Vrottiurial.

The Boston Election terminated in the return of Mr. Malcolm, the Conservative who polled 633 votes, whilst his opponent, Mr. Tuxford, had only 313. The Conservatives worked with great zeal on the oc- casion. The election took place on Monday. •

Lord Stanhope, son of the Earl of Chesterfield, is a candidate for South Notts, a vacancy being occasioned by the elevation of Lord Newark to the peerage on the death of his father, Earl Manvers.

Mr. Ribton has declined to =test Reading ; the Conservatives, he alleges, are apathetic.

A dinner was held at Woreeker on Thursday week, to celebrate the "revival of Conservatism in that ancient city." Sir John Pakington was the leading speaker. He thought the business of the country had outgrown the forms of Parliament -which now required modification ; the last session had too meth offered to it, either the Reform Bill or the Bankruptcy Bill being sufficient for ono session's work. Sir John de- nounced the conduct of the Liberals, who in ejecting the late Govern- ment said, "as we cannot think together let us act together." He charged the present Cabinet with being split up into sections-

, " That the sections of that Cabinet in their own deliberations differed widely from each other on the subject of the Commercial Treaty, differed widely from each other on the subject of the Budget, differed on the Reform Bill, differed from each other on the proposal to improve the defences of the country, and lastly, though not least, they differed from each other on the course to be taken when the House of lords determined to rescue the country from the folly of the Ministerial measures." Sir John gave his version of the history of the French Treaty-

" Mr. Bright first mooted the treaty in July, 1869, in the House of Com- mons. That treaty was, in fact, the creation of Mr. Bright and Mr. Cobden. Lord John %bagel'. and Lord Palmerston at that time expressed opinions with regard to it decidedly strong and adverse. Time passed on, and, unknown to the Government, 31r. Cobden actually commenced negotiations in Paris with the French Minister. The French Minister thereupon went to our Ambassador, Lord Cowley, and asked, 'What does this mean ? Has Mr. Cobden the sanction of the British Government for this negotiation ?' Lord Cowley then wrote to Lord Palmerston, inquiring whether Mr. Cobden was acting on authority, or as a mere amateur. The signal had been given by the democratic section of this false alliance, and Lord Palmerston and Lord John Russell retracted in January all that they had said in July. In obedience to this section they adopted and brought forward what they had actually condemned six months before." Sir John thought the "Conservative party owed a debt of gratitude" to Lord Palmerston for the steps he took with respect to the Lords' rejection of the Paper-duty Abolition. Indeed Lord Palmerston stands high in Con- servative estimation. Since Sir John had had the honour of taking a part in public affairs in the House of Commons, he had never seen a man con • duct a difficult position of affairs with more tact, ability, or firmness than Lord Palmerston had shown on that occasion. 'Lord Palmerston had a very difficult part to play. Sir John was now speaking to them effects which he knew of his own personal knowledge, his having to serve on the Committee having given him the means of acquiring a knowledge of the differences in the Cabinet. But, notwithstanding the ravings of Mr. Gladstone and the quieter opposition of Lord John Russell, Lord Palmeraton took a different view of the matter and triumphed. But, although Lord Palmerston was successful, he was successful at the cost, as nearly as possible, of breaking up his party and his Government. What he would insist upon was, that they should not for a moment be deceived as to the real danger of such a atate of parties as that which he had described, by the one fact that Lord Palmerston had been successful in that single case of resistance. He had yielded on the questions of the Commercial Treaty, the Budget, and the Re- form Bill ; and they must not trnst to their havrag a Conservative Premier —for such he believed him to be at that moment ; they must not think to find security in that circums'anee as long as he was hampered by Radical association and surrounded by Radical supporters; for the end must be that the Government would be dragged down to the Radisal level—pass Radical measures; whether they approved them or not.

Sir John blamed Lord John Russell for his speech against the Emperor of the French, but he did not " blame " the despatch of Lord John to Count Cavour, warning him of the possible designs of the Emperor on the island of Sardinia and the city of Genoa; only the tone of the present was not so friendly as the tone of the late Government to the Emperor. Deploring our tendency towards American institutions, Sir John praised our own constitu- tion, expounded in a "moderate" Conservative sense, as the greatest glory possessed. [But he omitted to say how little the Conservative party had contributed to its existence, and how much they had done in the past to prevent its present expansion.] Mr. Collier, M.P., addressed his constituents at Plymouth on Wed- nesday in a speech of great length, dealing with all the political ideas of the day. He denied that the Commons had done nothing, but admitted that it had not done as much- as it ought. He described the measures of legal reform which had been passed, deplored the failure of the Reform and Bankruptcy Bills, and praised the French Treaty generally, but was sorry there was no relaxation in the French navigation laws. Mr. Col- lier touched the question of "talk"-

