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• Convocation assembled on Tuesday at Oxford, according to appointment, to elect the Earl of Derby to the vacant office of Chancellor of the University. Although it -was well known that no opposition would be offered, some curiosity was manifested to witness the forms of proceed- ing. Accordingly, before the arrival of the Vice-Chancellor, the Convo- cation House was tolerably well filled ; the assemblage comprising a rather large proportion of ladies and children. Dr. Plumptre, the Vice- Chancellor, did not arrive until half-past twelve—half an hour after the appointed time. The whole of the business was over in half an hour ; and the only speech made on the occasion was delivered by the Reverend W. C. Lake, Senior Proctor, and Tutor and Bethel. Dean of Balliol Col- lege. Mr. Lake, having obtained permission from Dr. Plumptre, read from a paper written in Latin, to the following effect, as epitomized by the Times— "He would have wished, as there was apparently no opposition to the elec- tion of Lord Derby as Chancellor, that the whole proceedings might have been marked by concord and agreement; but he felt that if there were an entire silence on the present occasion, there would be a serious misrepresent- ation of the real sentiments of a very large portion of the University. He could not but in his official capacity express his deep regret that when so grave and serious a business was on hand, no sufficient time had been al- lowed to the University for calm discussion and deliberation ; and he was anxious that it should be understood that the rapidity with which the pre- sent proceedings had been conducted was far from approving itself to the ge- neral judgment of the University. Let it not be supposed that it was his in- tention to say a single word against the Earl of Derby. That noble Lord bad certainly said and done several things which, for himself, he did not so much disapprove, but which, he confessed, it did surprise him, could have commended him to the suffrages of the Doctors qud Masters of the Univer- sity. Their present act might perhaps be a subject for future regret and self-reproach. He willingly acknowledged that noble Lord's accomplish- ments, his brilliant ability, and his almost hereditary fame ; and if he had ever taken a real interest in academic affairs, he might well Ave been chosen, not only to defend the University by his eloquence, but to assist it with his counsel. But while he eulogized the general character of the per- son to be elected, he must protest against the rapidity of the election. He complained that an affair of so great importance-was completed in the ab- sence of almost the whole University. He complained of this exhibition to the world of rash and inconsiderate precipitation. Hews, aware that there hal been a wish to save the University from inconvenience and to preserve its peace and quiet ; an intention undoubtedly well meant, but surely in this case wanting in wisdom and prudence. Might the circumstance of this elec- tion not be drawn into a precedent which might hereafter be abused to the purposes of party ? Finally, he repeated, he did not assume the offioe of cen- suring the actions of others, but he did feel it his solemn duty, as a respon- sible officer of the University, to express publicly his sincere regret that in so critical a period of the history of the University, when the utmost caution and the soundest judgment of all her sons were especially needed, ehe should have lost the opportunity of recording her own free and deliberate decision as to the fittest person to succeed her great Chancellor. The Senior Proctor con- cluded by commending to the serious consideration of the University the pro- priety of some law or statute by which the election of a Chancellor, within so short a period of the long vacation, should ever afterwards be prevented."

This address was occasionally interrupted by applause, renewed at its conclusion.

The Vice-Chancellor rose to make a formal reply ; and stated, in answer to the "expostulation and complaint" of the Proctor, that the statutes of the University required that upon the death of a Chancellor the electors should proceed to elect a new Chancellor as soon as conveniently might be. The course which had been pursued on the present occasion was jus- tified by the precedents set during the last eighty years. Within that period, one of their Chancellors had died in the month of September, and the election of his successor took place in the following month of October; another died in August, and a new Chancellor was elected in September.

Having made this statement., the Vice-Chancellor directed that the election should be proceeded with ; and several members of Convocation advanced to the table and recorded their votes in writing. After a time, these were cast up, and it was announced that the choice of the electors had fallen unanimously upon the Right Honourable Edward Geoffrey Earl of Derby. Next day, a Convocation was held for the purpose of affixing the Uni- versity seal to the instrument of election.

