Vlbt Pobinces.
During join the week there has been a great influx of visiters into Liver- pool, -to oin the annual meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society. The regular proceedings began on Wednesday, with a show of imple- ments of every variety and degree of improvement. They were exhibited in a spacious yard in the neighbourhood of Faulkner Square ; 58. being the price of admission. A trial of several implements took place in the fields of the Earl of Sefton, at Aintree. In the evening, 500 persons sat down to the dinner of the Council, in the Horse and Carriage Repository of Mr. Lucas. Among the guests, were Earl Spencer, Lord Stanley, Lord Sandon, Earl Talbot, the Mayor of Liverpool, Dr. Buckland, and a great number of Members of Parliament and country gentlemen. The chair was occupied by Mr. Pusey, the Member for Berkshire. Politics being generally avoided, the speeches were mostly flat. The Earl of Derby had won a prize for cart-horses, and his health was drunk among a number of others ; Lord Stanley returning thanks. Earl Spencer was called out by the drinking of his health : the Society, he observed, had scarcely done enough to deserve the name of one, but it had done some good, especially in extending the desire for knowledge among the farmers ; it had also collected reports on the late epidemic among cattle, which, though contradictory, had at least helped to prevent the farmers from trusting to the quackery of horse a .d cow doctors • another report had thrown much light on the history of the turnip-fly. Mr. Smith, of the Highland Agricultural Society, alluded to the cry of "cheap bread," and exhorted the farmers to meet it by producing largely. But the grand show was on Saturday, when the cattle were exhibited; and after it the grand dinner, at which 3,000 persons sat down to table in a pavilion erected for the purpose. Mr. Pusey was again in the chair, and Mr. Handley was in the vice chair. Lord Stanley had recovered his vivacity, and made an excellent speech in proposing the toast of "Success to the Agricultural Society." He remarked, that, so far from being a discouragement, it was a most encouraging symptom of the times, that the science of agriculture was only in its infancy; for that left the more hope as to what might be done in future. On that text he enlarged, glancing rapidly at the great increase of produe- tion which might be effected by improvement in the selection of breed- ing-stock, in draining, manure, the choice of seed, and in mechanical inventions for implements. Darkness separated the company at about half-past eight o'clock.
A splendid entertainment was given at Bury, near Manchester, on Friday, to Mr. Richard Walker, on his reelection for the borough. Among the guests, were Sir Thomas Potter, Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P. for Stockport, Mr. George William Wood, M.P. for Kendal, Mr. Joseph Brotherton, M.P. for Salford, Mr. Peter Ainsworth, M.P. for Bolton, Mr. John Fenton, late M.P. for Rochdale, Mr. T. Thornely, M.P. for Wolverhampton, Alderman Brooks of Manchester, and some other gentlemen of local influence. In proposing the health of Minis- -ters—a task which was intrusted to Mr. Peter Ainsworth, who has sometimes opposed them—he boasted for them, that if they had not the advantage in point of numbers in the new Parliament, they would at all events have the advantage of argument on the Anti-Corn-law ques- tion. Mr. Walker, in returning thanks, congratulated his entertainers on the success of the Liberal cause in the neighbouring boroughs—Bol- ton, which has returned Dr. Bowring ; Salford, which has reelected Mr. Brotherton ; and Stockport, which has returned Mr. Cobden, "the champion of Free Trade, the man who directs the energies of the Anti-Corn-law League." Mr. Walker anticipates a fresh opportunity of giving a telling hint to the new Ministry- " In five weeks the Parliament will meet ; one week from that meeting will see the end of the Liberal Government; an adjournment must then take place for two or three weeks, to enable those Members who may be chosen to form the future Government to appeal to their constituents and offer themselves again for election. I trust those constituencies will read them a lecture when they do. I hope they will tell them that they can only sustain their power by putting an end to monopoly."
