TILbt Ottropolis.

A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday, for the despatch of business. The Lord Mayor presented the answers of the Qaeen, Prince Albert, and the Dutchess of Kent to the addresses of the Corpo- ration.

Mr. R. L. Jones moved that the report of the Officers' and Clerks' Committee relative to the office of Town-clerk, recommending that the salary of that officer should be fixed at 2,0001. per annum, be agreed to. Mr. Peacock moved that the salary be reduced to 1,5001. The original motion was carried, after some debate, by 52 to 41. Mr. Anderton moved, that, in respect to the election of Town-clerk, the standing order, which excludes from office all who have not been freemen for two sears, except those entitled to freedom from service or patrimony, be suspended ; and the motion was carried, by 68 to 55. The Lord Mayor stated that the election would take place on Thursday next.

The report of a Committee on the Repaving of London Bridge was referred back to the Committee, with instructions that during the re- paving of the bridge the public accommodation should be properly attended to.

A deputation from the Metropolitan Improvement Society, headed by Lord Robert Grosvenor, had an interview with Sir Robert Peel on Wednesday. They sought to obtain the Minister's consent that the plans, of improvement shieuld be carried out on a more complete scale ; that an agency should be established for future improvements ; and that Government should cause a scientific report to be made on the general character of the improvements required in the Metropolis, including new thoroughfares, the opening of the river-banks, and the drainage of un- healthy districts. Sir Robert intimated that an inquiry should be in- stituted on broad and comprehensive views of the subject; and that expense should not be spared for so important an object.

A meeting of subscribers to the Wilkie Testimonial took place on Saturday, at the Thatched-house Tavern. Sir Robert Peel presided ; and Viscount Mahon, the Bishop of Llandaff, Sir M. A. Shee, Sir Thomas Baring, Sir Charles Forbes, Sir W. J. Newton, Sir Peter Lande, Mr. Allan Cunningham, Mr. W. Leslie Neville, Mr. Peter Laurie, and Dr. Lander, were present. The object of the meeting was to consider the most suitable form of establishing the memento of Sir David. Sir Robert Peel advocated the erection of a statue ; to which he proposed devoting the whole 1,600/. or even 2,0001. that migh be raised. It was stated that 1,9031. had been subscribed, and 1,5551. had been received. Aproposal was made to institute prize- medals with part of the subscription-money. The Bishop of Llandaff said that no statue Was allowed by the authorities of St. Paul's Cathedral to be erected there under a minimum price of 1.0001. paid to the artist. A resolu- tion was put and carried, that the entire amount of subscriptions be applied to the erection of a statue ; and it was agreed that the Com- mittee should meet on the 2d of July, for the purpose of selecting an artist for the work.

The annual exhibition of the monitors of Merchant Tailors School took place on Saturday, for filling up the vacant scholarships at St. Zohn's, Oxford, pursuant to the foundation and statutes of that College. The examination was conducted by the Reverend Philip Wynter, D.D., Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, and President of St. John's College, and the Reverend John Pinkerton, M.A., and the Reverend Henry Hum- Ming, M.A., Senior Fellows of that learned body, in the presence of the Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants of the Merchant Tailors Company. There was this year no more than one vacancy to be filled up ; and Mr. T. Podmore, the senior monitor, was the successful can- didate. University-exhibitions were bestowed upon other meritorious scholars. Several school exercises were afterwards recited before the examiners and a numerous assemblage, in the public school-room. In the evening, a magnificent entertainment was given by the Com- pany to the examiners and to a large body of guests ; among whom were Prince George of Cambridge, the Marquis of Londonderry, the Marquis of Downshire, the Earl of Eldon, the Earl of Haddington, Viscount Villiers, Lord Abinger, Lord Stanley, Lord Ashley, Sir Robert Peel, Sir James Graham, Mr. Goulburn, Sir George Murray, Sir Ed- ward Knatchbull, Sir George Cockburn, Chief Justice Tindal, Justice Patteson, Justice Coleridge, Mr. Stuart Wortley, M.P., Sir Harris Nicolas, Sir J. L. Lushington, Sir E. Cost, Mr. Matthias Attwood, M.P., Sir Claudius Hunter, and a host of Civic dignitaries. Mr. James Bunt, the Master, presided. The list of toasts started with "Church and Queen." The speaking presented little matter for note. 4.11er Majesty's Ministers" was not among the toasts; but in returning

thanks for the toast of "Sir Robert Peel, citizen and merchant-tailor," Sir Robert replied as Premier-

