During this year a series of events took their rise out of the publication in the _Times_ of a number of articles headed "Parnellism and Crime," in which Mr. Parnell and his colleagues were charged with active complicity in the long prevalence of outrage and terrorism in Ireland. The _facsimile_ of a letter, purporting to be written by Parnell, was published on April 18, containing the following sentence, referring to the Phoenix Park murders:--"Though I regret the accident of Lord F. Cavendish's death, I cannot refuse to admit that Burke got no more than his deserts." This letter was repudiated by Parnell in his place in the House of Commons; but the Government resisted a motion to the effect that the _Times_, in publishing these articles, had been guilty of breach of privilege. Mr. Gladstone then moved for a Select Committee to enquire into the truth of the charges, but this also was refused by the Government. The request for a Select Committee was renewed in the following year by Mr. Parnell, in order to enquire into the authenticity of certain letters produced in an action for libel brought against the proprietors of the _Times_ by Mr. O'Donnell, one of Mr. Parnell's followers. Mr. W. H. Smith stated, in reply (July 12), that, in the opinion of the Government, a Select Committee of the House of Commons was not a suitable tribunal to try charges arising out of the action of political parties, but that the Government were willing to appoint a Special Commission of Judges to enquire into the whole allegations. Unfortunately, the debates on the Bill necessary to constitute this Commission were excessively heated. The fact, an infelicitous one, it must be allowed, that the Attorney-General, a member of the Government, had acted as leading counsel for the _Times_ in the late trial, gave colour to the unfounded charge that the Government had been acting all along in collusion with the _Times_. [Illustration: _S. T. Dadd._} {_From Photographs by Russell & Sons, Baker Street._ THE OPENING OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, May 10, 1893: THE ROYAL PROCESSION.] [Illustration: _From a Photograph_} {_by F. Frith & Co._ THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE.] [Illustration: _L. Tuxen._} {_From the Royal Collection, by permission of Mr. Mendoza, St. James's Gallery, King Street, St. James's, owner of the copyright._ HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL FAMILY. PAINTED ON THE OCCASION OF HER MAJESTY'S JUBILEE IN 1887.