Iftisttllantotts.

We learn from an unquestionable source that the noble Secretary for the Colonies w ill shortly lead to the hymeneal altar Lady Fanny Elliot, second daughter of the Earl and Countess of Minto. The ceremony will be performed at the close of the present season. Lord John Russell is in his forty-ninth year, and a widower; having married in 1835 Lady Ribblesdale, who died in November 1838, leaving a son and daughter by his Lordship. Lady Fanny Elliot is in her twenty-sixth year.— Post.

The Standard of Monday mentioned, to contradict, a rumour that Sir Robert Peel had been suddenly taken unwell that morning. The Globe of the following evening said that the rumour was of a more extra- vagant kind—" That the right honourable gentleman was no longer in existence, and that death was not the result of disease."

The Speaker has issued cards for a dinner to the Sergeant-at-Arms, the Clerk, and other officers of the Commons, at his house in Eaton Square, on Friday next, at seven o'clock. 'I his official dinner generally takes place the day after the prorogation of Parliament. The dissolu- tion may therefore be expected next week.—Correspondent of the. Standard, June H.:— — - We understand that Mr. Robert Gordon, M.P. for Windsor, whose' resignation n as announced some time since, .yesterday fully resigned his official duties. The honourable gentleman is succeeded in the office of Secretary to the Treasury by Mr. R. More O'Ferrall, late Secretary of the Admiralty. Mr. John Parker, M.P. for Sheffield, one of the Lords of the Treasury, has been appointed Secretary to the Admiralty, in room of Mr. O'Ferrall. The vacant office of one of the Lords of the Treasury, it is supposed, will not be filled up until after the dissolu- tion of Parliament.—Standard, June 11.

The Ministers were accused of indecent conduct in bringing Lord Douglas Hallyburton to vote on Friday night, though in so in,- firm a state of health as to seem scarcely conscious of what' wall going forward. Lord Douglas has written (or somebody has written in his name) a letter to the Times, enclosing one from his physician, Dr. James Johnson ; who says that "Lord Hallyburton's complaint has not the most remote affinity to either temporary or permanent insanity. The malady is corporeal, weakening. the powers of speech as well as the muscular powers generally, but, unaccompanied by any thing like mental derangement in the proper end usual sense of the word."

A correspondence has taken'place between Mr. Handley and Lord Stanley, on the subject of-the inconsistency with which the Ministerial Member was charged by Sir Robert Peel's convert, in one of the most effective sections of his very effective speech. In the debate on Sir Robert's want-of-confidence resolution, Lord Stanley said that Mr. Handley consulted him as to the vote he should give on the Speaker- ship when Sir Robert Peel came into office ; and that he was "an uncomprising and devoted adherent of Lord Liverpool's Government," as indeed of every other. For disproof of the latter assertion, Mr. Handley refers to his votes recorded in Hansard: the other matter he explains hns-

" I bad no communication whatever with your Lordship previous to my vote for Mr. Manners Sutton; but on the following morning 1 received a note from

Lord George Bentinck, p'urporting to be written by your desire, and stating,

that judging from my vote on the Speakership that I was not prepared to go all lengths with the Opposition, your Lordship had requested him, as a mutual friend, to invite me to meet a few Members at your Lordship's house, to con- sult on the course to be adopted as to the Address. My reply was, that having made up my mind to vote for any amendment to the Address that implied a

want of confidence in Sir Robert Peel, I could not in fairness join in the con- sultation. A subsequent communication, however, was made by Lord George Bentinck, urging my attendance, which he said would be in no way binding upon me; with which I complied ; and after remaining some ten minutes, during which you did not address a syllable to me individually, I found that your Lordship's views and mine were totally different ; and I at once quitted the only conference, if such it can be called, ever held between us; and which your Lordship will now perceive was not of my seeking, but yours."

Lord Stanley, with careless politeness, regrets that he should have misrepresented any part of Mr. Handley's political conduct, and admits, with an air of indifference, that the other's memory is more likely than his own to be exact as to the particulars ; adding-

" The position which I occupied at that time was not one of my own seek- ing, but was pressed upon me by several gentlemen, some of whom, I believe,

previously attended a meeting in Palace-yard ; of which number I understood that you were one: and I am not aware of having invited the attendance of any one at my house."