-

"It frequently happens—and here to a certain extent I let you into the secrets of the House of Commons—that a Member has taken a great deal of trouble to compose a speech, which he thinks, perhaps is to enlighten the kingdom, when a dozen other Members get up, one of whom succeeds in catching the eye of the Speaker before him, and says exactly what he in- tended to say. Then what he has to do is to burk his speech ; but, if he has not the courage to sacrifice the production of his own brain, he has to speak without being listened to. Gentlemen, on behalf of the House of Commons' it does seem to me—and I speak from some little experience—that there is akind of instinct in the House which tells it when enough has been said and when the House has made up its mind that no further informa- tion is to be obtained, and that the man who is speaking is not speaking to inform them, but to address the reporters or his constituents—and the House of Commons does not like to be made the medium whereby a man ad- dresses his constituents—then the House won't listen to him, and the de- bate is at an end, and I do not find that any great amount of obstruction has arisen from unnecessars. speaking, although I do not deny that it takes -place on some occasions. But, gentlemen, with respect to the Reform Bill, I fairly admit that that bill was talked out.' " Mr. Collier supported the Budget, discussed church rates, the privi- leges of the Commons in taxation, in which, speaking as a lawyer, he 'denied the claim of the Lords, vindicated his own independence, and was eloquent upon the enlarging liberty of Italy. An enthusiastic vote of thanks to Mr. Collier was passed.

Mr. Puller, M.P., attended the Herefordshire Agricultural Association annual meeting on Wednesday. In response to the toast, "The Mem- 'hers for the county," he ran over the political topics of the last session, but added nothing to his speech at Great Berkhampstead last week. Sir M. Farquhar, M.P., responding for "the Members for the borough," con- fessed to a weakness for Lord Palmerston— Although he is as stanch a Member of her Majesty's Opposition as any man in the House of Commons, there is no man more ready to express his respect for the ability, courage, and patriotism of the noble lord at the head of her Majesty's Government, and he should be ashamed of himself if he allowed any party feeling to detract from the merits of one who had so long served his country, and who at heart was a true English- man. His weakness for Lord Palmerston arose from the belief that his lord- ship was as good a Conservative as himself.

The Warrington Mechanics' Institute held its annual dinner on Satur- day ; Colonel Wilson Patten, M.P., in the chair. The society presents several new features in its plans and operations. The circulation of books is between ten and twelve thousand a year.