" Leading men of both parties," we are informed by the local journals, attended a banquet on the 7th instant, given by the Mayor of Liverpool to " the Earl of Derby and our newly-elected Conservative Members." But as " the etiquette of the Town-hall invariably is, to treat the speeches and proceedings with the reserve of a private dinner-party," the natural curiosity felt by the public to know what Lord Derby said cannot be gratified. We are told that he was " extremely brilliant," nay, " moat affecting" ; but little or nothing, says the Tory Mail, "transpired of a political nature—nothing in the slightest degree indicative of any Minis- terial intentions, and nothing to show that the First Minister of the Crown and the leader of a powerful party was present" In fact, politics were "most carefully avoided," and "the utmost harmony prevailed." The account faintly shadowed out by the Liberal journals is substantially the same; only one represents Lord Derby as speaking so officially that "ho pleased everybody, and made everybody think he appertained to his par- ticular party."

Castle Hedingham, famous in past days for the political speeches de- livered at the agricultural banquets held there, was honoured on Tuesday by the presence of Mr. William Beresford. There were present also, Mr. Du Cane M.P., Mr. Miller M.P., and nine clergymen. Mr. Saville only presided; and they met ostensibly to celebrate the annual gathering of the " Hinckford Agricultural and Conservative Club."

A Mr. Vicars proposed the health of "her Majesty's Ministers," as an unusual toast at these meetings. He struck the key-note of Mr. Beres- ford's subsequent speeches. One or two of his sentences may be quoted.

"If he understood aright the position which they occupied, it was not the honourable one simply of owners and occupiers of the soil, but they ap- peared in the yet more exalted character of Englishmen with English feel- ings, and patriots with high aspirations."

After denouncing Lord John Russell for having "ratified at Perth the treaty which had been opened at Cliesham Place," Mr. Vicars gave the reasons why the men of Essex support Lord Derby. "He did not believe- that they supported the present Ministry because they bad always expressed a strong interest in the welfare of agriculture. He believed they considered that the prosperity of agriculture did not depend upon the rapidity of their productions, on the appliance of their skill, or the abundance of their capital, but must materially rest upon that policy, commercial and general, which was adopted by the Executive Government" Mr. Beresford was copious in reply ; and he made some remarkable assertions. First, he denied that the present is a Protectionist Govern- ment— " It has been said, and I say untruly said, that her Majesty's Government came into office upon the principles of Protection ; and that, having come in upon those principles, they have adopted the tenets of their adversaries, and have seized hold of, and are ready to carry out, all the dogmas of Free- trade. I deny that position in toto. I know no reason that any man has to say that the Government are Free-traders; and I deny the other position also, that they did come in in the slightest degree upon the principles of Protection. That is a strange thing for us to say, but it is not the less true. There were causes which operated and produced it ; but for one whole year preceding our assumption of office, we did not as a party, nor did any indi- vidual acknowledged as a leader of that party, bring forward one single mo- tion in which Protectionist measures were in the slightest degree involved. How then can it be said that we came in upon the principles of Protection ?" Then he explained how they came in. We came in at the command of her Majesty, to support her in her just prerogative, and not to allow the official business of the country to be thrown into the hands of Sir Tames Graham and his Irish associates, or of Mr. Cobden and the Manchester school. Therefore, I say, we honestly and truly may declare that the first proposition which was advanced is unfounded and unjust. We did not come in upon Protectionist principles, or upon a Protectionist motion ; but we came in to do the duty of the country at the bidding of our Sovereign ; and while that Sovereign and the country uphold us, we are determined to fulfil those duties; and the country, I believe, is fully satisfied with the manner in which they have been performed up to the present moment." Be admitted that "considerable advantages had Hewed from the adoption of Free-trade" to "many interests," always excepting "the agricultural class." He thought all the evil might have been prevented by the adoption of a "fixed duty on corn." Lord Derby, "even late in the present session," thought so too; but he had thought it more fair to abide by the verdict of the constituencies. "Thai verdict has been taken. By the office, if I may call it so, or rather by the situation which I filled so long for that party, I am, alas ! too well acquainted with the lists, majorities and minorities, of the House of Commons, not to be able, in taking up a list of the Parliament which has just been returned, to. perceive that there is a decided majority of

