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agreed to waive the candidates of their several sections , and in General Pierce they found one who had been removed from recent dissensions , and was yet illustrious in the esteem of his . countrymen . It would appear , that t ^ e Wfyg party was not possessed of an illustrious retir £$ so suitable for the purpose in question ; and it has , therefore , necessarily been content with the ordinary process of putting its candidates , to the ypj ; e . Of Mr . Webster ' s abilities no one entertains the slightest doubt ; but the vote has proved that , as a
candidate for the Presidency , he had not the confidence of any large proportion of his countrymen . President Fillmore might have enjoyed the compliment of re-election , had it not been necessary for the party to put forth a candidate able , if possible , to secure all the Whig votes , and a few more . General Scott ' s military achievements have rendered him popular with those ardent citizens , who already see the Republic of the West rivalling in vastness and power the republic of the seven hills . The contest now lies between General Scott , with
Whig support and military popularity , and General Franklin Pierce , with a great civil as well as military reputation . But even the Whig supporters of General Scott are not quite in accord amongst themselves , and some members of the defeated sections still talk of voting independently of the decision of the convention .
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THE GENERAL ELECTION . The notes of preparation which have so long sounded , have been silenced in the boroughs this week by the commencement of an active campaign , and the real work of choosing members . Among the first in the field was THE . CITY . As our readers are aware , a section of independent Liberals , distrustful of the nominees of the Reform Association , Lord John Russell , Baron Rothschild , and Sir James Duke , brought forward Mr . Crawford . Various meetings of his supporters were held , and negotiations carried on with him . The result of this was , that he resolved not to act either directly or indirectly in advancing his own cause , but at the same time intimating that if elected he would serve . On Monday a large meeting of the chiefs among the Liberal party , was held at the London Tavern , and after a great deal of talk , they resolved to send for Mr . Crawford , and ask him to retire . But he was not to be found , and matters remained in this state until Tuesday the
NOMINATION DAY . Early in the morning there were crowds in the open courtyard , facing the entrance to the Guildhall ; at 10 o ' clock the candidates arrived ; the doors were thrown open , and the large hall was instantly filled with people . Among the notables present wore throe of the sons of Louis Philippe—the Due I )\ Aumale , the Due de . Nbiuoiirs , and the Due do Montpensier . Lady John Russell also was there ; to encourage her husband by her presence , and witness his success or defeat .
Mr . Hankey , the Governor of the Hunk of England , proposed Lord John Russell a . s a fit and proper pcr . sori to represent the city in Parliament . He laid it down that the present , election turned upon the question of Free-trade or Protection . One part of his speech is remarkable for the originality of the illustrations it uilbrds of one of the points in dispute between the eontending parties . He said : — "It was well luiown Mint , one of the most , alarming prophecies of tho Protectionists whh , Unit under a system of Freo-I rude the first evidence of its full development would be a drain of all the gold from tho Hank of Kngland . Now , as this was a point on which lie might be supposed to be Hoinewhfit familiar ( ' hear , ' and u laugh ) , he begged to tell them I hat , at the present moment , there wan gold
enough in tho vaults of the Hank of Kngland to cover with a very nice Hlicathing of gold an ordinary-nixed road all round the equator , and lie wan not very sure that they had not enough to gild the whole world . [ 'erhn [> H it whh to tho vaults of the Hank of lOngland that the Chancellor of Iho . Exchequer wan alluding when ho said that he saw Hoinothing ' looming in tho distance . ' lie could tell him that if he would apply Ins telescopic instrument , in the direction of those vaults , ho would see a Hight . that , would inako ii very pretty object for his glasN . ( Cheers and laughter . ) imt he ' must beg at tho Name time to remind him that , all that gold had been purchased with the results of British industry , and tho greater purl , of it , uridor a ~~ > . nyhtcui of Free trade . ( Il . eur . ) And he would , moreover , * f \ ^ venture to predict , that all tho unusual supply of gold now : / vJ ^ in those vaults could bo as readily parted With an it had , ^ 171 *> oen tW ! Cumu l" -ted , und without tho smallest disturbance ot / [_' } . tho ordinary iunctiona of tho Bank , whenever tho doxnwida - '¦ ., I ' l , 1 *" Wit rr \
of the people of tbJ f country fhoFf # that they were desirous of exchanging that gold , iidw merely placed there in temporary deposit , for articles produced elsewhere , and which might be considered of more immediate and essential use in this country . ( Loud cries of' Hear , hear . ) Such being the case , said he , do not endanger the maintenance of Free-trade by a single vote , and support Lord John Russell , and trust to his pilotage . Mr . John Dillon seconded the nomination on the game grounds , adding that Lord John represented the principle of reform in England . Mr . Prescott proposed Baron Rothschild , and supported his nomination on the ground that it was of the greatest importance that the City should continue to vindicate the principle—that religious opinion should be no bar to the exercise of political rights . For the same reason , Mr . Alderman Wire seconded
