Zbe 1Probintes.
The election of a member for the borough of Abingdon took piece in the Guildhall, on Saturday. It had been announced, in a handbill, that " an advocate of the principles of civil and religious liberty would be among the electors on the day of nomination"; but no one appeared to oppose Mr. Frederick Thesiger, the Solicitor-General; who wag proposed and seconded, and declared duly elected. In his address to the electors, Mr. Thesiger was at pains to assure them that Mr. Duffield, the late Member, who had resigned, had not presumed te- make a transfer of the borough. He could not transfer what he did not possess. In his canvass, Mr. Thesiger had met with several refa- sals ; and he had treated them in the only way in which they could be treated, as demonstrations of opinion which were to be respected. Alluding to the placard, he said that ke was " a friend of civil and reli- gious liberty"; not indeed of civil and religious liberty that " breaks afl bonds and riots in excess," but of civil and religious liberty guarded by prerogative and within the limits of constitutional rights. He too was a friend to "the extension of trade and commerce"; but in the complicated relations of artificial society, he would apply theoretic pro- positions with great caution. He continued in a similar strain. After the election' Mr. Thesiger was chaired through the town, dis- tributing a silver largess, according to a local custom.
Active preparations are making by both parties for the South Lae.. cashire election. The nomination is fixed for Friday the 24th.
The friends of Mr. William Brown, the Free-trade candidate, have held various meetings. One took place at Manchester Free-trade Hall, on Tuesday : it was professedly a meeting of the electors residing in the Manchester district, to receive a deputation from the Anti-Corn-law League' but those present appear to have been all of one mind. Mr. Cobden delivered a long speech, in which he exhorted the electors to filL their regard on Free-trade objects alone, irrespectively of party. He also gave an account of the candidate- " Mr. William Brown has built up one of the most gigantic commercial estac blishments that ever existed in this or any other country ;and he has in the va- rious ramifications of his business probably contributed more to the facilities of commerce, to the interchange of the productions of this district, than any other merchant, or probably any other half-dozen merchants, iu England. Next to the reverence we have for aristocratic origin, is probably the homage which in England we, wisely or unwisely, pay to wealth. On the score of wealth, Mr. Brown must be acceptable to the most money-loving among • * It has been alleged that Mr. Brown is not a British-born subject. I ant happy to tell you, from the highest authority, that Mr. Brown was born in the county of Kilkenny, in Ireland; that his family were extensively connected with the linen-trade there; that Mr. Brown came to England and was edu- cated; that he left England in 1800, and went to America ; that he returned from America in 1808; since which time he has been a resident in Liverpool And, as the owner of large estates in this country, he has given that proof of hi. naturalization which will both be a satisfaction to our opponents on the score of his citizenship and will also recommend him as being an extensive landowner.. There has been also, I believe, some other allusion made to Mr. Brown—bat we really don't talk about religious subjects here—but Mr. Brown,! may tell you in brief, is a Churchman. * * Mr. Brown has in his hands one- sixth part of the trade between this country and the United States. There is hardly a breeze can blow or a tide can roll into the Mersey that does not bring a ship freighted with cotton, or some other costly commodity, destined to fill the warehouses of Mr. Brown ; and there is scarcely a railway or a canal in the kingdom that does not bear some of his produce on its way to be shipped to China or some other part of the world." Mr. Cobden added, that the candidate had not been known as a party. politician, but rather as a moderator of party; and that he had of old been the assailant of monopolies, even when they ap- peared to be for his own interest.
A resolution to support Mr. Brown passed unanimously.
Mr. Brown was personally introduced to a meeting of Reformers and county electors at Liverpool, on Wednesday. He made a speech and answered several questions, with a manner chiefly distinguished by hearty frankness. Free trade was his great topic ; but he also avowed himself disposed to mitigate the stringency of the Poor-law ; to support the admission of Jews to the Legislature ; to abolish the income-tax as inquisitorial, but to maintain the property-tax, if other taxes were light- ened, since the Government must have money. He was very cordially received.
The friends of Mr. Estvrisle, the Conservative cand'date, have also held meetings ; and there was one on Tuesday morning at Newton-in- the-Willows. His address to the electors indicated generally an ad- herent of the Peel policy. At this meeting, in reply to divers questioner, he avowed himself an opponent of the Poor-law ; and said that he should be a convert to a Ten-hours Bill if he were satisfied that the working- ?lasses were willing to stand the risk of a reduction in wages. Hr. Entwisle is a barrister, resident at Rusholme, a suburb of Manchester, and son-in-law of Mr. Edward Lloyd, the Manchester banker.
Sir Henry Hardinge, the Governor-General of India, has issued his address to the electors of Launceston, announcing his retirement frorn the representation of that borough. Admiral Bowles has offered him- self as a candidate, and has personally addressed the Conservative electors.
A most destructive fire broke out at a baker's in Lyme Regis, on Saturday, and spread with such rapidity, that before it was mastered it destroyed the Customhouse and forty houses, including the principal inn. Though the destruction of property was very great, there was no loss of life.
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