" I feel convinced," he said, " that this compliment has been paid to use bee cause I am the bead of a Government which, you believe, bas succeeded to the administration of affairs under great difficulties, and which is determined to relieve the country from those embarrassments in which she has been involved. Gentlemen you may differ as to the mode in which those embarrassments ought to be relieved ; you may disapprove of the particular measures which we have adopted—you may disagree with us in matters of detail ; but I cannot so misconstrue the sentiments which you have expressed tonight as to be wrong in my belief, and I am proud to believe, that you think her Majesty's present Government is actuated by good intentions, and that we are ready to devote our best exertions for the advancement of the public interests."

The "citizen and merchant-tailor" extorted some loud cheering.. Lord Stanley, returning thanks for "the health of Lord Stanley and the House of Commons," took note of the progress which the new Con- servative party have made in Parliament — "It is now some few years since, in this room, I bad the honour to be callcd upon to return thanks for the then minority of the House of Commons; but that minority consisted of 312 men knit together in the firm alliance of principle and opinion under the auspices of my right honourable friend ; and I then ventured to hazard a prediction that, encouraged by your confidence and aided by your support, that minority would ere long be converted into a majority ; and that my right honourable friend, who was then seen at the head of that minority, and as to whom there is no man whose public career more fully exemplifies the truth of your motto, 'Concordia parvie res crescuntil slowly and gradually, by the power of united principle and opinion, would be placed at the head of a powerful and united Government. But while we rejoice at the present and look back with triumph at the past, we must not forget the conclusion of the maxim, Discordia maxitnte dilabuntur.' Thera is—whether applied to the House of Commons or any other body of men, there is no maxim truer. If, as representatives of the empire, if filling high stations, we desire not to disappoint the expectations of the nation, that maxim must we treasure in our minds. The words of the song which is now lying before me (alluding to the programme of the musical entertainments) speak a language which I would apply to our present position and circumstances- . One must our interest and our passiou be.'

But whatever may be our interests or passions, there is nothing of a selfish,. nothing of a private or personal character in them. Our interests are the in- terests of the country ; our passion is not that we should distinguish ourselves separately, but that collectively we should apply all the faculties we possess, and all the powers with which we are endowed, to support the honour, main.- tain the interest, and preserve intact the character of the British empire-. By this feeling I believe the Government as a body, by this feeling I know my right honourable friend as an individual, is influenced."

Hampton Races, an Ascot in little, drew an immense crowd from London on Thursday. Prince George of Cambridge and many fashion- able visiters graced the humbler sport. The winning horses were, of the Hurst Cup of 40/., givdn by the owner of the course, Mr. C. Hornsby's Revoke, ridden by the owner ; of the Queen's Plate of 100 guineas, Sir W. M. Stanley's Vakeel, ridden by Nat ; of the Albert Stakes of 5 sovereigns each with 25 added, Captain Gardnor's Camel, ridden by Wakefield.

The session of the Central Criminal Court, the eighth during this Mayoralty, opened on Monday ; and great part of the Recorder's charge to the Grand Jury was devoted to the subject of the late attack upon the Queen.

The trial of John Francis came on yesterday. The court was full, but not over-crowded. Chief Justice Tindal, Mr. Baron Gurney, and Justice Pattesou, took their seats at ten o'clock. The Attorney- General, the Solicitor-General, Mr. Adolphus, and Mr. Waddington, were counsel for the Crown ; Mr. Clarkson for the prisoner. Colonel Arbuthnot, Colonel Wylde, and some other officers of the Household, had seats on the Bench. Francis was respectably dressed in a dark frock-coat and trousers. He was dejected, and much altered since his examination at the Home Office. The indictment charged him with shooting at the Queen with a pistol loaded with gunpowder and a bul- let ; and other counts put the charge in various ways,—such as, that the pistol was loaded with gunpowder and certain other destructive mate- rials unknown, and simply that the pistol was discharged in an attempt on the life of the Queen. He pleaded "Not Guilty," in a very feeble voice.