his nomination . Saluted by groans , hisses , and cries of "No Protection , " Mr . Masterman was proposed by Mr . Ellis , and seconded by Mr . Heath . A similar reception was given to Mr . Martineau and Alderman Lawrence , the proposer and seconder of Sir James Duke . These both attacked the supporters of Mr . Crawford , and urged the claims of Sir James , on the ground that he was a tried and known advocate of civil and religious liberty . Mr . Crawford was proposed by Mr . W . J . Hall , and seconded by Mr . Bateman . Mr . Hall bitterly attacked Lord John , and declared that all his measures were shams ; while Mr . Bateman , who for a long time could not obtain a hearing , wound up by asserting that " Lord John was used up . "
Here the nominations ended , and Lord John Russell made his speech , to the multitude . He ran through the usualetock subjects of his hustings speeches , telling them how he had brought about the repeal of the Test and Corporation acts ; supported Free-trade ; carried the Reform Bill ; and acted with consistency and success , At one period of these remarks , the well-known chorus of " For he ' s a jolly good fellow , " followed a burst of applause . . " Now as to the future . With respect to religious liberty , the measure of religious liberty was not yet complete , because there was a class of their fellow-subjects , faithful and loyal subjects of Her Majesty , who were
excluded from office , and from seats in Parliament , on account of their religion . ( Hear , hear . ) He had done his best to remove that disability , but let him tell them that that was a question which did not depend on him , or any one advocate of that cause , —it depended on the people of England to settle that question . ( Loud cheers . ) And he felt assured that , if the people of England sent a large majority to the House of Commons to remove all religious disabilities , there would be found no obstaclo to the consummation of their wishes . ( Applause . ) With respect to Free Trade , there was not one of the late members of the city of London , nor one of tho present candidates , who wished to represent the city , that was not favourable to hout the
Free Trade . But , more than that , throug country the Protectionists were ready to give up that battle , and , like the garrison of a besieged place , were only about to muster their forces for tho purpose of laying down their arms . ( Cheers and laughter . ) He was awaro that it was proposed to make some sort of capitulation before those arms were piled ; but the terms of that capitulation must bo narrowly looked at , and ho said for himself that ho should vote for no relief to a particular class , but if tho revenue could afford relief ho thought it should bo given to tho community at large . ( Loud applause . ) His belief was , that that great class of their fellow-countrymen , a most deserving and respectable class , who were engaged in thoir best
the pursuits of agriculture , would find advantage in that which was to the benefit of the community at large ; and this was not a mero theory or a mere sentiment ,, because they all knew that the agriculturists were employed in raising food ; and that the rnoro peoplo there were who could eat that food , and tho more people Miens were who had money to buy that food , the better it would be for those who raised it . ( Cheers . ) Ho believed , therefore , that , no person would corno forward in tho now Parliament to say that tho people were suffering from the cheapness of bread , and that they bad got . a plan to a < l < l something to tho price of the loaf . ( . Laughter and applause . ) lie doubted vory much whether any one would even propose to rruiko sugar dearer , but , if such a proposihe did not think that those who liked to
turn were made , havo sugar with their tea would be apt to countenance and support it . ( Renewed laughter and applause . ) Then ho caino to another question , to which he had already alluded namely , the question of Reform in ' Parliament . Ho now declared in that , hall his opinion , which ho had before declared in the House of Commons , that there ought , to bo an extension of tho suffrage . ( Cheers . ) Ho believed likewise that in proposing tho Reform 'Hill , as he and the Ministers at the time did , in a great emergency , Micro wero defects that required to be amended in that measure , and he , for his part , should bo ready to consider every proposition for that purpose , with tho view to givo tho people u rnoro complete representation . ( Cheering , and a cry of ' What about tho ballot r" )" As to his errors no doubt he had committed many , for be was fallible ; but what he had done for good they all knew , and he trusted they would pardon his mistakes and give him credit , for his good will . " His object , if elected to the now Parliament , would bo to romovo remaining religious disabilities ; and to take care that tho oath , which members of Parliauumt wore obliged
to take , should be one and simple—the same for persons of all religious fauna f that religious faith should no longer be any ' ^ qualification , and that , as there should be no longer an bath kept up for the purpose of excluding the Jews , so neither should an oath be maintained which in many of its parts insulted and injured the Roman Catholics . ( Applause . ) He "was for men of all religions having equal rights to serve their country . ( Cheers ; a cry of 'No Popery ! ' ) He heard some one call out * No Popery ! ' His principle upon that subject , was very clear . Ho never would allow any interference with , the supremacy and independence of the Crown and of the nation ; but , on the other hand , he would never punish any man for his religious opinions . ( Loud cheers . )"
Being asked by Mr . Bennoch how far he would extend the suffrage and shorten Parliaments , he replied by asking them to trust him , and if they trusted him to leave those matters in his hands ! As to the Ballot he was quite opposed to it . Next in order came Baron Rothschild , who was received with groans , cheers , and hisses . His speech mainly turned upon the advocacy of his own cause . Towards the end , however , the Baron , who is , remember , the Consul General of Austria , got upon another theme .
