The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-12 00:00:00

GR E. T FREE-TIZAI):7 MEETINGS. Last evening a very numerous and highly respectable meeting of the inhabitants of Hammersmith and its L'e'ghhnurhood was held at the Albion Hall, of that Lo fiery' er the purpose of hearing Lupo Hon. C. P. M.P e deliver his sentiments n the corn-law question. Shortly a f ter the hour appointed for hold i ng t h e l i t a le i !ting the roo m was f u ll, an d a ver y l arge nu mber of e,ceaspteaeeinupied the reserve d sea t s . t ° the COGAN having been called unanimously , chair, h e sa id h e t rus t e d the meeting W e w e %ne e be so kind as to wait patiently for the p eet a' of the Hon. Mr. Villiets, ho was ax :ed even' moment.—(Hear, hear.) He (the chair a-11) wouldbe sorry if they did not, as he felt assured (%t all who admired free trade would desirous of f ' li 'ng him the reception he deserved.—(Hear, hear.) After a short pause, The 0 s k id I , - 11 AIRmAN again addressed the meeting, and , e re grette d very much to f in d t h at b y that time Villiers bac not arrived, but he hoped he woul-1 rf" his appearance before the meeting separated, and e fore his sp eec h wou ld b e . (H ere a loud cry issued e o m bas 411 ante-room that Mr. Villiers had arrived, which hailed with l ou d c h eers .) Mr ' ri eed R. Re R. Mooem said that Mr. Villiers had ar end ' a nd would enter the meeting in a few moments, th therefor e h e (M r . M oore ) would defer addressing kl e c i r mea ting until then, as he would be very sorry to ess the meet i ng b e f ore M r . Villi ers . —(Cheers.) te e : a few minutes more Mr. Villiers arrived, and was l im i ted with prolonged applause. When the cheering subsided ti The Raenereer said it was only twelve months ago lei ee ' e tu eY held a meeting in that place upon this subject. then h e h ad great pleasure i n congratu l a ti ng this Int e e tt : e g With all his heart that their exertions in the tdv :had b een t h e means o f secur i ng them many kinstages; and the very resignation of the present 467 1 7 that day—(Cheers)—had proved that the Ik e " and anxious zeal of the people in this cause were to t ° he crowned with success.—(Cheers.) He had Vig a gratulate the meeting upon the arrival of Mr. eo k, whos e z eal and exertions in opposition to the he e h a ws had always been prominent, although by them a „ritst - " separated himself from his own class — the Y; but he cared not for that when he knew t he t fr Was seeking for the greatest amount of good for drei k atest number.—(Cheers.) He would now ad a% th e t he meeting, and congratulate them upon being L orca 'e of carrying out the greatest and most im t• r Public measure that had come from the British ature since the passing of the Reform Bill. : 11 °L 1 . C. P. VILLIERS, M.P., then came forward, Itte w ,:,,a% received with renewed cheering. He cora theCg her saying he was exceedingly sorry to observe hehi e lle . had entered the room nearly . half-an-hour nne,lect Of his his time; but it was not owing to a btla' or to any want of respect for that u y iee_ti t ng s ; li t ee bad been misled in his endeavours to find this }• :„ e a nci in doing so he had lost nearly half-an-hour. tr e "' of late attended a great many meetings in dif kei",Parts of the country on the subject of the . corn liefe'"at some others had been held which indisposition th e Prevented him from being present at ; however, 14 Were the fewer number. The Chairman of Patti meeting, knowing that he (Mr. Villiers) was 'h i :lt through that town to-night on his way to his p titi aee in the neighbourhood, requested him to address eor 4 meeting of the people of Hammersmith on the t ltige t . ' a ws, and that accounted for his presence here to 4Se -- (Cheery. However, that alone would hardly have teeelipstifficient to have induced him to do so ; but he pressed,J that the minds of the people must now be Je, from what they bad seen in the public keel% of that day, with the 'fact that the moment `e(l7: ° ' Come when those cern-laws should cease to exist. te st lid cheers.) He thought he might now fairly con te_gratulate the people upon the happy event that_ the e ree aw . etr e 8 , and the enormous evils attendant upon them, lee s i h a oout to b e removed ; and that events were now adi " 4 in the political world, in reference to those tkre es n u oppressive laws, which the people would take 4 0 7 turn to good account.—(Cheers.) For the bM L e Period o f t hi rty years , d ur i ng w hi c h those laws eller;7 4 existence, no moment of their history had l oc th e b. " ‘ Which was o f grea t e r importance to the public present.—(Cheers.) The people had at all itt l i B4l ee their enactment been complaining of the sti .' e ° of these laws, sometimes more and sometimes 1)44 , ) nt duri ng th e l as t f e w years an association had mo st ; °ruled or l eague d t oge th e r—(Hear, hear)—the eei ßte 'Pportan t , influential, and intelligent that had ever 11 . 15 01 d M this country or any other—(Hear, hear) — with th "v o f making manifest to the meanest understand itepr e bearing and mischiefs of this law, and so great an the n had been created by those complaints, that tbeirpepPie had the gratification to witness accessions to gboause of men who had yielded to conviction, and 'kW Position in society made their accession of great kid Import Well the results of that day slat menu the good effects produced upon the minds Ze I ,_,in power by the additional information 4 1ef lit - ' 4 Q been all along acquiring about the he lot Cl ,and pernicious operation of those laws upon t hee eheers)—and it was now beyond all question th e e late first Minister of the Crown would not hold !tie e n 'as of power unless he also had conceded to him Ct4 - ' e' s ,wer to repeal totally and entirely the corn-laws.— *L I N The people, then, had the leaders of the • parties in the State against those laws, and bol e ere resol ve d no t t o acce pt the seals of the rown t he• ai l t he people no w supported them in removing from ,QPlC'tute-b oo k a l aw w hi c h i m p ose d a tax upon the aold e l l e eessaries of life.—(Cheers.) Meetings had been tom all over the country in order to consider the best b bd °f taking this subject into consideration. They 41 4 f," length triumphed over the landed aristocracy, t ° e believed they would not allow that party again > de . : 111 P 1 1 over them.—(Cheers.) Canning and Hus- N 6°- ; t wenty years ago intended to alter this law in ktl eir v , ls s ° some measure to meet the wants of the people, NI, igen those great men entered the lists for that pur- Ili % he landed aristocracy used every nerve to defeat t ktii i th a nd they left nothing undone to secure success ,", e y had secured it.—(Hear, hear.) In later times, 'Llter;, ; 'ew years ago, Lord Melbourne also proposed an ,°fe i crla or modification of the corn-laws, in the shape 41 4 1 1 : 8 ' fixed duty upon the prime necessaries of life ; nth e' too, and his colleagues were hurled from power (Aller'adig_nation by men who sought to aecomplish no *".(1/ good than the preservation of their own monopoly. tim e e ftr, hear.) W e ll, what was the result ? A short 4 0.,l e 'aPsed, and they had now, not a modification or a tige 4 duty proposed, but the real thing, and every ves theb°l „ those laws should now be repealed.—(Loud kiai 3 ') Both Peel and Russell had now agreed on this toed ',Ulu all further obstruction to a free commerce in t he „ .. lia ntlld cease to exist.—(Renewed cheers.) Were Nedople to be defeated now, for the third time ? 'Altuc e ; 3 of " No, no.") Would they not now be N„'n the novel position of supporting those two lied nothing a faction ?—(Cheers.) In fact the people the y more to do now than to consider in what ci te "" e 'Y would render that support and at the same ctth. secure themselves.—(Cheers.) The people had 01. ea to do with the controversies, or the differences, gre a t feuds that had hitherto existed between these two iz en ; they might have heretofore been what they Z 1 b e - ` consistent ;" but they now said that if they were ;0 1 e nnsistent any longer they would be consistent h'',4lw„reing—(Cheers)—and that in the course they 'aul' e " cv about to pursue they were doing a great `t h lie l t , - pod in opposition to the will of that few only • t - v. et onged to their own station and order.—(Cheers.) "qoa e n'e countenance and approval and friendship of Pref e were to be withdrawn from them, because they ,kiv eo rt ed being the advocates of the community to the ~Nt i t t e j of a class. Well, lie (Mr. Villiers) had no e lee be 'ueer would be satisfied to bear with the loss if thei l ?Ple supported them ; and he had no doubt from 1. 4 4 1) , - Ze_ s had seen of Lord John Russell last year, who 't - '7l his annual motion for the repeal of the corn ii,?l:34„ that h e would firmly adhere to his purpose.— fi sr.l . ) Lord John Russell in bringing this motion ;4e r i t h q showed that his only object was not to prevent t°le -e s _ f roln becoming richer, but to prevent the poor ,916,re,coming poorer.—(Cheers.) When he (Mr. h e brought forward his motion for the repeal of t hat er n - laws he was opposed by Sir Robert Peel,' but in , v °lt4 ,?Position he did not say that the motion was a bad . me e hl that the corn-laws were good, but he said in tgemtuat the people ought to thank God that they had of harvest and that food was cheap.—(Laughter.) • -() %v it had been discovered that they had had a de ttrer harvest, that the privations the people had suf hot ~,e o uld no longer be endured, and, therefore, it was the p", ° nderful that the Prime Minister should propose ."(Peal of laws that perpetuated those priv ations. I v "d cheers.) He (Mr. Villiers) had heard, t h; within th e last few hours that morn -4,4ek,. of, Peel's colleagues having deserted him g le ne had expressed his opinion that it was only by I titi 4 -e Peal of the corn-laws that he could continue to re ; but was it not rather astounding that, so part he continued to assail minor monopolies, his tt him strenuously, but the moment he th their own, the greatest and worst of them all, d id - en immediately desert him?—(Hear, hear.) They 4 - c i t shrink from the application of the principle in 4 411 11 d ° 1 matters, but the moment it was proposed to be c 7ald e- ' 4 a manner to affect their own pockets, they kAl ee , not understand the application of it at a 11..-- h ,, - s. and laughter.) He had heard it said that some who ke t Sir R. Peel in power declared that the „„,1 • 40 t1 of the p free-trade principle was all very good ; 4 1te r . ue proposed to annihilate a great and dominant fr ete e . k at they- differed from him entirely, and turned away the Part (Laughter.) Well, he (Mr. Villiers) hoped °Wa`: r tY were going to form a Government of their Ntl ec O d upon their own principles, and if they sue el es n so, the people had only to blame them verg,--(Cheers.) That that faction should form a Go etnenttupon th e i r own principles depended upon the v.e ' b 'it he had very little fear that the people would Zf th , r,, s e ;" fools to themselves as to permit it.