Int Ifletropolis.

A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday, for the despatch of busi- ness; but the business was of a nature possessing little general interest. Among the petitions presented was one from Mr. W. L. Brake, late a Police Inspector, praying for indemnity in an action of trover which he &ad unsuccessfully defended, on account of property which he had de- tained in the discharge of his duty. He had defended the action under 'the direction of the Commissioner of City Police. A Committee re- .ported that the petition ought to be rejected, on the ground that the de- Andant .had -employed a private solicitor, instead of applying to the .Qesittlo.itatisorthe the City Solicitor to undertake the matter. The

petition was accordingly rejected by a large majority. A petition was presented from inhabitants of Castle Baynard Ward, praying that means might be taken to prevent the nuisance caused by the congrega- tion of women in St. Paul's Churchyard, at night. Mr. Keating, one of the petitioners, attended, and said that they had complained to the Commissioner of Police ; who said that it was of no use to take the women up, as the Magistrates only discharged them. Several Alder. men indignantly repelled the statement, as a libel : they punished the women, on proof of offence committed. The Recorder explained, that it is not law to imprison women who walk the streets without commit- ting any offence ; and eventually the petition was rejected.

A Special General Court of East India Proprietors was held by ad- journment, on Wednesday, to consider a resolution of which notice had been given by Mr. Sullivan, condemning the proceedings in Scinde. The Chairman remarked, that the papers which had been laid before the Court disclosed much in which the Directors could not concur ; and the whole subject was under their revision, especially with a view to improve the condition of the deposed Ameers. In the mean time, he exhorted the Court to abstain from expressing an opinion on the subject, or from passing a resolution which must paralyze the Indian Govern- ment. After a discussion, Mr. Sullivan withdrew his resolution.; and, on the motion of the Chairman, the Court adjourned.

A meeting was held at the Duke of Richmond's house, on Saturday; by leading opponents of the Anti-Corn-law League. The Duke ot Buckingham, the Duke of Leeds, the Earl of Yarborough, Lord Worsley, Sir Charles Burrell, Mr. Stafford O'Brien, and nearly fifty Members of the House of Commons, attended. The Duke of Richmond was ap- pointed President and the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos Vice- President of a Metropolitan Society for the Protection of British Agri. culture ; and a deputation was appointed to confer with some gentlemen who had advertised a meeting for the same purpose at FreemasonS Tavern.

Several Members of Parliament, landowners, tenant-farmers, and others, including delegates from about twelve of the agricultural emu, ties, assembled at a private meeting in Freemasons Tavern, on Tiles- day,—Mr. Robert Baker, of Writtle, in the chair,—and passed resolu- tions constituting "the Agricultural Protection Society of Great En. tam," appointing a Provisional Committee, and requesting the Duke of Richmond to become President. A deputation was appointed to wait on the Duke. Having had some doubt as to the legality of the proposed association, its promoters had taken the professional opinion of Mr. Platt, Q.C. ; and the "case" submitted to him, with his opinion, was produced in the room-

" CASE.

" An association has been recently formed in the county of Essex, called the Essex Agricultural Protection Society, the constitution and objects of which society will be seen by the printed declaration and rules accompanying this case. It is intended also to form a Central Agricultural Protection Society in London, for the purpose of corresponding with and directing the operations of the societies of a similar nature in the different parts of the country. The Essex Agricultural Protection Society will have considerable funds at its dis- posal; which are intended chiefly to be expended in publications advocating the principles of protection to the interests of British agriculture. The C0111.. mittee of the Essex Agricultural Protection Society wish to be advised by coun- sel, for the guidance of the society-1. Whether there is any thing illegal in- thus affiliating the different country or other local societies on the proposed central society ? 2. Whether there is any thing illegal in thus forming corres- ponding societies? 3. If there is, what course or mode or extent of coopera- tion would be legal, and what illegal? Your advice generally is requested."

OPINION.