4' About a year ago a consultation took place between Colonel Fatten, the president of the institution, and some of its directors and members, as to the beat mode of inducing working men to avail themselves of its advan- tages. The opinions of the working men themselves were invited, and the result was a considerable reduction in the rate of subscriptions, with other important changes. Six apprentices' tickets are given quarterly to each subscriber of one guinea for gratuitous distribution. Working men arc ad- mittent 6d. per month. The whole of the operatives in a workshop may be admitted at 21. per 100, or any portion of them at double that rate. It was desired to give every working man the rights of membership, and ex- tremely low charges were resolved upon because there were very few me- chanics among the 300 members previously, end the only attractions are the news-room and reading-room. The number of members added by these changes is about 900, and the total number of members, including appren- tices who have received donation tickets, has been increased to 1300. It is hoped that 3000 may be obtained if the scheme meets with hearty coopera- tion at all the workshops." Lord Stanley was the speaker of the evening; lie condoled with editors reduced to the necessity of reporting " Lord So-and-So on Popular Education." Questions as to education necessarily occupy less attention now than before; our minds are considering whether Italy can be united, or if the Turkish empire can hold together. The English people " aro never really in earnest on more than one subject at a time ; " just now we give our minds to military preparations and national defences, " with a unity and a determination such as only the oldest among us can recol- lect witnessing before," but it leaves little time to consider anything else. Lord Stanley touched the point of exclusiveness in membership and management of mechanics' institutes, and his views contrast with those of Lord Brougham, uttered at Huddersfield last week- " It is sometimes objected that persons frequent them who are of a wealthier class than those for whom they were intended. Well, so long as working men are not excluded, or don't exclude themselves, I see no harm, but rather good, in this mixture of classes, provided it take place naturally and without any affectation. And while the son of the mechanic is learning it is quite right that the son of the small tradesman should not remain idle. As a general rule, however, these institutions, while supplying a want throughout the country which is generally felt, and nhile accomplishing emelt good, have undeniably fallen short of original hopes and expectations. Sometimes the libraries, on which they chiefly relied for attraction, were scanty or ill-chosen ; very often the lectures, being desultory and inconsecu- tive, were not capable of imparting real information ; sometimes political or sectarian feeling crept in, and of course ruined everything ; and even where none of these causes operated, the public could have no sufficient guarantee for the efficiency of the teaching in the evening classes. Of late years there have been great efforts at improvement, which I have not time at present to do more than glance at. The principal and most effective has been the associating together of various institutions, with the threefold advantage of attracting greater notice of and publicity to the union than the small insti- tutions could have commanded singly, of obtaining competent teauhers to orgauize and direct local efforts, and—most important of all—of establishing a competition for prizes and certificates, taking in a sufficieut area of coun- try and number of candidates to make it a real mid not nominal competi- tion. • In East Lancashire and in Yorkshire the experiment has been at- tended with marked success. In Manchester, also, the principle of associa- tion has been acted on, though the details are not precisely the seine. Another step in advance has been the establishment of local examinations, such as those of the Society of Arts." Speaking from his experience as chairman of Kirkdale Quarter Ses- sions, Lord Stanley said— "Iii that time [four years and a half] some hundreds of cases have come before me of the kind usually dealt with by inferior tribunals, and nothing has struck me more, in the course of their investigation, than the utter stupidity—I can use no other word for it—the utter absence of intelligence and common sense, and utter inability to calculate or comprehend the con- sequences of what they were doing, which seems to me to mark by far the greater portion of habitual offenders. It is quite the exception, so fur as my experience goes, to find any man brought up as an habitual criminal who is not in point of understanding very far below the average of his class. It is equally an exception to find one who M not mere or less given to in- temperate habits. The intellectual and moral deficiency appear to go together, and surely from that it is a reasonable inference that the more you can do eo increase men's intelligence, and give them other interests and employments, since idle habits are those which lead to drunken habits, the more you will do to lessen the amount of at least the grosser forms of crime in this country ; and it is that gross and vulgar form of crime which con- stitutes nine-tenths of the whole. I don't mean to say that the mere power of reading and writing will make that difference; what will make the dif- ference is the thoughtful habit of mind, the wide range of interests and ideas, the habit of looking to the past and future as well as the present, and the having seine other pleasures besides mere physical excitement, and some other ideas besides those suggested by the routine of daily life." Lord Stanley concluded by stating his opinion as to the working classes, that "one of their strongest feelings is an honourable and almost jealous sentiment of independence and self-respect, and nothing goes nearer to their hearts than an appeal to theta to keep up the honour of their class."

Mr. Beeeroft, M.P., attended the soirée of the Kirkstall Educational Society on Tuesday, and expressed his views on education ; he is in fa- vour of social intercourse and rational amusement being mixed with edu- cational efforts- " The tendency of English habits is to exclusiveness. Many causes con- duce to division and disruption. The perfection to which the principle of the division of labour is carried intensifies class distinctions and class in- terests. Having all their wants supplied, the various ranks of society be- come independent of each other, and so indifferent to each other. Thus by self-sufficiency or selfishness, there is opposed a barrier to union almost in- surmountable. The very civilization on which we so pride ourselves con- tains within it the germs of separation and dissolution. Everywhere there are complaints of disintegration and isolation ; and he who shall wander from home in search of society, like Goldsmith's Traveller, drags at each remove a lengthening chain. Now, it is not good for man or for classes M men to be alone.' Without intercourse we grow stiff. Segregation does -not soften the temper, nor does isolation evoke charity ordevelop those affec- tions which are the spice of life. A little gentle friction not only promotes warmth but polish. Against this natural tendency of high civilization to dis,olve the bond of union, and to break men up into sections, there is needed some countervailing force, mid to supply that counteracting agency is, I take it, one of the laudable objects of your valuable institute."

Mr. E. A. Leathern, M.P., presided at the Dewsbury Mechahics' In- stitute soirée on Tuesday. In the course of his speech, Mr. Leatham flattered his audience to the top of their bent, by representing to them the vulgar opinion that art, science, literature, skill in war, skill in poli- ties, eminence in religion, are as dust in the balance compared with "the superiority of the many."

