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Colonel Hall, of the Second Life Guards, a high Protectionist, was nominated and elected for the borough of Buckingham, on Tuesday, with- out opposition. There was a good deal of parade; the Yeomanry Cavalry having been mustered to escort the candidate into the town and through the principal streets. His proposer and seconder congratulated the con-. stituency on their good fortune in having sedured the services of a repre- sentative who would stand true to his colours. In returning thanks for his election, Colonel Hall made the usual professions, and renewed his pledge to resist the repeal of the Corn-laws and maintain a full amount of protection.

Lord Morpeth is threatened with opposition as a candidate for West Yorkshire. Mr. Fernand celebrates, in a song of triumph, indited at Paris, the death of Conservatism in the West Riding. He begins with an allusion to the last election, when the " country gentlemen" and the " old English manufacturers and merchants " combined to rescue the Riding from Whig thraldom- " The cheers which announced our glorious victory have scarcely yet died away: ' the handwriting on the wall,' which told Lord Morpeth that Whiggery was defunct in the West Riding, is scarcely yet obliterated; and behold it is pro- claimed to the world that Conservatism in West Yorkshire is as dead as Whig- Fellow countrymen, this is glorious news ! From this time forth, let the fetrhirm. blerigging ' word Conservative' be struck out of the political vocabulary. It was coined to take in a nation—it has already destroyed a party.

" Let ' Protection' and 'Free Trade' henceforth be the rallying-cries: let these two principles be again tested at the West Riding election. Rise up, then, men of Yorkshire. Not a moment is to lost—England expects and insists that you shall do your duty."

Ferrand says that he has been called upon by the manufacturing operatives of the Western Division to appear upon the hustings and to fight the battle of labour against capital. He is to respond to the call by put- ting in nomination the Honourable Edwin Lascelles; a man who has 1' honesty written iu his face," and is resolute in upholding Protection. Mr. Lascelles will protect the Protestant religion, against Popery, Infidels, and Unitarians; the Monarchy against the League, the Peerage against the League, the Aristocracy against the League, the landowners against the cotton-lords, native industry against the League, &c.; his motto being " Protection for all, destruction to none." When putting Mr. Lascelles in nomination, Mr. Ferrand is to do a little business on his own account, by asking Lord Morpeth fourteen questions on the Corn-laws.

The Committee of the Durham County Conservative Association have published a resolution stating that the speech attributed to the Marquis of Londonderry at the recent meeting of the Association is " incorrect, and a gross and malignant perversion of what the noble President actually said on that occasion, especially in reference to the city of Durham." The Committee have not specified what the Marquis did say. His Lordship has adopted the contradiction, and asked some of the morning papers to pub- lish it. The Durham Advertiser adheres to the original report as substan- tially correct,

Mr. Cobden, M.P., and Mr. Wodehouse, M.P., representing the opposite piinciples of Free-trade and Protection, occupied the same platform at a public meeting which took place at Norwich on Tuesday evening; all "interested in agriculture" being invited to attend. The rencontre was sought by Mr. Wodehotise; who stated at the recent meeting of the Cen- tral Protection Society, that ho was anxious, as one of the Representatives of East Norfolk, and as being intimately acquainted with the trade and commerce of the County-town, to meet Mr. Cobden, should he visit it, and have a " shindy" with him. Intimation of Mr. Cobden's intention to visit Norwich had reached Mr. Wodehouse; and he made arrangements for being present, and for replying to Mr. Cobden. The meeting took place in St. Andrew's Hall—the fine large building used for the great music festivals of Norwich: five thousand persons are said to have been present, many farmers among them. The chair was taken by the Mayor; who bespoke a fair hearing and fair play for the combatants. Mr. Cobden spoke at great length. He characterized Mr. Wodehouse as a distinguished leader of the Protectionists in the House of Commons—one whose talents made him competent to take a lead in the Protectionist movement, and who would state the case of his party as ably and successfully as any one could. With the view of keeping the discussion within bounds, Mr. Cobden stated that he would limit himself to an inquiry into the effect which protection had produced upon "agriculturists,"—meaning by the word, farmers and labourers, not those who merely drew the rents. The farmer and the labourer, he contended, had no interest in preserving the Corn-laws; because if the intention of these laws was to keep up the price of produce, rents would necessarily be all the higher; in fact, the Corn-laws were merely "rent-laws." The usual arguments were then adduced to show that