"The 39th George III. c. 79, which, I suppose, has raised a doubt as to the legality of the associations in question, has not any application to the subject. The Essex Agricultural Protection Society contemplates a legal object, and seeks to attain it by legal means. Its object is to protect the most important interests in the country ; and its means are the concentration of agricultural intelligence, the diffusion of agricultural information, and the constitutional appeal to the Legislature, by petition in protection of the civil and political interests of the petitioners. I am of opinion that it is the undoubted right of any number of her Majesty's subjects to combine for the purpose of attaining such an object by such means ; and if, for the purpose of giving vitality and energy to such a combination, they form local and central corresponding socie- ties, such societies are in my judgment, legaL "THOMAS J. PLATT. "Temple, 14th February 1844."

The weekly meeting of the Anti-Corn-law League took place at Covent Garden Theatre on Wednesday. A very large audience col- lected to see and hear Mr. O'Connell, whose appearance for that even- ing had been advertised : there was an unusual number of ladies ; and on the platform were Lord Duncannon, the Honourable E. P. Bouverie, Mr. Temple, Q.C., Mr. Summers Harford, and some twenty Members of Parliament. The first speaker was Mr. James Wilson ; whose speech suffered strange interruption. He was in full career on impor- tant topics of political economy, when a loud shout outside the theatre was supposed to announce the arrival of Mr. O'Connell; the audience became "excited," Mr. Wilson was inaudible, and at length he held his peace. The Chairman then stated that Mr. O'Connell would arrive about eight o'clock. Mr. Wilson resumed. Soon afterwards, there was another shout in the streets ; the audience were again in a commotion, and Mr. Wilson was again silenced by the hubbub. "It ceased; and still the speech made on, a pleasant noise till "—again interrupted by another shouting. Increased " excitement." Enter O'Connell. Enor- mous shouting, with waving of all sorts of things—arms, hats, handker- chiefs, shawls (!) "and even open umbrellas." Mr. O'Connell goes up to the table, and bows repeatedly, both to those before and to those be- hind. Continued shouting. Some ten minutes pass thus, and then the new comer sits down. Five minutes more of the welcome-storm. O'Connell again approaches the table ; and now the tempest hath reached its climax—" The cheering for a minute or so was almost ter- rific; Covent Garden shook to its foundation. The roar of four thou- sand voices mingled with a sublime effect with the tramping of feet and the clapping of hands ; the deep shoat of the multitudes without the walls responding regularly to every fresh outbreak from within." Quiet was gradually restored ; the Chairman advanced, and before formally introducing the star of the evening, he took occasion to state that Mr. O'Connell's appearance on the platform that night was no new feature in connexion with the Anti-Corn-law League--

They had never yet bad an aggregate meeting at Manchester at which he Bad not been present. They had bad occasion to thank him also for the un- flinching support which be had given to Mr. Villiers ever since the period when the latter gentleman had brought forward hie motion ; and further, that since he had occupied the Municipal chair of Dublin, a deputation from the