—(Cheers.) ' 3 ,,Ppo r ;„ e Was a time or an event which gave a favourable `, h 4os e - "nttY for the people to demonstrate their:hatred of ,er • co rn laws, that moment was the present.—(Cheers.) IThetriaqiu were now called upon to say emphatically cherl t hey considered those laws of an objectionable A r i nCiple of a character that was opposed to every t• oofjustice, and of reason, and ot common sense. ar e.) But the question now was, would the Queen tilecsivaii_oartutthejahrsgeurcrareoeaustncils those men only who would support ? and if so, were the people prepared to ?---(Hear, hear. ) He (Mr. Villiers) had , many nr , eetini , s at every one of which Auehl/a°Pie unanimously declared they would not support Mme zneu— (Cheers)—and, therefore, he now put the the question to this meeting, and he would ask, were th e of Hammersmith prepered to support them ? lid cries "No, no," and cheers.) He did not t rit i ll e , l3 ,l ll the people to support men of anti-corn law th e tit v u ' e ti B on h a Y ily a , ny violent or unconstitutional conduct, Co l , al express their opinions and determination openly, and plainly.—(Cheers.) He wanted A see teople to look well to the state of the registry, to t tka who the electors were, and how many there were in each locality who were opposed to or in favour of a renal of the corn-laws.--(Cheers.) Let them re el,' muec inc: iblit..cii(scx nosy ex isted a reproach to the anti•cern-law elector& lie had heard it said in the House of Commons, in tei ms of reproach that the county of Middlesex; which of all other counties in England was least interested in the continuance of the :corn-laws, returned a pro•corn law Member.—(Cries of " Shame," and " We will turn him out ") A VOICE —W ho is he? _ . . Another VOICE—Wood ; his name is Wood.—(Cries of " We'll turn him out," and cheering.) Mr. VILLIERS—In mentioning that incident, he wanted to show the electors, the anti-corn-law electors of M;ddle. ex, that they ought not to let such a thing be said of them. No doubt the Anti Corn-law League was working well and perseveringly to correct this, and to remove from the anti-coin-law county of Middlesex the disgrace of having returned a Member who voted for the perpetuation of these laws.—(Cheers.) The Anti- Corn-law League wanted to ascertain who the men were who would now vote against Peel and Russell, and those other men who would still seek to keep upon the statute book that disgraceful law which made the food of the poor man dear and scarce.—(Loud cheers.) A VOICE—They vote for the corn-laws, because they regard nobody's interest but their own.—(Cheers.) Mr. VILLIERS—WeII, if the electors told that to those men practically, it would have a very important effect upon many, who though anxious for the welfare of the poor, were still in doubt as to the policy of a total repeal of the corn-laws.— (Hear, hear.) Now, it was rather a remarkable fact, that if a person took up the votes of the House of Commons, and read over the names of those who supported the corn laws, and asked them why they did so, the answer would not be, it was because they possessed more talent, or more political honesty, or a stronger desire for the welfare of the poor than those who voted against them ; but it was because they had a very great wish to keep such articles as beef, veal, pork, mutton, cheese and bread, at a certain price. —(Loud cheers.) Now he (Mr. Villiers) was one of those who could not be persuaded that any man who really felt a desire to im prove the condition of the poor, could do what he heard some men do in the:House of Commons last session— nanre!y, to call upon the Parliament to withdraw its con fidence from the Government, for no other reason than because they apprehended that Government were about to declare that a repeal of the corn-laws would make provisions cheaper than ever they were before.—(Hear and cheers.) But such a step would never have been taken but that those who attempted it believed that the people were too apathetic to express any determined and unanimous opinion against such a proceeding.—(Hear, hear.) However, he would deny that the tenant-farmers of the country were of the same opinion as the landlords upon this question.—(Cheers.) It was quite clear that the landlords had not as yet dared to call a county meeting for the purpose of declaring in favour of the corn-laws—(Cheers) —because a farmer bad told him no such meeting could be held at which the farmers would not stand up boldly, and declare they differed from the landlords, and that many, if not all, the grievances they laboured under, had their origin in the corn-laws.—(Cheers.) There could not be the :least doubt but that the tenant-farmers of England would now make a stand against the cupidity of the landlords—(Cheers)— for they demanded to be relieved from these grievances which they now laboured under by reason of the selfishness of those landlords.—(Cheers.) But the landlords grumbled at this agitation, and the newspapers complained of it ; but if the former con ceived they were the aggrieved parties, why did they not call county meetings and declare their grievances ?--- (Hear, hear.) He had heard that there was a gentleman now canvassing :the electors of Hertfordshire upon the principle that he would vote for the " protection" laws, as they were called, and he (Mr. Villiers) was happy to say that the man who had the courage to oppose him was a tenant-farmer of the county of Hertford.—(Loud cheering.) That farmer asked this gentleman, would he support the tenant interest ? Would he support the repeal of the game-laws ? Would ho support the tenant's independence, in order that the tenant might vote independently ? Would he support the corn laws or the contrary ? But to all those questions he never received a direct answer, but was met at every point by equivocal replies and shabby evasions. A VOICE—What were the League doing in Hertford shire ? No protectionist should be allowed to walk over the course.—(Cheers.) Mr. VILLIERS—Tn aiaswer to that, he could only say, as he had said before, that that gentleman was opposed by a tenant-farmer, who had challengeclithe gentleman to meet him at Covent-garden Theatre, and contradibt his arguments if he could.—(Cheers.) The Hon. Mem ber then alluded to the game-laws, and the oppressive manner in which they operated against the farmer. He said he was a member of a Committee that had been appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the manner in which these laws operated. A great number of far mers were summoned to give evidence, and every one of them agreed in declaring that no law could be more oppressive and annoying than the game-laws.—(Hear.) The inquiries of that Committee occupied four or five months, and strange to say the Committee would not allow the proceedings to be published.—(Oh !) There lay the evidence to this hour without going to the public, for wi-at reason he would leave the public to judge.—(Renewed cries of " Oh, oh !" and groans.) Well now, the people saw that though the Duke of Buck ingham and the Duke of Richmond were opposed to them, they had Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel in their favour.—(Loud cheers.) They had Russell and Peel on one side, and Richmond and Buckingham on the other--(Renewed cheers)—and therefore let the people forget all the minor differences of Peel and Rus sell, and gird up their loins for the present great fight, and, in order to be victorious in the battle, let them take Peel and Russell for their leaders, and the Lord prosper them. The Hon. Member sat down amidst the most deafening shouts of applause. Mr. R. R. R. MOORE next addressed the meeting in a very powerful and impassioned speech, at the conclusion of w hich the following -resolution was unanimously adopted : " That this meeting, being fully impressed with a sense of the flagrant injustice which is entailed on the indus trious classes and the community at large, which enhance the price of food, and especially by the continuance of the corn-law; and feeling that such a crisis in reference to this impost and matter has arrived which has never before occurred, and most favourable for putting an end to the evils resulting from such law, pledges itself to the most strenuous exertions in this district of the county of Middlesex, to return two free-trade candidates when ever a fresh election shall occur." A committee was then formed to carry out the object of the resolution, and attend to the state of the registra tion, and a vote of thanks having bean passed to the Chairman, the meeting separated. EXETER. A very large and highly influential meeting of the inhabitants of Exeter and the neighbourhood was held yesterday, at the Guildhall, in pursuauce of a requisition addressed to the Mayor, and signed by upwards of 800 inhabitants, of whom 517 are Parliamentary electors, "to consider the propriety of presenting a memorial to her Majesty's Government on the present critical state of the country, in regard to the supply of food." Amongst the gentlemen present we observed C. Brutton, Esq., the Mayor, in the chair; E. Divett, Esq., M.P.; S. Maunder, Esq.; J. D. Osborne, Esq.; J. C. Sercombe, Esq.; S. Haydon, Esq.; E. Davy, Esq.; C. Bird, Esq.; R. Bastard, Esq.; Dr. Ludlow; 1)r. Barham; Rev. Mr. Bigwood; F. Orchard, Esq.; T. Besley, Esq.; Dorville, Esq.; Rev. Mr. Hellings; C. Richards, Esq.; R. T. Abraham, Esq.; T. Latimer, Esq.; W. Drew e, Esq., &c. There was also a goodly sprinkling of the working classes present, who appeared to take a deep interest in the proceedings, which were characterised throughout by the enthusiasm and unanimity which prevailed. The Ma.vonhaving taken the chair, and briefly opened the proceedings by stating the object for which the meet ing was convened, Dr. BARHAM came forward to propose the first reso lution, and after a brief speech, moved that " It is highly desirable that a memorial should be presented to her Majesty's Government, requesting them to take such steps as shall ensure a sufficient supply of food in the present critical state of the country."—(Cheers.) Mr. DIVETT, M.P., one of the Members for the city, then came forward, and was received with the warmest applause. He said, that it was with great satisfaction that he rose tosecond the resolution which had just been proposed ; and great as was the pleasure which he had anticipated in attending that meeting, lie assured them that that pleasure was greatly enhanced by being permitted to second a proposition based on such sound principles as those whic h bad been enunciated by his friend Dr. Barham.