farming, as a trade, had been a bad one under the Protective system, and that the agricultural labourers were in point of wages at the bottom of the scale. He reminded them, that in 1822, 168 advertisements appeared in the Norwich Mercury of compulsory sales of farming stock, the farmers themselves having been ruined. He ridiculed the alarm expressed at Pro- tection meetings, at the prospect of competition with the foreign producer; and as to the plea of excessive taxation, he asserted that foreigners paid taxes to the very last farthing of which they were capable. The landlords and the farmers stood to each other in the relation of imposters and dupes; and his wish was to see the farmers restored to independence by being placed in the same position as other tradesmen. Mr. Cobden mentioned that he had received a note, since he entered the ball, asking a question— "I am asked to explain how it is, that if we are to have free trade in every- thing, the Queen's taxes are to be paid? The gentleman putting the query has not studied much of our cause. Recollect, the Free-traders do not object to pay. Queen's taxes. We object to pay taxes to the friends of the honourable gentleman who sits here. We do not object to pay taxes at all. Show us the tax that goes wholly to the Queen's revenue, and we do not object to pay it. ("Hear, hear!"). We (10 not object, though some may. We do not object to taxes on tea and tobacco. All that is paid on these items goes to the Queen's revenue. We object

th

to taxes on corn, because they are maintained for the benefit of a class. But,. although this is admitted, we have a set of people setting up an outcry in favour of taxes for the Queen. (Cheers.) It is for taxes that go into the pockets of a class that they raise this outcry—that they call these Protection meetiogse but if they are paid to a class, they are not paid to the Queen. Now, if the gentle- man who sends me the note tonight can show me how it can benefit the Queen to levy taxes which are received by somebody else, I will then explain his difficult}"

In adverting to the registration scheme, Mr. Cobden pledged himself, that if the Corn-laws were not abolished this season, he would set to work, and that in less than three years he would take a hundred seats from their present holders; and one of the divisions of Norfolk should contribute two. He concluded with asking a right frank and hospitable welcome for Mr. Wodehouse.

A resolution, asserting that the Corn-laws were unjust, was put to the meeting; and Mr. Wodehouse rose to reply. He was received with cheers and clamour. After a few introductory remarks, he spoke of the ex- aggerated statements which had appeared about scarcity of food; and asked the meeting if there was not something of unblushing effrontery on the part of Mr. Cobden in not alluding in the slightest manner to the scarcity, which a few weeks ago was so loudly asserted? Mr. Wodehouse their moved four propositions by way of amendment. The first was-

" That this meeting, whilst it is duly sensible of the inestimable blessings de- rived from the enjoyment of commercial liberty, is still impressed with the belief that what is called free trade,' to use the words of Mr. Clay., formerly President of the United States,[!] is nothing more than a beautiful vision, existing only in the imagination of philosophers and theorists, and practically repudiated by all na- tions, since an indispensable condition to the adoption of it by one nation is its adoption by all."

The second and third referred to the claims of agriculture and all other branches of native industry to " protection "; and the fourth denounced the League for attempting to destroy the independence of the constituencies. Mr. Wodehouse met with frequent interruption when reading his proposi- tions. On this he said, that he did not know whether by the terms of the meeting he was precluded from further discussion; but he was perfectly satisfied to sit down. He regretted the absence of Mr. Bright, as he had. intended to advert to his conduct and expressions elsewhere-

" With the leave of the Mayor, I will do so now. (Cheers, and cries of Answer Cobden! never mind Bright; he isn't here to answer for himself,' followed by some confusion.) I was about to say, that every man must view with indigna- tion the excessive bitterness with which Mr. Bright expresses himself upon every occasion." (Uproar; cries of " Question! ")

The Mayor entreated the meeting to allow Mr. Wodehouse to proceed.

Mr. Wodehouse said he only asked the meeting to hear him patiently for a. single moment, till he called on them to bear in mind that not a thousandth part of Mr. Cobden's speech referred in the slightest degree to the resolution which followed. (Great clamour and laughter, in the midst of which Mr. Wodehouse- retired)

Mr. Hammond, a landowner, took the place of Mr. Wodehouse, and pro- ceeded to reply to Mr. Cobden. He denied that protection was a land- owner's question: it was a farmer's and a labourer's question. Mr. Ball followed on the same side. Mr. Cobden replied; and then a vote was taken: fifty hands were held up for the amendment, and thousands for the Free-trade resolution. A speech from Colonel Thompson closed the pro- ceedings.

A Free-trade meeting has been held also at Oldham.