rs Membe in the Lower House inimical to the feeling arid the measure of pro- tection tc agriculture." He asked whether it would be wise "to force that forward when you can gain no advantage." "They say—it is a Scriptural phrase—that it is useless to kick against the pricks ' ; and I firmly believe that in this instance, if we were to stir this question, and to moot it in an unfortunate moment, we should only throw further back the interest of those for whom we would make any sacrifice. There are other interests in the country, some of them nearly as high, others higher still, which would be endangered if we were to moot the question of Protection when we cannot attain it. Are we to run the risk of sacrificing the Protestant institutions of the country by bringing in Sir James Graham and his Irish Brigade? Are we to run the risk of bringing the Monarchy itself in peril by bringing in Lord John Russell and the Democratic principle which you have heard alluded to?" Taking up the remark of Lord John Russell at Perth about the "strong stimulants" of protection, he retorted with a menace to the "moneyed pow- er." "Lord John Russell at Perth also stated that the agricultural interest had for years been kept alive by the use of strong stimulants. If by strong stimulants he means those laws which were repealed by the Free-traders in 1846, then let Lord John Russell and those that support him remember this, that at that period there were other laws in force which I consider to be strong stimulants, and which the Free-trade party did not when in power

also repeal. If Protectionist laws were strong stimulants to the agricultural

interest, what, I ask, was the effect of the Money-laws which Sir Robert Peel brought in in 1819 with regard to the moneyed power? I believe they are strong stimulants. I wish not to injure other men's property, but if strong stimulants are not allowed for the landed classes, I say that they should have been stopped to the moneyed power. The Government which is now in power will, I trust, in a short time mature those measures (to which I am not ad- mitted) which may rectify that class legislation, for such I maintain those laws are. . They may remedy it, and I trust they will. They may bring for- ward measures of greater justice to all classes. They may, and I trust they will, bring forward those which will be particularly adapted to the relief of the most distressed portion of the empire." Mr. Beresford's neat speech was devoted to an explanation of the Brain- tree squabble; the opportunity being afforded by the Reverend J. Cox. Mr. Beresford denied that he began that fierce war. He had never begun an aggressive warfare until the Reverend Sir J. P. Wood called him a "va- gabond wandering Irishman." As to the "rabble of Braintree," he declared that "he never said one word attacking their social position either in society or at the hustings. He had never said one word either with reference to the cheap loaf or protective duties, before they assailed him and attacked him with every species of premeditated insult, and would not allow one word which he was addressing to the electors of Essex to reach his own consti- tuents. That crowd of honourable individuals '—for he would not use ugly terms now—who had not a vote, chose to make a riot and to assail and abuse him with the coarsest epithets, and to make so great a row that the electors did not hear one word which he, whom they had returned as their repre- sentative, was addressing to them. Now, what did he do ? Without having spoken one word of politics, he said to the crowd, 'I appeal, not to the fac- tory operatives of Braintree, but to the men who have got votes for the county ; for my duty is to the electors of North Eggex, and not to the rabble.' Those were his real expressions, taken from the local paper." And the au- dience, he said, took it as a "fair rebuke," and gave him a better hear-

ing. But a few days afterwards, the cause of the rabble was taken up

• by Sir James Graham, "a man who had enjoyed the advantage of holding high office, and of representing more constituencies than any man in Eng-

land—because he never represented the same twice." Sir lames and the Morning Chronicle had caused the insults to be repeated. "The consequences

ought not to be upon his head, but upon Sir James Graham's. He at least had never called in question the Queen's supremacy, or advised the Pope's friends to upset the Protestant institutions of the country. He had never counselled a rebellion in Ireland, nor hinted at a mntiny in the Army. He defied Sir James Graham to say the same. Those who lived in glass houses should not be the first to throw stones, and those who had been guilty of such acts of tergiversation as Sir James Graham should not give such an ac-

count of him." [Mr. Beresford here read an article on himself from the Morning Chronicle ; which he said was the organ of Sir James Graham and his party. Mr. Beresford's "quotation concluded with these words—" So far as the case of Beresford v. Braintree ' has proceeded, each party has got precisely what might have been expected, however little it can be justified, only it must be remembered that the Major began the ungentlemanliness."] "Now, had he called them a rabble because they cried out 'cheap bread,' any language that could have been applied to him on that subject would have been amply merited. He did not hold a man to be low because he had not a freehold and a vote. The best men might not have county qualifica- tions; but when they went to public meetings all were bound to behave themselves decently and peacefully, and to allow a man fair play and fair stage, and not insult him and treat him as they did me." * * • * The Morning Chronicle had called him a "deliberate wilful liar." [The Morn- ing Chronicle disclaims the use of this language, and challenges Mr. Beres- ford to the proof.] "Such gentlemen surely should be careful how they made assertions that were untrue, because they did it deliberately, writing, and with the means of reference at hand ; while any man in an after-dinner speech was liable to make a slip of the tongue."

