The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-04-22 00:00:00

THE DORSET COUNTY E

could not be denied, end he thought it to be quite in
uniformity with the view which had been taken of the
matter, that they should use their best endeavours to
get rid of a tax which had been found to press, not only
upon one class, but upon every class of the coininutiity.
The question bad been raised whether this was the
proper time for the club to tnove in this matter,
especially considering the point at which the perils-
mentary session had arrived, end after the Budget had
been brought forward by the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer. He had obtained privately the opinion of a few
friends, and there were some who seemed to think
that this was not the proper thee to move in the
matter, but it appeared to him that t,,is was the proper
time, rather than the contrary. They all knew the
character of their brother farinerA, that they were at all
times somewhat slow to move, and this was a vast ques-
tion, and involved a very important point in reference
to the revenue, and it could not be supposed in a short
time the question would have the effect upon the minds
of the farmers of England as was desirable. They did
not expect that they would be able to do anything this
Session, the question would require to be agitated two
or three years, or perhaps five years. What they
wanted was, unanimity of the landed interest and the
farmers of England. And if this were accomplished,
great as was the question in point of revenue, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer would doubtless he able
to End the ways and means for the remission of the
duty. Now the subject of the last resolution was the
practical question before them. It said that petitions
should be prepared, embodying their views and senti-
ments on the subject, but when should they lie proceeded
with ? This was rather a serious question to consider.
Were they to petition at once, or should they carefully
prepare their petition, endtavour to enlist the sym-
pathies of their brother farmers elsewhere, and get all
in readiness for the next session? The other question
was that of enlisting the co-operation of the Central
Farmers' Club, and all the other clubs of the country.
He believed there should be no time lost in sending a
copy of the resolutions in proper form to these clubs, if
they wished them to co-operate with them and they in-
tended to commence proceedings during the present
sessions.

Mr. FLOYRR, on being appealed to, said he scarcely
knew that he was competent to advise them for the
best. Petitions, sea rule, had not such weight in the
HOPRO of Commons, unless they came in in pretty good
numbers, backed up with a pretty good list of names.
If they were to move in the matter, as he supposed they
would,there would not be a sufficiently reasonable time
to bring their exertions into operation between this and
the end of the session, so as to obtain a sufficiently large
number of signatures to cour.pel the House to pay any
attention to their request. His own opinion was that
they should endeavour to obtain a large nunilxr of peti-
tions to be laid before the House if they would make
themselves beardi
_ _

Mr. HOM6R proposed,thst as the Committee who had
been appointed to draw lip the resolutions had done
their work so well, the question should be referred to
them to act as they considered best, and the proposi-
tion being seconded, it was unanimously adopted, and
the meeting separated.

WEYMOUTH.—THE Cuckoo has been heard in
the neighbourhood of Preston, and last week
swallows were seen skimming over this town.
These things are certainly indicative of the mildness
of the seasons, still we may fairly infer from the state
of the weather at the present time that the old
saying still hold, good that "One swallow, or even
two do not make a summer."

KICKPING A BIRTHDAY. —On Wednesday, George
Vine was charged before the Mayor and Alderman
Bower, with being drunk and assaulting police.
constable Bowring in the discharge of his duty on
the previous night, at the Chapelry. The defen-
dant said it was hi 3 birthday, and he had been keeping
it up with a friend with gin and cider. He acknow-
ledged having drunk a little too freely, and he con-
sidered that on such an occasion as that, coming as it
did but once a year, a little latitude should have
been given him. It was a poor soul who could'nt
sometimes rejoice, and had it been any of the other
policemen they would'ilt bare taken any notice of
him. According to his idea of the matter, Bowring
was one of those uncongenial fellows, who neither
enjoy the world himself nor liked to see others enjoy
it ; and as for his saying that he assaulted him, it
was a lie. lie conld'nt take his own part, much
more assault a policeman. He hoped the magis-
trates would, under the circumstances, see the
propriety of dismissing the case, but if they fined
him, he trusted they would be as lenient as possible,
as be was a cripple, and had nothing but what he
worked for. He had also to complain of a great
hardship. It was the first time he had been in gaol,
and when he was lacked up Sept. Lidbury refused
to take bail.—The Mayor told the defendant that he
might be a poor man, but he often found money to
get drunk. He had rendered himself lithle to a severe
penalty, but the magistrates would this time fine
him in the usual drunkard's penalty, with costa.