gbe 3robincts.
Mr. Cobden, with Mr. Bright and Mr. Moore, as a deputation from the Anti-Corn-Law League, addressed a meeting of Berkshire people, at the Town-hall in Reading, on Saturday. The meeting did not differ from others elsewhere, except in the scantiness of the audience; the hall not being more than half filled, and very few farmers being present. The Committee of the Berkshire Association for the Protec- tion of British Agriculture and other Branches of Native Industry had previously held a meeting to determine the course which they should pursue ; and they issued an advertisement-
" This Committee earnestly advise their brother farmers to abstain from attending or taking any part in it, [the meeting in the Town-ball]; knowing from past experience that their views and feelings have at all such previous meetings been grossly misrepresented, and their attendance taken as an amis• aion of their acquiescence in the Free-trade doctrines of the Anti-Corn-law League; and also that such meeting is altogether unnecessary, as the farmers of Berkshire most emphatically gave expression to their hostility to any toes- sure affecting the present protective laws at the late important county meet.. Mg." Those who did meet in the Town-hall unanimously adopted a re. solution in favour of free trade.
The Morning Chronicle announces that Mr. Cobden's agrieullaild
meetings will be suspended till after the harvest ; notice of one at Wor- cester, for Wednesday last, having been withdrawn.
The movement at Birmingham does not prosper. It will be remem- bered that the Chamber of Commerce convened a meeting last week, at which various propositions were made ; and that one was carried against the opinion of the Chamber, for a requisition to the Mayor to call a public meeting for the purpose of petitioning the Queen to dismiss her Ministers. The requisition, however, only received thirty-five sig- natures. An advertisement was issued, summoning the requisitionists to meet at the Public Office on Monday, to consult on the subject. This meeting was scantily attended. Some speakers blamed those who had opposed the original proposition of the Chamber of Com- merce; some thought that the Mayor could not call a meeting on a requisition with so few signatures ; others, that he ought to do so. Eventually it was resolved, " That a Committee be appointed to obtain signatures to the requisition ; that a deputation be appointed to wait upon the Mayor ; and that the Committee report to a meeting of the requisitionists, to meet on Monday next."
There is no material alteration in the condition of South Wales. The toll-gate riots are less numerous than usual ; but why ?-" The fact of fewer gates being pulled down," says the correspondent of the Times, "does not indicate any abatement of the hatred to toll-bars in the people, but merely arises from the fact of there being very few ob- moxions gates and bars left standing in the country, and those that are so are obliged to be constantly guarded to insure their safety ." One gate, for instance, was saved by being kept filled with soldiers !
W. Davies was apprehended some days ago on a charge of being con- cerned in breaking down the Pen-y-earn-gate, on the Llandilo road. He has since confessed " that he was the person who had destroyed the toll-gate before, and he would do it again." Several affidavits have been made and sent to London, for the purpose of being laid before a Judge at chambers, in order to obtain bail, stating that the prisoner was so drunk when he made the statement that he did not know what he was about, and was obliged to be lifted into his cart: there is no other evidence whatever against him than this boasting declaration of a drunken man. Be has, however, been committed by the Magistrates for felony : the Magistrates refused to take bail.
" Rebecca," like Robin Hood of old, has turned moralist and a wild minister of justice. About two years back, says the Carmarthenshire Journal, a servant-girl gave birth to a boy, the son of her master, a respectable freeholder. A few days ago, a carriage drove up to the man's house ; a Black footman opened the door ; an elegantly-dressed lady alighted, with a child in her arms ; and entering the Lothario's house, presented herself as " Rebecca," and the child as his own, with an injunction that he Should cherish it. The Welsh Dictatress has been implicitly obeyed.
At a recent meeting of Carmarthen farmers, at Llanedy, near Pont- Irdulais, to discuss grievances, a resolution in favour of free trade in MU and other articles of food was carried unanimously.
At Liverpool Assizes, on Friday, Robert Taylor was indicted for bigamy ; having married Deborah Foster, at Wigan, his former wife being still alive. Taylor was a practised bigamist. He was in the habit of announcing himself as the son of Lord Kennedy, entitled to 60,0001. a year; and on that pretence be had succeeded in seducing divers young women, in various places, to marry him. In 1838, he married one Skidmore ; in 1839, a girl named Wilson, and being convicted of that offence he suffered eighteen months' imprisonment ; in 1840, he mar- ried a woman named Denison, for which he was sentenced to be im- prisoned twelve months; in 1842, he married Foster ; and there is reason to believe that those were not all his victims. He was now Sentenced to be imprisoned fourteen years.
A Coroner's Jury who have sat on the bodies of two persons drowned in the wreck of the Pegasus, have returned a verdict of " Accidental death, occasioned by the gross carelessness of the master and those on the look-out"; with a deodand of 100/. against the company in each case, 2001. in all.
The Worcester Chronicle mentions a fall of frogs, small in size, in- credible in numbers, daring a heavy fall of rain, on Monday night : some actually fell upon a man and boy going to Stourbridge.
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