The Attorney-General opened the case, laying down the law on the subject, and briefly stating the facts to be proved in evidence. He un- derstood that no plea of insanity would be set up; but that the prisoner would be admitted to have been in the full possession of his faculties at the time. The purchase of the pistol, and a previous intention of em- ploying it, would be proved: but the Attorney-General acknowledged that he could not prove the purchase of a bullet ; nor, as it had been fired towards an open space, could it be found. But there were thou- sands of substances that would serve the purpose of a bullet,—as a pebble, a child's marble, or any irregular piece of lead. If it were argued that that gave the prisoner the benefit of a doubt, neither the life of the Sovereign nor that of any one else would be safe. It was, he under- stood, to be alleged in defence, that the act was a mere frolic : but the prisoner was admitted to be sane ; and no sane person could be guilty of such heartless wickedness for the sake of a joke ; while to admit the plea would destroy all safety for people's lives. The first witness called was Colonel Charles James Arbuthnot, one of the Queen's Equerries. He gave the most distinct account that has yet appeared of the event of May 30th-

" My general position is about five yards in the rear of her Majesty. Before we left the Palace on Monday, I had received an intimation which induced me to ride as close to her Majesty ae I could ; and Colonel Wylde, Prince Albert's Equerry, rode in the same position on the other side. Between six and seven o'clock, we were coming down Constitution Hill; when, about half-way down the hill, I observed the prisoner; and on the carriage reaching him, be took a pistol from his side and fired it in the direction of the Queen. As quickly as I could,-I pulled up my horse and gave the prisoner into custody. The prisoner had before this caught my attention, as appearing anxious to see her Majesty. The Colonel went on to say, that the utmost distance from the carriage when Francis fired was seven feet, The pistol was fired just as the carriage was passing. The cortege had been going at the rate of eleven miles an hour ; but the Colonel had given instructions at this spot to go faster, and the postilions were driving as last as the horses could go, and he should say at the rate of twelve or thirteen miles an hour. 'Ike Queen was sitting on the back-seat of the carriage, on the side nearest to the prisoner. The pistol struck the witness as being pointed in the direct line of her Majesty ; he heard the report, and saw the smoke and fire emitted from the pistol. A Policeman stood within three yards of Francis ; the Colonel exclaimed, " Secure him ! " which was done ; and he galloped on and resumed his post at the Queen's side.

Henry Allen, a private in the Scots Fusileer Guards, said that be was twelve or fifteen paces behind the carriage. He had seen the prisoner leaning on the pump just before ; and as the carriage came up he saw him step forward and present a pistol at the carriage : he heard the re- port and saw the flash. He had been in the Army eighteen months, and had experience in firing with ball and blank cartridge ; and he should say that the pistol was loaded with ball—it makes a sharper sound than a blank cartridge. Cross-examined by Mr. Clarkson, Allen said that he was a tailor before he was in the Army.

Here Colonel Arbuthnot was recalled and examined by the Bench as to the sound of the report- " The report was sharp and loud, butl did not hear the whiz of a ball, in con sequence of the noise of the carriage and eight horses. My opinion is that the pistol was loaded with something more than the powder and wadding, from the sharpness and loudness of the report. That is a mere matter of opinion. 1 do not think that powder only would have made such a sound : a blank- cartridge is a mere evaporation of powder. This was the report of a pistol well rammed down and charged."

Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald, who had served in the Spanish and Portu- guese armies, stated that be seized Francis on the left as the Police- man seized him on the right. Just as the carriage came up, he saw the prisoner raise his right arm, point a pistol at the open part of the car- riage, and fire : he saw the flash and heard the report.

Colonel Wylde, Equerry to Prince Albert, corroborated Colonel Arbuthnot's statement. He stated that the Queen always sits on the same, the right side of the carriage. He stopped his horse when Francis fired, and alighted ; saw him in custody, and ordered him to be taken to the Palace Lodge. There the pistol was shown to the witness-

" It was taken from the prisoner in my presence, and I am able to recognize it. I am of opinion, from my knowledge of fire-arms, that it would carry fifty or sixty paces. So good an aim could not be taken with it as with a larger pistol, but at a short distance it would be equally destructive." " Allowing the distance at which it was discharged to be seven feet, would the wadding of that pistol be competent to do any person a mischief? "—" Cer- tainly. It would decidedly wound the skin or face, or the eye, and it would be very likely to set fire to the clothes of the person at whom it was discharged. From the report there must have been in it some very strong wadding. to com- press the powder or a bullet. That of course is only a matter of opinion."

"Nit had not been a bullet, but merely an irregular piece of lead or a stone, would that be calculated to do equal mischief? "—" Certainly ; more, perhaps, than a bullet."

