'fit Vrobiretes.

There is likelihood of a contest over the vacant seat for the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Honourable Charles W. Wentworth-Fitzwilliam lately published an address to the constituency, in which he avoided all allusion to the meeting at Normanton, and the conditional resolutions in his favour there passed. Some influential persons took umbrage or alarm at this, and the Mayor of Leeds wrote to Mr. Fitzwilliam, in respectful form, for " an expression of sentiments decided, clear, and explicit," on the four leading points embodied in the Normanton resolutions. Mr. Fitzwilliam's reply was more inexplicit than his address. In consequence, a movement was set on foot to call a meeting at Wakefield of delegates from all the polling districts of the West Riding, to discuss the matter. That meeting was held on Friday last; the Mayor of Leeds presiding. Of the resolutions that were passed, the first—moved by Mr. Milligan, Mayor of Bradford, and seconded by Mr. Robert Sony of Sheffield—expressed deep regret and dis- appointment that the Normanton meeting and resolutions had been passed over in Mr. Fitzwilliam's address. The second, moved by Mr. Harrison, Mayor of Wakefield, and seconded by Mr. Thomas Todd of Dewsbury, was- " That inasmuch as Mr. Fitzwilliam 's address makes no declaration of his opi- nions upon any of the four great questions which form the basis of this [the fol- lowing?] resolution, and inasmuch as a subsequent correspondence between the honourable gentleman and the Mayor of Leeds shows either that his opinions upon these important and prominent questions are not yet formed, or are opposed to the expressed sentiments of the resolution, the assembled electors distinctly and em helically declare that they cannot give their support to Mr. C. W. W. Fitz- william the ensuing election."

Mr. Edward Baines of Leeds proposed, and Mr. F. Crossley of Halifax seconded, the following, for the third resolution- " That the delegates now present declare it to be the indispensable condition of their support of any candidate, that he be favourable to the principle of free trade, to economical reform of the national expenditure, to a gradual and safe extension of the suffrage, and opposed to any further extension of the endowment of religion by the State." An amendment was proposed to omit the last clause; but there were only eight votes for this course, and the resolution was carried intact by a great majority. A Committee was appointed to watch over the interests of the Liberal electors.

On Wednesday, Mr. Fitzwilliam issued the second address which the electors of the West Riding expected to see on Monday. He declares him- self generally for ilia trade; declines pledging himself on further Church.' endowment; thinks the public finances require the most rigid economy; and confesses himself not prepared for great organic changes. The dissa- tisfaction against him has been increased by his manifesto, and the opposi- tion seems likely to become decided and general.

At Derby, on Tuesday, two hundred-and-fifty gentlemen met and ban- queted in honour of their late Member, Mr. Strutt. They presented to him a remarkable testimonial of undiminished respect,—namely, two vo- lumes, one containing the written address and the autographs of a large majority of the electors, and the other the same address and names printed in gold on the finest white vellum, with a splendidly illuminated dedica- tion. The Mayor presided; and was supported by Mr. Cavendish, M.P., Mr. Evans, M.P., Mr. Bass, M.P., Mr. Heyworth, M.P., and Mr. Thomas Gisborne. The speeches were in a style of more than usually cordial Compliment; and Mr. Strutt announced, with political regrets but social gratulations to himself, his retirement from public life.

The Municipal elections throughout England took place as usual on the 1st instant, and the elections of Mayors on the 9th. Any but a local interest in these yearly elections has entirely ceased. In Liverpool, Mr. Brumley Moore is the new Mayor; in Manchester, Alderman Potter; in Birmingham, Alderman Thornton.

Scandalous outrages have been enacted at the church of St. Sidwell in the city of Exeter. The Reverend Mr. Ingle had taken turn with other clergymen of Exeter in Sunday evening lectures at this church; and it was Mr. Ingle's practice to preach his sermon in a surplice, and to restore the rubrical forms of service in a manner thought by the parishioners of St. Sidwell to savour of Popish revival. On previous Sundays during this year, some persons of the congregation had always left the church at the moment when these new observances commenced; but no more open mark of disapprobation ever showed itself. On Sunday the 29th October, mat- ters took a new turn, and ended in open riot.

" The uproar commenced," says the Western Luminary—which, be it observed, appears to have a colour hostile to Mr. Ingle—" with a general coughing down.' Several persons then moved towards the door, making a great noise in their pro- gress; a young woman went off in a fit of hysterics, uttering loud shrieks, whilst a mob outside besieged the doors of the building. A cry of 'Fire! ' was raised, followed by an announcement that the church-doors were closed; and a rush was Made to burst them open. Some persons cried, Turn him out!' ' Put out his lights!' In the galleries the uproar was at its height; whistling, the noise of eat-calls, and such cries as are heard in theatres, hurrahing, &c., echoed throughout the edifice. Mr. Ingle still persisted to read his text, but was qnite inaudible; and the row increased, some of the congregation waving limit hats, standing on the seats, jumping over the seats, bawling, roaring, and gesticulating, like a mob at an election. The reverend gentleman, in the midst of the confusion, despatched a message to the Mayor, requesting his 848., istance; and whilst the messenger was gone on his errand, the Churchwarden, Dlr. Hayman, addressed the people, and also requested Mr. Ingle to remove the cause of the ill-feeling expressed at his appearance. Mr. Ingle treated the request with indifference; upon which a Mr. B. Hill addressed him in no mea- sured terms, and insisted on his leaving the pulpit. The Mayor at length ar-

