ELECTION TALK.

The approach of a general election, and possibly its close proximity., has made election prospects and preparations a principal feature of the news in the daily journals. We cull the more interesting points from the scattered and various mass of reports.

THE METROPOLIS.

There is not much motion in London. Admiral Sir Charles Napier has been a diligent attendant at public meetings, but has issued no address to his old constituency, or to any new one. Mr. William Coningham known for his artistic taste and his patronage of Communism, has addressed the electors of the Tower Hamlets, as an advocate for the ballot and the widest extension of suffrage, and as an unflinching Free-trader. It does not appear whether Sir William Clay or Mr. George Thompson is the sitting Member he proposes to replace. At Greenwich, a public meeting has approved of the line of condutt pursued by Alderman Salomons, and promised him support for reelection.

HOME COHNTIES.

In North Bases, the report that Mr. Bramston intends to retire is contm- dieted ; and it seems that Sir William Bowyer Smijth, another Protectionist, will stand. Sir Edward North Buxton will again stand, as a Liberal Mt. Northall Laurie, son of Sir Peter, and himself a Middlesex Magistrate, issued an address some time ago. At Maldon, an arrangement to pay outstanding claims on the late Conservative candidates, Mr. Dick and Mr. Waddington, has been made; so they will again offer themselves ; and a third Conserva- tive, the Honourable M. Byron of Langford Grove, will come forward. The Liberal Member, Mr. Lenn;rd, will firmly defend himself. At Bar- wick, Mr. Crawford and Sir Fitzroy Kelly are talked of ; but one would think the new Solisitor-General will too acutely remember the sacrifices and scandal of Ipswich.

MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS OF THE NORTH.

In the Tfrest Ruling, it is said that Mr. Denison will scarcely again offer himself; and another uncompromising Free-trader is said to be coming for- ward at the side of Mr. Cobden. At Leeds, the inhabitants have settled by amicable show of hands at a "mass meeting" who shall be brought forward at next election, Mr. J. Garth Marshall, the sitting Member, Alderman Goodman, and Alderman Carbutt, were proposed : the choice fell on the first two mad the Liberals have promised their united support. At Knaresborough, Mr. Westhead, one of the present Members, is the Liberal candidate at pre- sent spoken of. Mr. Andrew Lawson, who has previously represented this borough, intends again offering himself as a candidate in the Conservative interest. At Shields, Mr. Twizell Wawn, the Liberal Member, stands again. The Conservatives are seeking a candidate. At Sunderland, Sir Hedworth

Willman, the Liberal Member, " probably- retires," on account of health ; awl it is said that Mr. George Hudson has undertaken to return another Conservative at his own side. At Liverpool, Mr. Cardwell and Sir Thomas Birch, Free-traders, will be strenuously supported again. M. Thomas Horefall, a Protectionist merchant, has declined. Sir Stratford Canning hasbeeir named; but it is not certain that he would serve if chosen. AL Macclesylelcc Mr. John Williams, the present Member, will stand- again as an advanced Reformer. At Oldham, Mr. John Cobbett, son of the late William Cobbett, is the new Radical candidate. At Bury, an agent of Lord Goderich, a young Lord affecting the Communist principles, has had an agent

making inquiries in the borough. Mr. Richard Walker, son of the sitting )(ember, has declined an invitation; and so has Mr. Richard Ashton. Mr. R. Philips, a Magistrate, is thought of MIDLAND Comenrs.

In Worcestershire, Mr. Foley, the Liberal Member, announces himself to stand again. In Warwickshire, Mr. Newdegate is said to be doomed to re- jection : gossip says that this faot,and the further fact that he bid for too high an office, are the secrets of his not being in the Protectionist Ministry. At Warwick, Mr. Repton, one of the present Members for St. Alban's, de- serts that sinking ship, and solicits the suffrages of the Warwick electors, as a firm supporter of the Earl of Derby's Government and policy. Mr. Mellor, Q.C., has also presented himself for the representation of the borough. In Gloucestershire, thereis a talk of Mr. Grantley Berkeley retiring in favour of his son; to whom the Earl, though at enmity with Mr. Grantley Berke- ley, is much attached. But young Mr. Berkeley is a Roman Catholic. At