But the best speech of the evening was Mr. Cobden's. He recapitu- lated the rise and progress of the Anti-Corn-law League-
" Two years sod a half ago, a few gentlemen met to receive Dr. Bowring, and to bear his sentiments on this subject, at Manchester; and from this meet- ing sprung the Anti-Corn-law League. It lingered a few months ealy, and then dwindled down to about three persons. They had then beer tined by none of the influential or leading men of the town, and they had mite a to con- tend with ; but they persevered—they set themselves to work to recover the ground they had lost, and they did not labour in vain. They formed branch associations elsewhere ; and the League grew like a forest-tree, its branches overshadowing the whole length and breadth of the land, and offering its friendly shade to the whole manufacturing community willing to avail them- selves of its shelter. * • • Gentlemen, we have been denominated a lot of men with a crotchet.' We grew a little more into notice, and it was said we had a measure.' Then it was said 'their question '; and now the question of the Anti-Corn-law League has become 'the question.' • * I cannot take credit to the Anti-Corn-law League for bringing forward this question, and having ripened it so that Ministers have—shall I say, dared to bring it forward ? but it may be we have made ourselves heard in the places of power. I know that the League has made itself known both far and near. I know that in the remotest a ilds of America even has it been heard of, and in Russia: why, at Odessa measures are in contemplation for enlarging the harbour with a view to provide for an increased trade with this country, so sanguine are they of our success ; and I have in my pocket a letter from Constantinople, addressed to the League, enclosing a subscription of 10/. to aid in its object." He exposed the vanity and vexation of mere party contentions, the bandying of epithets, like " Whig " or " Tory," and showed how they confirmed the prejudices of those against whom they were directed- " I had proof of this in the conduct of a man at Stockp,rt. He said he fully agreed with me in all the views I took of free trade ; but he said he was a Tory, and he could not consent to change his politics. Now, here was just a sample of the madness of party. I said to him—and it will be a fine con- solation to you on your deathbed to call around you your family, and say. • My dears, I have nothing to leave you : I was once in a fair way of getting a fortune, but the decline of trade ruined my prosperity, and I fear it has set a seal upon yours too—I have no wealth to leave you : but cheer up, my darlings, there is one thing I can leave you—I can leave you an unblemished political character : I have stuck to my party.'" He advised his hearers to seek converts by argument and reason ; but even such means could not convert those who were inveterate in prejudice : it is said of Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation of the blood, that he never made a convert of a surgeon who had turned forty. He recommended union ; not a mere union of capitalists, but a union of masters and men- "I have among my acquaintance a gentleman who while in London called -upon a noble lord, a valiant, sturdy bread-taxer; and in the course of con- versation, my friend told his Lordship that the people down here were begin- ning to understand the question, and they would not long endure the bread- tax. Oh, oh ! 'said his Lordship, you mean this as a menace, I suppose; but let me tell you, that your workmen are nearer to your houses and property than ours; and if it comes to an outbreak, let me remind you that it will be for you first to look to your safety.' Now there is something in this. I be- lieve his Lordship let out a secret to which the class to whom he belongs trust a great deal. They trust a great deal to the discord prevailing between master and man. Now, therefore, I tell you, take care that the working-men under- stand the question rightly. I say the non-electors have great influence, and therefore let them understand the question. I point to the example set at Bolton, Preston, Stockport, and Manchester; and I say the best exertions made on this question were made by the non-electors; and when I look to the towns ,,here the Whigs have shrunk from this question, and tampered with a fixed duty, or some other political question of the day, I can readily under- stand how the elections have gone against them. Therefore, I say, it is a -question of policy to make the people understand this question ; and therefore we must meet the working-men—ay, and the working women too; for we cannot do without them either."
He warned those who expected much from his entrance to Parliament, not to be deceived : more than that is wanting— It was a different thing talking to the House of Commons and talking here. He might go there with a few solid facts, which would tell if they would listen to them. But he had no eloquence ; and if he had, look at the eloquence of Grattan—it effected nothing, though exerted during a liCetime. It was the numbers, the public opinion, by which men were backed out of doors. Grattan accomplished nothing for the Irish Catholics; but when Mr. O'Connell went to die Mouse, backed by the millions of the Catholic Association, see how different was the result. This must be the case here. It was not till they had -a grand aggregate meeting of the manufacturing classes on Kensall Moor that the Legislature would be startled into activity, and made alive to the necessity of doing justice.
At the adjourned visitation of the Archbishop of York, in York Cathedral, on Tuesday, Dr. Phillimore presiding as the Archbishop's Commissary, Dr. Cockburn, the Dean, waiving technicaliti,s, offered an apology for his contumacy and intemperate expressions towards the Archbishop and the Commissary ; and he admitted the impropriety of allowing any pecuniary considerations whatever to influence the dis- posal of ecclesiastical livings. He was absolved from his contempt.
