eb Cowart,.
A very numerous meeting was held at Leeds on the 224, to petition Parliament and memorialize the Government for the entire abolition of Church-rates. Mr. Baines, M.P., made a statement to the meeting, founded on Parliamentary returns, which, if correct, shows that if the Church party will concede the principle involved in the question, there would be little difficulty in providing a sum equal to that now levied for Church-rates out of the property of the Esta- blishment. It appeared from the statement of Mr. Baines, that if the funds legally applicable to the repairs of churches were used for that purpose, there would remain only 30,558/. to be raised by 13,614 congregations. The proceedings at the meeting were very animated. The Tories attempted an opposition, which was easily put down.
A writer in the Morning Post, on Monday, stated, that in all proba. bility the grand dinner of the Reformers of the West Riding of York- shire, would never take place, as there had been a quarrel among the managers respecting an invitation to O'Connell. The Leals Mercury of the preceding Saturday, however, says that the preparations are in a state of forwardness ; that the largest room in Leeds has been taken ; that the Mayor has been engaged to preside; and that the day is definitively fixed for the 18th of January.
Sir William Molesworth, with Mr. Leader and Mr. Roebuck, will attend a public dinner in Bath early next month. On the 16th of January, Sir William will join Messrs. Attwood and Scholefield, and several other Members of Parliament, at a grand Reform meeting to be held at Birmingham. Sir William Molesworth is also expected to visit Leeds, and have some personal intercourse with his intended con- stituents in that town.
It is reported that the friends of Mr. East, one of the Tory Mem- bers for Winchester, are making an active (but very quiet) canvass for him amongst our unsuspecting citizens, in anticipation of a dissolution of Parliament at the commencement of the approaching session.— Hampshire Telegraph.
Mr. Godson's friends give out that that gentleman is safe for Kidder- minster ; but we shall not believe it till we hear of his return. Kid- derminster is a very queer place. Mr. Phillips's supporters are also on the alert.
The South Derby Tories dine in Derby on the 24 of January. Mr, E. M. Mundy will take the chair.
Mr. W. F. Collett, the gentleman who lately gave a half-ton of coals to any Conservative who applied for them, has issued an address to the electors of Boston, stating his intention of coming forward as a candi- date at the next election, on Conservative principles.—Linco/a Gazette. [Mr. Collett commences in the true Conservative fashion—by corrup- tion—if this statement is correct.] The Duke of Northumberland having most munfieiently offered to pay the borough rate of Launceston, the inhabitants have requested the Council to accept his Grace's offer.— West Briton. [Is not this bare- faced bribery of Sir Henry Hardinge's constituents?] The Manchester Herald, a Tory paper, established twenty seven years ago, died last week.
Previous page