—(Great cheering.) He considered that it was no ordinary occasion on which they had assembled. For his own part, he had generally felt an indisposition to be present at public meetings, unless he was called on either to give an account of his proceedings in Parliament, or to state what his views were with reference to any particular measure; but the present was a matter of such general interest, that he was glad of an opportunity of expressing h is feelings with reference to it. Till within the last few days he had had some doubts as to the policy of the agitation which was at this time going on in the country—doubts originating in a fear that possibly they might be creating an alarm for which there was no occasion, lest they should produce an impression elsewhere that there was a greater scarcity of food than really existed, and lest foreign countries should, in consequence, place restric tions upon the exportation of food. That point, coupled with a doubt as to the possibility of obtaining an adequate supply of food, had, he confessed, caused him a great deal of uneasiness, and had made him hesitate before he approved of the policy of the present agitation.—(Hear.) Ou that score now he was able to say that he was per fectly satisfied. If the law were put on a proper footing with regard to the food of the people, he was convinced that there was ample sources whence to procure an abun dant supply for all. The Hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Escott) had proposed to introduce maize as an arti cle of food, and he (Mr. Divett) concurred with that gen tleman in his opinion that it might be used extensively and very advantageously for food. On looking at the scale of duties imposed on the importation of maize, he found that it atnounted to ss. a quarter, or at least 50 per cent. on the prime cost of the article. It appeared to him to be of immense importance that in articles of that sort a relaxation should take place which would enable them to obtain a supply of food from the most distant parts of the globe.—(Cheers.) Having thus expressed his views with regard to the possibility of obtaining an adequate supply of food from other sources, it would no doubt be expect( d from him that he should enter more fully into the great subject of the corn-laws—(Cheers)—and, im portant, no doubt, as vas the urgency of the moment, it wouli still be ridiculous to ke( p out of sight the fact that the final settlement of this great question, upon a sound and satisfactory basis, was a matter yet more requiring their earnest consideration —(Cheers)—and he confessc d heshould rejoice if this visitation of Providence should be 1 IL THE SUN, LONDON, FRI DAY; EVEN] N9,,__DECEMBER 12, 1845. the means of placing upon a satisfactory footing the law which regulated the importation of corn. He knew that there wore many of the mot,t, ardent supporters of a change in the corn-laws who thought that he had been lukewarm in that matter ; but to such a view of the subject he could not subscribe ; inasmuch as he had never, since he had been in Parliament, given a single vote which could be supposed for a moment to tend to the support of the corn-laws. He had never, in fact, omitted an opportunity of voting for such a change in the law fie would be in accordance with his own views.—(Hear.) Whilst speaking of measures for the settlement of the corn-laws, he ought to state his opinion that very great exaggeration existed on both sides of that particular question. He believed that the agriculturists enormously over-rated the advantages which the system of protec tion gave them, whilst the abolitionists over-rated the cheapness which would be obtained under a system of free trade. That there wculd be a diminution in the prices on the average there could be no doubt ; but he believed it would not be to the extent which many up posed, and that we should still be exposed to great and serious fluctuations in the market, was, he thought, un questionable, If there had been exaggerations as to the effect upon prices, however, he believed that there had been none with reference to the injurious effects of the law upon the commercial industry of the country. — (Cheers.) The greatest man in matters of finance—the man who had studied it more and understood it better perhaps than any other living man—the present Prime Minister—had stated that it was impossible for any man, calmly considering the currency question, and looking at it in all its details, not to be aware of the deep importance that it was to everyman, woman, and child, throughout the empire. In fact, when tricks were played with the cur rency, they trod on ground dangerous to the commercial man of the greatest resources, but death to the poor man who depended on a small pittance for his daily sup • port. The uncertainty which characterised the present corn-laws affcted, in like manner, every man's income throughout the empire. —(Hear, hear.) Let them take, for example, the whole course of exchanges regulated by the foreign trade. Suppose that there were fourteen millions of bullion in the Bank; if we had a free, steady, trade in corn, that bullion, on which the note circulation of the country mainly depended, would not be affected at all; but when we for months, sometimes for years, altogether excluded the importation of corn, then when a crisis came like the present, which forced us to send for corn to every part of the globe, we had no means of raising the money at once to pay for that corn from our own property, and bullion must in consequence be drawn from the Bank. The result was, that those who managed the Bank became alarmed, accommodation was refused, interest rose, and every commercial transaction in the country was liable to be disturbed.—(Cheers.) His strong opposition to the sliding scale arose ratherfrom that cause than from any great effect which he believed its abolition would produce on the price of corn.—(Bear.) Entertaining these views, and sincerely thanking them for the kind attention with which they has listened to his address, he begged to second the resolution. Mr. BASTARD then briefly recommended the adoption of a memorial in accordance with the resolution, which was agreed to. Three cheers were given for Mr. Divett and for free trade; and a vote of thanks having been passed with ac clamation to the Mayor, the meeting seperated. MANCHESTER. A great and interesting meeting of the Anti-Corn-law League was held, in the Free-trade Hall, Manchester, on Wednesday night. The greatest excitement prevailed for several days previously, on the part of the public, to get tickets of admissiou, and many persons came a dis tance of twenty or thirty miles to be present. When the usual supply of tickets was exhausted, every gentleman known to be connected with the Council was applied to for the exertion of his personal interest on behalf of the applicants ; and many gentlemen we know in this posi tion denied themselves the gratification of being present, and gave up their own tickets. Under these circum stances it is scarcely necessary to say that the hall was crammed ; the doors, in fact, had to be closed against the multitues who besieged them, nearly ten minutes before the time announced for the proceedings to commence. At twenty five ‘ minutes after seven o'clock the Chair man, George Wilson, Esq., took his place on the plat form, accompanied by Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P. ; J. Bright, Esq., M.P.; T. M. Gibson, Esq., M.P. ; J. Brotherton, Esq., M.P.; W. J. Fox, Esq., and other gentlemen, and amongst upwards of five hundred other persons of respectability and influence on the platform, we observed the Mayor of Salford, General Briggs, Alderman Walker, Mr. W. R. Callender, the President of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr. Bazley), Mr. W. Rawson, Mr. 11. Rawson, Mr. Edward Grundy, of Park hills, Bury; Mr. D. Ainsworth, Mr. W. Bickham, Mr. S. Lees, Mr. S. P. Robinson, Mr. W. Evans, Mr. Alder man Potter, Mr. T. B. Potter, Mr. Alderman Lockett, Mr. Thomas Bright, Mr. J. T. Crook (Liverpool), Mr. J. B. Smith, Mr. S. Matley, Mr. Samuel Nicholls, Mr. B. Syddall, Mr. George Sale, of Atherstone ; Mr. 0. S. Leavitt,fof Louisville, United States ; Mr. G. C. Crook, of New York ; Mr. R. P. Livingston, Mr. Alderman Burd, Mr. Chadwick, Rev. Dr. Massie, and Mr. J. A. Hoyle. The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings by stating that the present was the most important meeting ever held, and :proceeded to discuss the merits of the con tradictory statement respecting the intentions of the Government. As regarded the result of the registration, he stated the following to be the gains of the fie e•traders in the counties named :—North Warwickshire, 106; Buckinghamshire, 328, or 5 per cent. on the whole con stiteency ; East Gloucester, 271, leaving them a majority of 201; East Somersetshire, 574, or 6 per cent. on the register; South Cheshire, 669; East Surrey, 553, or 9 per cent. on the constituency; North Staffordshire, 942, or 9 per cent.; South Staffordshire, 936; North Cheshire, 899, or 14 per cent. on the register; Middlesex, 1,520; West Riding of York, 1,271; North Lancashire, 1,492; South Lancashire, 3,084; making a total gain of 143,731 in the counties which the League had attacked. This announcement was received with loud cheers by the meeting. Mr. MILNER GIBSON was the first speaker. He said that in the whole course of his life he never attended so important a meeting. The people of old had secured the liberty of the press and of themselves, and they were again met under the protection of that liberty to demand a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws. They were met to proclaim to the world that the industry of England was no longer to be enslaved. It was the industry of the manufacturers of the country which contributed to the wealth of the landowners, and, therefore, they (the people) ought and shall have free dom of . trade. The present was a time of more than usual importance. Sir Robert Peel might or might not bring in a Bill to repeal the corn-laws, but, be that as it might, the people of the north had a duty to perform, and they must not lack in their d etermination to wit away the cursed corn-laws. They m ust demand t in a tone not to be mistaken. The peop l e must stand by Sir Robert Peel, and wring from the monopolists that mea sure of justice to which they were ju stl y entitled. He (Mr. Gibson) knew many thinking agriculturists who had given up the whole question, and were agreed that the time was not far distant when the protection to corn must be abolished, and that Sir Robert Peel was deter mined to stand or fall by that measure. He (Mr. Gib son) had frequently in his place in the House of Com mons cautioned the country gentlemen not to lead their tenants astray by holding out to them the hope that those laws would be maintained, and now that the question had been conceded, he (Mr. Gibson) wondered how they could meet their unfortunate dupes. He then proceeded to advise the meeting not to trust any Minister, but con tinue their exertions until the object was obtained, and sat down amidst loud cheers. Mr. Fox then addressed the meeting at great length, but, owing to the press of matter, we can find room only for the conclusio n of his s p eech. In 1815, said he, there was a sort of instinctive blind outbreak against the passing of these corn-laws; there were riots; blood was shed in the streets; the people struggled, like blind Sampson, and like blind Sampson were sent hack to toil in the prison-houses for the benefit of their task-masters. —(Loud applause.) But the lancet of knowledge has couched blind Sampson's eyes. There is wisdom to direct the guidance of that strength; and thus put forth, where is the power that shall stand before it? It is coming; we know it is coming; be you but firm, unree laxing, unbending in every exertion, in every legal and peaceful exertion that may promote the good cause. New allies are announced every day. They are all coming in, but it is somewhat misnamed to call this leading. Much has been made of Lord John's Russell's name as the Liberal leader, because twenty years' consideration has led him to the poixt which the intelligence of the coun try had arrived at so long before. We welcome him gladly. I believe he was one amongst us because the cry was so loud and strong ; being made a little louder and stronger, it may bring us another Liberal leader in the person of Sir Robert Peel. And raise it to its loudest pitch, and we may have that great Liberal leader, the Duke of Wellington in our ranks.—(Applause and laughter.) While we remember all this, let us never 'orget who they are that have done this, and who in the dayaci as ninm may ynfl chariotett be erd f u y mt free-tradefthoa tactics, t politicalc,eshouldmoi ;tahswaedtbeshveaeeareenni eminent wt h dai e ogrn riee l kv a , ne u ttnh r hn e ewa l as s im . eibi se(n, been nt advantage sighthe laurels.—(Hear.) . oi ) sinnoa G e tetawhhar we f goal ; and Russell, Peel, and Wellington at best are only yoked destination.—(Applause.) to it to drag it along the fe w rema i n i ng p a ces to its final lt is ran h o nour for them that they do that ; and I hope they will put their shoulders to the yoke kindly, and not let it be a moment longer on the way than is absolutely neces sary.—(Applause.) But trust them not. Lord John Russell may not have the power, and the Duke of Wel lington may not have the will, and Sir R. Pe e l, h av i ng played the monopolists a slippery trick one way, may play the free-traders a slippery trick another wa y. Trust in yourselves under the guidance of that p ower which ever smile s propitiously on the true, the just, and the right. There is a piece of advice which was gi ven so me time ago, with no very charitable intent, perhaps, to the Orangemen of Ireland—" Trust in Providen ce , and keep your powder dry. —(Laughter.) We don't use gunpowder; our weapon is of a very different and a much more patent descriptio!a . Bay onets cannot pierce it—balls cannot leve l it, Opinion is a power which no form of physical force, multitudinous or military, can e ventually prevail against.—(Applause.) But means must be employed ; and I say to you, as was said to the Providence, ;trustil ranrodvidkeeneepe,yaolur iA names Ora g Orangemen— t h " e multiply your 405. freehol ds ; trust in Providence, and win cities and counties , and lio%:kr Parliament and th e Trust registration in world your unalterable determination that the shackles of trade and industry shall be knocked off for ever." Mr. COBDEN—After these splendid orations, I think I should only mar the effect of our meeting by de laying you for a single moment longer. We meet here, I think a larger meeting than I have ever bad the pleasure of witnessing before, and I am sorry to say that many hundreds are outside storming the doors. We have had an invitation to go outside and address an anti-corn-law lecture to them in the street.—(Cheers and laughter.) And, gentlemen, it is the same wherever we go. Within ) the last nine days my Bon. Friend Mr. Bright and I have addressed seven meetihges. We have been in the cathedral city of Bath and the mountains of Derbyshire, and we have been in Gloucestershire. Wherever we have gone there is the same unanimous feeling that we find amongst our tall chimneys in Lancashire.—(Cheers.) Everywhere, the only complaint is, there is no place large enough to receive the free-traders. Now, gentle men, I felt some apprehension when I first heard the intention of Government, :est we should sink into apathy in consequence of the hope—the falla cious hope—that somebody else was going to do our work. But I am happy to say that this morning's papers relieve me from all anxiety, for I see that his Grace the Duke of Richmond has met, along with fifty or sixty other gentlemen, at No. 17, Old Bond street, and there they have thrown down the gauntlet and declared that they will fight till the death for mono pely.— (Laughter and cheers.) Now, I find some relief in this. They are small in numbers to be sure— (Laughter)—humble in pretensions, of es ery hind, for a contest like this.—(llear and laughter.) But still we have a foe left in the field, and while that is the case I em not afraid of the courage of English men.—(Laughter.) The Duke of Richmond leads not the hosts, but the handful of monopolists that still follow his banner. By representation I know something of the Duke of Rich mond. I was horn within seven miles of him, in Sussex We were boys together almost. He is an amiable, re spectable man in private life—a man who acquits him self in that decent, respectable sort of way that you would expt et a man to do to whom you gave 30s. a week. —(Cheers and laughter.) He is just an amiable, re spectable man ; but, as a senator, as a statesman, I would find a thousand men in this room, with fustian jackets, that if you put a coronet on their heads, would be able to take a far more comprehensive view of what is good for the nation.--(Loud cheers.) Why, gentlemen, these men, the protectionist nobles and landlords, they do nut know what the condi thin of the country is at their own doors. I have always said that the worst enemy to the agriculturists was the aristocratical order. The danger lies at their own doors, and they do not know it. Why, we had a meeting in an agricultural district, and we had a farmer present. He made a few hasty remarks, and then be threw himself into a chair. Be said he durst not trust himself, for if he was to state what the feelings of the tenant-farmers were, he should be liable to be accused of entertaining feelings similar to those entertained at the time of the French Revolution.—(Hear, hear.) Why, I ask these men who talk of fighting the question, to call a meet in any county, and give but a week's fair notice, and I will engage that the meeting shall be against them. Why, they met in Stayning, in Sussex. Now, I would undertake to go to this place—the head-quarters of these Dukes—almost within a stone's throw of both of them, add I would call a public meeting by public ad vertisement, and I would engage to pass a resolution in that village condemnatory of these laws—con. demnatory of protection—denouncing it as being a fraud to the farmer, and an injury to the working classes. Now they are in a nice predicament to meet us, are not they?—(Cheers and laughter.) Why, if my friend Mr. Bright and I were to go into the agricultural districts, and it was found that we were coming, and the weather was fine, we should have a tail like a comet after tia.—(Laughter.) I wish the fine weather to come. We must meet and show these bread-taxers the unani mity of the people of this country, by holding an open air meeting on Kersal-moor a hundred thousand strong. —(Cheers.) I want to see the hosts pouring in from Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton, Stockport. I want to see the male population of this country poured out; then let the Duke of Richmond come and take his place on the grand stand, and witness that.—(Cheers.) I say, they are impervious to the signs of the times; they do not know a brick wall till their heads knock against it.—(Cheers and laughter.) They yield to nothing but fear ; and they don't want courage and don't see fear till it is brought home to them. The people are unanimous everywhere on this question. They told me at Nottingham that they had not had a unanimous meeting for a long time, owing to the divisions of parties, but all parties are una nimous on this question. There is only one thing I want to see. The great metropolis is not easily moved_; but the reason is it is so gigantic in its propor tions that it takes such a time to gather up its huge limbs ; but London meets in the Guildhall next Mon day, and I intend to claim my right as an elector to be there with them.—(Cheers.) He trusted to see London join Yorkshire and Lancashire in this movement, and the question was settled. With reference to their late meetings in the south, they were purely business meet ings—the promotion of the qualification scheme. The discovery of this scheme was like the discovery of a jewel in a casket. They did not know their power till it was found. And he had no doubt the aristocracy, if it went on, would feel that power ; they would soon find themselves as powerless as the feather carried along in a strong north-wester.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. John Bright, M. P., and Mr. Brothorton, M. P., followed, and a vote of thanks having been given to the gentlemen who had taken a part in the proeeedings, the assemblage broke up. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert took their accustomed walk yesterday morning in the pleasure grounds of Osborne House. I heir I{nyal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess R , iyal, and the Princess Alice, were taken in a carriage yesterday forenoon to the sea beach for their usual exercise. There was no addition to the ro}al dinner party at 06borne House on Wednesday evening. The Duke of Cambridge vi‘ited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester on Wednesday, at Gloucester House. Yesterday his Royal Highness inspected the Smithfield Club Prize Cattle Show at the Horse Bazaar, in King-street. In the afternoon the Royal Duke, at tended by Baron Knesebeck, left town for Petvvorth, to honour Colonel Wyndham with a visit. Sir George Couper left Frogmore House on Wed nesday, for Witley Court, Worcestershire, the residence of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, to attend her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent on her return to Frog more House. Sir James Graham visited Sir Robert Peel yesterday. The Spanish Minister transacted business yesterday at theyoreign-office. The agent for Jamaica and Captain Winniett had in terviews with Lord Stanley yesterday, at the Colonial office. Mr. Dean, Chairman of the Customs, and Mr. Wick ham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes, had interviews with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing -street. Lord Anson left town on Wednesday night on a visit to his sister, Lady Louisa Tenison, in Dublin. CITY OF LONDON THEATRE. The tragedy of Othello was represented here last evening, for the purpose of introducing a gentleman, his first appearance on any s t age, i n t h e c h arac ter of the Moor. If it be his first appearance on any stage, it certainly is a most promising one. In person he is rather under the middle size, but very well formed, and his features are good, and possess great power of ex pression. His voice is well modulated, and albeit he occasionally spoke in too low a tone, that is a defect which an experience of three nights on the stage will enable him to remedy. His reading of the part was beautiful, and his acting was elaborately careful—in some parts so careful, that he scarcely gave himself fair play. His acting in the jealousy scene was very fine; and it would have been first-rate had he not been afraid to give way to his natural impulse, and the conse quence was, he underacted rather than overacted the part ; and this can scarcely be reckoned as a fault in a young actor, or, if it be, it is, at all events, a fault full of promise of future excellencies. A very little practice will make this gentleman feel quite at home on the stage, and there is " stuff" enough in him to make a good actor. Mr. Ryder, as lag°, was somewhat coarse, but Mrs. R. Honner was the gentlest of Desdernonas. The farce of lily Wife's Dentist fol lowed, in which J. Webster assumed poor Wrench's character of Dick Hazard, and acted it with much spirit and gaiety. We could not but admire the espzegle manner in which Miss M. A. Egan acted the part of Rhoda, the lady's maid. This young lady bids fair to become one of the most admirable soubrettes on the stage. The house was very well attended. WINDSOR, THURSDAY EvErallo.—The Court is expected to return to the Castle, from the Isle of Wight, on Saturday. Her Majesty will alight at the Farnborough station, and proceed from thence direct to Windsor. His Royal Highness Prince Albert having promised to honour the Smithfield Club Cattle Show with a visit, will coins through to town, and return to the Castle the same after noon. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent will arrive at Frogrnore House to-morrow afternoon, from a visit to her Majesty the Queen Dowager, at Witley Court. The infant Prince Alfred was taken out for an airing this morning, on his Shetland pony, in the Home Park. His Royal Highness was also taken for a carriage drive this afternoon, attended by the Dowager Lady Littelton. ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB.—On Tuesday the meeting for December was held at the premises in Seel-street, and was numerously attended. Several gentlemen were ad mitted members by ballot, and others nominated as candi dates for admission next month. The name of Lieutenant- Colonel Sir Walter Scott, son of the Bard of Abbotsford, was among the latter. The Hon. Secretary read a letter from his Grace the Duke of Rutland (Resolution schooner yacht), ten dering his warmest than ks to the m e mbers fo r the handsome manner in which they ha d elected him a m ember , and hoped sonic day to acknowledge the compliment personally. The committee of stewards for the intended club ball repor t e d t o the o p e opening imeetingtnhgefebitelltt until n a t t thi they theiyeyac hs were ptrinig u g s,neala:s-hooe season.—Core's d n. i lywould compelled to post ponebe held as an unavoidably Gores Advertiser. LINCOLN'S INN.—The old avenue, leading from Portugal-street into the great square of Lincoln's-inn, has been closed, and the space occupied by it and the shops con tained in it, are being converted into chambers. FRENCH PROTESTANT EPISC OPAL CHURCIL—A new French Protestant Ep isco p al Church of th e Savoy has just completed,usdaand-, the wi 23 l Ib d instant, be ciisee after consecrated by the Bishop of which his b London,o T Lord ship will preach a sirmon in aid of the funds. Th e new e di five is situate in Bloomsbury-street, St. Gil es ' s, and i s an elogant structure. The style of building is that of the 14th century. It contains accommodation for upwards of 200 per sons. Adjoining the church is a school ro om , b ot h o f w hi c h have been erecte at a cost of 2,8001. T HOR NTON--INCENDIARISM AND PLUNDER.—OH Sunday evening last, some savage wretch wilfully set fire to the stack-yard on Wester Pitteuchsr, the property of Mr. Gibb, but fortunately the flames were prevented from reach ing beyond the stack which was fired, In consequence of the alarming appearance of the flaures the whole inmates had left the house to lend assistants in extinguishing the swelling flames, but found on their return that the house had been entered and robbed of 401. A diligent search is making into the affair, which, we have reason to expert, will soon be unveiled, and the depredators duly punished.—Edin burgh Advertiser. A letter from Clonmel, received this morning, says :—" Alderman Hearn was this day found drowned in a water-vat in his brewery in this town."—Dublin Evening Post. HEROD OUTHERODED. (From the Morning Post ) The Peel Ministry is at an end. We are not among those who feel any regret at making this announcement. On the contrary, we say with the most perfect sincerity, that we are right glad of it. In our opinion—and it is not the first time we have said so—Sir Robert Peel has most shamefully :deceived all who trusted him. His whole career since 1842 has been one of insanity or treachery. We have done all in our power to expose him. He has not (since 1842) deceived us. We regard him as the most loathsome of public men. His abilities (which are unquestionable) only add to his odiousness. He prostitutes to the meanest purposes the talents which God has given him. We hope there can now be no doubt of his joining the Whigs. That the Tories should ever again have anything to do with him, we cannot suppose. He has done them enough of mis chief. Upon every point he has betrayed them : the Test and Corporation Acts Repeal, the Roman Ca• tholic Emancipation Act, the odious Poor-law, and now, forsooth, the total repeal of all protection to British agriculture! We do not say that none of these things should have been dune, but they should not have been so done as to bring down disgrace and dishonour upon the Tory party. This was the method, however, of Sir Robert Peel. First, he contrived to attach to the Tory party all the odium of bigotry, by his offensive manner of maintaining their cause, and then he brought upon them the disgrace of weakness and want of spirit by his pusillanimous abandonment of his own professed opi nions. But we trust we have now done with him for ever in the character of a Conservative. Never again may it be our ill fortune to see him in any other position than that of an open Whig partisan! We wonder what office Lord John Russell will offer him. We shall be very anxious to learn hereafter whether it be true, as some people said yesterday, that a messenger was sent to summon Lord John Russell on Saturday last, four days before the late Cabinet was out of office. The Noble Lord passed through London yesterday morning on his way to Osborne House. Sir Robert Peel has always (since he became Minister) been very accommodating to gentlemen opposite. It is now confidently asserted in the clubs and the streets, that the Whigs had known for more than a week what was likely to happen. Hence the simultaneous, or nearly simultaneous, pronounce ments by ex• Cabinet Ministers in favour of free trade. No doubt many exaggerated statements are flying about, but no inconsistency that could be mentioned— no treachery that a busy imagination could devise— seems too improbable to be credited respecting such a man as Sir Robert Peel. The man who, in June last, told the Parliament that he would not vote for repeal of the corn-laws, because such a measure would totally alter the character of the country, and be accompanied by social evils which no mercantile advantage could compensate, and who, before the month of January, en deavours to persuade the whole Cabinet to consent to that very measure—the man who could do this may be suspected of anything. But the bold features of his career during the last four years are not points of sus picion, but of palpable fact. The mischief be has done has been enormous ; only, indeed, to be equalled by the large ness of opportunity for doing good, which, in his folly, or his treachery, he has thrown away. In September, 1841, he found himself at the head of an overwhelming ma jority in the Commons, pledged to the protection of British industry against undue foreign competition. The Lords were also in his favour by no less a majority. The only pressing difficulty before him was the state of the revenue. From that he was relieved, not by an ingenious expedient of finance, but by a method which any banker's clerk could have suggested as well as he—a tax upon income. The Whigs could not have availed them selves of that, for they had not the influence to carry such a measure. The powerful party, hewever, that had made Sir Robert Peel Minister gave him without any hesitation the revenue he required. His way then was plain and even easy, if he had been faithful and honest. The protection of British industry—the advancement of agriculture, and of every species of profitable pro duction within the British islands—the generous, yet not extravagant consideration of the poor—the culti vation of good old English feeling towards the Church and the Throne—these were the obvious duties of any honest and honourable man, circumstanced as Sir Robert Peel was, and brought into office as he had been. His course was exactly the opposite. In stead of being animated by a desire to act up to the prin ciples of the party that gave him power, his great aim, as soon as he had power, seemed to be to concede Tory principles to the " liberal views" of those whom for ten previous years he had opposed. In fear, or in treachery, for as yet one cannot certainly pronounce which it was, he began, as soon as he bad supplanted the Whigs, to do the work of the Whigs, and in this alone he has been consistent. By his miserable misconduct he divided, disheartened, and to a certain extent disgraced the party which had placed him at its bead, and now, at last, he has finished by breaking up the Cabinet in a monstrous attempt to accomplish the very thing which he was called to power in order to prevent ! Can any public career be more loathsome than this ? Again we say, we rejoice that we have done with him. Anything