14 FEBRUARY 1846, Page 8

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Lord Henry Gordon Lennox was nominated and elected for Chichester on Tuesday. Mr. Falvey, one of the League lecturers, was enabled to make a long speech, and obtain the show of hands, in consequence of having been put in nomination as an opponent; but beyond this nothing was gained. Mr. Falvey declined to demand a poll; and, as a matter of Course, Lord Henry Lennox was declared to be duly elected.

The Marquis of Chandos was elected for the Borough of Buckingham on Wednesday. There was no opposition, nor any show of discordant feeling.

Lord Lincoln's acceptance of the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland necessarily involved the resignation of his seat for South Nottinghamshire; but in a letter addressed to the electors, dated on Saturday, with an expla- nation, he has requested the honour of reelection—

Adverting to the demand previously made by the County Protection Society for his resignation, he dissents from the view thus implied as to the relationship which exists between a Member of Parliament and his constituents. "Circumstances which have lately taken place among you have, however, overruled every personal -Objection, and make me rejoice in a legitimate and constitutional opportunity of appearing at this particular juncture before the constituent body which has re- p-utedly honoured me with its confidence. When, a few days ago, I received the ferrnal announcement of a resolution passed unanimously at a meeting of the Nottinghamshire Agricultural Protection Association, calling upon me to resign my seat,—a resolution in which my' honour' was openly assailed,—my first im- pulse was to comply with the demand, and instantly appeal from that meeting to the whole constituency by a new election. Reflection, however, and a deep sense of constitutional obligations, forbade that course. The constitution does not recognize the right of a Member of Parliament to divest himself of the trust confided to him. It has not even given him the power to do so. The resignation of his seat can only be accomplished by a fiction—by a request for a nominal office at the hands of the Crown. The principle of delegation is at variance with the

spirit of our institutions; and those who demur to the expediency of annual Par- haments are bound to resist such a call as that which has been made upon me,

come from whom it may." Other Members similarly situated bad acted differ- ently; but, while he respected their motives, he did not think they had calculated the consequences. " Neither they nor I were sent to Parliament as agents or ad- vocates of one interest in preference to others, but as members of a deliberative assembly bound to legislate for the good of all—for the interest of the nation as a i whole. Of that whole you form an important part; and in my conscience I believe that neither have I heretofore done, nor am I now doing, that of which in calmer times you will have reason to complain."

He warns the electors against submitting to undue dictation. "I am told that I shall be opposed by a candidate put forward by the Agricultural Protection Society. Let me warn you of the danger of submitting to the dictation of any political association or club, however respectable may be its members. That danger is increased when, as in the case of the Protection Society, such a club is, if not affiliated to, at least in direct communication with, and acting under the direction of, a central body sitting in London. Believe me, such a system is fraught with mischief to all interests, but especially to that which this society professes to protect." Lord Lincoln expresses his willingness to:wet his constituents on any occasion, and discuss with them the question of the day. His own change of opinion had been brought about by reflection, observation, and experience. His conviction was, not that the Corn-laws alone should be abolished, but that the commercial system of the country should undergo a thorough revision. The crisis had been hastened by the failure of a chief article of food. "The Government has been compelled, by an imperative sense of duty, to bring forward at once a final settle- ment of these questions; for none but a final settlement—no half-measures—no temporizing expedients—could ever again be entertained: and I am prepared to adopt my full share of the responsibility which must ,attach to the members of a Government which has endeavoured to reconcile in a great and comprehensive scheme the various but not conflicting interests of the country."

Lord Lincoln anticipates his own reeleetion with "no faltering hope."

Nottingham already participates in the turmoil of a contested election for the Southern division of the county. The arrival of the Earl of Lin- coln, on Monday, gave an impetus to the movements of the Free-traders; an influential committee was formed, and stirring addresses were issued- The committee comprises the leading Whigs of the place. Mr. Thomas Black- borne Thornton Hildyard, of Flintham Hall, appears as a candidate; resting his claims on a positive pledge to oppose the Ministerial scheme, and every similar scheme, to the utmost.