" He would now refer to a circumstance which had been made use of against him on this occasion , —he referred to the loan which , had been contracted with his firm ( hisses and cheers ); and in doing so he did not wish that it should be considered that he was in any way making an excuse for the manner in which he , the representative , had been acting . But he wished to take advantage of that opportunity to state , that in Austria the Jews now enjoyed ^ the same ' privileges and rights enjoyed by all other religious persuasions . At present there were two Jews who had very high situations in the Austrian _ Government . As regarded , therefore , civil and religious liberty , Austria was already in advance of this country . ( Hear , hear . )"
Mr . Masterman followed . His address was veryshort . As regarded Protection , he thought he might say that he had voted for all the relaxations that had been proposed in our commercial tariff ; and that , if a renewal of the duties on corn should ever be proposed he , for one , would never give his consent to it in any * way . ( Cheers . ) Upon other subjects he pleaded that in his votes he had the good of the country at heart . Sir James Duke , hissed and cheered , put in the same plea , and contended that he had acted out his principles in the most straightforward and honourable manner . He complained that some one had issued a forged letter declaring that he had resigned .
Mr Crawford mad e a brief speech , stating that he felt bound by every regard to consistency , honour , and to those conclusions which he came to on a careful consideration of all the circumstances , not to present himself there to them as a candidate . ( Hear , hear . ) On the other hand , he was bound not altogether to ignore the spontaneous exhibition of feeling which had been manifested towards him , humble as he was , within the last few days . ( Cheers and some confusion . ) So he remained neutral . After this , Mr . Bennoeli and Mr . Dakin commented on the various candidates . The former standing up for Crawford , the latter defending Sir James Duke .
When the show of liands was taken , it was declared in favour of Mr . Masterman , Lord John Russell , Baron Rothschild , and Mr . Crawford . Sir James Duke demanded a poll . Mr . Crawford begged of his supporters not to take his name to the poll , but ho did not succeed . The next day , amid great excitement , tho electors proceeded to the poll . The Sheriff announced the state of the poll on Thursday to be as follows : — Mr . Mastenmm : ( 5195 Lord John Russell .... 6537 Sir . Tames Duke & 27 O Uaron Kothsehild 4748 Mr . Crawford U 7 G 5 FTNSBURY .
The nomination took place on Wednesday , on Clerkenwell-green . The candidates who came to the scratch were Mr . Puncombe , Mr . Wyld , and Mr . Alderman Challis . Mr . Duncombe , who was unanimously and loudly cheered , eanio to the ground in a quiet carriage and pair ; Alderman ChuUis sporting four greys . Mr . Duncombe's opinions are too well known to need recapitulation in our columns . Mesides a statement of his political principles , he stated his own personal position as opposed by two gentlemen who had
come into tho ileld before Mr . Wnkley resigned , and therefore , he presumed , hostile fo him . " H « confessed that ho wished this struggle had not been a contest of Liberal against Liberal . It would havo been more creditable to their cause , and more satisfactory , ho thought , to the constituency of Kiusbury ; but , an it was , ho had , acting on the defensive , been obliged to unfurl tho old bluo and bull' now waving on the breeze . ( Applause . ) Those colours had never boon defeated yet —( A voice , " Nor nulliod " )—arid Mioy would not bo < iolbatod now . ( Loud cheers . ) Mo theroforo claimed thoir
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646 T HE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), July 10, 1852, page 646, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1942/page/2/
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