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Leader (1850-1860), 28th March 1857, Edition 2 of 2, Page 4, 292 _gj* E • L']E AJ? EB - fSTo- 366, Sa...

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      The Gemral Election,; - . —?—— ¦ ¦ The P...

      the continued diffusion of education among the people , and such well-considered reforms a 3 from time to time may be required by changes of circumstances and by the increasing growth of intelligence . On these grounds I present myself to you , and I anticipate "with confidence the result of the share which you are about to take- in the solemn decision which the constituencies of the United Kingdom are about to pronounce . I have the honour to be , gentlemen , your obedient and devoted servant , Palmerstoit . 94 , Piccadilly , March 23 .

      292 _Gj* E • L']E Aj? Eb - Fsto- 366, Sa...

      292 _ gj * '] E AJ ? - fSTo- 366 , Saturday

      The ^Omikatkxns. The "Westminstek Electi...

      THE ^ OMIKATKXNS . The "Westminstek election took place on Thursday . Sir DbIacjt Evans and Sir John Shelley appeared on the hustings in Covent Garden , and addressed the electors ; but there was an absence of excitement , as no other candidate presented himself , Mr . Westerton havingretired from the contest , on account of his stipulationsnamely , that bis success should be guaranteed , and that his expenses should be paid—not being fulfilled . In the course of his address , Sir De Lacy Evans was asked " "What about the Princess Royal's dowry ? " To which he replied , "Oh , I'll take care about that . " " Will you vote for 70 , 000 ? . a year ? " asked the voice . "Oh , no , " replied Sir De Lacy ; which declaration was received with cheers . The two candidates were elected by show of hands . Several of the persons present had the appearance of being ' non-electors .

      A stormy nomination meeting took place on Thursday at Nottingham , when Mr . Walter ( chief proprietor of the Times ') , Mr . Pag-et , and Mr . Ernest Jones , the three candidates , made long speeches , and there was a great deal of sparring between the first and the last with reference to the services of the Times newspaper , and the nature of Mr- Jones ' s land scheme , which Mr . Walter earnestly denounced . The opinions of these two gentlamen are sufficiently well known . Mr . Paget , it should be added , is a Liberal , who supported the Government in the late China vote , but who is ready to give his countenance to Mr . Locke King ' s plan for enlarging the county representation . He is desirous to see a reduction of the army . The show of hands was in his favour and that of Mr . Jones . A poll was then demanded for Mr . Walter , to take place on Friday ( yesterday ) . During the proceedings , a good deal of commotion was caused by the presence of a body of Chartists .

      The nomination of the candidates for Bedford also took place on Thursday . Mr . Whitbread , Captain Stuart , Mr . Barnard , and Mr . Smith , the four candidates , having- addressed the electors , the show of hands was declared to be in favour of Captain Stuart and Mr . Smith ; and a poll was then demanded on behalf of the others . On the same day , the Coventry candidates were nominated . Tie candidates -were—Mr . Ellice and Sir Joseth Paxton ( Liberal ) , Mr . Mellor , Q . C . ( Palmerstonian ) , Mr . Moiig-an Treherne ( Conservative ) , and Mr . R . J . Phillimore ( Liberal-Conservative ) . The show of hands was declared by the Mayor to be in favour of Mr . Ellice and Sir Joseph Paxton ; and a poll was demanded on behalf of the others . The Hon . A . F . Kinnaird was on Thursday returned withont opposition for Perth . .

      The Bath nomination was on Thursday . The « andidates were—Mr . Tite and Sir Arthur Hallam Elton ( Liberals ) , and Mr . A . E . Way ( Liberal-Conservative ) . Mr . Tite having referred to what he had already done in Parliament , Sir A . H . Elton addressed the electors , and said that a Government was wanted which would carry out Liberal principles , improve the constitution , and maintain England in the state of glory to which she had attained . lie was an advocate for vote by ballot , and for the oxtension of the suffrage , and for the application of something like an education test to the exercise of the franchise , by giving it to professional men , clergymen , barr isters , surgeons , and artists , though they might be only lodgers , and not occupiers of houses . He would "have the smaller boroughs assimilated ., and their numbor of members transferred to populous counties and cities , or th « ir boundaries extended . He was

      friendly to the present system of Government aid for education , and was opposed to any merely secular system of instruction . Ho also advocated cheap law , and legal reform generally . He was not ashamed of tho old watchwords of the Whigs , " Peace , retrenchment , and reform , " but was ready to advocate them , if returned to the House of Commons . —Mr . Way defended tho designation by which ho intimated his general political principles . A " Liberal-Conservative , " ho said , -was a man who desired to uphold tho constitution established in , 1688 , yet who urns willing to grant all well-considered reforms . He was opposed to the ballot and to any present extension of the aum-ago , and would support Lord Palmcrston . —Tho bIiow of hands was largely in favour of Mr . Tite and Sir A . II . Elton , and a poll was demanded on behalf of Mr . Way , and appointed for yesterday ( Friday' ) .