Agricultural Protection meetings have been held at Framlingbam, Hor- sham, Great Marlow, Hereford, Tamworth, Winchester, Fareham, Med- burst.

The Tamworth meeting was not attractive enough• to induce the attend- ance of Captain A'Court, to say nothing of Sir Robert Peel. Neither of these gentlemen was represented by proxy: Sir Robert had not even an apologist. Many compliments were paid to the excellence of the Premier's private life; but his public virtues evaporated at the very time they were most wanted,—that is, in the view of the speakers; whose position was not maintained with anything more new or forcible than the complaints cur- rent at meetings of the class.

Lord Ashburton was the chief speaker at the Winchester meeting. He- had, he said, been through life a moderate Protectionist; and had opposed to the utmost the bill of 1815, believing that the protection it was meant to afford was excessive. He did not consider the law of 1842 injudicious; and from personal knowledge be could say that the apprehensions enter- tained of the Canada Corn-law were altogether mistaken. How had the present law operated?

To answer that question, he preferred an appeal to practical results rather than to the theories of political economists. And what did they see ?—A country prospering beyond any other, and to an unexampled degree. Our manufactures. commanded the market of the world; and if the countries of Europe were to come in with their manufactures, there was not a cotton, an iron, or a flax ma- nufacturer in this country who would not beat out the foreigner. If our manu- factures were declining and in a state of penury and difficulty, there might be some excuse for turning round and saying it was owing to the high price of food and the Corn-law. The fact, however, was the very reverse. He could not ac- count for the sudden outcry which had been raised against the measure, followed. as it had been by the dissolution of one government, the attempt to form another, and the reestablishment of the first. The only solution of the difficulty he could offer was that each party was anxious to secure the support of Mr. Cobden and the League, "without regard to the honest view of the question." Individually he entertained the highest respect for Sir Robert Peel; and, with the exception of the Corn-law question, he knew no man to whom he would more confidently in- trust the interests of the question. Lord John Russell, in his Glasgow speech, had drawn a charming picture of England and America—the former clothing the latter, and the latter feeding the former: Lord Ashburton dissented from the truth of the painting. He was far from saying anything against the people of America, with whom he had had the advantage of negotiating on the part of this country. He believed there were very many most honourable men amongst them, and for himself he saw no ground for apprehending that there was the least likelihood of a disturbance between the two countries: be believed that the good sense of the country would overpower any disposition of that kind. But we must not forget that there were two parties to an agreement; and what if America should refuse to take our clothing, well knowing at the time they did so that we were compelled by the circumstances of our posillon to take their corn? This was an illustration of the case, which had been so often put, of the danger of depending on foreign countries for the supply of food. Why, the very last time we had differences with America, she laid an embargo upon and shut her ports against British shipping. And it was clear that, in the event of a recurrence of difficulties, her first step would be again to shut her ports against us; in which case, the supply from America would un- doubtedly Tail us. But food must not be expected from America, after all. We could not have a better proof of this than the fact that at this moment American corn could come here, through Canada, at a duty of 4s.• and yet, if the returns were examined, it would be found that nine-tenths of the 'foreign corn in England was from the Baltic, though the duty on the corn from its shores was 15s. a quarter. This was entirely owing to the low price of labour in the North of Europe; so that if we procured the supply from the Baltic, with the price of labour at present paid in this country, it would be impossible for the farmer to cultivate the land, and the result must be that a large quantity of it would go unfilled.

Lord Rendlesham, M.P., at the Framlingham meeting, stated the case as between Sir Robert Peel and the Ultra-Protectionists; treachery or no treachery being the question- " Sir Robert Peel has been called a traitor and an arch deceiver. I regret that such epithets should have been used, inasmuch as they do not apply. We should remember that Sir Robert Peel did not choose us, but that we chose him. It is not that he has deceived us, but we have deceived ourselves by placing confidence in him. But it may be well to inquire to what extent we have been deceived. I am quite free to confess, that, in looking over Sir Robert Peel's speeches, there is nothing that can be fairly interpreted as a pledge on his part to maintain agricul- tural protection. On the contrary, in that memorable speech made by Sir Robert Peel on the 27th of April 1841, I find this sentence, which, with your permission, I will read. Upon that occasion he said—' Previous to the late dissolution of Par- liament, I said, and I repeat it now, that I would reserve to myself the unfettered Power of amending the details of the Corn-laws. If you ask if I bind myself to the maintenance of the existing law in all its details, and whether that is the condition on which the landed interest has given me their support, I say that upon that condition I cannot accept their support.' You will gather from this passage that Sir Robert Peel distinctly declared that he would net pledge himself to the maintenance of agricultural protection."

