Zbe Vrobintes.
The promulgation of Sir Robert Peel's commercial code has been fol- lowed by Protection meetings at Newark, Newbury, and Welchpool. At the Newark meeting letters were read from the Duke of Newcastle and his son the Earl of Lincoln. The Duke promised assistance to the Pro- tectionists. The Earl avowed that his opinions in reference to protection had undergone "ii great change since the last general election," and that he meant to vote for the new code. This avowal was received with loud and long hissing, followed up by a resolution calling upon him to resign. "No surrender 1" is the cry at these meetings.
The vacancy in the representation of Newark was supplied on Thurs- ay. Mr. John Stuart, a Chancery barrister, was put in nomination by Mr. Thompson; who described him as "a strenuous supporter of our an- cient institutions, and a defender of the agricultural interests of the coun- try." [A voice—" Yes, because you know the Duke of Newcastle sent him."] No opposing candidate having been named, Mr. Stuart's election was declared. He returned his acknowledgments amidst discordant shouts; professing himself the friend and defender of all vested interests. He thought the League dishonest; and deemed the present a very improper time to attack the landed interest; as all connected with it were con- tented, while manufacturers and tradesmen were enjoying an unwonted share of prosperity. Votes of thanks to the officials closed the proceedings.
The nomination of candidates for the representation of the West Riding of Yorkshire takes place at Wakefield on Wednesday next. Mr. Ferrand, who appears to embody all the Conservatism of the West Riding in his own person has announced that Mr. Edwin Lascelles will not be available as a candidate on this occasion, having engaged to "fight the battle of native industry" at Ripon; but that Mr. George Lane Fox will take his place. It is expected that Lord Morpeth, when put in nomination, will be closely questioned on the Poor-law system, as well as the Short-time Bill. Mr. Archer Gurney, who undertook to oppose Lord Morpeth, but offered to re- linquish his pretensions in favour of Mr. Lascelles, will also make way for Mr. Fox.
Mr. Mostyn is likely enough to succeed at Lichfield. Captain Dyott, who contested the borough in 1841 on the Conservative interest, declines to oppose Mr. Mostyn.
The Morning Chronicle asserted, on Wednesday, that Earl De Grey would not allow Mr. Gladstone to sit for Ripon; but on Friday the same journal published this qualifying statement- " We have received a communication from Earl De Grey, in which he states that 'neither Mr. Gladstone, nor any friend on his behalf, had made any applica- tion to him or as far as he knows to any elector of the borough of Ripon'; and therefore it not correct that he had refused to allow him to sit for that place. The terms in which Earl De Grey has thought proper to convey this intimation are such that we cannot give publicity to his letter." Lord John Manners, one of the Members for Newark, has addressed a letter to his constituents of the following import— Re does not think that Sir Robert Peel should be the Minister to propose the repeal of the Corn-laws, or that the present Parliament should be the Parliament to which the proposal ought to be made. This view is founded on Lord John's idea of what is due to public confidence in public men: and for himself, unless his constituents wish otherwise, he will vote against the Ministerial scheme, al- though approving of several parts of it, and acknowledging at the same time that his Cora-law opinions have undergone a change in favour of relaxation since 1841. Lord John Manners's position is this—he will vote during this Parliament in accordance with the professions which be made when elected; but should his constituents, in the case of another election, expect him to adhere to the sine opinions on the subject of the Corn-laws, he cannot comply; and under such circumstances the connexion between them must close.
A meeting of Factory delegates was held last week at Manchester, to devise measures for enforcing the Ten Hours Bill on the attention of Par- liament. Fifty-one persons were present, representing districts in Lanca- shire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire. The deliberations terminated in a resolution to petition Parliament, and to send twelve of their number to London to hold interviews with individual Members.
Peace Societies are actively engaged in getting up Anti-Militia meetings. The movement commenced in Birmingham, and has extended to several of the manufacturing towns. The more recent meetings are those of Glou- cester, Chatham, and Newcastle. The intention to enrol the Militia is deprecated, on several grounds,—as exciting the jealousy and suspicion of foreign powers; diffusing military tastes and habits among the people; ex- ercising an unfavourable influence on public morals, by withdrawing young men from the oversight of their natural guardians; increasing taxation; introducing the objectionable principle of compulsory military service; vio- lating the rights of conscience in cases where a conscientious disapproval ef war is entertained.
The inquest at Tunbridge on the engine-driver who was killed last week on the South-eastern Railway, by the fall of a bridge, was resumed arid concluded on Monday. The bridge was an "accommodation bridge," permitting a private road
to pass through an embankment and under the railway. It appeared from the evidence that the bridge had been undermined by wet; the foundations had been weakened by the cutting of two drains under the arch; an immense ballast-pit close by was also considered a source of weakness; and the road that passed beneath the arch was out of repair, and very wet: in fact, the drains, the pit, and the road, constituted, in that low ground, so many reservoirs of water to sap the foundations; and the recent heavy floods completed the work of disintegration. Previously to the examination of witnesses, fhe Jury proceeded to inspect the spot where the accident occurred: but, such was the flooded state of the land, that they had not the means of forming a personal opinion—they could not see what they wanted. Their verdict contained a censure in reference to the facts, as ac- counting for the fall of the bridge, and the consequent death of the engine-driver.
Another loss of life has occurred on the South-eastern Railway, on the branch from Ashford to Canterbury, recently completed, but not yet opened. At a place called Milton Chapel, not far from Ashford, a viaduct has been erected over the line for the road traffic; the soil being soft, and at this period of the year satu- rated with water, a portion of the erection began to sink; cracks were observed in the brick-work, and men were employed to shore it up. While the workmen were thus engaged, some of the arches fell: one man, Jesse Cousens, was buried in the rains, and when extricated was found to be dead; two other labourers, were slightly hurt. It is not apprehended that the accident will delay the open- ing of the line, which had been fixed for Friday next.
A passenger on the Sheffield and Manchester Railway, having from some cause neglected to leave the carriage at the station for which he was booked, and as the conductor of the train, of course, could not be hailed, or if he had been so would most probably not have stopped the traie to oblige the gentleman, he (the passenger) took the very rush step of jumping out of the carriage when at full speed; and, coming in contact with some masonry in his fall, the front part of his head was literally driven in, and almost instant death ensued.—Leeds Mercury.
A passenger-train on the Great North of EngLind Railway ran into a coal-train at the Lessay station on the night of the 23d: the engines were broken, several of the carriages damaged, and a number of passengers were injured. It appears that the coal-train was on the wrong line, changing from one rail to the other, when the other train came up at a rate of ten miles an hour: every effort was made to avoid a collision, but in vain.
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