Vrobinces.

The Somerset County Agricultural Protection Association met at Yeovil on Friday, for their annual dinner. Mr. George Harbin, of Newton

House, presided; many country gentlemen were present, several wealthy merchants of the town, and about two hundred of the most respectable among the yeomanry. The Conservative Members for East and West Somersetshire had been invited; but none of them were present. Mr. Miles was kept away by private engagements; Mr. Dickinson pleaded his desire to keep quite independent of parties as his reason for not joining societies of the kind; while Mr. Dyke Acland, with an expression of regret, gave this explanation of his absence- " I fear that it would have been impossible for me to attend the dinner without entering into explanations of my reasons for not joining the Agricultural Protection Society, which might have failed to convey my real meaning, and which, at any rate, would have worn the invidious aspect of criticizing proceedings in which I had taken no part. I hope, therefore, that it will be felt that I have taken the course most respectful to the meeting, in requesting you to state, on my behalf, that after much careful and anxious consideration, I came to the conclusion that I should best discharge my duty to my constituents, and preserve that in- dependence as a member of the Legislature which their kind confidence ori- ginally invested me with, if I declined to enrol myself as a member of the society, or to give any other pledge than that of a most cordial and unfeigned attachment

to the agricultural body, whose just influence I believe to be highly conducive to

the maintenance of our institutions, and whose prosperity is intimately linked with the permanent welfare of all classes of our fellow countrymen. And although I am conscious that by not joining the society, as well as by some of my votes in Parliament, I have given offence, still, feeling as I do most deeply the censure of friends, I can truly say, that in the one case as in the other, I was consulting what I believed to be the real interest of the British farmer. I hope I shall not be deemed guilty of presumption if I add, that, in my own humble judgment, I see no cause to regret the course which I took." The report and speeches were in great part levelled against the Corn- laws generally; but the most remarkable points were attacks on the Prime Minister, and on some of the County Members, for deserting the cause of protection. The report contained the following-

" When the movement took place in which this and other societies originated, It was intended to resist the Anti-Corn-law League; and we believe an effectual

check has been given, and, a power raised sufficient to counteract that confederacy. Since then, however, circumstances have changed; and the head of the Govern- ment has shown so decided a predilection towards Free Trade principles, that the Committee would consider themselves guilty of a dereliction of duty if they did not direct special attention to the movements of the Minister, and recommend such arrangements to be made as may effectually check any attempt from that quarter.

" The Committee, as such, know nothing of party politics; and as friends of protection, they can have no sympathy either with the equivocal conduct of the head of the Government, or with the more open hostility and 'bane of agricul- ture' principles of the leader of Opposition. The declarations of Lord John Russell have be of so extreme a character as to assure US, that in the event of his party obtaining office, he is wedded to Free Trade, and pledged to a total repeal of the Corn-laws; and the declarations of Sir Robert Peel, although less explicit, are perhaps equally dangerous. "Under these circumstances, the Committee feel that they shall not exceed

their duty if they direct the attention of the Parochial Committee, the members of the society, and the friends of protection generally, to the extraordinary efforts

the League are making to place their tools and partisans on the register. Their

efforts may be rendered entirely abortive, if care is taken in every parish and town to see that all our supporters are registered; and where the League have Put on any large number of votes, by inserting a number of names in one convey- ance, as interested in one property, it may be shown that such a proceeding is equally available against them,' When the Chairman proposed to drink together the health of all the three Conservative Members for the County, the company would not assent, but called out that Mr. Wles's name should be given alone. It was so, and 'was drunk with loud applause. The Chairman next proposed" The Mem-

bers for West Somerset, Messrs. Acland and Dickinson, with thanks for their services": this was met by a loud burst of disapprobation; which was continued while the Chairman and about twenty gentlemen cheered the toast; the hubbub not ceasing until Mr. Harbin goodhumouredly called for a song.

The investigation into the late election-row at Windsor took a tangible shape on Monday; when the Magistrates heard evidence against three soldiers and a civilian, charged with riot and assault. One of the soldiers was discharged; but the other two, and Townshend, the civilian, were committed for trial at the next Quarter-Sessions: they were, however, allowed to go at large on bail.

A horrible tragedy, the deed of a madman, has been witnessed at is place called Alseger's Bank, in the parish of Audley, Staffordshire. Fielding, a potter, went into the cottage of a stone-mason named Dean. Some time after, a women who lived with Dean came home; and through the open door she saw, lying on the ground, the headless body of Fielding, covered with blood, and Dean st riking at the head with an axe. She raised an alarm, and the villagers collected; but they were afraid to enter the cottage. While they stood around, the murderer took up a portion of the brains of his victim and threw them at the people! A collier tried to seize him; and was wounded in the neck and face, Dean having armed himself with two razors and a knife. The murderer then bolted the door, placed the head on the fire, and began urging the flame with a bellows ! The people put out the fire by pouring water down the chimney; and eventually the Police broke through the roof, and, despite of his resistance with a second axe, succeeded in overpowering him. A Coroner's Jury has returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder"; and Dean has been committed to Stafford Gaol for trial.

Mr. Charles Frow, a surveyor, of Thorpe in Lincolnshire, has been held to bail for threatening to shoot one of Lord Harborouglis keepers. It is prop,sed that the Peterborough and Nottingham Railway shall pass through Lord Ilarborough's land at Saxby; the keeper was stationed to prevent surveyors from trespassing; and when he resisted Mr. Frow's attempt to carry on a survey, he was threatened with a loaded pistol.

Another death has resulted from the late accident on the Midland Railway. Sergeant Stubbs, of the Leeds Detective Force, who suffered a compound fracture of both legs, died on Wednesday morning. His recovery had been expected; but a week before his decease he began to sink, and never rallied.

A Bath Policeman had a narrow escape from destruction the other night. He set out from Bristol by the railway to proceed to Bath, but fell asleep in the car- riage; the train passed Bath before he awoke: on finding that it did not stop at the Corsham station, he opened the door, and, while the train was rushing along at forty or fifty miles an hour, he leaped out ! Ile was stunned by cooling in contact with what he supposes to have been a bridge; but after a time lie was enabled to gain a house for the night. He was much cut and bruised; and it was found the next day that his shoulder was dislocated. The man was sober when he made the perilous jump.