League, consisting of Mr. Bright, Mr. George Thompson, and Mr. Moore, had addressed a meeting in that city, and that over that meeting !Ur. O'Connell, then Lord Mayor, presided. He therefore wished to tender to the honourable and learned gentleman, on behalf of the League, their thanks for the consistent support he had ever given to free trade. (Cheers.) Mr. O'Connell stepped forward, and was received with a new out- burst. The noise gradually subsided as his full voice swelled through it. He came, he said, intending to make an eloquent speech ; but he was happy to begin with the solid part of oratory ; and he banded in 100/. sent by a friend of his who was to be described as "A Lover of Justice." Then really began the Liberator's speech- " I must also say, that with the money my oratory almost ceases; for where could I find language—how could any human tongue give utterance to the sentiments, replete with gratitude, with thankfulness, that now fill my heart, and move my soul at the present moment ? They say that my native Irish is full of endearing expressions; but it is impossible for any language, for any elo- quence, the most seraphic, the most significant of the warmest affections, to give a corresponding signification to those feelings of gratitude, of pride, and of exultation, that excite and animate me by the reception you have given here to me this night. Oh! it was kind of you, and therefore you did it. (Cheers.) It was generous of you, and therefore you did it. At any period of my life, I should be most proud of this; but circumstanced as I am at the present mo- ment, I may say, without alluding further to these circumstances, it enhances my gratitude." Re referred to a rival "conspiracy "— " I came here tonight resolved that nothing I should say could interfere with that neutrality in politics which belongs to your struggle; but still I may be permitted to say, seeing that it belongs to the Corn-law question, that the Duke of Richmond and the Duke of Buckingham have begun to suspect that they may be ' conspirators' too. (('heers and laughter.) And accordingly, it seems that those two simple, silly Peers, fearing that they might be too violent, have resorted to a white witch in the Temple—Mr. Platt—(Laughter)—and have humbly asked him this, 'Do you think we are conspirators '? ( Laughter and cheers.) 'No,' replies Mr. Platt, having looked in their faces—(Laughter)— and seen that they did not beloug to that rank in which conspirators are found ; because your 'conspirators' always belong to the Popular party. (Cheers.) 'No,' says Mr. Platt, 'you are not conspirators.' I would not, however, advise them to try the question on the other side of the water." (Cheers and laughter.) He worked up in his own manner, and very effectively, several of the usual Anti-Corn-law points ; as where he referred to Ireland to disprove the effect of the law in keeping up wages. He alluded again to the nobility of England—not "combining "—not " conspiring," for that is a crime punishable only in the poor—but meeting together to re- solve that the people shall pay to them more than they pay to others. He exulted in his share of the task— You are engaged in a glorious cause. I am proud to be allowed to take part in the struggle in which you are engaged, and to lend my voice—which ought to be pretty nearly worn out by this time, but such as it is, to lend it heartily to your sacred cause. I may venture to say this of myself, that I have been found on the side of liberty since I came to reason. I care not for the creed, cast, or colour of the human being. I claim for him the privileges and rights of a man—the suffrages of a man—the protection of a man; not the protection ofrobbery and spoil, but protection against every iniquity, however long esta- blished or however highly patronized. (Cheers.) I come, therefore, humble as I am, to cheer you on, whatever be my own fate, whether it be the dungeon, or even the scaffold. (Loud cheers.) I am quite convinced that if it were left to your votes you would decide in my favour—( Great cheering)—but as it has not been left to your votes, I see no reason why you should not indicate your feelings upon the subject. (A voice, " We are not packed against you!') I hope you are honest. (Cheers and laughter.) Oh! it gratifies me to be en- gaged with you in struggling against the system under which so much injustice has been inflicted."

Peaceful agitation-

" But it won't do. The public mind of England is aroused to the injustice; the country has willed that it shall not continue, and England never yet willed and willed in vain. (Renewed cheers.) The people of England had the folly to go to extravagant lengths at one time in defence of their rights. They brought the head of a foolish Monarch to the scaffold : it was a foolish thing— it was foolish, because it afterwards produced a military despotism, which is always the result of such violence. That Monarch had a foolish son, who, after some time' came to the throne of England; but the people of England did not act towards him as they had acted towards his father, for they sent him abroad when they were unwilling any longer to endure him. Times are now changed, and those violent remedies are no longer necessary for the evils under which the nation suffers : but public and open combination is necessary. (Great cheering.) Oh, the electric effect of public opinion will be successful in put- ting an end to this monopoly. It has spread over every part of the island: Scotland and Ireland have felt it as well as you, and have joined with you in giving it expression."

