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The Court of Common Council, on Thursday, adopted a petition to Parliament against so much of the Government Bill for London as is in- consistent with the bill promoted by the Corporation.

A deputation from the Orange Associations of the North of Ireland, led by a bevy of Conservative Members of Parliament., waited upon Lord Palmerston on Saturday, to present a memorial protesting against the conduct of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland in excluding Orangemen from the magistincy. The memorial was signed by 2700 persons ; among whom were 32 Peers, 38 Members of the House of Commons, 162 clergy- men, and 17 Justices of the Peace. Mr. Cairns introduced the deputa- tion, and stated the purport of the memoriaL Lord Palmerston said that the Orangemen were no doubt loyal and trustworthy. It is the mis- fortune of Ireland that its history is full of antagonisms. The Orange societies are not in accordance with the spirit of the times.

Resolutions were passed some years ago by the House of Commons, if not by both Souses of Parliament, deprecating the continuance of the Orange Lodges ; and as there were oaths and other external circumstances which rendered their legality doubtful, they were dissolved. The Orange con- federacy, however, had since been revived ; and though it was not now in the same particular form, it must tend to keep alive ancient reminiscences of antagonism, and people could not refrain from connecting it with the

Eirit and intentions of the former association. The Government, the Lord- Lieutenant, and the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, were far from ever sus- pecting that magistrates belonging to Orange lodges would be likely to be influenced by political considerations in the performance of their duties, but they felt that such suspicions might be entertained by a considerable portion of the Irish people. The Orange Association was really an organization more suited to the middle ages—to a period of anarchy, when one body of

the people were in the habit of arming themselves to resist some outrage or violence attempted by another party—than to the age in which we lived; and the plea that it was required for " self-defence" at the present day was one offensive to the legal authorities and institutions of the country, on which everybody should rely for the protection of life and property. The Premier suggested that such an association being productive of no con- ceivable good, its members would do a gracious and conciliatory act by dis- solving it at once,

The farewell banquet to Dr. Livingstone, at Freemason's Hall on Sa- turday, was attended by so large a number that seats could not be found for all who applied for admission, although from forty to fifty gentlemen over and above the number calculated on managed to obtain seats. Mrs. Livingstone and several ladies of distinction were seated in the gallery. Sir Roderick Murchison, from the chair, did the honours of the feast, and proposed the health of the guest of the evening in a speech that from its hearty tone called forth frequent responsive applause. He said that Dr. Livingstone's claim upon the admiration of men of science was that he had laid down the latitude and longitude of places hitherto unknown ; but his higher claims were, that by fidelity to his engagements he had conciliated the people of Africa, and had shown them what an English Christian is. Sir Roderick described the personnel of the new expedition, including Mrs. Livingstone among those whose efforts would tend mar, terially to its success.

Dr. Livingstone replied with much emotion ; d modestly expressed a hope that the expedition would be able to open up the country.

"Should I succeed in my endeavour—should we be able to open a com- munication advantageous to ourselves with the Natives of the interior or Africa—it would be our great duty to confer upon them those great benefits of Christianity which have been bestowed upon ourselves. Let us not make the same mistake in Africa that we have made in India, but let us take to that country our Christianity with us. I confess that I am not sanguine enough to hope for any speedy result from this expedition, but I am san- guine as to its ultimate result. I feel convinced that if we can establish a system of free labour in Africa it will have a most decided influence upon slavery throughout the world England has, unfortunately, been compelled to obtain cotton and other raw material from slave states, and has thus been the mainstay and support of slavery in America. Surely, it follows, that if we can succeed in obtaining the raw material from other sources than from the Slave States of America, we should strike a heavy blow at the system of slavery itself. I do not wish to arouse expectations in connexion with this expedition which may never be realized ; but what I want to do is to get in the thin end of the wedge, and then I leave it to be driven home by English 'energy and English spirit. (Loud cheers.) . . . . Reference has been made in language most kind to Mrs. Living- stone. Now' it is scarcely fair to ask a man to praise his own wife ; but I can only say that when I left her at the Cape, telling her that I should re- turn in two veers, and when it happened that I was absent four }ears and a half, I suppOsed that I should appear before her with a damaged character. I was, however, forgiv,en. (Laughter and cheering.) My wile will accom- pany me in this expedition, and I believe will be most useful to me. She is familiar with the languages of South Africa ; she is able to work ; she is willing to endure; and she well knows that in that country one must put one's hand to everything. In the country to which I am about to proceed, she knows that the wife must be the maid-of-all-work within, while the husband must be the jack-of-all-trades without ; and glad am I indeed that I am to be accompanied by my guardian angel." (Much cheering.)

