runiurial.

The acceptance of the post of Attorney-General by Sir Richard Bethell involved an appeal to his constituents at Aylesbury. In his address asking for a new lease of their confidence, he deals largely in promises of reforms in the law. It is a kind of sub-ministerial manifesto-

" Among measures of internal improvement, you will, I trust, agree with me if I rank in a prominent place those which are introduced for the amend- ment of our laws and judicial institutions ; and I may assure you, that in the more influential office which I have now the honour to hold no exer- tions on my part shall be spared to remove the mischievous technicalities and that cumbrous and expensive machinery which still disfigure many portions of English jurisprudence. The important subject of the transfer of land has long engaged my attention, and I am happy to inform you that a plan is in preparation which! believe will greatly facilitate the sale and conveyance of real property. The relief which such a measure will afford to landowners and farmers, by giving perfect security of title and increased freedom of trade in an article of such permanent value and importance, can hardly be overstated. I am much gratified to continue associated with an Administration which has carried this country successfully through the difficulties and pressure of a great and distant war ; and I am happy to believe that the sacrifices so nobly endured by the people of this country during the last two years will entail upon them no lasting burdens. I may therefore venture to assure you, that the same vigour and ability which were displayed by Lord Palmerston in the prosecution of the war will be exerted by him for the purpose of achieving the victories of peace. In that department to which my own individual attention will be more especially directed—namely, the improvement of our laws and judicial institutions —I may venture to assure you, in addition to what I have already stated, that in the coining session measures for rendering simple and expeditious the title and transfer of landed property, for the abolition of the Ecclesias- tical Courts, for the amendment of the law relating to marriage and divorce, for the consolidation of the statute law, and for rendering criminal those gross breaches of trust which have of late been a scandal to the country, will be immediately introduced, and prosecuted with energy and despatch."

The borough of Southampton is torn by election differences. There are two Liberal candidates in the field—Mr. Edwin James, and Mr. Weguelin, Governor of the Bank of England. These divide the Liberal party. At a meeting on Tuesday, called expressly to hear Mr. Weguelin state his opinions, there was confusion and great uproar. The Chairman, Alderman Dusanboy, declared that a resolution, preferring Mr. James to his opponent, was carried; and he left the chair, followed by the sup- porters of the resolution. Another chairman was elected, and the rem- nant of the meeting resolved that Mr. Weguelin was the fit and proper candidate. Thus the matter rests. Meanwhile, the Conservative can- didate, Sir Edward Butler, is quietly completing his canvass.

The Rugby Agricultural Association held its annual show and ate its annual dinner at Rugby on Wednesday. Lord John Scott presided at the dinner-table, and Mr. Newdegate and Mr. Spooner were the shining lights among the guests. Lord John Scott, in his speeches after dinner, lectured "those noble Lords who make long and abstruse speeches at agricultural dinners." He especially re- ferred to Lord Stanley's Preston speech remarking that he was "perfectly satisfied the noble Lord knew nothing of what he was talking about." That speech reminded him of a venerable maxim—" You should not teach your grandmother how to suck eggs." In the pre- sence of that assembly, "all looking so remarkably fat and jolly," Lord John Scott felt that "they could not improve better than by always pay- ing their landlords their full rent." Mr. Newdegate talked about Free- trade and its effects. Prices are higher than the Protectionists ever de- sired; but it is not reasonable that we should continue to take foreign products at nominal duties, while such excessive duties are levied on our products abroad. Free-trade has not yet obtained reciprocity. • Mr. Newdegate touched on the legislative failures of last session; drew warn- ings against Democracy from the history of the United States ; and did not forget Maynooth. Mr. Spooner, in addition to the topic of Maynooth, spoke on "the calamity of Free-trade." If the country is flourishing, it is "in spite of what people choose to call free trade.'

Major Reed, Member for Abingdon, dined with some of his consti- tuents at the annual Cattle-show dinner, on Monday. In his speech he departed from the rules and discussed politics. In foreign politics, he expressed his opinion in favour of nonintervention with other powers— unless they interfere with us, when it will be our duty "to support jus- tice and right against despotism and territorial aggression." He had been introduced to Mr. Buchanan, and, "judging from his personal appear- ance," he thought we have nothing to apprehend from him. But the greater part of the Major's speech was taken up with a denunciation of the ticket-of-leave system. - The Huddersfield Mechanics' Institution gives prizes to the students in its classes who pass a creditable examination. These prizes were to have been publicly distributed by Lord Goderich on Wednesday, but some misarrangement prevented that course. There was, however, a large meeting in the Philosophical Hall, at which Lord Goderich presided. He was supported by several persons distinguished as promoters of educa- tion; among them, Sir John Pakington, Dr. Booth, and Mr. Edward Baines. The speaking and the resolutions turned on the importance of emulation, and the value of the plan set on foot by the Society of Arts, of giving prizes and certificates of proficiency to those who can pass its examination.

