Vrouintigl.

Some prophets have honour in their own country.. The memory of the late Mr. Brotherton is to be preserved by the erection of a statue in Peel Park. At a meeting on Saturday 10001. was subscribed for that purpose. A letter from the Mayor of Salford, announcing the death of Mr. Brotherton to the Speaker of the House of Commons, received the following acknowledgment.

"House of Commons, London, 8.W., January 1857.

" Sir—I am directed by the Speaker of the House of Commons to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, conveying the melancholy intelligence of the death of the honourable Member for your borough, Joseph Brotherton, Esq. He directs me further to express his sincere regret at the decease of so useful a Member of the House over which he has the honour to preside. The loss of a Member whose life in the House of Commons has been for a lengthened period most unostentatiously devoted to the voluntary discharge of various duties (many of them, apparently, not of very great consequence in themselves, but in reality of the greatest importance to the well-conducting of public business in the Imperial Parliament) is one which the Speaker deeply deplores.

"I have the honour to be, Sir, your very obedient servant,

"GEORGE WALDEGRAVIL

"To his Worship Stephen Melia, Esq., Mayor of Salford, &c."

[Mr. Brotherton, it may be remembered, had the conduct of all the Committees on Private Bills, a task entailing immense labour.] The annual meeting of the Manchester party is announced for the 29th instant. Neither Mr. Cobden nor Mr. Bright is expected this year ; but Mr. Milner Gibson, Mr. James Heywood, Mr. John Cheetham, and Mr. George Hadfield, all Members of Parliament, have promised to take part in the proceedings. The meeting is announced as one of "Freetraders and Friends of Political Progress," and Mr. George Wilson is to preside.

Mr. Frewen, at present one of the Members for East Sussex, having publicly stated that he will retire when Parliament is dissolved, Lord Pevensey has come forward in the Conservative interest. But he claims the votes both of Liberal and Conservative electors in behalf of these vaguely-expressed views—

"Legitimate reduction of taxation, without draining the Treasury—economy, without impoverishing the force and vigour of the nation—equitable arrangement of questions relative to the Church, without disturbing its fundamental institutions—adjustment of electoral privileges, without extending them to classes not yet prepared to receive them—a gradual progress of legislation, without the spasmodic violence of radical measures—a strict and loyal adherence to the first principles of the constitution, without being blind to its defects—these are Conservative principles, but yet they are neither obstructive nor retrograde." More positively, he is in favour of "a reduction of the Income-tax and a repeal of the Hop-duty." Mr. John George Dodson, of Hurstpierpoint, has come forward in the Liberal interest.

There is likely to be a contest for the representation of Colchester, as Lord John Manners, one of the present Members, will replace his brother the Marquis of Granby in the representation of Leicestershire. In anticipation of a vacancy arising out of the death of the Duke of Rutland, Mr. Gorden. &bow, of Wivenhoe, issued an address.

Mr. Falvey, the Distributor of Stamps at Southampton, suspended for taking part in electioneering matters, has been this week restored to his post.

The Reverend Dr. Biekersteth, Bishop of Ripon, was "confirmed" on Saturday, and consecrated on Sunday, in York Minster; the Archbishop of York, assisted by the Bishops of Durham and Carlisle, performing the requisite ceremonies.

At Christmas, the Reverend R. Roper, Rector of St. Olave's, Exeter, placed a large cross over the altar, and eight smaller ones in different parts of the church, all composed of evergreens. Some of the parishioners were offended; the Churchwardens called the attention of Archdeacon Stevens to the subject, and the Archdeacon laid the matter before the Bishop. In reply, the Bishop said, he was "always sorry when any of the clergy involve themselves in disputes with their people about these miserable ornaments" ; that he considered Mr. Roper had been guilty of "great indiscretion" ; that the parish might institute proceedings, but that it would be better to wait until the appeal in the Belgravian cases is decided. The Archdeacon made the answer public; and thereupon a correspondence ensued between him and Mr. Roper. It ended in nothing, and Mr. Roper appealed to the Bishop ; stating that one of the Churchwardens, who had been consulted, made no objection to the "ornaments," and that the church has been so decorated for many years. He further stated, that the originators of the proceeding against him are not parishioners, one being reputed a "white witch or fortune-teller." Thereupon the Bishop blamed the Archdeacon for having made public the letter without informing himself of the accuracy of the representations made to him, especially whether Mr. Roper acted with or without the concurrence of the parishioners in general.