Mr. Hutt, Vice-President of the Board of Trade, addressed his constituents at Gateshead, on Wednesday, on temperance. Avoiding the more general truisms uttered on such occasions, Mr. Hutt drew on his official life for testimony wind intoxicating liquors— He happened to hold an official appointment which made it requisite for him to look at this subject from every particular point of view. It was one of his duties, as Paymaster-General, to distribute pensions to suffering and disabled soldiers who were desirous to quit the army. It was his business to make minute inquiries as to the causes of their incapacity. Ile would venture to say—and he should say it with less confidence if he did not know that the statement was borne out by the highest military authorities, men who gathered their opinions from the practical scenes of real life— that the abuse of intoxicating liquors was more destructive to that noble force than all the combined evils of privation to which they were exposed— more so than their exposure to unhealthy climates and direct conflict with the ene.my. What were they to do ? He was afraid it was not merely by building churches and chapels—it was not merely by clothing the naked, by feeding the hungry, or giving shelter to the houselcss, that these evils could be permanently removed. We must go deeper still. "We must penetrate, however difficult the task, through all the external filth and misery which were festering round these degenerate creatures—penetrate to their still human hearts by appeals to their reason, and thus restore them to the healthy and free breathing of a sober and temperate atmosphere. The particular means for attaining these objects might be matters on which different persons might hold different opinions ; but in one common effort they could agree—and that was to attempt, by moral suasion and example, to deter their fellow-men from these desolating propensities, and induce them to adopt a different course of life.

The Western .Daily Press states that another attempt is to be made to discover the Road murder. Mr. Slack has discovered precedents to support the revival of the coroner's inquest ; and it is said, with the approval of the Attorney-General, that inquisition will be reopened.

The strike amongst the hands employed in the various cotton mills in Huddersfield is on the increase. The strike resulted primarily from an objection entertained on the part of several of the masters in the locality to employ those hands who had formed an alliance with the Oldham Union, a society which has only lately begun to exercise its influence in the neighbourhood.

A large body of workmen have commenced the new fortifications between Sconce Point and the Needles, in the Isle of Wight. The cost of these fortifications is estimated at 168,000/.

The Lancashire Rifle centest came off at Hishtoweron Monday ; the shoot- ing was rather indifferent, which is to be attributed to the haziness of the atmosphere and the high state of the wind. Corporal Charles Bell, of the Line secured the first prize of 501., the Hightown Stakes for which he scored 12 points out of 15 shots at 300, 500, 600 yards ; Stakes, Bluett, Tenth Foot, scoring 11, got the second prize of 201.; and Mr. James Jervis, First Manchester Rifles, secured the third prize by 10 points. At the 300 yards range with five rounds, there were 6 fives, 6 fours, 12 threes, 9 twos, 14 ones, and 11 who scored nothing; at the 500 yards' range there Were 1 eight, 1 six, 1 five, 3 fours' 11 threes, 6 twos, 9 ones, and 23 who scored nothing; at the 600 yards there were 1 five, 2 threes, 3 twos, 15 ones, and 37 who scored nothing. The total score was 256, giving an aver- age of very nearly 4. to each competitor.