The rate-payers were called upon to meet in the parish-church, Rochdale, on the 15th, to make a church-rate. Mr. Roby, the Vicar's Warden, proposed a rate of one penny in the pound, to meet the ex- penses of the current year, which would amount ta 7501. Mr. Barton moved as an amendment, " That there be no rate." After considerable discussion and confusion, the Vicar, the Reverend J. E. N. Molesworth, took the show of hands. The show against the rate was double the number to that in favour of it. Notwithstanding this decided negative, however, it is said that the rate will be levied. No poll was demanded on either side.
A meeting of parishioners was held at Braintree in Essex, last week, to receive the monition from the Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of London, ordering a rate to be made for the repairs of the church. A rate of 2s. was proposed. Mr. Courtauld moved a resolution declaring church-rates unjust, and refusing to make any rate. The amendment was carried by a large majority. The Churchwardens then made a rate of 2s., on their own responsibility. Mr. Courtauld entered a pro- test in the minute-book, asserting that no rate could legally be levied at that meeting after a majority of the rate-payers had refused it.
The Queen's war-steamer Growler, 1,500 tons burden, was launched at Chatham, on Tuesday, in the presence of a large concourse of spec- tators.
At Bedford, on the Nlrfolk Circuit, John Butcher was tried last Friday, for killing James Webster in a fight at New Chelsea, in Bucks. William, the deceased's brother, and Joseph Hodges, were tried at the same time, for aiding in James's death, by acting as seconds at the fight. In May last there was a combat between the men of two neighbouring Tillages in Buckinghamshire; and Butcher, a spectator, called out that "he never see sitch a bad fight in all his born days." Some time after this speech, Webster, who was one of the fighters, met Butcher again, and challenged him to fight : they began straightway, and fought for three quarters of an hour ; when Webster received a blow on the forehead which took away his senses and ultimately caused his death. The prisoners were found guilty of "manslaughter," and sentenced to various periods of imprisonment.
James Townshend was tried at Bedford Assizes by Baron Alderson, on Friday last, for stealing letters and money "the property of the -Queen's Postmaster-General." One Prigmer has been employed to carry the letter-bags from the Post-office at St. Neot's to an inn on the route of the Northern mail. In May last, Prigmer was joined on his errand by some servants going to St. Neots ; among whom was the prisoner, who had formerly been his fellaw-servant, and the whole drank freely at some public-houses on their road. Returning together, they met a young woman, with whom Prigmer wished to have some private talk ; and he asked his friends to bear his bags forward while he stayed behind. Townshend was the only one who would incur the responsibility of their care. He was shortly outstripped by the others, who pressed on home, and mentioned what had occurred. Persons were sent out to secure the safety of the letters, but Townshend was nowhere to be met ; and the bags were found on the road, cut open and rifled of their contents. Townshend was from home all that night. At a public-house near, on the same evening, he offered to treat a friend with beer ; but his offer was laughed at, as no one supposed that he could pay ; upon which be displayed a sovereign. Next day, on being charged with stealing the bags, he said, "lie was so drunk he'd forgot all about them, only he knew he'd lost them." As a stranger was met on the road near the spot where the bags were found, and Townshend had an excellent character given him by several witnesses, the Jury found him "Not Guilty," saying they gave him the benefit of the doubt.
John Lunn Campbell, aged fifty-four, a Major in the Arm7, was con- victed at Chelmsford Assizes, on Thursday, of a capital crime against Elizabeth Sayers, a child of thirteen or fourteen, under circumstances
of peculiar barbarity. Sentence of death was pronounced by Chief Justice Tindal, with an intimation that the prisoner would be trans- ported for life.
An inquest was held at the Moot Hall, in Wigan, on Monday last, by adjournment from the 28th ultimo touching the death of Winstanley, the man who died from the effects Of blows received on his head in an electioneering affray on the 26th ultimo. The Jury, after hearing the evidence, which occupied the whole day, returned a verdict of " Man- slaughter " against Kelly, who is not yet apprehended, and against two others, named Macquire and Boyle, as aiders and abettors. Macquire and Boyle were consequently committed for trial at the ensuing Liver- pool Assizes.—Derby Chronicle.
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