In a second letter, Mr. Handley says that he was not at the meeting in Palace-yard ; and that he most certainly should not have intruded himself at Lord Stanley's house but for the communication to which he had already alluded.

The Manchester Guardian publishes a lengthy correspondence be- tween Mr. J. B. Smith and Mr. Holland Hoole, of' the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and Sir Robert Peel, on the subject of some misunderstanding as to what passed between a deputation from the Chamber and the Baronet on the question of Free Trade. At the con- ference, the deputation requested Sir Robert's attention to a Report of the Chamber on the Import-duties ; while one of them, Mr. Ashworth, before taking leave, asked Sir Robert if he had seen Mr. Greg's pamphlet ? Sir Robert confounded the two volumes ; and in the debate on the Sugar-duties, in the House of Commons, represented the depu- tation as having requested his attention to the pamphlet, which, con- trary to the opinion of the Chamber, favours a temporary continuance of the protecting-duties. The Chamber regarded this confusion as intentional. Sir Robert observes-

" Mr. Ashworth took the leading part at that interview. If it were intended by Mr. Ashworth to recommend to me parts only of the pamphlet of Mr. Greg,

the reservation ought to have been made at the time. If, again, Mr. Ashworth was speaking sometimes in his individual capacity, and at others as a member of the deputation, or if he offered to me suggestions from which you dissented, I cannot but think that an intimation to that effect ought to have been con- veyed to me during our interview."

Mr. Smith and Mr. Hoole, however, collating Sir Robert's speech as reported in the Morning Chronicle, and as sanctioned by himself except in one passage, with the corrected version of his speech published in the form of a pamphlet, and finding all the passages to which they objected in the first version omitted in the second, intimate that they adhere to their opinion that the misrepresentation was intentional : at least, they say-

" We cannot, however, close this correspondence without deeply regretting that a statesman, aspiring to the first office in the Government, should, even by implication, have justified the suspicion of having sought to procure a tem- porary triumph of party interests, not only at the expense of the character and reputation of the deputation of the Chamber of Commerce at Manchester, but also at that of truth and justice."

We are given to understand that the instructions given to Sir Henry Pottinger, on proceeding as Commissioner to Canton to supersede Cap- tain Elliot, were warlike against the Chinese to an extreme degree.— Courier.

A note of the Four Powers has been published, dated 10th May 1841, which is regarded as the ultimatum on the Eastern question. According to the "recommendation" which the Four Powers make to the Sultan, the hereditary succession of the Pashalik of Egypt is distinctly pro- mised to Ibrahim Pasha and his descendants, as the heirs of the present Viceroy ; the tribute to be paid to the Porte by Mehemet Ali is to be fixed at a certain amount, without taking the control of the finances of the provinces out of the hands of the Pasha's officers ; and with regard to the military promotions, the Allies appear to content themselves with a recognition of the supreme authority of the Sultan over the forces of the empire by sea and land, which will of course be delegated to the Pasha, as the necessities of the service must suggest. Upon these terms the Four Powers, without attaching any penal or comminatory con- ditions to their advice, proceed to declare, "that they must consider the submission formally made by Mehemet Ali as absolute, and consequently regard the Turco-Egyptian question as terminated."