Colonel Brown's purse of 25/. for Artillery Volunteers, shooting with the regulation carbines at 200 mid 300 yards, was won by Captain Brabner, Twentieth Liverpool Artillery Volunteers, who made ten points. For the second prize of 15/. there were three " ties "—Lieutenant Charles B. Bean, Lieutenant J. B. Stanley, and F. H. Michalowski having made 8 points each. The shooting off was sphited, four rounds being fired before the victory was determined. The result was that the second prize Was won by Mr, Michatowski, and the third of 101. fell to Lieutenant Stanley. At the 200 yards range there were 3 sixes 1 five, 3 fours, 4 threes, 1 two, 2 ones, and 2 who scored nothing. At the 300 yards range there were 1 six, 5 fours, 3 threes, 4 twos, 1 one, and 4 who scored nothing. The total score was 99, giving an average of 5.1 to each competitor. The third and last match for the day was a silver cup, valued at fifty guineas, given by Mr. -William Preston ; second prize, twelve guineas, presented by Messrs. Webb and Hunt ; to be competed for by the Rifle Volunteers of Liverpool ; distances 300 and 500 yards. Five shots at each range ; entrance, 5s. In this match there was a tie between W. H. Richards, Thirty-ninth Liverpool Rifle Volunteers, and C. C. Pole, Fifth Liverpool Rifle Volunteers, each having 11 points. The "tie" was shot off at 600 yards, one shot each. Richards made a centre against an outer by Pole, and consequently took the first prize, the second falling to C. C. Pole. At the 300 yards range tbere were 3 sevens, 3 sixes, 5 fives, 10 fours, 10 threes, 15 twos, 21 ones, and 12 who scored nothing. At the 500 yards there were 1 six, 5 fours, 9 threes, 11 twos, 23 ones, and 27 who scored nothing. In this match there were 81 competitors. The total score was 311, giving an average of rather better than n to each competitor. The challenge cup value fifty guineas was won by Sergeant Sinew, R. Maxwell, and It. N. Swire, delegates from First Division, Fifth Company, Second Battalion. On Wednesday the weather was unfavourable • "bulls eyes" were only occasionally visible at 300 yards. The Benson and Mallet cup was decided. One gentleman, an Indian officer, made beautiful practice in a new fashion ; he sits on the ground, supports the barrel of his rifle on his left arm, draws up his legs towards his chin, rests the butt of the rifle against tbe middle of the right arm, and supports the toe of the butt on the right knee, as if he were carefully hushing his rifle asleep. Not a tremor could be noticed, but "bulls eyes" and "centres" rewarded his steadiness. °best Volunteers, however, cannot achieve the feat. A very painful accident happened to Colonel Gladstone. His horse leaping over a drain threw him ; in regaining his footing the animal planted his hoof in his master's neck, inflicting a fearful gash downwards from the ear. The Colonel is fortunately healthy, or the accident might have ;moved fatal ; but as it was he was able to be conveyed to Liverpool by train. The following was the result of the day's work, which included' onlytwo events—first, a cup or purse, value 100 guineas, presented by the Lord- Lieutenant of the county ; and the bronze medal of the National Rifle Asso- ciation, presented by that body. Second prize—A silver vase, value 201., pre- sented by Mr. Henry Greenwood. Third prize—A rifle, presented by Mr. Thomas 'furner, of Birmingham. To be competed for by Volunteers of the county. Distances, 300, 600, and 800 yards. Five shots at each range. En- trance, 5s. Only the short range was shot off. The other event was a cup, value twelve guineas, presented by Messrs. Benson and Mallett, to be corn. peted for by any Volunteer whose corps was present at the Knowsley review. Distances, 200 and 300 yards. Five shots at each range. Entrance, 5s. For this there were 130 entries, and 110 competitors entered the lists. It was won by Thomas Casson, 39th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers, who made a total score of seventeen, making eight at the 200, and nine at the 300 yards range. The competition could scarcely be said to be keen, as the next highest score was thirteen. At the short range, there were 1 ten, 2 nines, 5 eights, 12 sevens, 10 sixes, 22 fives, 23 fours, 13 threes, 6 twos, 9 ones, and 2 nothings. At the 300 yards range there were 1 nine 4 sevens, 6 sixes, 10 fives, 18 fours, 16 threes, 19 twos, 14 ones, and 15 milking& lhe total score was 810, giving an average of nearly n to each competitor.

'e Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University bas introduced rifle con- tests into the curriculum of Cautabs. A great contest for the Vice- Chancellor's silver cup, kept no with great spirit, ended in the triumph of Mr. Peterkiu, of Emmanuel, who scored thirty-seven points at 150, 200, 250, and 300 yards, out of five rounds at each distance.

The Nottingham forgeries were again the subject of magisterial investiga- tion on Monday. Mr. Robert White, of the firm of White, Brothers, and his late commercial traveller, John Davis, were committed for trial.

Some excitement has been caused at Promo by the refusal of the Reverend J. Shaw, one of the curates of the vicar, the Reverend W. J. E. Bennet, to bury a drunkard. At four o'clock on Monday, the body was brought to the churchyard, attended by four mourners and a large crowd. The grave was found to be only partially dug, and having waited for this to be completed, the coffin was lowered, and without a word of prayer or other service' the wife of the deceased threw in a clod, and the party withdrew, amid the loud execrations of the crowd on the conduct of the clergyman.

The coroner's inquest upon the melancholy accident caused by the explo- sion of shells at Eastbourne which we noticed last week, has terminated with a verdict of "Accidental death," and an addendum by the Jury which imputes a want of human feding to some one—" The jurors cannot separate without expressing an opinion that, after notices had been put up and circu- lated by Lieutenant-Colonel Mackay that the tower was in a dangerous state, and that there were several unexploded shells inside due caution as to the danger was not given to the workmen emplyed in digging out the rubbish."