The Duke of Argyll claimed Dr. Livingstone as a countryman of his own. He took occasion to deny a statement made in the United States that the British Government had altered its views on the subject of slavery.

A special General Court of East-India Proprietors was held on Wed- nesday, to vote thanks to. Lord Canning, Lord Harris, Lord Elphinstone, Mr. Frore, Mr. Halliday, and Sir John Lawrence ; to Sir Colin Camp- bell, Sir James Outram, Sir Archdale Wilson, Sir John Inglis, and gene- rally to the officers and men of the Army and Navy, and to the civil servants. Mr. Jones opposed the vote to Lord Canning, but he met with only three supporters. The novelty in the proceedings was the insertion of the name of Captain Sir:William Peel, continey to all pincedent. This was done ion the motion of Mr. Helps and Admiral Cerium ; the Directors giving way after some diseussilin.

A meeting was held at the Freemason's Tavern on Monday " to pro- test against the surrender of English liberties at the dictation of a foreign power." Nine Members of the Howie of Commons sent apologies for

absence. Mr. Bright 'wrote— •

"I anshot able to attend anypublic meeting, but I go heartily with the opposition to the Conspiracy Bill. I am very anxious, however, that any opposition to it should be conducted so as not needlessly to cause any irri- tatton between this country and the people or Government of France. Our business is simply with our Government. We have to condemn them for their total want of dignity in this matter ; for their shrinking from their duty in giving a proper and respectful but firm reply to the French de- spatch ; and because they have brought forward a bill which can have no influence in adding. to the security of the Emperor or of any other person, and can only be pointed to as a hasty and humiliating concession to a hasty and needless demand. We have for years past been judging the Govern- ment of other nations, it is now time for us to examine the condition of our own."

The chairman of the meeting was Mr. Bate Richards ; the speakers were Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Ernest Jones, Dr. Sexton, Mr. Washington Wilke, Mr. Beard, and Mr. Leveson. The meeting resolved that Lord. Palmerston is unworthy of confidence, and that the Conspiracy Bill ought to be resisted by all legal and constitutional means. A similar meeting was held at the Horns Tavern, Kennington, on_ Wednesday. Mr. Doulton, the unsuccessful candidate at Reigate, took the chair. Mr. Roupell did not attend, but he sent a letter, inveighing against Lord Palmerston's bill. Mr. Williams, the other Member for the borough, was in his place, and stout in opposition to the bill. The meet- ing condemned it in resolutions.

The Dramatic Sick Fund Association held its second anniversary din- ner at Willis's Rooms, on Wednesday. Mr. Webster presided. Since last year the funded stock of the society has increased from 6401. to 850/.. In the course of the evening 1201. was subscribed.

Several petitions have been before Vice-Chancellor Kiudersley in relation to the Northumberland and Durham District Bank, praying for a winding. up order, or for an addition to the liquidators now.carrying out a voluntary winding-up. On Tuesday the Vice-Chancellor gave judgment. He saw no reason at present to interfere with the voluntary winding-up or the liqui- dators appointed in the interest of both debtors and creditors, and thought that no additional liquidators need be named. It had been said that the present liquidators were not fitted to investigate the conduct of the directors: but what had the creditore to do with that 3. So he decreed that no inter- ference should be permitted now ; but liberty is given to any creditor, shareholder, liquidator, or other interested person, to apply to the Court if necessary, at any future period.

Next day, the Vice-Chancellor ordered that certain actions commepeed: by creditors shall be stayed; but costs are to come out of the estate.

• The trial of the Directors and Manager of the Royal British Bank com-

menced on Saturday, before Lord Campbell and a Special Jury sitting in, the Court-of Queen's Bench at Guildhall, fitted up for the occasion. The; Prince of Wales was present during the day. Before the proceedings.com-• menced; Lord Campbell expressed a hope that the newspapers would refrain' from comments till the trial should be eiidatU, as to fair reports, he thought it desirable that they should appear day by day.