The Paris papers of Wednesday have been received. On Friday, in the Chamber of Peers, General d'Ambrugeaux moved an amendment on a law of recruitment which was under discussion ; and in spite of Marshal Smiles entreaties, the amendment was carried. The bill is consequently lost, for the session ; as it cannot be recon- sidered in the Chamber of Deputies, only 100 Deputies remaining in town, while 231 are necessary to vote. This proceeding is attributed to the pride of the Peers ; who are offended at the slight which they conceive to be put upon them by the Chamber of Deputies, in having bills sent up to be passed as a matter of course, after the Deputies have begun to dissolve themselves by individual departures for the country. Marshal Soult was taken suddenly ill ; and he was unable to appear in the Chamber on Saturday, being confined to his bed. It was said on that day that he had resigned the Presidency, of the Council and the Ministry of War. He remained ill and angry for a day or two ; but on Monday it was announced that lie had been pacified, and no longer talked of resignation ; and it was now even made a question whether he had ever resigned at all. At the sitting of the Chamber of Peers, on Wednesday, the Keeper of the Seals read a Royal ordinance, in virtue of which the Recruitment Bill, which had occasioned the recent Ministerial crisis, was withdrawn. Marshal Soult was not yet sufficiently recovered to attend the meeting.

From. Madrid, letters and journals have arrived to the 3d instant.

It was said that the ordinary physicians of Queen Isabella the Second have declared that an excursion to the waters of Caldas and Barcelona is indispensable to her health. The Regent directed a committee of four doctors to consult together, and decide on the best course to be pursued. They agreed that the Queen might safely remain in Madrid, and that she should this summer take artificial mineral baths.

The Chamber of Deputies decided, on the 2d, that S. Gonzales, S. San Miguel, and S. Surra y Rull, should submit to a reelection, in con- sequence of their having accepted office.

The Britannia steam-ship has arrived, having left Halifax on the 29th. She set out from Boston on the 16th, but took the ground. and was obliged to proceed to St. John's that it might be ascertaned whether she was damaged. It was found that she had sustained no great injury.

As the detention of the steamer was not known at New York, the intelligence direct from that city is not more recent than what had been already received. But through the Halifax papers we learn, that the case of Mr. M`Leod did not come before the Supreme Court of New York till the 18th, the time of the Court at its first sitting having been occupied by another case. The arguments were pro- ceeding at the date of the latest accounts. Among the documents sahmitted to the Court, was the following note from Mr. Fox, the British Minister, to Mr. Webster, the Foreign Secretary, dated 12th March 1841- " Her Majesty's Government have bad under consideration the subject of the arrest and imprisonment of Alexander DI'Leoil, on a pretended charge of arson and murder ; and I am directed to make known to the Government of the United States, that the British Government entirely approved of the course pursued by him. I am instructed to demand formally, and in the name of the British Government, the immediate release of Alexander M'Leod, for the rea- son that the transaction was of a public character, planned and executed by persons duly authorized by the Colonial Government to take such measures as might be necessary forprotecting the property and lives of her Majesty's sub- jects; and being therefore an act of public duty, they cannot be held responsi- ble to the laws and tribunals of any foreign country."

The latest date of the Quebec papers is May 19th. Lord Sydenham was still in ill health. The threatened alteration of the Timber-duties continued to excite much fear and anger. The season was considered backward, and complaint is made of dulness in trade.

Clamorous appeals for assistance, moved seemingly by the most poignant misery, have been sent to us by two Polish refugees. As the best thing that we can do for them, we publish their letters, which may attract the attention of benevolent persons who have more time than we have to investigate the cases. "TO THE EDITOR or THE SPECTATOR.

Loudon, 7th June 1841.

" Sir—I am not able to give you an idea of my sufferings and my poverty. Since three years and near my old days, I receive no help from any quarter : my misery is so great that scarcely am I able to bear it. I beg of you not to take me for an impostor, for you can be convinced by seeing me, that poverty and hunger have reduced me so low that. I am scarcely able to walk.

" I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,

" Captain THEOPHIL PIETRASZEWSEI, Polish Refugee. "23, Parker Street, Princes Street, Westminster."

" TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.

•• London, 11th June 1841.

" Sir—Dreading the horrible end of some of my unhappy countrymen, who in this country died silently through starvation, I beg leave to solicit your favour of making known to the Christian public, that I am in extreme want of food, clothes, and medical assistance for myself, my wife, and my poor child, six months old.

" I am, Sir, yours very respectfully, " J. C. GOLEJEWSIII, Polish Exile.

"23, Parker Street, Princes Street, Westminster."

ASCOT RACES.