is better than a double-dealer—one whose word you cannot depend upon from month to month, except by calculating that what he now most strenuously supports, he will by-and-by most pu sillanimously abandon. It is incredible, however, that Lord John Russell should have much success as a Minis ter. He may have Sir Robert Peel and a few more rats to help him in the House of Commons, but we suspect lie will find no majority there in favour of total repeal of the corn-laws. On the contrary, we believe that the Conservative party in the House, when relieved from the wet blat.ket of Peel, will soon teach Lord John Russell that with the present Parliament he has no chance. But he will appeal to the country. By all means—the sooner the better. The country will give him his answer, as it did in 1841. And then—and then the Conservatives will come back to power, relieved of the hideous encumbrance of plausible Peel. There is no doubt, we believe, that a majority of the present Cabinet have voted steadily against the last poisonous potion which Peel offered them to drink. They will be ready to form a new Government—a Government which we have no doubt will command the respect and confidence of the country, and all the more certainly from being without any kind or degree of dangerous support from so characterless a public man as Sir Robert Peel. EDMONTON PETTY SESSIONS. (Before Dr. Robinson (Chairman) and Mr. Mores.) MURDER OF AN INFANT BY ITS MOTllEL—Elizabeth Huntsman, twenty-one years of age, a single woman, and of most respectable connexions, was brought bofore the Bench, charged, on her own confession, with the wilful murder of her illegitimate female child, which was about nine months old, by drowning it in a brook in the parish of Edmonton. A great number of inhabitants of Edmonton were present during the inquiry, who mani fested deep sympathy with the accused, her father being long resident in the parish, in which he carries on the business of a groeer. The prisoner, who is a young woman of considerable personal attractions, was pro vided with a chair, and she was supported by her mother, who sat by her side, and who was much afflicted through out the proceedings. The evidence was conclusive; but the inquiry was adjourned for medical evidence. It appears that about two months ago the prisoner attended at Edmonton Sessions, for the purpose of compelling the putative father to contribute to the support of her child; but, as she had not sufficiently corroborative evidence to support the affiliation, the summons was dismissed. Since then, after having had a wet-nurse's situation, which she was obliged to give up, in consequence of ill-health, she received assistance from her mother and friends, not beingallowed to return home. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. SHEERNESS, DEC. 11.—The Sampson steam-frigate, and the Viper brigantine, now lying in the basin here, have just been commissioned at the Admiralty, the former by Captain Henderson and the latter by Lieut. Gray. Lieutenant Gray, it will be remembered, was tried by court-martial about 18 months ago, on charges framed against him in consequence of the complaint of the French Government, for having, while in command of the Bonetta brigantine on the coast of Africa, detained and searched a French merchant vessel, and for neglect of duty as commanding officer throughout the transac tion, evinced by his permitting a case of wine and other articles to be received into the Bonetta from the merchant vessel, without having ascertained that due payment had been made for the same, and by not punish ing a man belonging to the Bonetta, who had been de tected in taking away cigars from the same vessel. The Court found the charges proved, and sentenced Lieu tenant Gray to be severely reprimanded,—a finding and sentence which astonished all who had listened to the evidence. The London, 90, advance-ship, having had her top sides fresh caulked and painted, was towed to her proper moorings among the advance-ships on Saturday. The African steamer, which had been lent by the Ad miralty to assist in unmooring and removing the several sections of Captain Taylor's breakwater at Brighton, re turned here on Sunday, without having accomplished the purpose for which she was sent, on account of the seve rity of the weather. One section only was disconnected, which ultimately drifted ashore, and could not be got afloat again. It was the intention to tow all, one by one, into Shoreham harbour, the experiment having been con sidered successful. Further operations have been, how ever, deferred till the spring. CATTLE SHOW IN CHICHESTER.—The fat cattle show held here on Wednesday, was deprived of its interest by the absence of the Duke of Richmond, who has, for some years past, invariably attended. Instead of his Grace, Lord George Lennox, his brother, presided at the dinner, which was given at the Dolphin Inn. A letter was read from the Duke, stating that he was obliged to go to town, on business, on Tuesday morning, to preside at the meeting of the Central Protection Society, and that on the following day he had to take the chair at the Smithfield Cattle Club. The chairman, at the commencement of the after-dinner proceedings, said this was not a political meeting, and he trusted he should be supported in excluding politics. In consequence of this de claration, the speeches were of a mere complimentary charac ter, excepting, perhaps, the concluding speech of the chairman, in which he said " that before their next meeting great changes would take place—he was not going to allude to politics—but he firmly believed that whatever changes might take place they would not be detrimental to the farmers of England." This sentiment was received with cheers, and the Noble Lord then vacated the chair. CONVICTS FOR NORFOLK ISLAND.—The Ariel, ' Woolwich steam-packet, brought one hundred and thirty six convicts down the river yesterday morning from Mill bank Penitentiary, and put them on board the Joseph Somes, hired convict-ship, at anchor off the Royal Arsenal, and a number of convicts are expected down the river this day for conveyance to Norfolk Island. The convict guard, consisting of three sergeants, three corporals, and forty-two privates of 65th Regiment, have joined the vessel, and will proceed under the command of Blajor Cheape, with Lieut. Milford, of the 96th Regiment. The China, convict-ship, still remains at her moorings opposite the Royal Arsenal, and it is reported that she will now take out female convicts to Van Diemen's Laud. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. DUDLEY, MADILEY, BROSELEY, AND IRONBRIDGE.— PROCESS STOPPED.--BIRMINGHAM, THURSDAY NIGHT. —The committe e of this railway met to-day, at the Stork Hotel, in this town, and after a discussion which occu pied several hours, it was decided, that in consequence of the failure to lodge the plans and sections in due time, and their generally defective state, not to proceed with their scheme in the next session of Parliament; but to return to the shareholders two pounds per share, re serving what remains of the deposit (12s. 6d. per share) to meet the expenses already incurred, which were stated to be ss. 6d. per share, and the further expenses required, in order to proceed in the following session. AYRSHIRE AND GALLOWAY.—This project, which is to connect Ayr with Dumfries, progresses amain. At Dalmellingtou, on the route of the litre, most important beds of mineral wealth hare been discovered, as also io other portions of the district. Colonel Cathcart has leaved his iron-fields at a higher fixed rent than was ever before paid in Ayrshire, and since this was done, about a week ago, two other proprietors have dis covered extensive fields of black band iron ore, and are in treaty for letting them to wealthy and influential companies. Within the last few days conbiderable improvement has been made at the Shoreditch terminus by the coni ph•tion of a suite of waiting rooms for passengers. Those of the first-class are fitted up in chaste st)le. There is also a more extensive departure platform. At the end of the rooms convenient parcel and booking offices have been erected. The new stations at Brent wood are almost completed. They are built of red brick, in the Elizabethian order. NEWCASTLE AND BERWICE.—The operations on the pert of the line contracted for by Messrs. Grahamsley and Reid have for several days been suspended, in con sequence of the labourers having struck for an increase of wages—from 15s. to 18s. per week. General Pasley, the Government inspector of railways, visited Norwich in the early part of the week, and in spected the works now in progress in connexion with the Norfolk railway, and the new iron bridge over the river Trowse, which will connect the line with Yarmouth, preparatory to its being thrown open for passenger trains on Monday next. The bridge is constructed of iron. General Pasley was understood to certify its security. NORTH BRITISH.—An interdict has been laid against this company by a gentleman named Renton, residing at Mordington, in consequence of the company having taken possession of more ground for the purpose of the railway than they had applied for in their Bill last session. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Birkenhead, Lanca shire, and Cheshire, 4 p.-Bideford and Tavistock 15s. d.- Caledonian, 3 p. ex n.-Cambridge and Lincoln, 2 1 /s p.- Chester and Birkenhead, 45 1 ,4-Derby and Crewe, 2% p.- East Lincolnshire, 1% p.-Ediburgh and Glasgow, New Quarter Shares, 3 1 4 p.-Ditto, Half Shares, 8 p.-Grand Junction, 235 1 4-Ditto, New Quarter Shares, 32 1 4 p.-Goole and Doncaster, ss. p.-Huddersfield Canal and Railway, 4% p.-Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle Junction, 20s. p. -Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, 1% p.-London and Birmingham, 212-Leeds and Thirsk, 3 p. -Manchester and Leeds, Fifth Shares, 11% p.-Matlock and Midland, 1% p. -Mold Junction, 10 dis.-North Staffordshire, 3 p.-Oxford and Birmingham Junction, 1 p.-Preston and Wyre, 31- Sheffield and Manchester, Quarter Shares, No. 3 (scrip), 3% p.-Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 40s. p.-Shrop shire Union Railway and Canal, par.-South Midland, 2 3 4 p. -Trent Valley, 143 p. -Trent Valley and Continuation, ss. dis.-West Riding - Union, p.-Belfast and Ballymena, par.-Dutch Rhenish, 435. 9d. MANCHESTER, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Birkenhead, Lama shire, and Cheshire, 7-Buckingham and Bletchley Junction, 425.-Caledonian, Extension, 3-East Lincolnshire,2- Grand Union, 1%-Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal, 7 %-Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, 795. 6d.- Manchester and Southampton, 3 c.-North Cheshire, 5V- North Staffordshire, 6-Nottingham and Boston, 214-Not tingham and Mansfield, 2%-Sheffield and Manchester, Quar ters, No. 3, 6%-Paris and Lyons (English), 2%. YORK, Dec. 11. STOCK Excasati3E.