13 APRIL 1833, Page 4

roe etiuntrg.

Mr. Hope, the Conservative candidate for Marylebone, has been re- turned for Gloucester, beating Captain Berkeley, the Ministerial can- didate, whose seat was vacated by his appointment as a Lord of the Admiralty, in lieu of Captain Barrington. At the close of the first day's poll, on Monday, the numbers were—for Hope 543, for Berkeley 452 ; after which Captain Berkeley gave up the contest. If this be the same Captain Berkeley who felt himself so sorely aggrieved by Mr. Hume's intimation that Naval and Military Officers were not the most indepen- dent Members of the House of Commons, the good people of Gloucester will not suffer much by his removal from the representation of their city. His behaviour on that occasion was tolerably clear evi- dence of incapacity for the performance of senatorial duties, though it might be admirably well suited to the atmosphere of a guard-room or a boatswain's-cabin. The Globe blames the Radicals for helping the Conservatives to throw him out : small blame to them !

Colonel Edwards has been returned for the Montgomeryshire Bo- roughs. He was supported principally by the Radical manufacturers and tradesmen of Newtown and its vicinity. His opponent, Mr. Penton Corbett, who is also a man of Liberal politics and inclined to vote with Government, was the candidate of the gentry, and the Clive party.

Mr. Ellice will not be permitted to walk ever .the course for Coventry. He is to be opposed by Mr. John Cobbett ; who will re- ceive the support, it is said, of a numerous body of the electors, who are dissatisfied with Mr. Ellice's votes on Mr. Hume's motion for the abolition of Sinecures and on the Irish Coercion Bill. The Chronicle of Wednesday labours hard to prove that this is unhandsome treatment of Mr. Ellice ; and reminds the electors of Coventry that he voted with very large majorities on the Coercion Bill, comprising the votes of many representatives of undoubted patriotic sentiments. But that is not the question which Mr. Ellice's constituents have to consider. They want some one to represent their opinions in Parliament; and whatever Mr. Ellice's qualifications may be in other respects if he votes on questions of great public importance in one way while they wish him to vote in another, he is clearly not the man for them. We are not, any more than the aronicle, desirous of advocating Mr. John Cobbett's return for Coventry, to the exclusion of Mr. Ellice. But it is a pitiable mode of defending a member of Parliament from the consequence of an unpopular vote, to say that he was only one out of a large body who gave similar ones. Mr. Ellice needs no such sneak- ing apologies. He may stand forward 071 more manly grounds. He was one of the honest and disinterested supporters of the Reform Bill, who voted for it with a single view to the good of his country. His conduct on that occasion was in accordance with the common tenor of his political life ; and we think that the electors of Coventry would do well to take this into consideration, and not cashier him on account of one or two votes which were not to their mind. Let them look at Mr. Ellice's conduct as a whole, and then ask themselves whether they are likely to get another man whose capacity and political integrity will bear to be put in comparison with his. Still, if the electors think that Mr. Ellice's near connexion with the Premier has already crippled his in- dependence, and that his acceeptance of office is likely to hamper his movements yet more, they have certainly a perfect right to choose some other person, who is unfettered by any such ties.

Official information has just reached Dover, that in consequence of Mr. Halcomb not producing his qualification within fifteen days, pre. scribed by the standing orders of the House, the seat has become vacant. —Kentish Chronicle.

Lords Ingestrie and Mahon have been visiting the Hertford electors, since they were unseated by the decision of the Committee. They have pledged themselves to stand again, unless it should appear that they are disqualified. Their friends have voted an address to them, acquitting them of the charges of bribery and intimidation. [Of course this ought to settle the question. On one side—that is, against "the two Lords"—there is only the decision of the Committee of the House of Commons; while on the other we have the positive declaration of

their friends, who must know the truth, that they were not bribed. However, Lords Ingestrie and Mahon have the inward satisfaction of knowing that they are sufferers in a noble cause, and that even in this world virtue and honesty have sometimes the best of the battle in the long run.]