Mr. Du Cane and Mr. Miller afterwards spoke; but the public interest ended with the last speech of Mr. Beresford.

Recruiting for the Militia goes on very well in South Devon-350 men had joined up to last week ; but in North Devon and in Cornwall not a man has yet been obtained—there is a greater demand for miners in the latter county than there are people to be got. In Gloucestershire, where the quota is 1240, 972 volunteers have already been accepted. Upwards of 1100 men have volunteered in Warwickshire—the quota, 1336, will no doubt be easily made up.

Acting on the opinion of the Crown officers, conveyed to them through Mr. Secretary Walpole, the Magistrates in Buckinghamshire, Hertford- shire, and Suffolk, have directed prosecutions against parties circulating and posting handbills and placards intended to dissuade men from volun- teering for the Militia. In a letter to a Suffolk Magistrate, Mr. Walpole says that the placards, specimens of which were forwarded to the Home Office, "are libellous, and their publication an indictable offence" ; and he further states, that, in the event of any trials arising out of the mat- ter, the Solicitor of the Treasury will be instructed to conduct the prose- cution.

At a meeting held at Plymouth on Wednesday, arising out of the epis- copal investigation into the charges brought against the Reverend Mr. Prynne of St. Peter's at Faded, a memorial to the House of Lords was agreed to, praying that they "will be pleased speedily to adopt such de- cisive measures as shall issue in a full, absolute, and authoritative repu- diation by the Church of England, both of the principles and the practi- ces of the corrupt system of teaching herein complained of, and especially of the doctrine and practices of the Romish confessional." The meeting was attended by the Reverend Mr. Hatchard, the Reverend Mr. Nantes, and the Reverend Mr. Greaves. The speakers, among whom were some naval men, strongly denounced the Romanist party in the Church. The" Salisbury Exhibition of Local Industry, Arta, and Antiquities," was opened on Tuesday, by the Mayor and a distinguished party of local notables. This small Imitation of the Great 9Ivhibition is held in the Council-chamber ; and consists of the products of the trades and arts of Wiltshire, with antiquities and curiosities lent by Earl Nelson and others. The exhibition was crowded during the day.

A meeting in furtherance of the objects of the shipowners, merchants, and others, who want to upset the monopoly of the Bristol pilots, Was held by 'a committee of the Gloucester Chamber of Commerce in that city last week, and favourable resolutions were passed.

The workmen at Penclawdd colliery in South Wales have presented silver cup to Mr. Robert Dunkin, the manager of the works, as a testi- mony of their appreciation of his kindness and solicitude for their wel- fare during seven years that they have been under his control.

• Cesgrove, one of the men accused of the burglary at Didsbury, has made a confession to a Police Inspector at LiverpooL He said that himself, his fel- low-prisoner Moran, and three other men, were engaged in the crime ; and he relates a number of particulars respecting it. He declared that two of the three women in custody knew nothing of the robbery. But the Magistrates committed all five prisoners for trial.

Correspondents of the Times report another " accident " on the new Ox- ford and Birmingham line. A passenger-train at night ran into a luggage. train, which had no tail-lights ! Several carriages were crushed, and their occupants were more or less hurt: one gentleman suffered from concussion of the brain, which placed his life in danger.

Mr. Dooley, station-master at Astley, eight miles from Manchester, has been found on the railway with his head severed from his body by rx train. He had been walking home from another station along the rails at night ; it is supposed that he put his foot in a hole, fell violently across the iron, and became insensible ; while thus helpless, a train passed over his neck.

A miner employed at Wheal 1Juy pit, near Redruth, has been killed by the explosion of a boiler. The origin of the disaster is involved in doubt : one engineer thought it had arisen from a deficiency of water ; but another said there were no signs of this on the remains of the boiler : this witness said that as the boiler had not been used to work the engine for seven hours, probably the safety-valve had become fixed by the expansion of heat. The Coroner's Jury gave a verdict of "Accidental death."

Three men have been killed at a colliery at Dowlais : in descending the shaft, the bucket struck with fatal violence against the wall.

A child has died at Black Hill, near Newcastle, from hydrophobia, caused by the bite of a dog. The wound had healed up six weeks before the disease appeared.