NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THE occurrences in the manufacturing districts of the North of England exhibit a state of feeling in the working population.,-cal:. culated to create much anxiety, if not alarm, for the future... The arrest of Mr. STEPHENS, for a misdemeanour, has been followed by his exatnivation and committal fin. trial. It was intimated by the counsel for the prosecution, that the charge would be extended, and embrace the crime of conspiracy to " prevent the due execu- tion of the laws, and amongst others, of the new Poor-law." Pro- ceedings are to be instituted against other parties, not yet desig- nated. If it is a duty of executive government not only to punish but to prevent breaches of the peace and resistance to established order, there can be no question as to the propriety of stopping Mr. STEPHENS in his course of' inflammatory harangues to the multi- tude. That agitator is not a vapouring demagogue, or a reckless ruffian, as some have supposed : he is neither Chartist, Radical, nor (though O'CoNNEr.i. in Ireland, and Whigs and " rational Radicals" in England have avouched the the° a " tool of' the Tories." Mr. STEPHENS appears, really, to have no political ob-

jects ; but to be influenced a species of' philanthropic insanity. Acutely sympathizing with o a. working population, among whom

he lives, and ignorant of the hale mode of improving their con-

dition, he has encouraged thatn't • :2ect succour front means cer- tain to augment their distre.: their destruction. Wages being low and the withcfra Nal of th :oj.l ssatem of relief to the

poor impending, Mr. STEPHENS, if we may trust the testimony, exhorts the multitudes who flock around him, to resist the law

and wreak vengeance on those employed to execute it. The dis- position to follow his advice, is believed to exist very generally among the workmen of Lancashire and Yorkshire ; and there is evidence that pikes and other weapons of offence have been re-

cently purchased in large quantities. Armed resistance to the law of the Oppressor, Mr. STEPHENS proclaims to be commanded by

the Word of God; and no small portion of his influence is derived from religious fervour. Moreover, this man is represented as not only blameless in his private life, but actively benevolent. In his intercourse with the poor he is most kind and affectionate. His oratorical powers are considerable. Altogether, he must be con- sidered as belonging to another and higher order than O'Cox-

NOR and 0AsTram ; neither of .whom, probably, have a relish for the honours of martyrdom—which SrErnEss would not shrink from. One STEPHENS is more formidable than a " wilderness" of

O'Coxxotts ; and now that it has been ascertained that the people are actually following his precepts, in the purchase and preparation of arms, to the discomfort and terror of peacefully-disposed citi- zens, it would be a criminal negligence in the Government, not to arrest the progress of such an agitation. The mode of conducting the prosecution is a separate question front the expediency which dictated it ; and, exemplifying that woful

lack of business capabilities tla- which Whig officials of all grades

get the credit of, the proeeedings appear to have been managed in the most bungling style. Witnesses were produced to swear from

recollection to words uttered SO long ago as the I 3th of November, to support a charge of simple misdemeanour. It is believed that stronger and more easily proved cases, occurring subsequently to that period, might have been selected. There was also irregularity in the preliminary examination befitre the Magistrates, which re- quired correction before the order for committal could be made out.

More knowledge and care was afterwards displayed on the part of the prosecution ; but it would not be surprising it' the case broke down in court lbr want of sufficiently precise evidence. In that event, all the benefit which might have ensued from making an example of the leader would be lost upon his followers, who would regard his acquittal as a triumph. As it is, he will be revered as a martyr. Numerous meetings of working men have been held in Lanca- shire and Yorkshire, and one in London, to avow sympathy with

Mr. STEPHENS, and a resolution to support him. They declare that he shall not be the victim of oppression, and dare the Govern- ment to persevere. These menaces are not formidable. There is more cause for anxiety in the avoidance of outrage, and the power of self-restraint when strongly excited, now exhibited by the masses. Unless they are unwisely attacked, there is no probability that STEPHENS'S followers will have recourse to violence. But they are exasperated. Considerable numbers have refused to work. They meet and talk together in groups on the all-engrossing topic. From this subject we turn to one more nearly connected with it than may at the first glance be evident—the Coalition of Whigs and Tories. The notion at one. time prevalent that such an ar- rangement was probable—inevitable, some rather well-informed politicians considered it—has passed away. An article in the Quarterly Review, and a speech at Exeter by Sir WILLIAM FOLLETT, have destroyed the remains of the speculation. Instead of coa- lescing, the Tories intend to " set up for themselves." Thtit dis- tress-signals have been hung out by the Whigs, may easily be be- lieved; and at the Exeter dinner, Mr. PARKER, M.P. for South Devon, alluded to the rumour that some of the Whig-Ratical Ministers were ready to take office with the Tories ; but there is no corresponding inclination on the part of the Conservative leaders.

Sonic parts of time Quarterly manifesto (three-fourths of which is on the Canada question—and slashing) would induce a belief that the Opposition will, in the ensuing session, abandon its Fabian policy, and become aggressive : but there are also symptoms of perplexity. The speedy acquisition of power is not promised to the party ; and the alarming state of domestic and foreign affairs is dwelt upon, as if to console the too eager aspirants after office for their continued exclusion. Sir Wthia.tm FoLiamr, though he in- timates a suspicion and a hope that divisions in the Ministerial ranks may "let in the Tories," is not sanguine on that point. That the period is not fir distant When the existing Administration will be destroyed by 11111861C NrCilkIWAS or external assault, every 'for)' believes ; but at what given day their triumph will occur, is the important question to which no satisfactory reily can be given. It may have been imagined by some alarmists, that the state of time manutlicturing districts, and the necessity of " strong government," will either force the Tories into power, or com- press the two great parties into a Coalition Ministry. But the light which has recently been thrown upon the real nature of the popular mi content, forbias the expectation. The type of the dis- ease is not political, but social. There are no ,:lemetos for "strong government " to contend with. The ordinary exercise of the law is sufficient to preserve the peace. In no respect would "strong go- vernment" be better able to grapple with the spirit of disaffection, than the present feeble administration. There is no resistance which requires extraordinary vigour of repression. It is true that the ul-

timate danger is augmented by the discipline of the working popu- lation, which prevents outbreaks: but nothing would be gained on the side of security by arraying the Aristocracy in formal union

against the People ; for the latter are fully aware that mg/ govern- ment would be enabled to enforce the laws and punish transgres- sors. A "strong government " would have no opportunity of dis-

playing its superior three; and therethre the need of one to repress popular discontent and protect property from attack is not apparent,

—or, which is the same thing, there is no necessity, from the ex- isting state of the manufiteturing distrlets, to substitute a Coalition Ministry for that of the MefasounNE Whigs.