LOCAL ACTS—For lighting Worcester and Kidderminster with gas; for enclosing lands at Great Comberton. 1819. THE hopes of a speedy return to prosperity which the previous year had excited were again overcast, and all classes were feeling the pinchings of distress. This renewed again the outcries for Parliamentary Reform; and the people, exasperated by the stringent measures of the ministry, began to exhibit some alarming symptoms of discontent. The crowning scene was the meeting at Manchester, and the “Peterloo Massacre,” which formed an exciting topic for Parliament. Lord John Russell made his first motion for Parliamentary Reform, which only amounted to the disfranchisement of a few of the rotten boroughs, and a transfer of their franchise to the large towns; and it was withdrawn on the ministry promising to disfranchise Grampound, where Sir M. M. Lopez, member for Evesham in May, 1807, had bribed voters at £35 apiece. But by far the most important measure of the year was the Cash Payments Bill, which is generally known as “Peel’s Bill,” but is rather to be ascribed to Mr. Huskisson and Mr. Ricardo. This provided for a gradual return to cash payments, and the withdrawal of all bank notes under £5. The result of this measure, in contracting the circulation of the country, and in depressing prices, was far greater than had been anticipated. In anticipation only of such a measure, the circulation of the Bank of England had been reduced, since 1815, by two millions; and since 1814, two hundred out of seven hundred country banks had entirely disappeared. Three per Cents. averaged 71; wheat averaged 74s. 6d. JANUARY—The WORCESTER HUMANE SOCIETY, which had been first of all established in 1786, but suffered to die out, revived, under the auspices of Lord Beauchamp. FEBRUARY 26—Meeting at Stourport, the Rev. Reginald Pyndar in the chair, to protest against any duty or tax being imposed upon coals at the pit’s mouth. MARCH 3—A silver cup, value 100 guineas, transmitted to Sir William Duff Gordon, by those of his former constituents who had been his supporters. APRIL 3—Two parcels, from the bankers of Worcester to the bank of Sir William Curtis and Co., being incautiously left for a few minutes, by the guard of the old Fly coach, in the bar of the Bull and Mouth, Aldersgate, were stolen. They contained about £4,000 in unnegociable bills of exchange, and about a like amount in provincial and Bank of England notes.