-The sales are-Durham and Sunder land, New, - guarranteed 5 per Cent., 134-Midland, New, 19%-York and North Midland Extension, 25 1 4-Ipswich and Bury, 4%-Newcastle and Berwick, 111 A-London and York, 4%- . Grand Union, I/. 95.-Leicester and Bedford, IL Bs. 9d.-Welsh Midland, 2. SHEFFIELD, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Grimsby Railway and Dock Extension, 5 1 4-Leeds and Dewsbury, 14% -Ox ford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, 14%-Trent Valley, 10,4-Cambridge and Lincoln, 3%-Grand Union,'Notting ham to Lynn, 1 %-M an chest er, Midland, and GreatjGrimsby, 2-Wakefield and Harrogate, 11. 16s. HULL, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCILINGE.-The sales are-North British, Carlisle, 2/. 2s.- Axliolme, 2%-Fleetwood, Preston, and West Rid ing, 275.-Grand Union, 275. 6d.-Great North and South Wales and Worcestor, 103.-IEIII and Barnsley Junction, 395. 6d.-London and York, 4-Nottingham, Erewash, &c., 2% -Nottingham, Belvoir, and Grantham, 2-Nottingham and Boston, 1%. LEEDS, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Manchester and Leeds, Fifth Shares, 10% p.-Sheffield and Manchester, Quarter Shares, No. 3, 6%-Leeds and Bradford, 50-Leeds and Dewsbury, 20 c. n.-Ditto, New Shares, 4 p.-North British, New, 6%-Ditto, New arlisle Branch, 2 1 -4-Sheffield and Lincoln, 3 1 :,-Dirct Northern, 1:1: 4 -Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, 3/. 195.-West Riding Union, 5%-Bucking hamshire (late Rugby), ss. p.-East and West Yorkshire, par-Lancashire and North Yorkshire, ls. p -Lancashire, Yorkshire, and North Eastern, ss. dis.-Leicester and Bed ford, ss. p.-Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, 365. p.-North Staffordshire, 5/. Is.-North Western, 2%- South Midlands, 3 p.-Wakefield and Harrogate, 10s. p. EDINBURGH, DLc. 9. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Aberdeen, 51.-Aber dean, Baiitl; and Elgin, 2L-Airdrie and Bathgate, 2/. 17s. Gd.-Arbroath and Forfar, 251.-Ditto, Half Shares, 15/.- Armagh and Portrusb, 1/. 155.-Ayr and Dumfries, 2/. 15s. -Ayr and Galloway, 2/. 55.-Banffshire, 2/. 55.-Belfast and County Down, 31.-British and Irish Union, 31. 125.- Caledonian, ex new, 121.-Caledonian Extension, 3/. Os. 6d. -Caledonian and Dumbarton, 31.-Caledonian and Northern Direct, 31. Os. 60. -Cambridge and Lincoln, 4/. 55.-Carn warth and West Linton, 1/. 165.-Chelmsford and Bury, 1/. 12s. 6d.-Clydesdale Junction, 191.-Cornwall and Devon, 21. Bs.-Deeside Railway, Si. 10s.-Direct Northern, 21.- Dublin and Enniskillen, 4/. 7s. &1.-Dundee and Arbroath, 35/. 10s.-Ditto, New, 171.-Dundee and Forfar Junction, 31. 17s. 61-Dundee and Perth, ex new, 6/. 10s.-East of Fife, a -East Coast of Scotland, 21. 135.-East Lothian Central, V. 25.-Edinburgh and Bathgate, 31.-Edinburgh and Glasgow, ex news, 681.-Ditto, Half Shares, 151. 10s. -Ditto, Quarters, 15/. 10s.-Ditto, ditto, New, 12/. 10s.- Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dumbarton, 18s.-Edinburgh and Leith Atmospheric, 21. 55.-Edinburgh and Leith Atmos pheric Direct, 1/. 155.-Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton, ' 21/. 10x.-Ditto, Preference, 181.105.-Edinburgh and North ern, 3/. 12s. 6d.-Ditto, Newport, IL 55.-Ditto, Lochgelly, 1/. 10s. 6d.-Edinburgh and Peebles, ex new, 2/. ls. 6d.- Edinburgh and Perth, 51. Portobello, -Edinburgh, and Mus selburgh, 1/. 145.-Forth and Clyde Junction, 2/. 55.-Glas gow and Ayrshire, 70L-Ditto, New Stock, 23/.-Ditto, Quar ter Shares, all. 12s. 6d.-Glasgow and Belfast Union, 2/. 4s. -Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 21. 55.-Glasgow and Dundee Junction, 2/. Ss.-Glasgow and Garnkirk, 45/.- Glasgow and Greenock, 211.-Ditto, New, 101. 155.-Ditto, Preference, IL 55.-Glasgow Harbour Grand Junction, 2/. 10s.-Glasgow Harbour Mineral, 2/. 195.-Glasgow, Kilmar nock, and Ardrossan, Si. 7s. 6d.-Glasgow, Strathaven, and Lesmahagow, 3/. 95.-Granton Junction, 2/. 10s.-Great County Down, 21. 12s. 6d.-Great North of Scotland, 31. 2s. 6d.-Great North and South Wales, 12s. 6d.-Inverness and Elgin, 11. 155.-Lanark and Galloway, 21. 75.-Lanark and Lothian', 31.-Larne and Ballymena, 2/. 25.-London and Hounslow, 2L-London and Manchester (Rem.), 3/. 55.-Lon don and Manchester (liastrick), 5/. 10s.-London and Wind sor, 11.-London and York, 4/. 55.-Midland and Eastern Counties, 21. 7s. 6d.-Morayshire, 11.-Newcastle and Ber wick, 111.-Newry and Londonderry, 2/. 10s.-North Bri tish, ex div., 22/. 10s.-Ditto, Halves, 51. 105.-Ditto, Extension to Carlisles, 2/. 75.-Ditto, Extension to Dal keith, 6/. 58.-North Wales Mineral, New, 4/. 75.-Perth and Crieff Direct, pl. ls.-Perth and Inverness, 1/. 17s. &1.-- Scottish Central,ll3/. 10s.-Scottish Central and Caledo nian Junction, 21.-Scottish Midland; W.-Scottish North Western, 11.175.-Scotaili South Midland, 2/. 35.-Scottish Southern, 21. 55.-Shrewsbury and Hereford, 17s. 6d. - Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 61.-South Midland, 61. 7s. 6d.-Stirling and Dunfermline. 21. 108. 6d.-Stirling and Midland, 2/. 175.-Strathern Junction, 3/. ls.-Surrey Grand Junction, 11. 2s. 6d.-Tean and Dove Valley, 1/. 15s. -Tyne Valley, 11. las -Wishaw and Coltness, 52/.los. GLASGOW, Disc. 10. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Airdrie and Bath gate, 586.-Bridge of Weir, 405.-British and Irish Union, 70•x.-Caledonian Extension, G4s.-Caledonian and Ayrshire Junction, 415.-Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction, 505.-Dundee and Forfar Junction, 775. 6d.-East Indian Railway, 255.-Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dumbarton, 195.- Forth and Clyde Junction, 455.-Glasgow General Terminus. 8 1 / 8 -Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 67-Ditto, Quarter Shares (5 per cent. guar.), 1e,4-Glasgow and Greenock, 191. -Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan, 715.-Glasgow Har bour Mineral, 455.-Lanark and Lothians, Os.-Lesma hagow, 675. 6d.-Perth and Inverness, 425. 6d.-Scottish South Midland Junction, 415.-Stirling and Dunfermline, 495. 6d.-Strathern Junction, 565. SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO THE MAMMOTH HORSE.— Yesterday afternoon, at four o'clock, an accident happened to the mammoth horse, exhibiting at the Egyptian Hall, which was near proving fatal to him. The room was crowded with ladies and gentlemen, and as the groom was leading the horse round the room the flooring gave way, and the horse's hind legs went into the apartment underneath. The animal plunged and struggled for some time to extricate himself, but all in vain. Mr. Carter ran to his assistance, and by his herculean strength succeeded in extricating one of his legs, and the horse was finally got out with few injuries; his off hind leg was much bruised and strained. The porter of the Egyptian Hall occupies the apartment beneath the room where the mammoth horse is exhibited, and his wifes was fell through. at a table directly under the spot where the horee_l f through. She screamed and jumped out of the i window, i,serse t while a clock near her was smashed to atoms by iel hoof. Mr. Carter has had a strong double floor made since the accident. TROTTING AND GALLOPING TEN MILES IN HALF AN Horn.—Yesterday a match was performed on NS , imble don• common which created much interest among the jsi local sporting gentry. The m atch was made for 501. by r.Nel son, who undertook to ride a horse ten miles within half an hour,six miles to be ga llopped and four miles trotted. The start was made at a trotting pace, and one mile was per formed in 3 min. and 10 sec.; the two consecutive miles were covered in 6 min. and 50 sec., and the fourth mile in 3 m in. and 16 sec. The horse was pulled up and hi s mout h re freshed, and was then quickly on the road, commencing the six miles e-allop, and turned the fi rs t m il e under three min., a nd kept at z ' a rattling pace, and three miles was gone over in 8 min. to see.; the fourth and fifth miles were performed in 6 min., less 4 sec., and the last mile was ent ere d upon at a flying pace, and covered in 2 min. and 15 sec., finally winning the match by 14 sec. The four miles were trotted in 13 min. and 16 sec., and the six miles galloped in 16 min. and 30 sec. The horse is a small one, and seemed but little dis tressed at the conclusion of the match. THE SECRET ART SUIP OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY. —At a meeting of the Directors of the Highland and Agri cultural Society of Scotland, held on Friday, at which his Grace the Duke of 111ontrose, President of the Society, pre sided, John Hall Maxwell, Esq., junior, of Dargavel, was appointed Secretary to the Society.—Edinburgh _Advertise).. The Countess of J e r se y an d L a dy Clementina . Tiers have left town for Wakefield Lodge, Northamptonshire, on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Grafton. The Noble Earl had previously arrived there. IRELAND. TILE POTATO DISEASE. DUBLIN, DEC. 9.—There is no feature of novelty the accounts from the country received this day. The Clare Journal, a Conservative paper, contains the following :—" Very absurd statements are put forth by those who assume that the losses of the people by the disease of the potato crop have been greatly exaggerated. True, some few persons have been fortunate in their crop escaping altogether the prevailing rot, but what are they among so many ? And all those who have escaped are those whose crop has been nearly, if not altogether confined to red potatoes. These may here and there be found ; but when it is remembered that the great bulk cf potatoes belonging to nineteen out of every twenty persons are white, and that in no case have these escaped, it may be fairly presumed that the losses have been enormous. 'We repeat it, and we care not who it displeases, that there are not now half as many sound potatoes in the country as there were last December." The Dean of Achonry has addressed the following to the Freeman's Journal:— " Deanery Ilousc, Ballymote, Dec. 6, 1845. " Sir,—You will muds oblige me by giving insertion to the inclosed copy of a letter which 1 forward by this post to Lord Cloncurry. " 1 am anxious to amend my former incomplete report by the additional information which I have since ob tained in pursuing my anxious inquiry on this impor tant subject.