It appears from a letter addressed by Lord Jocelyn to the electors of King's Lynn, that he has resolved to retain his seat; his offer to resign having only been accepted by a majority of sixteen in a private meeting of thirty-eight electors; whereas, some days afterwards, he received an ad- dress signed by two hundred, requesting him to continue.

Colonel Jonathan Peel, Member for Huntingdon, has placed his seat at the disposal of the electors. He assigns the current reasons for his con- version to Free Trade; adding-

" I am not unmindful, however, of the general understanding with regard to agricultural protection, when you elected me as your representative. I have rea- son to believe that the majority of you have not come to the conclusions to which I have arrived; and I feel it my duty, therefore, to express my. willingness, if that impression be correct, to give you the opportunity of placing in other hands that

trust which, with so much kindness, yon have committed to me." ' Mr. Charteris has, according to his promise, complied with the request of his constituents, and resigned his seat for East Gloucestershire. He stands again, however, in opposition to Lord Worcester, the Protectionist candi- date.

Lord Henniker has announced the resignation of his seat for East Suf- folk, in a letter to the electors declaring his conversion. He does not seem to contemplate standing again; and Mr. E. S. Gooch, son of Sir T. Gooch, is the Protectionist candidate.

Lord Ashley makes this announcement to the electors of Dorsetshire-

" Since I had the honour of addressing you on the 31st of January last, I have been informed that several gentlemen of the county of Dorset, owners and occu- piers of land, have requested two of their body to come forward and fill the vacancies caused by the resignation of myself and Mr. Sturt. They have also engaged to advance very large contributions towards the support of the candidates. Now, I am not ashamed to avow that it will be impossible for me to sustain the expense of such a contest; and I hasten therefore to relieve my honourable op- ponents from the necessity of incurring any pecuniary responsibilities, by an- nouncing, that although I shall be present at the nomination, I shall not demand a poll."

As a number of electors of Tamworth contemplate calling on Sir Robert Peel to resign his seat for that borough, on the ground that he has betrayed the interests of his country by his extensive proposal of commercial reform, several of the electors of Oldham are speaking of the propriety of prepar- ing a requisition to the right honourable Baronet, inviting him to become a candidate for Oldham; as there can be no doubt, from his present popu- larity, that he would be unanimously returned for Oldham—Preston Chronicle.

It is understood that Mr. Bright will not again be a candidate for the representation of the city of Durham. We understand he has already been applied to by two influential constituencies.—Manchester Examiner.

Mr. Charles Baring Wall has intimated to the electors of Guildford, that in the event of a general election he will not again solicit their suffrages. Mr. Wall takes credit for having been a precursor of the Free- trade policy about to be adopted.

Protection meetings are on the decline as regards number, but the speeches and resolutions are as fierce as ever. Demonstrations have taken place at Derby, Oakham, Cambridge, Buckingham, Spalding, Cirencester, Maidstone, and Dorchester.

The meeting at Dorchester was held on Tuesday, at the County-hall; and so great was the attendance, that an adjournment to Poundbmy-field was deemed necessary. The speeches and resolutions contained the usual assertions. Mr. H. Ker Seymer and Mr. John Floyer, the two candidates for the vacant seats in the county, took part in the proceedings. The Duke of Buckingham presided at a Protection dinner at Bucking- ham, on Saturday. The Ministerial measure and its author were the great topics of the evening: no quarter was shown to either, not even by the clergymen who took part in the proceedings. The Reverend Dr. Broughton delivered himself thus—

He had not words to express his horror and astonishment at the entire lack of principle which had been shown by certain public men on the subject which had brought that great meeting together. One word of advice from one who was not now a very young man, and a clergyman, might make some impression on the meeting. His advice was, not to trust to any man who had been found wanting in his duty and affection to religion and to God; for they might take it for granted that he who had been faithless to God and to religion would never be faithful to man.