At a meeting of the Manchester General Committee on Education, held in Manchester on Wednesday, Sir John Pakington being present, the heads of a bill were adopted, based on the compromise resolutions, for National Education. The bill was ordered to be draughted, and the committee have requested Sir John Pakington and Mr. Cobden to take charge of it in the House of Commons.

The Anti-Income-tax movement continues without abatement. Meetings spring up almost daily from one end of the country to the other. The great majority do not ask for more than the reduction of the poundage to sevenpence, and some change in the mode of assessment ; a few ask for the unconditional repeal of the tax altogether; and about an equal number propose to substitute a property tax in its stead.

The Manchester Commercial Association held its annual meeting on Monday. Mr. Aspinal Turner, the chairman, remarked with satisfaction on the prosperous state of the country. There is, however, "one cloud in the distance "—probable distress before long arising from an inadequate supply of the raw material. Since 1847, when 1,234,000 bales of cotton were imported, the imports have doubled : in 1866 it was 2,467,000; now the crop of cotton in America is estimated at 3,000,000 bales. We may depend upon being sufferers by the deficiency, for the Continent and the ljnited States together use as much as Great Britain. [We may remember, however, that this very report has preceded some of the largest crops ever known.]

Lecturing by " gentlemen " is now in full activity On Tuesday, the Reverend Canon Stowell delivered a lecture on "Life in Manchester," before a very large audience, in the Manchester Free-trade Hall.

The lecturer said that it was his intention to sketch the general and pros minent characteristic features of "Manchester life," not in the lower, but in the middle and higher walks. The most prominent feature which distinguishes the men of Manchester is an intense, energetic, determined attention to business and the occupation of ordinsry life. It is life in earnest —and he loved earnestness. Another distinctive feature in Manchester life is good common sense and sound judgment. Their Liverpool friends are disposed to imitate London and disparage Manchester—to speak of the "gentlemen" of Liverpool and the " men" of Manchester; but he would rather have a good, sensible man, than a gentleman who sets up for more than he is. Again, there is about Manchester men and Manchester life a great deal of honesty and unaffectedness, and disinterestedness and unpretending kindness. There is also a great deal of public-spirit, energy, and enterprise. Another feature of Manchester life is the real Manchester has shown, and is showing, in the cultivation of the arts, and in the increase of information and intelligence amongst all classes of the community. The last feature on the bright side of the picture to which the lecturer alluded was large-hearted liberality and generous munificence. A person has only to make out a good case to meet with princely generosity and liberality. Turning to the dark side of the picture, the lecturer said that there is In Manchester a too intense and sustained application to business—an absorption in its pursuits. Manchester life is largely—too largely—a mere mercantile life, many having no idea beyond business. The spirit of competition leads to speculation and commercial gambling—to people trading without capital, and to an extent beyond their means. But besides that, there is a great deal of actual gambling. He had heard it said that Manchester is looked upon as an authority in horse-racing and stakes. He concluded by alluding to what he very much regretted to see, the growing love for the excitement of diversion and amusement, and the growing taste for ostentatious display at entertainments. Against all these dark phases he earnestly warned his audience.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Canon Stowell at the close of his lecture.

On the same day, at the Manchester Athenmum, Lord Lyttelton delivered "a few thoughts "about Shakspere ; derived, as he modestly stated, in great measure from those by whom the theme had been already illustrated.

Mr. Adderley M.P. delivered a lecture, on Wednesday, to the members of the St. Martin's Working Men's Association at Birmingham, on the Political History of England from the Peace down to the close of Sir Robert Peel's Administration.