There were several informations. The first one to be tried charged. Hum-

phrey Brown, Edward Esdaile, H. D. Macleod, Loran de Wolfe Cochran,, Alderman It. H. Kennedy, W. D. Owen, Jaams Stapleton, and Heigh Innes Cameron, with a conspiracy, to defraud. [Cochran has left the country ; therefore he was not on his trial.]-There were six counts, , and each, count set out certain overt acts : the accusation, stated briefly, was Chat of publishing a false report of the state of the bank for the half-year ending December 1855, representing the bank to be in a sound and prosperous eon,' dition, capable of paying a dividend : thus a dividend was improperly' Paid, shareholders and depositors were deceived and defrauded, and

persons were induced to take up shares to their ruin. - - . , Sir Frederick Thesiger, the leading counsel for the prosecution opened

the ease at great length, occupying five hours in his address. But from the full disclosures previously made in the Bankruptcy Court, there was little novelty in- the statement of facts. At the commencement of his address, he said that he could not help -expressing his great satisfaction at the delay. that had taken place in the trial of this important case—a delay which had enabled the public mind to calm down to a state proper- for deliberate in- quiry. While the events were recent, and public attention was strongly excited, it would have been next to impossible to have prevented a hasty,. and therefore 'unjust, condemnation grounded on prejudice. In the present inquiry that state of feeling had passed away from the public mind. Other proceedings with respect to joint-stock banks had attracted their share of public attention. The case of the Royal British Bank, nuhappily, was no longer a singular one ; and they were now prepared, he hoped, to approach- this inquiry with that calmness and attention which befitted the gravity of the case, and with that impartiality. which happily was characteristic of the administration of the criminal law in an English court ofjustice.

Sir Frederick related how the bank had been formed ; referred to the pro-'

visions of the deed of settlement ; and showed how illegally the Directors had acted even at the commencement. He undertook to demonstrate to the Jury—first, the state into which the bank had been brought by mismanage- ment ; and secondly, that the defendants were aware of its condition ; he should then, thirdly, ask the Jury whether the accused had not committed_ fraudulent acts. Sir 'Frederick minutely examined the way in which the bank had been misconducted : he showed that at the end of 1865. the defend- ants knew what an insolvent position the -bank was in; and yet they Pub; lished to their shareholders, the depositors, and the public, statements that the bank was sound and prosperous. On the pretence that the extending business of the bank required more capital to work it, new shares were is- sued. The real object was to supply the vital capital, without which their existence must come to an end; but that object would be frustrated if any of the shares appeared in the market, and so appear at a discount. Accordingly,- amongst the many devices which the Directors resorted to, they employed Mr, Cameron, their General Manager, and Mr. Empson, their solicitor, to purchase up all shares in their progress to the market. A circular wee pre- pared by Mr. Macleod, a Director, headed " Royal British Bank," which stated that they were about to increase the capital by 300,0001. It further detailed the success of the other joint-stock banks, and said that the ROYal British Bank would not be found less successful when•the brief period of its existence was taken into account.. At the very meeting for considering the ciroular, all the large debts of the bank were taken into consideratiou ; and the Directors, full of that knowledge, issued a statement. It was notIong in-bearing its fruits. A Mr. Marcus was attended by it ; but, as a provident man, he saw Mr. Esdaile and made inquiries. lie said he should like to take some shares in the bank, but previously inquired if the concern were a adod one. - Mr. Esdaile produced a balance-sheet, in which it was stated there was a reserved fund of 12,0001. Mr. Marcus expressed his surprise at the liberality of the bank in issuing the shares at par ; but Mr. Esdaile said they wished to increase the number of their shareholders Mr. Marcus took shares, and became involved in all the misfortunes which over- took the slim. holders. Mr. Alderman Kennedy, who was present at that meeting, had a friend, Mr. Nichol], who vies about to take shares, but asked previously to inspect the accounts of the bank. Mr. Alderman Ken- nedy said that was impossible until he had taken shares. Previous to his doing so, a fresh issue of shares had been made at 5 per cent premium ; and Mr. Alderman Kennedy afforded him the " bounty' of receiving shares at par, and Mr. Nicholl became a transferee of shares. There was a poor man named Brunton who had money in a savings-bank, but, attracted by an extra 2 per cent, he deposited his money in the Royal British Bank, and then became known to Cameron. He was induced by the circular to ask Cameron if the bank was safe for a working man to take shares in ; and Cameron said there was no safer bank—it was as safe as the Bank of England. Brunton became a shareholder, and lost the whole of his earnings. In con- • eluding his address to the Jury, Sir Frederick Thesiger said he had brought his statement to a termination, as far as he considered it necessary in order to introduce the evidence to their attention. The Jury would see that these defendants had brought themselves within the range of this serious charge of conspiracy to defraud their shareholders and the public ; and he could not help glincing for a moment at the ruinous consequences which had re- sulted from this combination. Widespread ruin had been scattered over the whole of the country. Houses had been brought to desolation, families had been plunged from affluence into poverty ; the hard earnings, industriously collected by a long life of labour, had been entirely lost, and every one who had connexion with this bank had lived to rue the day on which he trusted to the assumed fidelity and truthfulness of the defendants. [At several points of Sir Frederick's speech there had been indications of feeling on the part of the audience, which now broke forth into an irrepressible cheer.] He said he would not trespass on them a moment longer upon this part of the case now that he heard those sounds. Lord Campbell said it was very indecorous, and must not be repeated on one side or the other. Sir Frede- rick Thesiger said—Perhaps, seeing what his observations had elicited, he ought to have spared them, but he confessed that he felt so strongly that he could not help glancing at the ruinous consequences that had resulted.