rived, and shortly afterwards the Superintendent of the Police and several con- stables. The Reverend Chancellor Harrington and the Venerable Archdeacon Bartholomew also arrived. The Mayor enforced silence, and, after admonishing the people, requested the clergyman to leave the pulpit for a few minutes, and to speak to him in the vestry. Mr. Ingle treated the Mayor's request with the same disrespect he had the other remonstrances addressed to him. He refused to com- ply, and took advantage of the temporary lull to give out his text and proceed with his discourse, the matter of which was supplied from the recent political events in Paris and Ireland. At its conclusion he declined the advice of the Mayor to retire to his borne by a private way into Longbrook Street. Further evils were, however, averted by his friends carrying him off by the way the Mayor proposed. The damage done to the interior of the church is said to be very con- siderable."

On Friday, the Bishop of Exeter eat in the Cathedral Chapterhouse, and held an investigation into the circumstances. He explained that he did not sit judicially; and he only proceeded with the investigation after ask- ing Mr. Ingle's feeling on the point, and receiving his expressed desire that he should go on. The Bishop examined a great number of witnesses; and in the course of his acute inquisition, extracted a different account of the transaction from any of those which have appeared in the newspapers. Mr. Ingle explained, that before acceding to the request originally made, he stipulated expressly that he should have liberty to conduct the service and preach his sermon in the mode now impugned; and his stipulations were in- stantly accepted. No decided objection had been made to this mode on the other Sundays; and it appears by the explanations of Mr. Ingle and his brother clergymen, with the testimony of several other respectable per- sons, that however indiscreet he may have been in persisting, he showed no disrespect to the Mayor; but deferred to that gentleman in his offi- cial capacity with much courtesy and forbearance, although the Magis- trate's impatient brusquerie might have provoked retorts. The Bishop owned that he did not now view Mr. Ingle as in the position of having wantonly defied the strong feeling notoriously known to prevail in the parish.

Four years ago, there occurred in the same parish scenes which disgraced the whole city, for they found no parallel during the last two hundred years. But though Mr. Ingle had not been the reckless cause of the disgraceful scenes of Sunday last, be would have exercised a sound discretion if he had come to his Bishop before making such a stipulation as that he would only deliver his lecture in the surplice. On the occasion in question, four years ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury intimated in a provincial letter, that in the then excited state of public feeling, any steps to approach a more rigid observance of the laws of the Church would be unadvisable, but that as soon as the time came he would con- sult with the Bishops on the advisable steps. The time never came, and they had lost their excellent Archbishop; but Dr. Philpott had advised his clergy meanwhile to act on the advice so given, and make no approaches to a stricter conformity in the services unless at the wish of the congregations themselves. The surplice in the evening service was a questionable thing—which rested on other grounds than the law for the surplice in the morning service—inasmuch as, strictly speaking, the evening discourse was not contemplated by the Book of Common Prayer, and was a lecture rather than a sermon. He thought the Com- mittee which managed the lectures would have done wisely, too, if they had taken the opinion of the Bishop. The Bishop saw no grounds for ecclesiastical proceedings against Mr. Ingle. Since the publication of the newspaper report, Bishop Philpott has written a letter to Mr. Ingle, stating more distinctly than he thought he bad already done, the " great pleasure with which he had heard high and un controverted testimony borne to Mr. Ingle'a discreet, temperate, and peace foil demeanour on that very trying occasion."

Dr. Shapter, the Mayor of Exeter, has also written to Mr. Ingle, stating the surprise with which he had learnt by the report that he had used the expressions "your conduct is unbecoming a clergyman and a gentleman. He " must now believe he did " use those expressions•' and he " hastens to retract them and make every apology for having used them."