The peroration : the progress of the cause makes success certain-

" 'What country on the face of the earth could do what you did last year in support of that cause? You subscribed fifty thousand pounds—an amount larger than the incomes of two or three sovereign princes in Germany. This year you will subscribe one hundred thousand ; and next year, if necessary, you will double that—not double or quits, but double and win. (Cheers.) Yes, that cause is making magnificent progress; day by day new recruits are falling into its ranks; and we veterans look on with delight as our armies are aug- mented and our peaceful troops swarm thickly around us. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted ; it is manifesting itself everywhere and even the vilest despots, with the exception of the monster Nicholas, no everywhere; do those things which formerly they did with impunity. The spirit of England is abroad ; and it will never sleep until the poor are righted and the rich compelled to be honest." (Continued cheering.)

Mr. George Thompson delivered a speech ; and then Mr. O'Connell retired, amid " enthusiastic cheering." Mr. R. R. R. Moore finished ; and, after giving three cheers for "Justice to England, Ireland, and Scotland," the meeting broke up.

The pressure of the crowd occasioned a serious accident. A gentle- man named Howell was standing on a barrier at the back of the stage; when the rush to see Mr. O'Connell's entrance threw him off, and his leg was broken. It was at once set by Mr. Wakley's son, and the patient was sent home in a cab.

A meeting was held on Saturday last, in the rooms of the Horticul- tural Society, to devise means for promoting the sale of the late Mr. London's works, for the benefit of his family. Professor Lindley took

the chair ; and prefaced a statement of the object of the meeting by a retrospect of Mr. London's services— He first began to be known to the public in 1803, by introducing a new kind of roof for green-houses. Subsequently he became better known by the publi- cation of his first great work, the Encyclopcedia of Gardening ; which had a great sale. This was followed by the Encyclopcedia of Agriculture, the Ency- clopcedia of Plants, the Encyclopcedia of Cottage Gardening and Architecture, the Gardener's Magazine, the Arboretum Britannicum, &c. By the produc- tion of this last work, the profits of previous publications had been swallowed up, and a debt of 2,700/. left unliquidated at the time of Mr. London's death. The Arboretum Britannicum cost 10,000/. to complete it, and the sale had not been adequate to the expenses : hence the difficulties in which his family is now placed. In order to satisfy the claim, and to secure an annuity for Mrs. Loudon and her daughter, it was sought to promote the sale of the works, the proceeds of which would be sufficient to accomplish the object in view. In addition, however, it was proposed to open a subscription-list, as many may be desirous of contributing who already possess the works. Since the announce- ment of the meeting, his Royal Highness Prince Albert has become a pur- chaser, as have also the Duke of Devonshire and several other noblemen and gentlemen. The Duke of Devonshire was a subscriber of 25/., and his example has been followed by others.

Resolutions in accordance with the purpose of the meeting were passed unanimously, and a committee was appointed to collect subscrip- tions.

A case of criminal conversation has occupied the Court of Common Pleas the last four days, and a large space in the daily papers. The plaintiff is Mr. William Frazer, a barrister, whose family last resided in York Place, New Road ; the defendant is Mr. William Bagley, also a barrister, who had chambers in the Inner Temple adjoining Mr. Frazer's. The lady is the daughter of Mr. Vivian, of Clavering Park, Bath, and Portland Place, London : she was married in India to Mr. Blair, a civil officer in the East India Company's service ; after whose death she had a fortune of 10,0001., with a pension of 300/. as his widow ; in 1831 she married Mr. Frazer. As there are two diame- trically opposite stories, both tales must be told, however briefly.

We begin with the plaintiff's account. Although Mr. Frazer was a kind husband, Mrs. Frazer's violent temper rendered his home unhappy. In 1842, he became embarrassed ; and, applying to Mr. Bagley for assist- ance, he was advised to leave the country. Shortly before going into retirement, he made over his whole furniture to the defendant, by a bill of sale, for the benefit of his family ; but the implication was that Mr. Bagley had converted the property to his own use. The friend employed the opportunities thus afforded to institute a criminal intimacy with Mrs. Frazer ; who dined at his lodgings, suffered him to sleep at her house, entered the room where be slept in great deshabille, frequented his chambers, being heard even in the bedroom ; and in short, as one of the witnesses said, he behaved to her like a husband. Mr. Frazer, still continuing embarrassed, was advised to go to India; which he would have done, but for the accidental discovery of his wife's dis- honour. Several witnesses gave evidence to this effect ; but it may bp mentioned that one was a female servant who had been accused of pm.= loining some spoons belonging to Mr. Bagley, and another was a clerk who had taken wages from that gentleman in advance and had never returned.