Gloucester city, Admiral Berkeley, the Liberal Member, has issued his address for reelection. Mr. Hope, the Conservative Free...trade Member, is to be opposed by Mr. W. P. Price, late High Sheriff of the county, as a Liberal Free-trader, and a late opposer of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. At Chelten- ham, a local paper says—" The warming-pan,' the Member in ems, has received notice to quit, in order to make room for the Member in posse, his cousin, Mr. Craven Berkeley." At Tewkesbury, Mr. Hum- phery Brown is to be opposed on the Conservative interest by Mr. Ed- ward Cox, barrister and proprietor of a legal periodical At Cirencester, the sitting Members for the borough, Mr. Mullings, Conservative Protec- tionist, and Lord Villiers, Peelite, offer themselves again. A third candidate Is talked of, but has not yet made his appearance. In Herefordshire, Mr. Wegg Prosser, Liberal Member, retires. Mr. Cornmeal' Lewis stands again; and his address is praised by the Hereford Timer, aProtectionist paper, as certainly the most lucid we ever rea4" as "worthy in every respect of the high reputation of the honourable gentleman." Mr. Booker, the Protec- tionist Member, is to be joined as candidate by Mr. John King, one of his own feather. Mr. C. S. B. Hanbury, "a sort of Conservative Free-trader," will stand. At Monmouth, Mr. W. S. Lindsay, the eminent shipowner, practically converted of late to the free trade in navigation, is busy canvass- ing. In the Pembroke Boroughs, Sir John Owen, the old Liberal and Free-trade Member, is said to be safe. In Buckinghamshire, the report that Mr. Du Pre, colleague of Mr. Disraeli, would retire, is contradicted. At Reading, Mr. Keating; the Liberal barrister, has offered himself as a Free-trader ; but will seiweely stand so good a chance as his predecessor, Mr. Justice Talfoard, and against Mr. Charles Russell, the Conservative Member. At Abingdon, Sir Frederick Thesiger retires, by arrangement, at the next, election ; and General Caulfield, a Liberal and Free-trader, will be returned. At Peterborough, Mr. Cavendish retires. Mr. IL. Watson and the Honour- able G. W. Fitzwilliara are to stand, in the Fitawilliam interest ; but the Financial Reformers will put up Mr. Whitwell, a gentleman of some stand- ing in the town, with formidable support. At Leicester, Mr. Ellis and Mr. Harris both retire ; Sir Joshua Wilmsley and Mr. Richard Gardner have been invited by an unanimous public meeting to stand, and their chance must be of the best. In Lincolnshire, North or Lindsey division, there will probably be a contest, though all the candidates are Protectionists. Mr. Banks Stanhope, an Ultra-Tory, will endeavour to pat out the Whig Protectionist Member, Sir Montague Cholmondeley. At • Boston, Mr. J. A. Hankey, the London banker, has been down with his cousin the Governor of the Dank of England, and declared himself: as the Liberals are unanimously for him, his chance is-good—they were divided when Alderman Wire was defeated by Mr. Freshfield. At Grantham, there is some talk of inviting Sir John Thorold, to contest the seat of Mr. Tolle- macho, Free-trader. At Norwich, Mr. T. 0. Springfield, of Coleman Street, London, and of Norwich, (twice Mayor,) is invited to stand, with Mr. Pete. At Cambridge, Mr. Adair has been down doing the agreeable.

Soteranan Contemns.

AtTartsmoutk, Sir Francis Baring has met his constituents, and told them he has "not the slightest doubt" that the present-Ministry will propose some measure of Protection, although perhaps notinnuediately : he stands again. Sir George Staunton retires. Lord Frederick Fitaclarence, a Libe- ral now at Madeira, and Mr. Sergeant Gaselee, who goes for the ballot and universal suffrage, will contest the vacant seat; but Treasury candidates are also expected. At-Newport, Isle of Wight, the Tory Members, Mr. Bow- den and Mr. Martin, are to be opposed by Mr. William Biggs, of Highfield House, Leicester, and by Mr. Massey, by of Portsmouth, Liberals and Free-traders, "with every chance of success." At Lymington, Mr. An- drew Steward and Sir John Carnac, supporters of the Par" of Derby, promise to come forward. At Southampton, Mr. John Shepherd, Chairman of the East India Company, and Mr. Wigmm, the eminent shipbuilder, who has so far sur- vived the repeal of the Navigation-laws as to have established an immense branch establishment of his London firm at Southampton, are talked of on the Conservative interest ; so the Liberals intend "to coalesce" in support of their two Liberal Members, Sir Alexander Cockburn and Mr. Wilcox. In West Rent, Mr. Hodges retires. At Weymouth, Mr. Butt, Queen's counsel on the Western Circuit, will again take the field. In East Somersetshire, Mr. Pinney, the Liberal, is to be opposed by Mr. Hippisley, of Stan Easton House, a Protectionist. At Bath, Mr. Whateley, a Conservative and re- ported Protectionist, is to be requested to stand. At Bridgewater, fire can- didates'are in the field : on the Liberal side, Mr. Kinglake, whose address we lately mentioned, Mr. nate, and Lord Henley ; on the Conservative side, Mr. J. C. Mansel, a local landed proprietor, and Mr. Follett, of the Chancery bar, and brother of the late Sir 'William Follett. At Taunton, Mr. George Elers, proprietor of the Stogumber Brewery, has announced himself a can - didate, in opposition to Sir Edward Colebrooke. He would relieve agricul- ture from unequal burdens. At Honiton, Mr. R. S. Gard, Protectionist, op- poses the Liberal Member, Mr. Joseph Locke ; but his party is not formidable. At Falmouth and Penryn, Mr. Mowatt retiree. At Bodmin, Mr. Lacy and Mr. Wyld stand again. Captain Vivian, brother to Lord Vivian, and Mr. Henderson, barrister, offer themselves ; the latter a progressive Liberal, and a Legal Reformer who goes for doing away with the distinction between law and equity.

SCOTLAND.

In Dumfr less h ire, Viscount Drumlanrig stands again : he will give Lord Derby a fair trial, especially trusting that he will not cpiail in the serious position of foreign affairs; but he declares without hesitation for the oon, tinitation and further extension of Sir Robert l'eel's great commercial sys- tem. In the Elgin Distriot of Burghs, Dr. Whyte, of Towiebeg, is now fairly in the field as a candidate on the Protectionist interest. In the in- rerness Burghs, Mr. Richard IiattierUVINIT 444da against Mr. Ma-

theson. humeral.

In Galway, according to the Vindicator, Dir Thomas Itedington does not intend to offer himself again. At Armagh, Mr. Isaac Butt, Q.01., the emi- nent Conservative advocate, isto be invited to oppose Colonel Rawdon.