A Hundred Years Ago
".THE SPECTATOR," APRIL 27TH, 1833.
Captain Richbell, well known-for many years as resident Magis- trate of the .Thames Police, died, at the age of seventy-five, on Wednesday morning. In 1792, he was Chief of the Press-gang department in and about London.
Captain Onslow, of his Majesty's ship Clio,' has taken pos- session of the Falkland Islands on behalf of the British Government. There has been a dispute long pending between the 'United States and the Buenos Ayres Government, as to which of them possessed the right to occupy these Islands. Captain Onslow has rendered all future altercation on the subject unnecessary. * * * *
The House of Commons has not been idle since Monday. Two of the greatest subjects of the session have been debated, and disposed of for the present at least ; and a third has been fairly entered upon. The first is the Currency. We are to have no alteration in our " monetary system," as it is termed in the political jargon of the day. In other words, the attempt to raise prices and lower the value of money by Act of Parliament, for the benefit of debtors and tax-payers, has utterly failed, and mortgagees and fundholders may sleep in peace. The Reformed Parliament, in its wisdom, has also decided that the Ballot is an abomination, fit only for Frenchmen and Americans ; and that the old-fashioned and truly English method of voting openly_ under the eyes and according to the instruction of their employers and landlords, is the surest way to get at the unbiassed wishes and opinions of the electoral body. The third grand subject is Commutation of Taxes. The Malt-duty is to be reduced by more than one half this makes such a breach in the Budget of last week, as will compel Ministers to give it up, and find a better one.
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The King of France closed the session of the Chambers, by A speech from the throne, on Thursday. He expressed much satis- faction at the support which his Government had received ; and declared that the country was in a state of great prosperity, owing to tho wisdom and firmness of their measures. He announced his intention of immediately reassembling them, in order to obtain a vote for the expenses of Government for the current year, which had hitherto been defrayed irregularly without the sanction of the Legislature. Ho stated his full expectation that affairs in the East and also the Belgic question would be speedily and amicably settled. Both Chambers were convoked for the next day, by a Royal ordonnance published in the Moniteur of Thursday evening. The King was extremely well received, and Paris was perfectly tranquil up to six o'clock on Thursday.
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