A subscription has been formed for the purpose of defraying the ox- of the Hertford election petition, at the head of which is the name of Sir Francis Burdett for 100/.

It is said that at the meeting of the Common Council on Wednes- day week, a vote of censure on Mr. Ewart, for his conduct with re- spect to the Liverpool Election Petition, was proposed and actually

carried ; when a certain gentleman, whose recent visit to London may be supposed to render him more cognisant of Parliamentary usage, happened to come in, and, on learning what had passed, exclaimed- " For God's sake, gentlemen, take care what you are about ! This is a clear breach of privilege, for which you are all liable to be called to the Bar of the House of Commons." The report goes on to say, that, on hearing this statement, the Common Council showed that species of wisdom which prevents men from building up walls to run their own heads against, and immediately rescinded the obnoxious vote. —Liverpool Mercury.

The deputation appointed by the mining interests of Cornwall to represent to Government the nature of the harassing fees and restric-

tions to which they are subject, for the purpose of obtaining a removal thereof, have had interviews with Lord Althorp, the result of xvhich was to be formally reported to a general meeting, to be held at Truro on Friday week. In the mean time we may. state, that Lord Althorp said it was not in the power of Ministers to Interfere with the duty on tin, which belonged to the King, as Duke of Cornwall, but that every- thing possible will be done to remove the causes of complaint arising from the regulations as to the coinage. All the fees, except the post- groats, which are held under lease, will be abolished ; coinages will be held every six weeks, and Hoyle will be made a coinage town ; in fact, everything short of giving up the duties and the post-groats will be conceded.

A public meeting was held at the Duke's Head, Lynn, on Monday last, to consider the propriety of assessing the private property in St. Margaret's Church. Mr. Porter Shepherd took the chair; and said, it was notorious that scats in that church were purchased at 25/. and 30/. one day, and sold the next for 70/. By the Acts of Parliament he had consulted, it was quite clear that all property thus transferred, bear- ing a profit, was subject to an assessment. Institute the practice of every man supporting his own minister, and he was content to be silent. He was a Dissenter ; and, so long as thousands were taxed to support an Establishment from which they conscientiously dissented, so long would he agitate the question of inquiry. On the motion, that "an in- quiry be instituted, and the claim of assessment enforced," several gen- tlemen opposed it, on the ground that the Dissenting Chapels would be instantly laid open to the rates, thereby inflicting a greater evil than the one they sought to cure,—namely, the abomination of individuals making the sacred temple the seat of money-changers. After some discussion' the original motion was agreed to.

Joseph llabergam, the young man who was charged by Mr. Wilson Patten with having falsely stated that he had become deformed in con- sequence of hard work and bad usage in a flax-mill, whereas be really was injured in a wrestling-match, has written a letter to Mr. Patten, in which he flatly contradicts his statement, and maintains that his evi- dence before the Committee was strictly true. -

The person who calls himself Sir William Courtenay, win) figured away at the last Canterbury election, was committed to gaol. last week, on the charge of defrauding the waiter at the Rose Inn of about sixty guineas. On Wednesday, he was removed to the Court of King's Bench, amidst the cheers of a large concourse of People. He addressed them from the roof of the coach, and expressed his intention of soon returning to Canterbury.

A person styling himself the Reverend J. M. Fortescue, who has been remarkably successful in swindling tradesmen and innkeepers in the Western Counties, was committed to Glocester gaol on Tuesday weak, to answer several charges which were laid against him by his dupes. He was searched, as usual, upon entering the gaol ; but he contrived to secure a razor, with which, on the Thursday following, he cut his throat. He is represented as having been a well-educated, ac- complished man, of remarkably good address.

On Thursday week, between two and three o'clock, a suspicious looking vessel was Observed hovering about Lynn Well, on the Norfolk coast. The Ann, tender to the Redbreast revenue-cutter, gave chase ; when the crew of the suspected vessel commenced throwing tubs over- board : a smart fire was then kept up from the Ann, in order to pre- vent any more of the cargo from being thrown over, and also to bring the chase to. This she effected, and about three o'clock succeeded in boarding her. She proved to be Le Mentor, from Dunkirk, having on board two hundred and six tubs of brandy and geneva. The crew consisted of three Frenchmen and two Englishmen, who were each fined 100/. and sentenced to be imprisoned until it is paid. .