Francis appeared firm ; there was only a slight agitation about his nose and lip. When asked his name, he was silent.

William Trounce, a Police-constable of the A division, had seen Francis loitering about for half an hour before the occurrence. He observed that as he looked at him, Francis went behind a tree. Trounce was not more than one yard from the prisoner when he heard the re- port of a pistol ; he looked round and saw Francis in the act of present- ing it. He seized him at once.

Miss Lavinia Blanchard, of Union Place. Lambeth, saw Francis about a quarter of an hour before in earnest conversation with a young man. William Richards, a shoemaker, also saw the prisoner in conversation ; but was not sure that be said any thing.

James Roussel], the Inspector of Police, searched the prisoner : on him were found an old memorandum-book, a penny, and a little gun- powder. The pistol was still warm.

Other evidence related to the previous movements of the prisoner. George Pearson, a wood-engraver, saw him present the pistol at the Queen on the Sunday, as she was returning from the Chapel Royal : he exclaimed, " They may take me if they like—I don't care—I was a fool I did not shoot her !" Joseph Robert Street, shopman to Mr. Ravener, a pawnbroker in Tothill Street, sold to the prisoner the pistol that had been produced in court, on the 27th May, for 3s. He paid for it with three fonrpenny pieces, a sixpence, and the rest in copper. Richard Pritchard, an oilman in Lower Eaton Street, Pimlico, sold him a flint on the same day. Thomas Gould, of York Street, Westminster, sold him a halfpenny-worth of gunpowder on the 27th; and Anne Briggs sold him an ounce on the 30th, in Brewer Street : he paid twopence for it without asking the price. Cecilia Forster, said that Francis had had half a bed in her house, 106, Great Tichfield Street, for 3s. a week : he left her lodging on the 27th May; having been out of work for some time before.

William Gore, one of the Queen's Grooms, who had been summoned but not examined by the counsel for the Crown, was cross-examined by Mr. Clarkson : he said that he was riding six or seven yards behind Colonel Arbuthnot. The pistol was discharged between them ; and it seemed to him to be pointed at the hind-wheel of the carriage.

For the defence, Mr. Clarkson commented on the evidence with a view to prove it inconclusive of the charge. He expressed some in- dignation that he should have been supposed capable of suggesting that the pistol had been fired as a mere feu-de-joie : was not the case dis- gusting and abhorrent enough without that? Francis's previous dis- tress, and his courting detection after the attempt, would prove his in- tent. Had the pistol been loaded with any destructive missile, it was impossible that it could have been discharged without injuring the Queen, Colonel Arbuthnot, or his horse. Two years ago the morbid feeling and vanity of another person had induced him to commit the desperate act of firing two loaded pistols : he had been taken care of and provided for ; and was it impossible that the prisoner, in the dis- tressed state in which he was proved to be, unable to pay his lodging, with only a penny in his pocket, should have committed the act in the hope of being provided for in a similar manner? He relied on the clemency and mercy of the Jury.

The Solicitor-General replied; contending that though there was no direct proof of the pistol's having been loaded, the Jury could come to no other conclusion ; and whatever Francis's motive, he must have had a criminal design.

Chief Justice Tindal summed up. He told the Jury that, if they Were satisfied that the pistol was loaded with a bullet, that would be proof of the criminal design ; or even if it was loaded only with wad- ding, but fired so close to the Queen as to do her severe bodily harm, an overt act of high treason would be made out.

The Jury retired at twenty minutes to four o'clock. They returned

into court at five minutes past five ; and the Foreman stated that they found the prisoner " Guilty " on the second and third counts ; not that the pistol was loaded with a bullet, but that it was loaded with some de- structive substance besides the wadding and powder.

When he heard that statement, Francis turned very pale. Being asked what he had to say why sentence should not be pronounced upon him, he made no reply. Chief Justice Tindal, after a brief address to the prisoner, pronounced the following sentence- " That you, John Francis, be taken from hence to the place from whence yen came, that you be drawn from thence on a hurdle to the place of execution, and that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead ; that your head be afterwards severed from your body, and that your body be divided into four quarters, to be disposed of in such manner as to her Majesty shall seem fit- And the Lord have mercy on your soul!

At the confusion of the sentence the prisoner fell hinting into the arms of the gaolers ; and he was led away sobbing piteously.