bc Countrn.
The contest in Merionethshire terminated on Saturday, in the election of the Tory candidate, Mr. Richards, by a majority of 301 to 150 over his opponent, Sir W. Wynn. The Post "records" this " tri- umph of Conservative principles" with "feelings of the proudest gra- tification." It is very gratifying to the Tories, doubtless, to perceive that Merionethshire is no longer to lie one of their close boroughs. The late Member, Sir Robert Vaughan, represented it for forty-four years, and some member of his family has had the same honour for upwards of a century. Till the recent contest, nobody dreamed of giving the Vaughans the least trouble. But the warlord has men broken ; and in future a considerable expenditure of cash and no small exertion, will be required to keep the little county in the old hands. The result of the South Warwickshire election may with more reason be called a triumph. There, Mr. Evelyn Shirley has beat Sir Grey Skipaith, by 1873 to 13.54. Thu representation of IVaraickshire is now entirely in Tory possession ; for we cannot alloys' Sir Eardley Wilmot to pass for a Reformer. Sir Grey Skipwith polled nearly 'the same number of votes as in 1832, when be defeated Mr. Shirley by 288; but it will be seen that the Tories have since registered their strength, and have recovered their ancient predominance in the South- ern—nut the Birmingham—division of the county. The parsons were of course very eager for Mr. Shirley's success ; and one of them actually ordered a number of bludgeons to be made, and hired men at 7s. titl. a day to use them. The bludgeons were and seized, the curate confronted with the parish-clerk, who confessed the fact and betrayed his employer.
It is reported in Rochdale, that Mr. Entwisle, M.P. forthe borough, is about to resign his seat ; and that Mr. John Holland, is to be 'brought out in his stead by the Tories.
The members of the Croydon Reform Registration Society dined together on Wednesday, at the Crown Inn, Croydon. Major Beau- clerk and Mr. Leader were among the guests. Mr. Hall was in the chair ; and Or proposing the toasts, delivered several excellent speeches. Major Beauclerk and Mr. Leader both addressed the company on the grand topics of the day—the conduct of the Peers to Irelawl, and the necessity of reforming their Lordships' I louse. The healths of Mr. Hun e and Mr. O'Connell, but especially the latter, were received in a marked manner. We are pleased to see that the Croydon Reformers do not limit their exertions to afterolintier orations, but have paid careful at- tention to the state of the registry; and increased the number of Re- forminq voters by 180 in their district alone. Colonel Thompson continues his epistolary commentary on the pro- ceedings of Parliament for the benefit of his constituents at Hull. The last IGall Observer contains two letters, from one of which we select the following passage to prove that the majority against the Ballot on the last division was, relatively to the number who voted, much smaller than on Mr. Grote's motion in the previous session- " Air. (;rote's motion was negatived by 139 to 88and the year before by :119 to 146. The way to compare two divisions, is to bring them to a common term. Imre:int! the numbers on the hoe division to have been increased on both sides (preserving the present proportion) till the smaller term was 146. and the two divi-inus would have stood 231 to 146, and 319 to 146 ; or the two majo- rities would have been 85 and 173, one of which is more than double the other. So that the relative majority against the Ballot has in :t single year come down by more [Lan one half. This says a good deal for the progress of the question." Mr. Curwood has been addressing a sort of laudatory letter of him- self to Lord John Russell, putting forward his claims to the Recorder- ship of Worcester, in opposition to those of Mr. Buckle appointed by the 1hune Secretary to that stution. Lord John Russell has, however, adhered to his intention of recommending Mr. Buckle to the Crown for nomination to the office. [Is not Mr. Curwood the barrister who some years ago was in rather bad odour with Vie profession, in conse- quence of leaving his circuit, and intruding himself into the Oxford circuit ?1 'flue king has granted a free pardon to two men, named Russell and Bodes, the former of whom was convicted at the Wilts Assizes, and the latter at the Sessions, for two alleged highway robberies on a man named Green. Green, who, it appears, had received nearly 20/ for his costs on these occasions, found the trade of prosecuting so profitable, that lie accused a third man, named Jones, of a third robbery ; which led to the detection of the whole ;Mir, and a system very much resembling the well-known trade of blood-money.