The first witness examined was Mr. Paddison, the secretary and solicitor to the bank. His evidence commenced on Saturday, and was continued for a long time on Monday. It described the measures adopted at the forma- tion of the bank ; the part taken by the defendants ; the course of business ; the circumstances attending the obtaining of a supplementary charter; the officers who conducted the bank, and so on. After a good deal of this kind of testimony, very dry and tedious, Lord Campbell observed that but little

progress was being made; Mr. Atherton, Sir Frederick Thesiger's second, said he was getting over the ground quicker than he expected. Then for hours Mr. Paddison was engaged in reading correspondence, mi- nutes, reports, and the like ; some of the letters referred to the advances on mines. Altogether, the audience were wearied for eight hours on Monday with this sort of evidence • and the jokers in court designated Mr. Paddison's minutes" as '• Mr. Paddison's hours."

On Tuesday, Mr. Paddison's testimony again filled many hours—in fact, nearly the whole day, two or three other witnesses only being called to sup- port certain parts of his evidence. The subjects for the day were the Welsh mines, and their working and. estimated value; the advances to the Isling- ton Cattle Market Company ; the debt of the late Mr. John Gwynne, one of the original promoters of the bank ; the debt of the late Mr. Muffins, former solicitor and secretary to the bank ; and the debt of Mr. Humphrey Brown, one of the defendants. Mr. Brown's case was not completed when the court rose. He opened an account with a crossed check for 18/. 148., and on the -same day obtained an advance of 20001. Afterwards he got advances on-chips, some of which he mortgaged to the Gloucester Banking Company, and the British Bank could not touch them.

Mr. Paddison was examined again on Wednesday ; other witnesses being, occasionally called to support his statements. Brown's debt was the princi-' pal point inquired 'into, during the day. According to a statement by Cameron, that debt amounted to 77,6981. at the end of 1855 ; when Brown was pressed for a settlement, ha retorted by hinted threats of crushing the hank and spreading ruin around if he were not treated gently. Mr. Link- later was called to explain some cil-marks made, by him in an account; it came out that an error of 10,1. had been made m casting-up one se-

w count. Sir Fitzroy Kelly, one of the counsel for the defendants, seemed pleased that Mr. Linklater had become a witness, and repeatedly notified that he reserved his cross-examination of him. The subject of Brown's debt having been exhausted, George Oliver's was taken up ; but there was an unexpected difficulty as to a proof, and to give the prosecution an oppor- tunity to overcome it Lord Canipbell adjourned the Court early.

On Thursday, the evidence referred to the debts of Oliver, Macgregor, Cochran, Blacker a tradesman on Ludgate Hill, and Cameron ; the object being to show that the " assets " represented by these debts were worthless, a fact which the Direotors must have known. In the case of the late Mr. John Macgregor, the first Governor of the bank, it was proved that his debt in Jame 1855 was 7734/. ; the first advance was obtained in Feb- ruary 1850, on a promissory note ; others followed. Subsequently, Mac- gregor deposited a large number of " securities" of various kinds to mdem- nify the bank : these were nominally of considerable value, Mr. Macgregor, apparently, having paid much money for them,—for instance, fifty paid-up shares of 501. in the Royal Australian Bank and Gold-Importing Company ; but, unfortunately, .when, deposited they were almost valueless, or became so afterwards. The Directors looked upon them as " worthless." 'How- ever, after Mr. Macgregor's death, 11811. 18s. was obtained on a life policy, and before his decease he had paid 8061. 148. 6d. in stock.