      Tho-nomination of tlio Windsor candidates took place on Thursday , when tho allow of hands was declared to bo in favour of Mr . Giubnfkll , and Mr Vansittaut ( Palmerstonians ) . A poll was then demanded on bohalf of Mr . RioAnno . Tho Hbrtpoiw nomination -was alao on Thwraday ,

      The choice of hands fell on Mr . Cowper ( Liberal and Pahnerstonian ) and Sir Mento Farcjtjhar ( Conservative and Palmerstonian ) . A poll was theu demanded for Mr . Chambers , and was appointed for Friday ( yesterday ) .

      Meetings. Mr. Horsfall And Mr. Charles T...

      MEETINGS . Mr . Horsfall and Mr . Charles Tcjrnkr , the Conservative candidates for Liveri > ool , appeared before a considerable body of the electors in Pitt-street Ward last Saturday . The former defended Lord Palmerston ' s conduct in connexion with the China question ; and both referred to various matters of a politico-religious tendency , and indicated their determination to act from an ultra-Protestant and Church of England point of view . A vote of confidence in them was then passed . The Right Hon . Robert Lowe having declined to stand for Manchester , on account of his not desiring to sever his Parliamentary connexion with Kidderminster , Mr . Jambs Aspinalli Turner , a new candidate , has come forward , and last Saturday morning addressed

      a meeting of the constituency at the Corn Exchange . His statement of his opinions was extremely vague , and amounted to little more than a promise , conveyed in general terms , that he would " promote the cause of civil and religious liberty , " and that he is " a friend to progress . " Sir John Potter , another candidate , also spoke in a similar dubious strain . He disagreed with the late vote on the China question , He would support Lord Palmerston "in every just and necessary war , " but would not support any Government unless it would carry out progressive reform . He was -willing to take up the opinions expressed by Mr . Gibson . Although he

      did not think the ballot would be as useful as was expected , he was willing to give it a trial . A working man said he wished to put a question to the candidates ; but the Chairman advised him to attend the ward meetings , and decided against it ; and he was told that , not being a requisitionist , lie had no right at the meeting Another working man said he wisled to warn the committee that conduct like t"hat would not do . He was not a voter for Bright and Gibson , but there were many electors wavering and undecided , and he would caution the committee that it would not do to carry things with such a high hand . A vota of confidence in the candidates was passed .

      The Right Hon . E . Eluce , one of the members for Coventry in the late Parliament , addressed his constituents last Saturday from the balcony of Craven Arms in that city . He defended Lord Palmerston ' s policy on the China question , but admitted that it would perhaps have been a more prudent course on the part of Sir John Hiowring had he contented himself with making reprisals , and then waited for instructions from home . However , he thought they could not in England judge properly of the circumstances of the case . He hoped the ranks of the Liberal party would remain unbroken . Mr . Roebuck made a long speech at the Town Hall , Sheffield , on the night of Friday week . Mr . Hadfield , his colleague , was also present , but uttered only

      a few woids . Both gontlemen were received with loud and long-continued applause , and were presented with an address of confidence signed by 15 , 000 persons . In addressing the audience , Mr . Roeliuck said that , though he was by nature an indolent man , and inclined to peace , his life had been one long political contest ; he had been ever at work and ever at war . He observed on that occasion an absence of familiar faces ; and , although those whom he missed said that they deserted him only on account of his late vote , he believed that " tho accident was sought for , and that they ^ endeavoured to find a cause of complaint , and were £ lad to discover one . " Mr . Ovoiend , a now candidate , hud said that he was of exactly the same principles as himself ( Mr . Roebuck );

      but , at the general election of 1852 , ho had proclaimed that his opinions on all subjects were precisely the reverse . With respect to his and his colleague ' s vote on tho budget , Mr . Roebuck gave this explanation : — " We believed that the people of England in 1852 had been taxed to a point beyond which taxation ought not to go , 52 , 000 , 000 / . being paid for the business of our Government . Of this , about 26 , 000 , 000 / . went to pay the d « bt ; tlio other 26 , 000 , 000 ^ . -wrent to carry on the ordinary business of the Government . In 1857 , in a time of peace , we found the expenditure increased 12 , 000 , 000 / ., very nearly one-half of the whole amount expended upon the public business in 1852 . Now , I apeak for my hon . friend , and myself when I say we thought this to be a greatly ox aggorated increase , and

      that we should bo doing a good service to the public if we referred back tho budget to tho Chancellor of the Exchequer , in order that lie might reconsider tho expenditure and cut it down . Therefore wo voted in favour ot Mr , Disraeli ' s motion on that ground , and on that ground alone . " Mr . Roebuck then went over the wholo ground of tho China dispute , and justified the voto ho ' and his collonguo hud given on that question . On hia observing thnt for that voto ho had lost , the conndonco of many of tho voters of Sheffield , there were erica of " Nover !" " Only a few ! " " Only six I" Ho then continued : — " England is to mo that which I cannot explain . I have been an exilo , gentlemen . I have hoard her name mentioned when I hnvo been on a foreign « horc , and tho very name has thrilled through mo . There is somothing connected with her glorious name that hoa lifted mo up .

