MINISTERS, having alienated their old friends by their conduct on the Catholic question, held office by support of the Whigs, but towards the close of the session these also deserted them. The revolutions at Paris and Brussels, the demise of George IV, and the distress amongst the agricultural labourers giving rise to fearful incendiarism through the whole of the south of England, imparted extraordinary interest and importance to the question of Parliamentary Reform. Public meetings were everywhere held upon the subject, and at the elections which took place in August, Reformers were returned for all those towns where the constituency was at all on a popular basis. The result was a loss of more than fifty members to ministers; and they managed to involve themselves in still more unpopularity and dislike by their unqualified declarations against all Reform, and by dissuading the King from accepting an invitation to dine at Guildhall on Lord Mayor’s Day, on the ground of apprehended disturbance. The new Parliament met on the 2nd of November, and on the 15th Sir Henry Parnell moved for a committee to revise the civil list. A division took place, and ministers were left in a minority of 29—233 votes being given for the motion, and 204 against it. Ministers immediately resigned, and Earl Grey was called to His Majesty’s Councils, with the understanding that Parliamentary Reform was to be a cabinet measure. Thus, after twenty-three years’ exclusion from office, the Whigs found themselves in power, and their principles triumphant. Consols averaged 98½; wheat averaged 64s. 3d. JANUARY—Subscription for the relief of the poor again entered into at Worcester, and £1,108 raised. Distributed in soup and bread. £200 raised with a like object at Bewdley, and a subscription at Droitwich. JULY 2—Petitions from various towns of the county against the Beer House Bill, which was also strongly opposed by Colonel Davies. AUGUST 6—The Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria arrived at Malvern, for the purpose of making a considerable stay there.