—l remain your obedient servant, ED. N. HOARE." " Deanery House, Ballymote, Dec. 6, 1845. " My Lord,—Having replied, at some length, on the 19th ult., to the circular issued by the Mansion-house Ceunnittee, respecting the potato crop, and having an swered the firal query lather vaguely, I beg to state that, from further inquiries, I feel myself enabled now to speak more decidedly as to the extent of the failure of the crop in this neighbourhood. " I regret to state that the report which I have to give is not very favourable. In the heavy lands in any of the farmers have lost more than half—in some cases as much as two-thirds. I believe that a moderate average on such lands is one-half lost ; and taking into account the higher soils, in which the crop has not suffered so much, I think one-third, at least, is the average of the crop which is more or less unsound. "It is to be borne in mind that there is still great un certainty as to the preservation of that portion of the crop which has been pitted. I have known cases in which apparently sound potatoes have been placed care fully in a dry loft, and after a week or ten days have turned out bad, " Again I would remark that the only effectual means of relief for the people, who bear the visitation?most pa tiently, is to be found in providing them with employ ment. It is melancholy to see those idle who are able and willing to labour, while so many useful works might be laid out in which they might be employed. " I hare the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's obedient humble servant, " Ell. N. HOARE, Dean of Achonry. " Right Hon. Lord Cloncurry, &c., &c." CONTINUED DECLINE IN THE CORN MARKET.—At the Corn Exchange this day, there was a further decline in wheat of from Is. to Is. 6d. per barrel of 20 stone; and of 6d. to ls. per barrel in oats and barley. THE LATE FAILURE.—At College-street police-office, this day, Mr. °llea tendered informations against Messrs. Labertouche and Stafford, on charges of em bezzlement, and of receiving money under false pre tences, for that they had received 500/. from Mr. Yeates, to be by them, in their capacity of stock-brokers, in vested in Government Stock, and which they did not so invest as ordered, but applied to their own purposes, or to purposes foreign to the intentions of Mr. Yeates. The magistrates postponed receiving the informations pending the Commission of Bankruptcy, now sitting on Messrs. Labertouche and Stafford, but ordered that a copy of the informations should be lodged with the bench fur further consideration. ASSISTANT-BARRISTEASUIP OF WICKLOW.-Mr. Wm. Armstrong, Q.C., has been appointed Assistant-Barrister of Londonderry, in room of Mr. Lendrick, who has, at his own ruquest, been transferred to the chairmanship of Wicklow, vacant by the retirement of Mr. Tomb. A letter from Clonmel, received this morning, drys:— " Alderman Hearn was this day found drowned in a water-vat in his brewery in this town." NATIONAL GLASS COMPANY OF IRELAND.--WO are most happy to announce that this truly Irish company has already so far progres3ed that it will be in a position to supply glass of native manufacture very early in the spring.—ErePting Post. The Museum of Belfast is about to become the de pository of an interesting relic of the eighteenth dynasty. Sir James Emerson Tennant has brought from Thebes the hand of the colossal statue of Arnunulph 11. (born 1580), which travellers used to remark at the south west propylon of the Grand Temple of Karnuk. The four fingers are two feet five inches across, which would correspond with a full-length tiguro of fifty-six feet. The Pacha has permitted its exportation, and it is intended as a present to the town of Belfast by their late representative.—Belfast Chi °nide. RISE IN POTATOES.—Potatoes, which were here tofore selling in Liverpool at the rate of Bd. a peck, have risen to 10(.1., and on Saturday, to a shilling. —. Manchester Guardian. THE STEAMER MASSACHUSETTS. LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY.—It will probably be recollected that this vessel sailed from Liverpool under canvass and the screw, for New York, on the 22d of October last. This morning her con signees, Messrs. Hamden and Co., received a letter from Dublin, stating that she had arrived out at New York on the 18th ult., after a passage of twenty-seven days. This infor nation has been given by a passenger who had landed in Ireland, but we cannot trace it to any authentic source. Tho probability, however, is that any New York ship inward bound lauding a passenger on the Irish coast would forward papers to Liverpool ; as this has not been done the accuracy of the report is rather doubted. POLICEMEN, SERVANTS, AND FAMILIES. The eves of France were opened by M. Michelet, in his eloquent and starling work, entitled " Priests, Women, and Fami lies," to the machinations of the Jesuits, and to the mischief occasioned by their influence in private life. A Michelet is very much wanted in this country, to awaken Englishmen to the tricks and manoeuvres of another fraternity, not less destructive of domestic happiness than those of Jesuitism. We allude to the metropolitan constabulary ; and, ob jectionable as may be the order of Ignatius Loyola, perhaps it is not more than that of Robertus Peel. Thi s society was ostensibly instituted for the preservation of the peace ; by quelling disturbances, putting down apple women, apprehending pickpockets, removing obstructions, and taking beggars and disorderly persons to the station house. Its real object has at last become apparent, being no other than universal domination. Its members, disguised in plain clothes, are now known to mix in all societies, to whose manners and peculiarities they are instructed to adapt themselves. They mingle, as exquisities, in the sa lons of fashion ; they creep, as cads, into the " crib " of the costermonger. They frequent every species of tavern, from the first-rate hotel to the jerry-shop; and neither the free dom of the tap nor the sanctity of the parlour is safe from their intrusion. They thus insidiously worm themselves into all sorts of secrets, and ascertain who is who, what is what, and what is going on ; to the utter sub version of all privileges of Britons. But the evil does not stop here. In his uniform, the policeman is notorious for scraping acquaintance with servants at area railings. What if the joint that went down only half finished re-appears three-quarters gone, and the fowl removed with one wing comes up minus the remaining one? What if his tea and sugar go with railroad rapidity, his butter melts in the coldest weather, and his beer wastes without a leak in the barrel? How much longer are free-born Englishmen to sub. mit to the espionnage, and to be victimised by the voracity of au X 10, a Y 15, or a Z 20 ?—Punch. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LOCUST.—In the summer evenings it is common to see upon the trunks of trees, reeds, or any upright object, a heavy-looking lump backed, brown beetle, an inch and a half long, with a scaly coat, clawed lobster-like legs, and a somewhat dirty aspect; which latter is easily accounted for by the little hole visible in the turf at the foot of the tree, whence he has lately crept. I have sometimes carried them home and watched with great interest the poor locust "shuffle off his mortal," or rather earthly, "coil," and emerge into a new world. The first symptom is the opening of a small slit which appears in the back of his coat, between the shoulders, through which, as it slowly gapes wider, a pale, sickly-looking texture is seen, throbbing and heaving backwards and forwards. Pre sently a fine square head with two light red eyes, has dis engaged itself, and in process of time (for the transformation goes on almost imperceptibly) this is followed by the libera tion of a portly body and a conclusion; after which the brown leggings are pulled off like boots, and a pale, cream coloured, weak, soft creature very tenderly walks away from its former self, which remains standing entire, like the coat of mail of a warrior of old—the Shelly plates of the eyes that are gone looking after their lost contents with a sad lack of speculation" in them, On the back of the newborn crea ture lie two small bits of membrane, doubled and crumpled up in a thousand puckers, like a Limerick glove in a walnut shell ; these now begin to unfold themselves, and gradually spread smoothly out in two large beautiful opal-coloured wings, which by the following morning have become clearly transparent, while the body has acquired its proper hard consistency and dark colour; and when placed on a tree the happy thing soon begins it s w hi rr i n g, creaking, chirruping song, which continues with little intermission as long as its harmless happy life.—Meredith's New South Tales. The Guardians of the Hartley Union, in con sideration of the disease in the potatoes, have, at the sug gestion of the chairman, P. N. Onslow, Esq., unanimously agreed to give the inmates bread and cheese in lieu of po tri!o meals. In consequence of this considerate alteration, the poor in the house will have three servings of bread, &c., daily.— Worcestershire Chronicle. .f-- September,OU rreadelrBa4w4,ilsolpmeerhparr. PERSHORE.—BU r emember that in the sons unknown burglartously entered the dwelling-house of Mr. William Boulter, landlord of the Plough Inn, in this town, and stole th ereout, among other things, a number of silver spoons. Although strenuous exertions were made by the police at the time of the occurrence, no trace or tidings of the thieves cou ld b e obtained from any source, and con sequently every hope of getting back the spoons vanished from the breast of Mr. Boulter. Judge, then, of his sur prise on Superintendent Harris entering his dormitory the other evening and displaying the missing articles to the astonished host ! It seems that in the latter part of last month a police-constable named Harwood, whilst searching the house of a labourer in Birmingham, named Knight, found a number of spoons concealed in the clothes box of a woman named Attwood, who lived in Knight's house, and as she could not satisfact or ily accoun t f ur t h e possession of them, he brought them away, and on showing theina few days since to Superintendent Harris, the latter recognised them as belonging to Boulter. The superintendent then prt ( Teeded to Birmingham, apprehended knight and Attwood, an brought them to Pershore. In the box of the latter he found thirty soornfeorrs stand tyar remanded tieleswh till supposedicliarea) n , to be ry ste estoleno.rce rshirc Thepri- Chronicle. TURF DEFAULTERS.—A subscription has been en tered into by several parties connected with sporting matters, with a view of establishing and circulating a monthly perio dical, to be called and entitled " The Black List," and which will contain the names of all known turf ilefaulters and others who refuse to pay lost bets connected with sporting. A few weeks ago a fish erman, named Gillam, met with a singular accident, which bas occasioned th e loss of his arm. It appears that a dog-fi s h b ecame entangled in his net, and in removing it his finger was pricked by the back bone of the fish. A few days afterwards his hand began to get painful and swell; and on Saturday last he was obliged to under • o amputation of th e arm, which was performed by ;i.r. Gavin Pocock—Br/Olson Gazette. - ,