A meeting was held at the Town-hall in Birmingham on

Wednes- day evening, " to take into consideration the cruel oppression and aggravated sufferings to which the Negroes of our West India Colo- nies are still subjected, under the name of apprenticeship, notwith- standing the enormous sum of 20,000,000/. sterling granted to the West India proprietors by the British Parliament ; also to consider the pro- priety of presenting a memorial to Lord Melbourne, on the adoption of such resolutions as time meeting may deem expedient." Resolutions

in conformity with this object were moved and seconded, by Mr. Seholefield, M. P., the Reverend Messrs. March, llyland, Barnett, Swan, James, and Hall of Boston, Mr. George Edmonds, Captain Muorsos, and others. The resolutions were carried unanimously. The assembly is said to have consisted of about five thousand persons, a large proportion of whom were Quakers and ladies : it did not aefil- rate until eleven o'clock.

Mr. Hume has accepted an invitation to dine with the Reformers of Liverpool; who wished to express their admiration of the zed, in. destry, and indomitable perseverance displayed in his Parliamentary career, and more especially to thank him for the detection and ex- posure of that most flagrant abuse the existence of Orange Lodges in his Majesty's Army.

Colonel Fairman has been during the last week on a political mis. sion in Ipswich. In order to show his sympathy for those who have suffered " persecution," he paid his respects to one of the gentlemen islio had the mishap to get into Newgate ; and the latter individual has subsequently announced, with an air of evident self-satisfaction, that he is now an " Orangeman." It is said also, and we have it on good authority, that the gallant Colonel was to dine with the late Bailiffs at the White Horse last evening; and that the avowed object of Colonel

Fairman's visit in this quarter is to establish not an Orange Lodge, but an Anti-O'Connell Association. It is to be hoped that the Go- vernment will have a watchful eye to the proceedings of the gallant Colonel.—Ipswich Journal.

We learn from thu SuflhTh Chronicle, that Fairman convened an Orange meeting in Ipswich on Sunday last ; it was attended by about twenty of the hiniskillen Dragoons. Fairman told these men that they could not hold a lodge in the regiment, but that they might visit the town lodges. According to our reading of the Horse Guards circular, to attend a meeting of any Orange Lodge, is a breach of dis. cipline; and we should imagine that Fairman is liable to be called to account for inciting the soldiery to disobedience of orders, if the account in the SujiA Chronicle is correct.

The annual election of the Mayor of Tregony took place at the feast of St. James, which is kept by the inhabitants as a high day. The Sexton of the Parish was declared duly elected to fill the office of the Mayor for the ensuing year! His worship, who is very fond of "heavy wet," indulged himself, on this occasion, with a greater quan- tity than usual ; in consequence of which, we regret to state, he slipped his- foot in descending from a vehicle in which he had been drawn about the town, and the wheel passing over him, broke his leg.— West Briton.

On Thursday week, the Brighton Radicals finally determined to refuse payment of the 30001. owing to the Church-building Commis- sioners, and to defend any action which might be brought against the parish by the latter.

We learn that Lord John Russell has been to the prisons at Dart- moor, purposely to ascertain whether it will be practicable to station the convicts there. The spot is one of the healthiest in the kingdom, and invalids far and near sojourn there during the summer months. Should this plan be carried into effect, it will be an enormous saving to the Government, and a great advantage to the town and neighbourhood of Tavistock.—Exeter Flying Post.

Joseph .Arinitage, Esq., of Huddersfield, a Magistrate, who a few weeks since attacked a child named Macanna, while bathing, and after beating him with a stick, threw his clothes into the water, has paid 10/. as a compensation for the offence.—Leeds Mercury.

On Tuesday sennight, S. T. Lucas, Esq., of Baron Down, a mar- ried man, Magistrate for both the counties of Devon and Somerset, after attending the Magistrates' meeting at 1Viveliscombe, eloped with Miss Charlotte Gardiner. The parties were traced as far as Wey- mouth, where they embarked for Guernsey. Mr. Lucas left his wife

and a grown up son at home. What adds to the troubles of his wife and son is, that the day before this business transpired, the son, while shooting rabbits, had the misfortune to shoot one of the servants, who lingered two days and died.—Exeter Post.

During the journey of the Duke and Dutehess de Crillion from Dover to Tunbridge Wells on Friday night, the travelling-trunk was cut from behind the carriage, and the wardrobe belonging to the Duke carried of; fortunately there was no jewellery. The empty trunk was found next day, by some boys nutting in a neighbourhing wood.

The rick-yards of Mr. Turner and Mr. Palmer, tenants of Mr. Plumptre, M.P., at Warmstone, near Canterbury, were set on fire on Sunday night, by an incendiary. Several.stacks, two horses, two cows, and a number of pigs, were destroyed. ' The out-buildings also were burnt down.

Early on Saturday morning, two barns filled with wheat and barley, some stabling with four horses, and other property belonging to Mr. James Hayward, a tenant of Lord Portsmouth, near Andover in Hampshire, were destroyed by fire. This fire also was the work of an incendiary.

On Wednesday night, another fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Edwards, farmer, at Stubbington, near Tichfield. The farm-house and buildings, grain, and every thing was consumed. It is not doubted that this fire was caused by an incendiary.

The parish of Thorndon, near Eye, has lately been time scene of much confusion, owing to the dislike taken by the labourers of that 'dace to the working of the Poor Act. These men have for some time past been evincing symptoms of insubordination ; and after much grumbling and threatening, at last proceeded to wreak their vengeance on Mr. William Knevett, the relieving officer of the district, who has suffered severely from their roughness. Warrants of apprehension for this insult were immediately issued by Dr. Chevallier, the nearest Magis- trate ; and on the prisoners being taken before him on Thursday sennight, a riotous mob of some hundreds succeeded in rescuing them from the constable. The Magistrates, seeing that the strength of the civil power was totally insufficient for the preservation of the peace and the maintenance of their authority, decided upon calling in the assistance of the Suffolk Border Yeomanry Cavalry ; and an order was accordingly issued for the assembling of that troop at Stoke White Horse, at eight o'clock the followite; mm-fling; and in the mean time a body of special constables were sworn in, and ready to act on the appearance of the military. The rioters were soon dispersed, and seven of them taken to gaol.