A kind of compromise between a public meeting and a soirée was held on Wednesday, in the Victoria Rooms, Clifton, on behalf of the funds of the Bristol Athenteum. The gentlemen of the neighbourhood contributed oil-paintings, water-colour drawings, photographs, statuettes, oraments in glass and parian, and scientific instruments,—the whole collection worth 20,0001.: there was also an instrumental and vocal concert, with oratory as an interlude. The evening is considered to have been successful. Mr. William Miles, Mr. Gore Langton, Mr. Commissioner Hill, and Lieutenant-Colonel Simmons, her Majesty's Commissioner at the head-quarters of Omar Pasha, took part in the proceedings.

A singular" mutiny" on board an American ship, the James L. Bogart, bound for Mobile and lying in the Mersey, has led to an inquiry by the Birkenhead Magistrates. From the evidence of the pilot it appears, that a number of sailors, chiefly coloured men, who had signed articles to the Roble Hood, bound for Antigua, were induced by the second-mate of the James L. Bogart to go on board that yawl, which he falsely said, in answer to a hail, was the Robin Hood. When on board, the deceived crew were subjected to violence by the mates, who wore and used "brass knuckles." The men refused to work; the mates, Campbell and Furber, armed themselves with revolvers and swords, and began Sting on the men. In defence, the men attacked the mates, beat one down with a marlingspike, and took away the mates' pistols, to save their own lives as they averred. A signal of distress hoisted-brought the police on board, who arrested the crew and the second mate for shooting a seaman. The first mate was taken to the hospital. When they were brought before the Birkenhead Magistrates, it was found that a charge of mutiny could not be entertained, but three of the men and the second mate were detained to answer charges of assault. Much sympathy is shown for the crew.

"Alice Gray" reappeared in Yorkshire last week. She is now called the "Yorkshire Grey " ; -but her latest nom de guerre is Eliza Tremaine. By false statements respecting her birth, parentage, and persecutions, she got some money from a Mr. Clough, and he prosecuted her at Leeds. It first the Magistrates decided that the charge brought by Mr. Clough was beyond their jurisdiction ; but as a pair of scissors and other property belonging to Mr. Clough were found on her, she was detained, and committed for trial on a charge of felony.

Colonel Gordon, late of the Royal Artillery, was garotted and robbed on Shooter's Hill on Friday evening last. "He had been dining with a friend" at Charlton. It is supposed that the robbers were soldiers of the Artillery, and one was arrested. Since that adventure, General Williams has stationed 170 men as pickets along the road!

A Coroner's Jury sitting at Chesham in Buckinghamshire has returned a verdict of "Wilful murder" against Philip White, a shoemaker, for poisoning his wife with arsenic. White is a very bad fellow ; he had a liaison vvith a young woman, and to be enabled to marry her seems to have been the object of his crime. It is a curious circumstance that it is not proved that White purchased arsenic, but his wife did : it would seem that her husband had induced her to take small doses with a view to effect abortion.

On Sunday last, during divine service the ornamental plaster moulding covering a beam m Manchester cathedral fell down suddenly on the pews beneath. Fortunately the huge masses dropped on the partition between two sets of pews, and broke into fragments, so that no one was hurt. There was a temporary panic, but it did not endure long : the unfinished sermon was not resumed, the benediction was pronounced, and the congregation retired in good order.

The boiler of an engine, standing on Monday at the Sough station, Over Darwen, on the Lancashire and Yorkshire line, burst, and killed the driver on the spot ; the guard was scalded so severely that he died in a few hours; the stoker, who was under the engine, escaped unhurt.

Holyhead Harbour of Refuge is making rapid progress; the great breakwater is already nearly a mile and a half in length. Last year upwards of 3000 vessels took advantage of the shelter it provides. There were no fewer than sixty candidates for the Chief Constablcahip of Northumberland : Major Brown, of Bolton Hall, Alnwick, was elected.