Masonic Festivities.

Daily Chronicle says : — "AA e understand that a man at present under sentence of four years' penal servitude in Portland prison , has confessed to having shot poor Mr . Stirling , the young surgeon whose distressing death caused such a sensation in this district , about three years ago , The home secretary has sent the statement of the person who declares he did the horrid deed , to the mayor of this borough , ancl no doubt , his worship will take the necessary stops to investigate the correctness of the allegation . " Tho AVinlaton schoolmasterwho was taken

, into custody , charged with being accessory to the death of Elizabeth Hall , as we mentioned last week , has been remanded by the Darlington magistrates . The coroner ' s jury , however , have returned a verdict to the effect that tho deceased died from mortification , resulting from violent means to procure abortion , but by whom used does not appear . The government have resolved to issue a commission to inquire iuto and report on the recruiting system of the army . The greatest despatch is exhibited in fitting

out new steam line-of-battlo ships at Chatham . The Trafalgar , . 120 , Rodney , 90 , and Severn , 50 , are in a forward state . The Marquis of Bristol died on Tuesday , at the age of ninety . He is succeeded by his eldest son . formerly Earl Jermyn , who has himself reached the ripe age of fifty-eight , and has two sons . The Duchess of Leinster expired on Tuesday morning , at Carlton House , near Dublin , in the sixty-sixth year of her age . The deceased was third daughter of the third Earl of Harrington , and married the present duke in 1818 . Mr . Samuel AA arren ,

M . P ., recorder of Hull , ancl the author of " The Diary of a Physician , " has accepted the office of Master in Lunacy , just vacated by Mr . Higgins . The representation of Midhurst thus becomes vacant . In the House of Lords ou Tuesday , Lord Stanley , of Alderley , asked if the government intend to reverse the repeal of the Navigation Laws . Lord Donoughmore replied in the negative .. On Thursday , Earl Grey asked if the reports of proposals for a change in the constitution of the Ionian Islands recommended to the Ionian parliament by Mr . Gladstone , were with the approval of the Government ? Lord Derby declined to discuss the question

in its present state . He deprecated any anticipation of a question about to be discussed in the Ionian parliament , as prejudicial to the public interests . On Friday , the only business of interest had relation to Lord Derby ' s reply to a question put by Lord Airlie , that no bill as yet had been prepared by government for the improvement of the system of education in Scotland , but communications were being had with various Scotch members , with the view of preparing a bill that would be acceptable to the different religious sects . On Monday the threatened debate on tho Ionian Islands affairwas averted by an earnest appeal from the Earl

, of Derby . In the House of Commons on Tuesday , Mr . Clive repeated a question he had put on the previous day , respecting the appointment of Mr . AV . F . Higgins to the office of Master in Lunacy . Tho Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that Mr . Higgins had spontaneously resigned the office . Lord John Russell moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend and consolidate the laws of bankruptcy and insolvency . Leave was given . On AVednesday A iseount Bury moved the second reading of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill . Mr . Beresford Hopein a speech of

, great power , opposed thejbill as a legalizing of incest . Gen . Thompson and Sir George C . Lewis supported , and tho Home Secretary opposed the measure . Lord J . Russell gave his opinion in its favour . On a division the majority proved hi favour of tho second reading . Baron Meyer de Rothschild took his seat for Hythe . . There are now three Jews in the house , two Rothschilds and a Salomons . On Thursday Mr . Ayrton introduced a measure for the repeal of certain acts restricting the liberty of tho press , which are now never enforced , having become obsolete . Leave was given .

On Friday Sir B . Hall renewed the discussion on the new public offices , - and this occupied some time , but c-arno to nothing . Mr . Turner explained the reason why the report on the AVeedon investigation had not yet been presented . The reason was , the accounts wero in such a complicated condition that it would be impossible to render hi an intelligible report for two or three months at least . Mr . Kinglako wished to know why the papers relative to the Charles et Georges French slaver had not been laid before Parliament . Mr . S . Fitzgerald said the papers would be produced at the earliest period . He hoped the papers would be in the hands of the House by Monday or Tuesclav , The discussion on the Indian Loan was re-