      and made me , small as I am , feel myself a bie- m * "" ( Cheers . ) I felt that in my person England waf there " And to see her renown cast into the dust-degrS " betmred , made dishonourable by persons who 2 ought to lave borne power in her name ( cheers ) - ™ !*! ine ashamed , and in your name I declared that the shame should not attach to her . ( Cheers ) Did T i wrong , gentlemen ? ( ' No , no . ' ) The time will O 2 when that vote will be looked upon as a great in ? t ? of the right feeling of the House of Commons of £ T land . Looking back through the historv of my cotmtrf there are times in which 1 think good men must ha felt their hearts sink . Comparing small things , with great , I can fancy that the great Milton , when h « sl the popular tide turn in favour of the Stuarts—he 'JZ

      had rendered himself immortal by his writing in th cause of his country and of freedom—I can fancv that he must have felt hitter shame to see the fabric of liberty he had aimed to rear destroyed . I have thought what must have been the feelings of Burke when he lost his seat for opposing the popular will as to the American war . The popular will overrode the wisdom cf the senator , and we lost America . When Fox opposed the French war , how bis heart must have sunk at seeing the popular will overrule him in opposing what I will call the frantic feeling of the country ! He was overruled and we have 800 , 000 , 000 ? . of debt in consequence , and the nephew of Napoleon on the throne of France . Well I say , comparing small men with great , ours is a similar

      case . We have opposed the popular feeling of the people of Sheffield in this matter , because we think they are "wrong . I never was so certain in my life that I was light as in this matter . I have no interest in kading you wrong . I have no place to hope for or to protect . I am not in the Ministry , and have no hope of forming part of any Administration . " ( Ckeers . ~ ) Some of his friends had advised him to retire from public life , " saying that he was old and worn out ; that was to say , they wanted to take his place . Parodying a phrase of Jeremy Bentham , he thought that was " an interest-begotten kindness , " He was " no orator like Brutus —Brutus being Mr . Overend ; " but he would tell them , without subterfuge , that he was in favour of an extension of the

      suffrage , of vote by ballot , and of making all men equal before the law , -whatever may be their religious creed . — A vote of confidence in Messrs . Roebuck and Hadfield was unanimously passed . — Mr . Roebuck and Mr . Hadfield have addressed several other meetings . Mr . Overend , the Conservative candidate for Sheffield , addressed a meeting of electors on Monday night , and entered into a vindication of the Chinese affair . The proceedings terminated in a vote adverse to Mr . Overeixd ' s claims , which was carried by a large majority . Mr . " \ V . N . Massey , Under-Secretary for the Home Department , addressed the electors of Sa . lfoui > in the Town Hall on Monday evening ; Mr . Oliver Hey wood in the Chair . The candidate said he believed Lord

      Palmerston ' s Government would endeavour to satisfy the moderate and reasonable wishes of the people of this country by proposing a measure of reform , or it -would not much longer have the humble aid of such men as himself , or the aid of much greater men . He ( Mr . Massey ) had voted and should vote for the ballot on every opportunity . He had always been a friend of civil and religious liberty . As a member of the Church of England , he should do all in his power to check the innovations lately introduced in that Church . From conscientious conviction he voted against Sir Joshua Walmsley ' s Bill , for opening places of amusement on Sundays . He should oppose a Maine Liquor Law , as being " all nonsense . " A large majority intimated their satisfaction wi tli these statements .

      Mr . Cobden addressed another meeting of electors nt IIudobrsfield last Saturday . It will be recollected that an alarming accident brought the meeting on the previous Thursday night to a hurried and preniiiture conclusion . On the present occasion , tho assembly took place at the Gymnasium Hall , where thero was a crowded attendance . Mr . Cobden was received with immense cheering . After apologizing for the weakness of his voice , which was caused by his addressing 6000 or 6000 persons in the Free-trade Hall , Manchester , on behalf of his friend John Bright , and after recapitulating his arguments on the Chinese question , he spoke of the ballot and suffrage , to -which he had before alluded . Ho said : — " Connected with tliese there was an organic change necossary . of as great importance

      aa either , and that was tho redistribution oi' electoral powex in the country . It was possible to extend the franchiae to any extent , and yet contrive to hand oyer tho power to a few families , as in tho palmy dnys of the rotten borough system , by giving two . sent * to Kipon and one to Huddersfiold , Snlford , or Dundee . The franchise ought to bo distributed according to the population and wealth of si district , and in England it would bo found that wealth increased in proportion to the population , forming the rulo for nn equal allotment ol electoral powor . Ireland would bo an exception to tins rule , but Ireland was an exception and nn anomal y »» almost everything ; and there they found that population had little reference to wealth . He wns in favour of

      . shortening tho duration of Parliaments I ' voin sevtii threo years , 3 iin reasons being that few were uwuri ; ot tho extent to which a House of Commons might be coerced by the threat of a dissolution , ( llenr , hear . ) l- <> ' ' ' Palrnoraton , during a considerable portion of lust session ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 28, 1857, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28031857/page/4/