The National Sunday League, a London association which desires the opening of public places on Sundays, sent a deputation on a "pilgrim- age" to Canterbury last week. The deputation called a public meeting, in the Music-Hall. To their surprise, the opponents of the objects of the League" more than half-filled the place. The deputation did its speaking pretty well, but when it came to voting the Canterbury folk carried all before them. They adopted this sweeping resolution, by three to one- " That this meeting is deeply impressed with a sense of the Divine author- ity for the perpetual observance of the Sabbath, and regards the applica- tion of the day, or any portion of it, to worldly amusements and pleaaurea as detrimental to the welfare of religion and the best interests of society; and this meeting most emphatically disapproves of the objects of the a- tional Sunday League."

At the adjourned incjuest held at Erith on the body of Mr. George Carter, on Monday, the surgical evidence clearly showed that he was murdered;

there were many stabs in the heart, any one of which would have caused death ; the deceased could not by any possibility have inflicted more than

one on himself. It was shown that 'Worrell, the man who poisoned himlf

se, was in Carter's company on the day of the murder, the 7th instant- and the two were clearly traced to the London Bridge station : Worrell had declared that he did not see Carter on that day. On the 7th, a lady at Erith saw two men proceeding towards the copse where the body was found. The gouge which was placed in the deceased's hand was identified by a carpenter —he had lent it to a carpenter who was in the employ of Worrell's father. The inquest on Worrell, at Greenwich, terminated on Wednesday. It was clear, whatever might be Worrell's connexion with the murder, that he had exhibited no sigma of insanity before he killed himself. It appeared that when he was searched by the police, they felt the outside only of his boots—it is not doubted that he had concealed the phial of poison within one of his boots. The verdict was tantamount to " fele de se.' The Jury recommended more care in searching prisoners, and that in a case such as this an officer should be placed in the prisoner's cell.

Thomas Simpson, gamekeeper to Mr. Featherstonhaugh, of Staffield Hall in Cumberland, has been murdered by poachers. His skull was beaten in, and his body thrown into the river Eden. Simpson had heard shots at night ; he said that poachers were abroad, and he must sally out, though alone ; and he told his wife if he did not return next morning, to have a search made for him. His presentiment of coming evil proved too true. Two brothers named Graham, notorious poachers, are in custody.

Bright, a labourer, lodging in one of three lonely houses near Croydon, went home late on Thursday week : Mrs. Belton, his landlady, let him in : soon after, shrieks were heard and one or two of the neighbours hastening to the house, Bright let them in, exclaiming, "She's dead !" They found the landlady lying on the floor in her night-dress, and bleeding from wounds in her head. The wounds are considered to be fatal. Bright has escaped. No motive is assigned for this atrocious murder.

The thieves of the West Riding of Yorkshire had a field-day lately on the occasion of the statute fair at ()dep. There were highway-robberies, bur- glaries and a desperate attempt to overpower or kill a shopkeeper and rob his Mr. Laughton, the master of a small station at Birdwell on the South Yorkshire Railway, has been suddenly attacked as he was leaving the sta- tion, beaten on the head until his life was in peril, and the station robbed of a small sum. There seems to have been no other person than Mr. Laugh. ton in charge of the station.

A Coroner's Jury have pronounced a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown" in the case of old Stanley, the Gipsy King," who was found in the river at Totnes.

More incendiary fires are reported in the vicinity of Nottingham : there have been seven within a fortnight.

A fatal disaster occurred to the mail-train between Warrington and Man- chester on Monday night. The engine left the rails, dragging after it the tender, the luggage-van, and some carriages ; the • engine ploughed its way into a swampy field, and was buried up to the boiler. The fireman was killed and the driver dangerously hurt ; the guard had a wonderful escape, not being hurt in the least ; and there were no passengers in the carriages that left the rails.

Yet another " accident " on the North-Western Railway!—that is, a goods-train ran into a passenger-train which was stopping at Leighton Buzzard, to take in passengers, at its proper time. Great damage was done to property, but no person was seriously hurt. The driver of the goods. tram says he thought the line was clear, as the distance-signal of danger was not exhibited.

The further evidence adduced at the inquest at Abergavenny, on the two persons killed on the Newport and Hereford Railway, has been rather con- tradictory. Many witnesses were called to refute the statements of the driver Sargent : some of them they denied or explained away, but others remained intact. Some witnesses corroborated statements made by Sargent as to what occurred while he had charge of the train. He was blamed for going on with an engine which was clearly in a dangerous state. The loco- motive superintendent admitted that the engine had no screw-jack, no fog. signals, no red flag. He knew Sargent could not write ; he did not know he could not read, and he "did not think it his business to inquire."

Four coal-trimmers were killed, and a number of others badly scalded— one, it is feared, fatally—by an explosion of a boiler on board the West

mail-steamer Parana, at Southampton, on Wednesday, At present the cause of the accident is inexplicable ; as the boiler appears to have been in good condition, the water was not low, and the steam-pressure was com- paratively small.