25 NOVEMBER 1854, Page 3

44t Vrnuiturs.

Mr. Arthur Gordon paid a visit to his constituents, at Beverley, last week, and dined with them in the Mechanics' Institution ; the Mayor presiding. Mr. Gordon spoke with feeling and eloquence on the opera- tions of our troops. Their position, he said, was a delicate one, justifying some amount of apprehension, but nothing more. He knew that large reinforcements must have arrived since the gloomiest accounts were re- ceived, and that larger were on their way. Passing from that question to reform, he made some interesting remarks. " Though I think reforms will make their progress in the very nature of things, I am afraid that this war will not assist them ; I am afraid we shall not make the progress we should have made had we been in a state of peace. I do not see how any extensive reforms, especially Parliamentary reforms, are to be carried, unless there is a very strong public feeling expressed in their favour out of Parliament. When everybody's attention is directed to the war, that great amount of public feeling is hardly likely to be expressed; and therefore I much fear that not so much will be done in reference to this subject as is desirable. But I think our duty as reformers is to take what- ever is practicable. I therefore look with no ordinary satisfaction to the de- claration which was made not long ago, publicly, by the First Minister of the Crown, on the occasion of receiving an address, when he said he would fearlessly carry the hand of reform into every department of the state.' I think that declaration of the First Minister of the Crown one of importance, and one which, knowing him as I do, I feel certain was no mere formal speech, but the deliberate conviction of an honest mind."

A literary soiree of the Institution for the Diffusion of *Useful Know- ledge at Preston, on Thursday, was attended by Lord Stanley, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Wilson Patten, and Mr. James Heywood. This institution is sustained by 600 members; it has a clear income of 3001. a year, no debt, and a library of 5000 volumes. The chief speakers were Lord Stanley and Sir Robert Peel. Lord Stanley, in opening, remarked that the meeting could not be regarded as a sign of indifference to the war. War ought not to interrupt the course of internal operations • and the best 'proof of cooperation they could give to the war would be to show that social progress, internal improvement, and the care of the lower classes, were not interrupted by a most formidable foreign contest.I n the course of his speech on the division among classes, and the means of bringing about harmony by providing common pursuits, he dwelt on the few hours which working men could set apart for intellectual culture ; and he said that he did not at all object to the study of other than theolo- gical subjects on the Sunday. But to this Sir Robert Peel could not ac- cede ; but he advocated six additional holidays—with wages—in the year.

The Emperor of Russia has a strong supporter at Newcastle, by name William Joseph Thompson. He is wont to exhibit great joy at Russian successes and grief at Russian defeats. As a member of the Exchange Subscription Rooms, his conduct became offensive to the other members. Moreover, he had committed the offence of scoring and altering the news- papers, and hanging them up conspicuously as marked by his unpatriotic hand. This brought him under one of the rules of the room ; and at a large meeting, on Monday last, Mr.Thompson was unanimously expelled.

The accounts from the manufacturing districts contain some points of interest. At Manchester trade is much depressed, and prices continue to recede. The price of manufactured iron in South Staffordshire is giving Way, at the same time that raw materials are dearer : should this lead to a reduction of wages a "turn-out" is apprehended, for labour is in demand.

The general trade of Birmingham is "languid," but the great activity in one branch is a cheering sign not merely for the "hardware village "-s- there is a constant and great demand for improved agricultural machines, showing how many of the farmers are now alive to their best interests. Trade is dull at Nottingham ; when it becomes brisker there will be a want of hands, for the recruiting-sergeant is carrying away great num- bers of young men, who depart amid the plaudits of the whole population. There is an improvement at Leicester, in part from Government orders. At Leeds business is flat : there is a considerable increase in pauperism. Prospects are "very disheartening" at Bradford. Mills are on short-time at Belfast ; but better times are expected, as stocks are much decreased.

Sarah Newton, a strong masculine-looking young woman of Shenley, is now in Hertford Gaol awaiting trial for poisoning her husband and her little boy.

Wright, a smith residing at Hook near Swindon, has murdered a woman, his paramour, (whom he suspected of infidelity,) and made an ineffectual attempt on his own life.

A little boy has died at Conisborough from lock-jaw caused by a blow on the nose from a clothes-prop, inflicted by another and older boy. A Coro- ner's -Jury has returned a verdiot of " Manslaughter" against the assailant.

Mr. Roberts, a surgeon at Holywell, whose chiffoniere was frequently robbed by his servants at night, arranged galvanic wires in such a way, that when the servant opened the chiffoniers a pistol, filled with powder only, exploded in Mr. Roberts's bedroom, and awoke him, without alarming the thief. He hurried out of bed, and caught his maid in flagrante delicto.

Charles Leake, a miner, has been sent to prison for a month by the Wake- field Magistrates for biting off a cat's nose, from mere wanton cruelty.

On Wednesday evening, a passenger-train on the Midland Railway ran into a cattle-train 200 yards beyond Kegworth station : many passengers were cut and bruised. It is said that the station-master had ordered the cattle-train forward to shunt, and then neglected to stop the following train.