The Scarborough Reform Association, a few days ago, unanimously resolved
to present an address of thanks to Edward Stillingflett Cayley, Esq., M.P. for the North Riding, in acknowledgment of the very efficient services rendered by him to the cause of Reform, and to the Reformers of Scarborough in particular, during the past session of Parliament. On Tuesday last the address, signed by all the members of the Association, was presented to the honourable Member in the Old Globe Lodge-room, in the presence of a very large assemblage of people. The speech of Mr. Covey, in acknowledgment, which occu- pied nearly two hours in the delivery, was a most eloquent and masterly address, and made a very powerful impression on the minds of his auditors, who were principally voters. This was the first public address ever presented to a Member of Parliament from the inhabitants of Scarborough ; and was stated by Mr. Cayley to have been the first expression of the approbation of his constituents he had received,— Rail Observer.
A meeting of the inhabitants of Devonport was held on Friday, OA the subject of applying for a charter of incorporation under the new Municipal Act ; when a further adjournment took place, to allow time for an inquiry into the probable expenses. It is likely that a petition for a charter will be resolved on.—Devonporf Independent.
A practical reform has been effected, without legislative enactment, in the mode of appointing the municipal officers for Salford. It was considered a rather extraordinary thing, that whilst the King, who is Id of the Manor, acted by the advice of a Liberal Ministry, his deputy, the Earl of Sefton, himself a Liberal, should permit the Steward of the Court Leet, or his clerk, to nominate the Jury in whom is vested ths election of Constables for the borough, and thus perpe- tuate the appointment of officers imbued with all the bigotry and pre- judice of Church-of-Englandism and Toryism. It was deemed a strange anomaly, that whilst the Member of Parliament, the Church-
warden, the Overseers, and a majority of the Police Commissioners were decided and thoroughgoing Reformers, the Constables, having the sole control of the criminal department of the Police, were as de- cided and as thorough going Tories. It was accordingly resolved that a representation should be made to Lord Sefton as to the mode in which his delegated powers were exercised; and the result has been an arrangement that hereafter the names of the twenty-three jurymen should be drawn by lot from a list of five hundred respectable rate-payers its Salford and Pendleton. His Lordship, with a due regard to the ad-. vantages of popular election, has also intimated his wish that the Jury should receive the appointment of Constables as made at a Vestry meeting. Probably, in consequence of this reform, and in anticipation of still greater changes to be effected if the Municipal Corporations Bill be applied for, Mr. Norris is about to retire from the Stewardship. —Manchester Times.
The Corporation of Oxford, at their last Meeting, passed a vote of thanks to Lord Lyndhurst for " the important improvements" in the Municipal Corporation Bill " effected by his patriotic exertions."
On Monday evening last, the Portreeve of Yeovil proceeded to sell by auction, at the Mermaid Inn, the whole of the property belong- ing to the Corporation of that town. A great number of the inhabi- tants were assembled ; among whom were Mr. Greenhorn arid Mr. Wellington, two of the burgesses, who protested against the sale; telling the Portreeve that he had no right whatever to offer it for sale, and cautioning the auctioneer not to put it up. The Portreeve, how- ever, persisted ; and the whole property, which is affirmed to be worth `25,000t, was put up in one lot, and knocked down to Mr. William Jennings, son of Mr. Jennings, for the sum of 2,610L—Plymouth Journal. [This seems to be a most singular proceeding.]
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