21 NOVEMBER 1840, Page 3

'Ube pobinte5.

A supplemental Municipal election took place at Liverpool on Thurs- day, in consequence of the death of Mr. Wallace Currie. It was in the Toxteth ward that the vacancy occurred the Conservative candidate was Mr. Alexander Smith, the Liberal candidate Mr. William Rath- bone. The former was returned, after a severe struggle, by a majority

of 3 ; the numbers being—for Mr. Smith, 259 ; for Mr. Rathbone, 25G. The Tories at Liverpool are 9n high glee at the result, as Toxteth ward had hitherto been unfavourable to them.

The Lords of the Treasury have declined to give the Town-Council of Newport permission to dispose of the Corporation property.—Globe.

The Essex Herald states that John Thorogood has been released from prison by an unknown hand, the rate and costs having been paid. It seems that the willing martyr was apprehensive of some proceeding of the kind after the decision respecting the costs in his case last week in the Ecclesiastical Court. He therefore published a letter, urging his friends never to pay one farthing of either one or the other; and stating that he should consider any one who would pay the costs or rates the greatest enemy to him and the principles he entertains.

The Leicester Mercury contains long accounts of the proceedings connected with the imprisonment of Mr. Baines for non-payment of Church-rates ; which appears to have produced great sensation in Leicester. A public meeting was held on Monday evening, in the New Hall ; which was filled. John Thorogood, with his wife, was there. He was received with tumultuous and protracted cheering, and was unanimously called on to preside. Several strong resolutions against the Church-rate impost, and expressive of admiration at Mr. Baines's firm and unostentatious resistance to it, were carried unani- mously. The following appeal to Dissenters was one of the resolutions passed- " That this meeting make a respectful and earnest appeal to the great body of Dissenters to arouse themselves from inactivity and supineness; and, point- ing to this fresh violation of their rights and principles as an illustration of the entire failure of the measure passed professedly for their relief during the last session of Parliament, earnestly exhort them not to place their dependence upon the Legislature for the promotion of the great cause of religious liberty, but to rely in future only upon their own energy and determination to free themselves from the shackles which at once degrade, insult, and oppress them." On Tuesday, a public procession, headed by Mr. Baines's younger brothers, and his child, four years of age, the Dissecting ministers of the town, and John Thorogood, went from the market-place to the gaol to present to the prisoner a memorial expressing approbation of his con • duet and sympathy for his imprisonment. The amount of the rate which Mr. Baines refused to pay is 21. 5s. Proceedings were com- menced against him two years ago in the Arches Court, and the costs amount to 1251.

An Anti-Slavery meeting was held at Norwich on Wednesday, under the auspices of the High Sheriff, the Bishop of Norwich, Lord Berners, and many of the most distinguished gentlemen in the county. The Chartists were called upon, by one of their leaders named Dover, to assemble in St. Andrew's Hall ; and a vigorous attempt was made by them to pass an amendment to the resolutions proposed. During the speech of the Bishop of Norwich, who moved the first resolution, he was frequently interrupted by cries of " Look to the new Poor-law !" " Where's the slavery of your workhouses ? " Dover, in moving his amendment, made a violent attack on the Bishop and the clergy, and was often called to order. his amendment was to the effect, " That this meeting views with deep regret the many proofs of despotic slavery at home, and pledges itself to use all exertions to put a final stop to slavery wherever it is found to exist." Archdeacon Bathurst also proposed an amendment, to meet the views of both parties: its purport was to endeavour to induce the Emancipated slaves in the Colonies to repay the generosity of the British public by their good conduct. This amendment did not find a seconder ; and theoriginal resolution and Dover's amendment were put from the chair. The show of hands for each was nearly equal ; but the High Sheriff pronounced in favour of the original resolution. Other resolutions, tbr the formation of an auxiliary society to that in London, were after- wards passed. The Chartists continued to interrupt the speakers; whose orations were consequently shortened. Sir Fowell Buxton and Mr. Joseph John Gurney were among those who despairingly gave up the attempt to speak. The meeting separated in the greatest confusion and uproar.

A public meeting was held at Reading, on Wednesday last, for the purpose of forming an auxiliary branch to the Society for the Extinc- tion of the Slave-Trade and the Civilization of Africa. The Mar- quis of Downshire presided ; and on the platform were, Sir J. jeremie, Governor of Sierra Leone, Sir C. S. Hunter, Sir G. Stephen, Mr. J. Walter, Captain Murray, R.N., Captain Washington, R.N., and several of the clergy and gentry of the neighbourhood. A large proportion of the meeting consisted of ladies. The speeches generally were made up of copious extracts front Sir Powell Buxton's book, with extended commentaries by the speakers.