English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 348, 1 March 1856, Page 7

English and Foreign.

OHITUARV. (From the Howe News, Nov

Sin W. Miii.kswok in. —On the '22ad opt., about ilie hour of ii.mn, Sir William Molesvvort li lat<' Secwlan of State for the Colonies, expired at his residence in Eaton-plaee, alter a brief, hut severe illness. Sir William had only ;iitaineil his <>aili ycur. having been bom in IS 10. Ills latlier \vn< ;i ('oniish btronet of old descent —his mother an Edinburgh lady, of the name of Bm'Wii. Me lost, liis lather at tiie aye of 13. and it is alike erediiable 10 his natural disposition and u> the maternal care, that he was unspoiled by the early attainment of wealth and social position. Scarcely nay details of his nun age

and educution has reached us ; indeed, we only know that he spent one year as a student at Edinburgh. His debut in public life was as M.l', for Cornwall, which he represented in Parliament from 1832 to 1837. From the first he avowed himself a member of the not numerous bm energetic and accomplished parly which went by the designation of the '" Philosophical Radicals." Mi* ntosi intimate associate during this period of his career was Mr-Temple Leader, with whom he lor a time kept house in common. The men were ess-enlialiv must unlike ; Mok-sworth a deep and earnest thinker, with literary tastes; Leader a da*-hin<r, talented, impulsive spirit. Similarity of age and independent generous sentiments funned their bond of union. Less akin in opinions, but more like to Molestorlh in his tastes and intellectual habits, was the late Charle- Butler, with whom he lived on terms of confidential intimacy. Common intellectual pursuits kept him in close alliance whh Mr. George (irote and Mr John Stuart Mill. A radical, so prononce, had a very small chance of retaini;i« his seat for Cornwall after ihe effervescence of the Reform Bill penod was over. But Leeds, however, welcomed the rejected of the squires, and liieir " Chvindos clause' voters, and he sat in parliament for that borough lann 1837 to 1841. How he came to lose hi< «eat for Leeds we could never riirhtly understand. He remained out of Parliament til 1845, when he was returned for the borough of South w=<rk, which he continued to represent til! his d»viih. While ;i member of the House <>f Common.-, Ins voice and vote were uuresenedlv «iven in favour of every liberal principle and meaMire; but it was chiefly as an enlightened, and able advocate of colonisation and reform in our system of penal transportation that he distinguished himself. To this it was owing that, when he consented to accept administrative office, he was, after a short time spent in the rather uncongenial Board of Works, promoted to the Colonial Department. In thecabinet, however, Sir William's presence appears to have be-n more important as a. recognition oi the eligibility of men entertaining his opinions to office, than for n. very active oi influential par! he took in the deliberations of Government. Sir William took an active part in the attempt to establish the shurt-lived "London R;>M'w ;" but his principal literary effort was his collective edition ■•>! the works of Hobbes. It is not a yen eucnunmu-g sympiom of the state of public opinion in England, that this munificent enterprise was, on one occasion, ui.nle a su-'ject of iirave acciiMUioti agiinst Sir Wiliiatn at the hustings-. Be the opinions vi Hobbes what they may, he is the parent of English intellectual analysis — the tiriu'iniitor of those inquiries to which we owe Berkeley, Hume,. Reid, aii'i Siewait. T'tie li.-ss of hi- works, wxuid leave an irreparable gap in the history of English inteiluc ual. moral, and political science. Sir William mariied, in 1844, the daughter of Bruce Carsiairs, E-q . wln.»t Bi-t l»tisbai.-(i was Temple West, E*q- He had no family by this lady, who survives, us does also, the UowagtM" I.ad\ M o'esworh.

Lord Wharncliffe. —We regret to announce tlir death of Lord WiiaiMciitlo. uhuh event toi>k place mi the '>-2uil iiU., ai Wo:iio\ iiah.ti.e famiiv scat in Yorkshiie. The deceased peer had fur some uihiklis s .ft* ie<i M'tmi st-veie iiiiiisjii'sitii'ii. s>> tlia: t! ■.•eve- iw.i*- n■ ; aitouvi'tuT unexpected. The Ri-'u H.ri. ,1 i-n.'- Stu-vt W.M-tley, M.P. (ilie It oi'.ie, ). ;u:<; o^iicr near ivlativfs, liMvc been I'liiujrfi;«i'.' <i ■" W(ivupy in anliri|);«ii"ii of the a|>|H .■avii'.;i: tic;, ;ii. 1 lie (ifoea^eii, Joim Titian W.nif; ;vjm>m \\ li..ni-^ oiilVv of \Vi>ith-y. count. Y«n, in tii- jn-.-niice of tin.' l:niu-.l X ii^»lom. w.is fi.: -i si'!' •>'• J'-hn Ar^ijihald. iir-i h:iru!>, nml !..<i^ K!iy...i-«-il», il:uiulitor of .IKhii. li:s- !vt:l ■>■ Ivi'f. ll'S l-nlsirp «■;>« burn April 20. !N>'!.;m<l iiuirrit-il Dt'Oi'iuliiM- I--', ISia, l.a'iy (ifoi'ui.ina lOlizabt-th Hvder, tliin .lauji'luer of' the late, ar.il s;>UT <-f thY pri'sent Karl""!' Hatn.wby, by wlioin. who snrv'ivesliu'.atf li'i'ti leav -> issue the Maiehione>s ill DiMiiiifila ainl an ni'inarrit'il ilairj tiler, aiul tiis'eo suns, tiif t-iiit-st of wimiu, liu1 lii>i;. K.hvard Wi-nU> (tu.-.x l.cni Whanu- iilV). uas horn l)a:.'ini>i-r 11>, i 8-'/"", ami u.inira J1-'') 1. 1555, L.oh Susan l.a-a'fit s, .i.i.iyiiu-r d! U;e Karl ami C'ti-itosoi' H.sivwumi. Tiu'(tecoasfd iii-hieniau was a i.iici.il i-Hi.-tn.i.iu- in j.niiiK'.-, but inaiiily emi'luyfi iilui-t U in in« >si.t -iiiiii U:u

-mitW ;ut;u-hetl to auiioiiiuwe. >:'-.-ki:>u :>'} tlie ju-uesi Diocits 10 impim t- ihe «.- tin '-' "! l^'t' '•""'•■ He sat f-.i-thf West Kiiiinir «•!' Y.>rk>i,ire Irony ihe "cucial i-iuctiun m IS4J—being. mlume4^.

with Mr. E. Denison. at the head of the poll, defeating Viscount Milton and Viscount Mui-pelir(imw Ear! of Carlisle)—until the death iifhis, father in 1545, when he succeeded to the family honours ami estates. By the lamented decease of his lordship numerous noble families are placet! in moiuninsr. The late lord was for some years eol-.nel of the West Yorkshire Yeomnnrv Cavalry, which post he was obliged to resisMi'from ill health, and was a depui.vlieutenam of the county Forfur.

Great Mektixg on the Food Qdestion. — Birmingham, Sunday. —There has been a meeting !<• day at West Broinwieb, at which 15.000 persons were present; a memorial to the Queen was adopted against the exportation of main, and monopoly in lu\man food. A deputation of working men was appointed tv proceed to London lo present it. The meeting; passed off -[iiietiy.