people, till all
Bristol. the grace of concession was gone—because they have never seen the
Prince N. Esterhazy, accompanied by Prince Paul Eater- signs of the times—because they have never been warned by the past,
hasy, called yesterday to pay his respects to their Majesties, on his ar-
or alive to the future.
rival in this country; and also visited the different branches of the But they are now playing a deeper and more hazardous stake than
Royal Family. they ever did before. They now find themselves, not opposed to ii
party, but fact to face with a united; people. In such a position, we
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent entertained a
large
n. and distinguished party at dinner yesterday at the Palace at Ken-
moat respectfully warn them of the consequences of an unwise resist-
VIM. Those consequences are such as we tremble even to think of.
singto
But we will hope for better things of the hereditary legislators of Eng-
At the King's Levee on Wednesday, Messrs. Widnall, land—we will hope, that, " wise in their generation," they will see, at
Watts, Parrott, Dark, Butler, Fearnley and Pickman, (a deputation length, the necessity of uniting with the people, instead of opposing
of the inhabitants of the parish of Paddington), a loyal ad. them—of placing themselves at their head, where they ought always
dress to the King, and were individually presen to His Majesty by to be, in the march of improvement—and of directing, rather than
his Grace the Duke of Norfolk. thwarting their endeavours to amend and strengthen the constitution.
A Cabinet Council was held at 4 o'clock yesterday after- It would seem, by the language we sometimes hear as proceeding
neon, at the Foreign-Office, which was attended by the Lord Chan- from the Lords, that a very inadequate estimate is formed, at least by
cello, the Marquis of Lansdowne Earl Grey, Lord Durham, Via. many of their lordships, of the extent and vehemence with which tine
count Palmerston, Viscount Goderich, the Chancellor of the Ex. desire of reform pervades and possesses the people of this country.
chequer, Lord Holland, Sir AMR Graham, and the Duke of Rich. The general election, just over, one should think, might convince
mood. any reflecting mind how universal this feeling is. The mere numerical
The Right Hon. Charles Grant, the only minister absent, returns are sufficient for the argument. But the kind of places
has not yet returned to town Prom Scotland. 2 which have chosen men pledged to the bill, and the kind of men
who have so been chosen, cast a light equally strong upou the same
Our Readers will peruse with an interest seldom produced
matter. For all England there are eighty-two county members. Theses
by the details of mere Court Pageantry, the above particu- if any, are supposed to be chosen by the landed interest—the arist. craey.
lure of investing, the present justly admired Prime Mi- In the county elections, if any where, is the influence of the House of
Lords felt. At any rate, those Lords whom we address as enemies to
nister, Earl Grey, with the Blue Riband, and other insignia
reform, cannot deny this ; for their argument is, that the influence which
of the Most Noble Order of the Garter—of which Order he they enjoy under the present system, will be taken away by the change,
has thus been admitted, by especial invitation of his Majesty, and surely they can never mean to rest their power in the House of
a Supernumerary Knight. It is understood, that the Blue Commons upon the rotten boroughs, and admit that they have nothing
to do in county elections. Well—how many country gentlemen, RDR.
Riband was expressly conferred in the words of his
mica of the bill, have been returned to resist it, by the landed interest,
Majesty, " to mark publicly his approbation of Lord under the law of elections as it now stands, and as those Lords areup-
Grey's conduct, and for the same reason he had mead to wish it may always continue ? El led), six—or about an
purposely chosen this time to confer the honour." The eleventh of the who county representation . What counties return
these six ? Not Yorkshire—not Lancashire not Lincolnabire—not
honour was tendered to the Noble Earl on his first tak-
Chester—nor Devon—nor Somerset—nor Kent—nor Essex—nor Nir.
ing office, and then respectfully declined. His Majesty has folk—nor Leicestershho—nor Oxfordshire—nor Cumberland—sees—but
since had the public merits of the Premier confirmed by ex- the close-borough counties of Westmoreland—.Monmouth--Bucks
perience, and that opportunity having been afforded, the re- (where supposed friends to reform proved more friends to their family
pointu,
ant)—d a uetingdonshire, where one reformer greatly headed the
petition of the distinguished offer could not be longer refused
d might, with all ease, have accompanied hint—and
Salop, where sag
entleman was returned friendly to all other liberal
—and may be considered as a compliment of the highest
kind paid by the King, notonly to a virtuous statesman, but measures, and therefore kindly retained, notwithstandirg his unse-
to the sentiments of his subjects. countable aberration upon the RIM important of all. In every one city
or borough which has any thing like a popular election, both c..adi.
Mr. Burge, the agent for Jamaica, bad an interview yes- elites, and in London all four, were returned in favour of the bill.
today with Viscount Goderich, at the Colonial-office. The anti-reformers, following their principal leader, Sir It. Peel's
The Prussian Minister visited Viscount Palmerston yes- example, attempted to,
gain the freemen, and especially the r.on-resi.
terday, at the Foreign-office. dents, whom the bill certainly disfranchises. These poor, but honest
and spirited men, indignantly turned away from the appeal to their in.
wrested feelings, and joined in declaring for the whole bill, and for those
who would carry it through. See, again, the havoc which the prevail.
log sentiment has made sarong the strongest and most arciently nits.
!dished family in•eresta—all have been swept away before the untveraal
tide of reform. The Duke of Newcastle goes to " his own," but " his
own knows him not ;" and two reformers are returned fur :s ewark,
where one could not pin admittance a few months before with all his
seal and all his talents ; and in both Bassetlaw and the county of Notts
st large, his Grace, who returned two members Lot autumr., row re-
turns no more. His parliamentary interest is reduced to four rotten
borough seats, where no man, save himself, interferes. The Duke of
Beautan's own brother, and his eldest son, justly popular not h men,
and highly distinguished in the career of arms, are both flung l lit, be-
cause they stand against reform. Their kinsman of Rutland loses Loth
his county heats, tool his relative loses both his also at Grantham.
The Percy of Northumberland is signally overthrown by the Prime
Minister's son, who, last autumn, had not ventured into the field 1
and above all, the Lowther it fluence, against which Mr. Brougham
had thrice stood, and thrice stood in vain, when all he desired was to
wrest one seat from the " great boroughmor.ger," is now completely
destroyed in all its strong-holds, The Lowther member for Carlisle is
defeated—Lord Loather himself yet mere signally beaten in I umber.
land—and he who would not before lis:en to one liberal number for
Westmoreland, is fain to accept one seat for his own too, in order to
avoid the certain loss of both. These are the doings of the Bill, and
they are wonderful in our eyes.
These surely are not times for the privileged " order" to set them.
selves against the whole current of public opinion. Were the love of
Reform a plant of yesterday's growth, it might be safe to prune it we.
Icesly, and even to pluck it up. But that which was a few years ago
but as a grain of mustard-seed, and the least of plants, is now grown
to a tree in which " the fowls of the air build their nests." The truth
is, that this great question has been conribually making progress.
Among these short-sighted men, the first place is, on every account,
due to Sir R. Peel—a man who bad once, in his youth, gotten en.
tangled in a question of the like kind, which he afterwards so bitterly
repented having ever touched, and had no right, in his riper years,
to commit a second blunder of the self-same description. Yet did even
he show himself shortsighted enough to announce himself the irrecoos
cileable foe of Reform, at a moment when all were becoming more or
less its friends—and he stoutly resisted giving to Birmingham the
abused franchise of convicted ketford. This year he has only followed
op the same error—but how deeply does he now repent him of it !
How fervently does he wish the last year of his life could be blotted
out I In this wish we must say be has ourselves for probers. His
rashness has our blame—perhaps, rather our regrets more the.
any thing else. His abilities are valuable to his estuary —.
his saviors have been very considerable—and It Is As is
hope that they rosy become sgain available. But ter the pre.
sent be has placed himself in a Muslims when be really