The defendant's story was as follows. When Mrs. Blair became a widow, Mr. Frazer sought her hand from mercenary motives, being at the time a bankrupt in fortune ; and, once married, he treated her with neglect. Of her fortune, 6,0001. was settled on herself, but 4,000/. was given to him to pay his debts. He became involved in the difficulties of his brother, a partner in the house of Salamons and Co., bill-brokers ; and in his trouble be was assisted with several loans by Mr. Bagley, whose acquaintance he bad sought since his marriage. At one of the dinner-parties in Mr. Bagley's chambers, Mr. Frazer himself was actually among the guests. Mrs. Frazer was warm in temper, and jealous ; but not without reason. In 1839, Mr. Frazer was indicted for an assault on a gentleman at Brighton, and Mr. Bagley helped him through that scrape without fee or reward. In May of that year he was arrested. Before his arrest, he had made an assignation with a girl named Harriet Edwards, and he actually sent for her to his prison : she visited him daily ; and on his release the intimacy was continued, the two going about from lodging to lodging under feigned names. A career of systematic seduction ensued. Mr. Frazer's advances to a Miss Dalgleish, whom he met at the house of Mr. Smith, a surgeon, were re- pulsed, but not till they had caused a marriage contemplated for her to be broken off. At the same house he met a Miss Simmonds, who afterwards gave birth to a child. Tired of her, he apprenticed her to a music-master, paying 1501.; though the indentures were cancelled, on account of her pregnancy. At the very time of his paying that money, Mrs. Frazer's goods were taken in execution for tavern-bills incurred by her husband while luxuriating with Edwards. Miss Sim- moods now resided at the house of a Mr. Arnold, who had a daughter at Bonn ; and Mr. Frazer obtained leave to bring the young girl home, with his own sister: no sister accompanied him ; and the consequence of the journey was, that after her return Miss Arnold was obliged to retire into the country for a time. In the course of his troubles, he was constantly writing notes to Mr. Bagley, asking fcr help in various ways, and sending messages to Mrs. Frazer, whom he desired his friend often to see ; which accounted for the intimacy between the friend and wife. He had borrowed 800/. from Mr. Cockburn, the Queen's counsel; and when it was known that he intended to go to India, Mr. Cockburn's solicitor threatened to advertise him in the papers if he went without satisfying that claim : and that was the reason why he did not go. Thus. detained, he brought forward the story of his wife's infidelity, and ac- tually employed money which had been given him by her friends to pay his passage, in the endeavour to obtain evidence against her: with part of the same money he bought a gown that he gave to Mr. Bagley's laundress, one of the witnesses. A great deal of evidence was adduced in support of the defence. On Thursday, evidence was produced in reply. The chief points were these. Several of Miss Arnold's connexions, and the young lady herself, gave evidence which tended to show that her intimacy with Mr. Frazer was not so intimate as had been supposed ; and medical testimony confirmed that view. Mr. Duncan, an attorney, deposed that he was employed by Mr. Frazer to make inquiries respecting the wife's fidelity, before Mr. Frazer was detained on account of his debt ;.

and that he was kept in town as much by his doubts as by the arrange- ment with Mr. Cockburn.

The case having now closed on both sides, Chief Justice Tindal summed up; and, after retiring for about three minutes, the Jury re- turned a verdict for the defendant. The announcement was loudly ap- plauded in court.

We learn, from a source on which we place reliance, that Mrs. Dorey, one of the parties charged with being an active agent in the extensive conspiracy by which large sums were obtained by means of the will- forgeries and fraudulent personations, has made a full confession ; and that the document is in the hands of the authorities.—Globe.