The police arrested a French refugee on Sunday on a charge of complicity in the crime of Pierri and Orsini. M. Simon Bernard, a teacher of lan- guages, residing in Bark Street, Bayswater, was produced before the Bow Street Magistrate on Monday. Mr. Bodkin. prosecuted on behalf of the TreasUry, and Mr. Sleigh appeared for the prisoner. Mr. Bodkin described the evidence he should be able to produce, but stated that he was not pre- pared with the whole at that moment. The evidence would show that Ber- nard was connected with the Paris conspirators; that he sent a box contain- ing pistols to Paris, to one Outrequin, with directions that one was for Pierri and the other for Orsini; that one of the pistols was found on Orsini when arrested, and the other near him. When Bernard was arrested he wanted to go to his bedroom ; in that room a pistol and a "knuckle-duster" were found ; and be told the policemen that had they been French officers he would not have hesitated to murder them. In conclusion, Mr. Bodkin saidL-llIt.had been decided that persons guilty of libel against a foreign sovereign can be indicted in this country ; and it would be strange if, under the same law, it was not an offence to conspire to commit murder on the person of an individual holding that position."

Two Parisian police-inspectors deposed to the attempt to assassinate the Emperor. One of them produced a grenade found on Pierri. The instru- ment is composed of twoparts which screw together, and which when sepa- rated form two cups or bowls. On one of these were twenty-five nipples, which the witness explained were charged with percussion-caps at the time it was taken from Pierri. He also believed that the grenade was filled with been powder, but he did not see it opened. The powder and caps had been since removed. He also found on Pierri a poniard, and the revolver now produced, which was loaded and capped. It had five barrels. It was made by Hollis and Co., makers to the Board of Ordnance. Mr. King, clerk

at the South-Eastern Railway office in Regent Circus, stated that he had known the prisoner for seven years. " He came to me at the Company's Office on the 2d of January, bringing a package like a square box, with a projection on the top, and covered by a rough material like canvass. The parcel was ad- dressed to M. Outrequin, 277 Rue St. Denis, Paris.' - We had some conver- sation, in the course of which he told me what the packet contained. I had asked him to declare its contents and value ; and he said it contained two re- volvers, value 121., and some samples of pitch, of no value. We invariably make these inquiries with respect to parcels for a foreign country, in accord- ance with the Customhouse stipulations. When I asked him to put his de- claration into writing, he replied, as nearly as I remember, ' I think I had better not do that ; my name is known in France as a present, and it might cause the detention of the packet'; adding, that as I knew him very well, and knew the money was safe, there could be no occasion for it. I did not insist, because the declaration is rather a money-matter with us. He then made some inquiries as to passenger-trains and packets, and I gave him the hours of departure. I then said, M. Bernard, can you go to France again ?' and he said, 'No, but I will go to France when that other one comes back here.' (Witness here made a gesture, pointing over his shoulder, in imitation of the prisoner's manner.) I said that would be a long while ; and he said, Wait a little, you shall soon see.' He also said he alluded to your good ally.' When I heard of the murders, I communicated with the French Embassy the same day." The only other witness was Detective Wil- liamson, who, accompanied by Constable Tinnaci, arrested Bernard. He de- scribed the capture. Bernard said, "If I have committed the crime, I must answer it." " On the way to the police-office, he asked me, Why did you not let me go up-stairs ? Were you frightened ?' I replied, that I was bound to be cautious, for my own safety and for his also. He said, You had no occasion to be frightened : you are Englishmen ; if you had been Frenchmen I would have killed you.' " Mr. Sleigh said there was no evi- dence to connect his client with Orsini and Piern. Mr. Bodkin said that would be established hereafter. Mr. Sleigh then asked for the liberation of Bernard on bail. Mr. Bodkin said he thought Mr. Sleigh could hardly be serious. He hoped in a week to have Allsop—an Englishman alleged to be an accomplice—in custody. Mr. Jardine remanded the accused till Tues- day next.