Private letters from Naples confirm what the English
papers said some time ago, of a great attachment felt by the King of
Naples for an English lady, but insurmountable obstacles have arisen
on both sides. This lady (51isa Matilda Strachan, who is 18 years of
age), quitted Naples with her mother.
Princess Butera, so celebrated for her beauty, her riches,
her wit, and her misfortunes, ditd lately at Naples. She contracted a
second marriage with George Wilding, a Lieutenant in the Hanoverian
la'lke, who received front her the title of Prince Butera. This Prince
is at Vienna.

His Grace the Duke of Wellington arrived on Saturday
at Widmer Castle, and it is reported that he will remain there until the
meeting of Parliament. The Marquis of Douro, Mr. Croker, and
some other friends are with him.
The name of Charles X. is not found in the list of those
persons who receive the decorations of July ; the ea-King complains
of only having obtained the reverse of the medal —FiLiaro.
General Mouton treats Liberty as if she were a sheep.
It appears that it is not the Arch-Duke Michael that is
expected at tsidmouth. but his consort, the Arch-Duchess Helene,
with the Princess Ganrin, Countess Nesselrode, and upwards of 40
attendants, for whose accommodation four houses on Fort Terrace

have been engaged.
The Courrier des Pays Bas says, that in the event of
Prince Leopold accepting the Sovereignty of Belgium—an event which
it declares quite probable—the accredited Ambassador of England at
that Court will be Lord Poneonby, who will, it is thought, consent to
give up his embassy to Brasil. In the event of his not seceding, two
other individuals, Sir Brooke Taylor and Mr. Calcnft are mentioned.
The Gazette of last night contains an Order in Council
for making Road Harbour, in the Island of Tortola, a free warehousing
Port.
Some slight attempts have been lately made to repair that
part of the New.road between Battle-bridge and Islington ; but the
road-menders in this case, like bed tinkers, in repairing one bole, have,
in most instances, made a larger.
The York City Magistrates have given the parochial
overseers an intimation that, in passing their accounts, " all charges
for eating and drinking will be disallowed."
An investigation is in progress at the General Poet-office,
to detect the cause of the non arrival of pensent by post.
The Duke of Leinater and Lonr:leloncurry have beea
sworn bias members of the Privy Council in Ireland.
It is intended to put Mr. Long Wellesley in nomination
as Provincial Grand Master of Freemasons for the county of Sues, vice
J. P. Heneywood, Esq. deceased.