A midshipman belonging to the Stag frigate, now in the Downs, one day last week, while enjoying a frolic aloft with several of his com- panions, unfortunately.missed a rope he was endeavouring to catch, and fell in contact with a gun on the deck.- He never uttered a syllable,

and died almost immediately. On Sunday the 'corpse was conveyed for interment to the burial-ground, attached to the Naval Hospital, at- tended by the officers and part of the, crew. As the Thorne packet coaChl:was 1 entering Sheffield, on Monday night, it was stopped by a young man, who handed the coachman a small box, addressed to Messrs. Waterhouse, Hodgson, and Co. The box was regularly forwarded the next morning; and Mr. Edward Hat- field, a partner in the house, immediately proceeded to open it. Upon forcing a chisel under the lid, a terrible explosion took place, which knocked Mr. Hatfield down with great force, and dashed out all the glass from the windows. Upon examining the box, it was found that it contained a pistol which was loaded with powder, and had a canister

of powder fixed at its muzzle; a wire connected the lid with the trigger, in such a way, that by raising the lid a very little the pistol was dis- charged into the powder. Mr. Hatfield was much hurt in the face, and is still confined to his bed, but is not considered in danger.

A poor man, named Joseph Baxendale, was shot last SatUrday night, by Mr. Edward Hague, of Dewsbury. The deceased and his son, both of them intoxicated, were returning home from Dewsbury, when they were overtaken by a Dr. Thornton, who was riding very fast in the Caine direction. 1 he Doctor stopped at Mr. Hague's gate, and desired the younger Baxendale to hold his horse for him while he walked up to the house-door. The dogs belonging to the house began to bark loudly ; and Mr. Hague opened his window, and, saying " Mind your heads ! " fired a pistol immediately. The ball struck the old man, who fell. Dr. Thornton immediately gilt upon his horse, and rode away, without making any offer of assistance, or speaking to any body. Mr. Hague sent without delay to Dewsbury for a surgeon, but the deceased died the next day. It appeared that Mr. Hague had always been a kind friend to him. The Jury which sat upon the body returned the fol- lowing verdict-

" We are of opinion that Mr. Hague fired the pistol with an intention to frighten the persons in his grounds, and not to shoot them, and that the de- ceased was accidentally killed by the shot. We think that Dr. Thornton was very blameable in not remaining to render his assistance." [ We hope, for the credit of Yorkshire, that this Dr. Thornton has not his equal in the county for selfish cowardice.]

Joseph Adams, an old decrepit man, was murdered on Sunday morning, in the neighbourhood of Luton in Bedfordshire, by a man named Thomas Crawley; who fractured his cheek-bone, and forced his right eye out of the socket, by a blow with a heavy stake which he had cut out of a hedge for the purpose. Crawley then stole his watch, and ran off across fields. Some persons soon came along the road, and removed the old man to Luton. A numerous party of the inhabitants immediately set out in different directions to secure the murderer, who was tracked along the fields by the marks left on the turf by singular iron tips which he wore on his shoes ; and was soon secured. Adams lived long enough to identify him, and died on Tuesday morning. The bludgeon was found soaked in blood. The son of the murderer, a boy about thirteen, was with his father, and gave evidence against him.

About a quarter past eight in the evening of Sunday sennight, a shock of an earthquake was felt at Horsham. At some houses the shock was much more perceptible than others. Many persons thought that a principal beam had given way ; mid others that some person was in their houses. In the shops the articles seemed falling ; and the sca'e were put in motion. ""'IVany were engaged examining their pre mises in the utmost alarm. Mr. Hurst's hall-bell rung. At Derme the pictures moved, and a bird fell from the perch in the cage. At Sir T. Shelley's and Mr. Tredcroft's they were much alarmed. We were among those who knew nothing of it till the morning.—Sussex Ad- vertiser.