Ascot Heath Races began on Tuesday. Interest in them was much abated by the decided result of the performances of the Epsom and Newmarket winners. Coronation, Van Amburgb, and Ghuznee, were looked on as safe in the races for which they were entered. Mence the attendance of " business"-men was but poor. But an average assemblage of fashionables and holyday-folks was collected to see the Queen, and view the races for the many cups, handicaps, and plates, not- withstanding the cold, gloomy weather. The place has received some improvements : the Royal stables have been completed on a liberal scale, and in grand style; the stand has been fitted with blinds to fend off the sun ; a shrubbery has been added to the Grand Stand ; and so much of the coarse as was faulty has undeigone the now fashionable process of tanning. The Queen was present ; Prince Albert, Prince Esterhazy, and the Marchioness of Normanby riding in the same carriage. The Royal party also comprised Prince Nicholas Esterhazy, the Marquis of Normanby, Lord and Lady Palmerston, the Duke of Rutland, Lord and Lady Ashley, and the Earl of Errol and some other officers of the Household. Among the other distinguished personages present, were the Earl of Lichfield, the Duke of Beaufort, the Duke of Bedford, the Marquis of Westminster, the Marquis of Exeter, the Earl of South- ampton, Lord Maidstone, Lord George Bentinck, Sir John Shelley, and Sir Benjamin Hall.

The Trial Plate was won by the Duke of Rutland's Flambeau, -ridden by Robinson, against Lord Chesterfield's Knight of the Whistle, and four other horses.

The second race Was a two-mile match for 300 guineas, between Mr. Maikhana's Broadwath and Lord Kelburne's Pathfinder, which Temple min who rode Broadwath, won in a canter.

The grand match of the Ascot Derby Stakes was walked over by Mr. Rawlinson's Coronation.

A Sweepstakes was then won by Lord Bruce's:Rosalie colt, ridden by J. Day, and beating four others. The Ascot Stakes were won by Mr. Payne's Welfare, ridden by Nat, against the Duke of Richmond's The Currier, and nine other horses. This was a good race : the particulars arc thus given-

Betting-2 to 1 on Welfare (taken); 3 to 1 on The Currier ; 6 to 1 on Mobarek; and 7 to 1 on Hyllus. Spangle went off with the lead, which she kept to 'fie.first turn, followed by Pluto and Mobarek ; she then retired, and The Curns.;weut in front, Mobarek and Janus lying up with him. They ran in this ordersto the bottom turn, where Mobarek fell behind Janus, Welfare

y'

immediatelaftsr taking the second place. Half-way up the distance she chal- lenged; and-after a fine race, won by a neck. Arctic was third, and Janus and Mobarek fourth and fifth.

A Sweepstakes of 200 sovereigns each, for three-years-old colts and fillies, was run for by Mr. H. Combe's colt The Nob, Lord Exeter's Abydos, and Lord Lichfield's brother to Phosphorus. The Nob, ridden by Rogers, made all the running, and won by thirty lengths. The Gold Vase given by the Queen. with a sweepstakes of 20 sove- reigns each, was started for by Lord Westminster's Satirist, Mr. Ram- say's Lanercost, Mr. Thornhill's E.O., Mr. Wigram's Teleta, Mr. Dixon's Miss Stilton, Lord Exeter's Cmsarewich, and Mr. Goodman's Belgrade. The report runs thus-

Betting-7 to 4 on Lanercost, and 3 to 1 against Satirist (taken.) Teleta made the running, followed by Lanercost to the first turn, where she bolted. Miss Stilton took her place, attended by Satirist, bolted at the Old Mile- post, came again immediately, recovered her lead, and made strong play to the turn for straight running, where she again ran out, taking Lanercost with her. Satirist was thus left in front ; but was caught after running two yards, by Lanercost, who took the lead, and kept it half-way up the distance. Here Nat, who had nursed his horse with great patience, challenged; and after a smart race, won cleverly by a length.

The Dinner Stakes and the St. James's Palace Stakes were walked over by the Duke of Bedford's 'colt Oakley, and Lord Westminster's colt Satirist.