The sudden and voluntary death of Lord Midleton, at Peper-Harrow Park, was briefly mentioned in our latest impression of last week. On Monday, an inquest was held over the body. The cause of death was fully proved to have been, as we mentioned, the fumes of charcoal burned in a close room. Lord Midleton had ordered a brazier of burning charcoal to be placed in a small unfrequented room, fur the ostensible purpose of drying the damp walls; and he was found dead in this room by his valet. He had taken a pillow from his bedroom, and placed it on a step in the other room, and there lay down and died. Several witnesses proved that of late his Lordship had shown signs of deep grief, and even of consequent mental derangement, caused by the circumstances of a lawsuit with a Mr. Beadon, and Lady Midleton's voluntary separation from him. Mr. J. Debenham, clerk to Mr. Henry Marshall, solicitor, said that he was fre- quently in his Lordship's company—sometimes for a day together, He often noticed that he was very low-spirited; and he seemed to suffer much in mind on account of a lawsuit he bad with a Mr. Beadon. The last time he was speaking of something he wanted completed; for in the event of bis death, he said, it would be difficult to finish. He then burst out crying. He left the room, and on his re- turn he noticed that he had been crying much. [Oar own information couples the name of another Metropolitan Magistrate with this litigation, under circumstances of a justly exasperating nature to poor Lord Midleton.] The Reverend Lawrence W. Elliott, of Peper-Harrow, said that he had known the deeeased for many years. In July 1847, Lord Midleton communicated to him the intelligence of her Ladyship having left him, and added, that it was all his own fault. He was then in such a distressed state of mind that witness did not like to leave him by himself. Two or three days afterwards Lord Midleton told witness that he was in such a distressed state that he had hardly been able to keep himself from laying violent hands on himself. Mr. Elliott could not attribute his state of mind to anything else than the separation between himself and Lady Midleton. About the middle of March 1848, whilst conversing with witness, he said, "Oh, my life is a hell on earth"; and added, that he had had such a night, that he would not have another like it for all the world; and he concluded by saying that he had been on his knees all the night. He was ex- tremely violent in his language, and seemed to suspect his best friends of wanting Lady Midleton to set him at defiance. He often said he hoped he should be seized with a fit of apoplexy and die. During the last two months, he had spoken of how he had disposed of his property, and what would be the result after his death. On the morning of Wednesday last, he attended at his Lordship's late residence. In the room where he was lying were some verses and lettere, with a document headed "The last will and testament." [Lord Midleton was a man of peculiarly generous feeling and quick sensibility. Isdy Midleton herself, in the accom- plishments and matrimonial position which she owed to his affection, afforded an instance of his generosity and superiority to social prejudice.]

The Jury, found the following verdict- " That the Right Honourable George Alan, Viscount Midleton, be a certain room in Peper-Harrow mansion, in the parish of Peper-Harrow, within the county of Surrey, did, on Wednesday the 1st November 1558, destroy his own life, be being at the time in a state of temporary insanity."

George Alan Brodrick, Viscount Midleton, Baron Brodrick of Midleton, Ire- land, and Baron Brodrick of Peper-Harrow, Surrey, was son of George the fourth Viscount. He married Ellen, daughter of — Griffiths; leaves no issue; and will be succeeded by his cousin Charles; who is a barrister, and the son of the late Archbishop of CasheL The Brodrick family is of ancient Norman stock.

Captain Sergison Smyth's wife, " an amiable and beautiful lady in the prime of life," living with her husband and five children, near Romsey in 'Hampshire, has lost her life in a lamentable way. On the 30th October, Mrs. Smyth's servant called at the shop of Mr. Jones, a chemist in Ramsey, for a bottle of tonic mixture, to be compounded by a prescription Mr. Jones had frequently before made up. Mr. Jones himself took the order, and fell into a brief conversation with the ser- vant on the fact that he had not enough of one of the ingredients, (nine grains of salicine,) to make the mixture of the usual quantity. It was arranged that enough for a single dose only should be sent then, and more afterwards. During this conversation it grew dusk, and Mr. Jones reached for the bottle containing the salicine from an obscure corner: perhaps, too, he was flurried at being unprovided with enough of the drug required. He made up the proscription quickly, the servant desiring haste, and sent it off. We quote now from Mr. Jones's evidence at the inquest " The following morning, after I had breakfasted and gone up stairs to dress, I went into the shop as usual. My young man said, 'Did you see the horse gallop into the town with Captain Smyth's servant this morning?' I said, `No; what was the reason, do you know?' He said. No; but I saw Mr. Taylor go off directly afterwards.' I said, 'I hope Mrs. Smyth is not worse,' and turned round towards my desk. I then saw the bottle I had used the previous night. I took it up, and saw that it was labelled strychnine. I said, Oh, my God, I have given this in mistake to Mrs. Smyth.' I then rushed and told Mrs. Jones; but I was so agitated that she did not at first understand me. I then sent the young man to Mr. Taylor's surgery to know what was the matter with Mrs. Smyth. He returned and said, he did not know what was the matter, as Mr. Taylor had not returned. I had a partial hope that she had not taken the medicine, because Caroline [the servant] had said she thought there was a little left of the other. I then ordered a horse and chaise to be got ready immediately, and waited while it was getting ready. My wife, seeing me so much excited, met me at the White Horse gateway, to go with me, fearing lest I should drive too rapidly and produce another accident. I soon got to Jermyn's. When on the grounds I met Mr. Taylor. I asked how Mrs. Smyth was. He said she was dead. I cannot express what where my feelings; but I think Mr. Taylor gave it in evidence the other day. That is all I have to say." The Jury deliberated for nearlytwo hours, and returned a verdict of " Manslaughter." The Coroner praised Mr. Jones's frankness, but committed him for trial.

A large new building at Surlingbam in Suffolk, used as a grease-factory, has fallen down in consequence of recent inundations having washed away the founda- tions.

The Leeds Mercury states, that it is not unlikely that the self-accusation of murder wade by Joseph Foster is the invention of a disordered mind. There are circumstances that appear to contradict his statements; and on several occasions he had talked incoherently of giving himself up for murders. When in gaol on a charge of illegal drilling the officers of the prison doubted his sanity.