Mr. J. Newman, a speaker at the Great Marlow meeting, described as a landed proprietor, illustrated the result of his researches into the political economy of nations, by the following recipe for the cure of Free-trade dia- content— If they [the manufacturers] found their industry unavailing and their efforts at enrichment useless, they-would have changed their locality and carried their machines over to their customers; that, if their customers were not allowed to come to them, they would go to their customers. Such a proceeding might appear very strange, but he could assure the meeting that it was not without an ex- ample. Those who had read the novels of Sir Walter Scott would remember, that in the fifteenth century the Flemish manufacturers, finding their own country overstocked, and discovering that their best customers were the English, crossed the water, and settled, and worked, and thrived in this country. In the reign of Elizabeth, foreign manufacturers, knowing that here lay their best market, imi- tated that sensible example, and had received a similar reward for their enterprise: and now that Englishmen had been taught to manufacture for themselves and all the world besides, why, since their numbers were too great, or the restrictions on them too heavy for all to prosper—why did they not do like the Flemings, and cross over and settle among their customers 2 (Laughter.)

At the Guildford Petty Sessions, on Saturday, James Over, late a guard on the South-western Railway, was charged with having caused a collision at Woking station on the night of the 24th December. He was in charge of one of the up In:gage-trains, and arrived at the Woking station at ten o'clock at night: he was Wormed that the down mail-train was over due; in his anxiety to get to town, he ordered the pointsman to shift the points, so as to enable him to shout two -waggons which he had brought from Southampton, and place them in the proper sidings. While in the act of shunting the waggons, the mail-train appeared in sight; though the usual signal was hoisted, the distance was too short to prevent a collision—the engine struck one of the waggons, and shattered it to pieces. The defendant declared that no accident would have happened if the engine-driver had used more exertion in moving the waggons. In consideration of the man's unimpeached character during a seven years' service with the Company, the Bench only imposed the mitigated fine of 31.

• General Pasley instituted an inquiry on Saturday, at the Chesterfield station of the Midland Railway, into the cause of the recent collision there, when a pas- senger-train dashed into a mineral train which was crossing the line. It was clearly ascertained that all the blame attached to the driver of the passenger- train: signals were exhibited for the engine-driver to stop, but he totally disre- garded them: he came to within a short distance of the station, where there is a decline of 1 in 40, at the rate of forty miles an hour, and did not shut the steam off till within two hundred yards of the place; the consequence was that the train passed the South end of the station at a speed of twenty miles an hour, and came into frightful collision with the mineral-train. The slippet7 state of the rails had nothing to do with the disaster. The Directors have dismissed the man.

A fatal and somewhat singular accident occurred on Tuesday morning, on the South-eastern Railway. A train, consisting of eight goods-carriages, left Dover on Monday evening for London; halting at Tunbridge to detach a truck. It then proceeded on its journey, the signals indicating that all was right; but about a mile from Tunbridge, the engine and tender and one of the trucks sud- denly disappeared through an "accommodation bridge" forming one of a number which support the railway across the Medway valley. There was a considerable depth of water under the bridge, the valley having been flooded by the late rains. The guard, after adopting precautions to prevent further accident, made a search for the missing engine and truck: he found them immersed in the water; and discovered that the accident had been occasioned by thegiving way of the bridge. The engine-driver was resting on a bank, supported by his brother, the fireman, who had succeeded in drag.ging him out of the water. Both men were hurt: the engine-driver did not survive many hours, but the fireman is likely to recover. An inquest on the body of the deceased was commenced on Wednesday; but an adjournment took place till Monday next, to allow the waters to subside, so that the cause of the accident might be the better ascertained. The opinion most cre- dited is, that the supports of the bridge had been weakened by opposing currents

of water, in the hurricane cf the previous night. The traffic on the railway has not experienced any serious interruption; the down line having sustained little injury.

The first accident since the opening of the Southampton terminus of the South-western Railway occurred there last week. While a lad was cleaning the wheels of a tender, four men who were moving a waggon of coke very carelessly pushed it against him, so that the buffer of the waggon literally smashed his head to pieces against the tender. John Chambers, a young man employed at a foundry in Bath, has committed suicide during a depression of spirits, by throwing himself across the rails of the Great Western as a train approached: he was cut in two.