Although the second day at Ascot Heath is usually a blank, there was a good attendance on Wednesday, owing to the greater fineness of the weather. The Grand Stand was tolerably full. The Marquis of Nor- manby and a few of the well-known visiters of the previous day were present. The number of races was cut down by forfeits to three. They began with a Plate of SOL for maiden horses ; which was won by Mr. Osbaldistouc's Galatea, ridden by Nat ; beating cleverly Mr. Pettit's Emotion. A Sweepstakes of 100 sovereigns was won, in a moderate race, by Colonel reel's Chamelion, (Nat,) defeating the Duke of Bed- ford's John o'Gaunt. The Swinley Stakes were walked over by Sir G. Heathcote's Bokhara. For the Queen's Plate three horses started— Mr. Goodman's Belgrade, (Crouch,) Mr. Pettit's Langolee, and Mr. Dixon's Miss Stilton. Belgrade won. The Coronation Stakes were walked over by Lord Westminster's Ghuznee.

The attendance on Thursday, the grand day, was again immense. Although large numbers went by the Great Western Railway, swarms of travellers crowded the common roads. The Queen and Prince Albert appeared on the ground at exactly half-past one o'clock. In the same carriage were Prince George of Cambridge and the Dutchess of Cam- bridge. In the other Royal carriages were the Duke of Sutherland, the Duke and Dutchess of Bedford, the Marquis of Westminster, the Marquis of Exeter, the Earl and Countess of Errol and Lady Ida Hay, the Earl of Albemarle, Lord and Lady Robert Grosvenor, the Countess of Charlemont, Viscount and Viscountess Jocelyn, and the Earl of Uxbridge and other officers of the Household. geveral nobles and fashionables were also in the Stand ; but Lord Lichfield was the only Minister whose name we find in the list.

The first race was for the Grand Stand Plate, a handicap of 100 guineas. It was won by Lord Albemarle's Janus, ridden' by Robinson ; who took the lead throughout, followed by six other horses. A Sweepstakes of 80 sovereigns, for two years old colts, was walked over by Mr. Shackle's Meal. In the race for the Windsor Forest Stakes, of 50 guineas each, two horses were beaten easily by Mr. Treen's Una, ridden by Conolly. Lanercost, ridden by Noble, won the Gold Cup, of 20 sovereigns each, with 2001. from the fund. The following is the account of this race-

" Betting-11 to 8 against St. Francis; 9 to 4 against Bloomsbury ; 4 to 1 against Lanercost; 11 to 1 against Flambeau; and 25 to I against Bokhara.. Lanercost rendered a long description unnecessary, by taking the lead, making all the'running, and winning by a length cleverly, without having been headed; the pace good only for the last mile. Behind him the race was contested with much spirit. Flambeau followed the winner for half a mile, and was then passed by Teleta, who lived only round the top turn. St. Francis took her place, and held it to the straight running, where he was joined by Flambeau, Bokhara reaching them at the distance. A splendid race home ended in a dead-heat home for second between Flambeau and St. Francis ; Bokhara not being a length from them : the others were beaten off."

A Sweepstakes of 100 sovereigns each was carried off by Mr. H Combe's Nob, ridden by Rogers, against the Duke of Bedford's Oakley. The Queen and the Royal party left the ground after this race.

The Windsor Town Plate was won in a canter by Mr. Greville's Pickwick, against four other horses ; the Buckingham Palace Stakes by Lord Westminster's Van Amburgh, against Lord Exeter's Cesare- wich.

Yesterday's meeting, which closed the sport, was thin ; and it is matter of complaint that the receipts of the Grand Stan& for the week were below the average. The following is a list of the winners on the last day—For the Wokingham Stakes, first class, Mr. Treen's Una ; second class, Mr. J. V. Shelley's Curlew ' • Sweepstakes of 10 sovereigns, Mr. Goodman's Belgrade ; Borough of Windsor New Member's Plate, Lord Albemarle's Minaret ; and a match between Colonel Peel's Cha- melion and Lord Kelburne's Maley Moloch was won by the former.