The Reverend F. Litchfield hoped, that in the Corn-law field of battle "three Bichmonds" might be found—

If so, he would willingly back them against the Gloster of the day, with all his hump-backed patriotism and club-footed morality. The present state of public affairs also reminded'him of the lines in Hamaras, where it was said that

With some the pleasure is as great Of being cheated as to cheat ;

And the less they understand, The more they admire the sleight-of-hand."

This was the reason why so many were going over to the enemy's camp. Some years ago the Conservative party brought Sir Robert Peel from Rome. He wished they had allowed him to stay there; and if he had done so there were three cha- racters in Roman history which he might have studied with great advantage to himself and profit to his country. These three were Catiline, Cicero, and Brutus. Sir Robert might have learned that Catiline, when he proposed to betray. his country, might easily have done so if he had only kept his own secret. He might have learned further, that if Catiline had betrayed his country, he would only have been handed down to posterity as a successful knave. In the case of Cicero, Sir Robert would have learned, that while he was honoured for his eloquence, he died despised as a coward; and from the history of Brutus he might have ixien taught, that if Caner did monopolize the crown, his sworn friend Brutus was not the man who should have slain -him.

The Duke of Buckingham was not so robust, in a Corn-law sense, as he used to be. He adverted to previous struggles, to pleasant times when the agriculturists were " considered to have gained the day," and to his having in the hour of victory become a Cabinet Minister himself. The agriculturists had since fallen on evil days- " If you destroy the agricultural interest, upon which, as Sir Robert Peel told you in the extract I read to you, depends the greatness of this country if you once destroy that, I do say that you will bring out the heart's blood of this coun try; and it will be the greatest blow and the greatest detriment that ever fell upon this country." Be promised to do all that Peer could do to stop the measure- " Yon may rely upon it, that I shall be at my post in Parliament, and that I shall do my utmost on every occasion to defeat that measure, if possible. I shall do it all the harm I can; I shall do all I can to cripple it, if I cannot defeat it."

The Manchester Guardian reports the result of the adjourned meeting of master cotton-spinners, held on Sunday—

"Considerable difference of opinion prevailed with respect to the subject which had been under consideration on the preceding Tuesday—namely, the reduction of the hours of factory-labour from twelve to eleven hours, upon the passing of Sir Robert Peers proposed Tariff; and, after some discussion, it was agreed that Lord

Ashley's Bill should be strenuously op , and that the consideration of the crblerftoi.worsking eleven hours shoal be postponed until after the passing of Mr. IL J. Marcus, the Leeds share-broker who was accused of forging Mr. transfers name to lansfers of railway shares, has been reexamined. It seemed from the evidence, that, while in partnership with a Mr. Naylor, the accused had purchased and afterwards sold a number of shares, pretending that they were for Mr. Lupton, and signing that gentleman's name on several occasions: a profit accrued from these transactions, which Marcus pocketed; Mr. Naylor supposing that it had been handed to Mr. Lupton. The latter was wronged by the use and forgery of his name, but he suffered no direct pecuniary injury. The prisoner was committed for trial, but the Magistrates admitted him to -bail.

One Brierley has been shot at Andover by a person with whom he lodged. A Mr. Shurmur, who was formerly in business at Andover as an architect, was re- cently employed by a contractor to superintend some improvements at Redrice, a mansion near Andover. Having had a dispute with Bnerley about some money that was missing, he bought a horse-pistol, powder, and ball, and set off for Red- rice, where Brierley was employed. Mr. Shurmur called him into the counting- house there, locked the doors and shot him in the face. The wounded man is in danger, and his assailant is in custody.

Reed, the young man suspected of murdering Thomas Tranter, a farmer at Berkswell, some three months ago, was apprehended at Birmingham last week. He was privately examined on Monday, and remanded.

A large paper manufactory at Sunderland, belonging to Messrs. Hutton and Company, was totally destroyed by fire last week; damage, 6,0001. or 8,0001.

On clearing away the ruins of the warehouse which recently fell down at Li- verpool, it was discovered that one man had perished: the body of Peter Leacey was found in nearly an upright posture, jammed between flour-barrels: he had been instantly crashed to death.