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the continued diffusion of education among the people , and such , well-considered , reforms as 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 tie constituencies of the United Kingdom are about to pronounce . I have the honour to he , gentlemen , your obedient and devoted servant , P ^ lmkrston . 94 , Piccadilly , March 23 .
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THE NOMIWATfOISrS . The Westminster election took place on Thursday . Sir Db Lacy 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 p resented himself , Mr . Westerton having retired from the contest , on account of his stipulationsnamely , that his success should be guaranteed , and that his expenses should be paid—not being fulfilled . In the course of hia 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 .
The choice of hands fell on Mr . Cowpjeb ( Liberal and Palinerstonian ) and Sir Minto Fakquhar ( Conservative and Palmerstonian ) . A p > oll wa 3 then demanded for Mr . Chambers , and was appointed for Friday ( yesterday ) .
A stormy nomination meeting took place on Thursday at Nottingham , when Mr . "Walter ( chief proprietor of the Times ) , Mr . Paget , and Mr . Ernest Jokes , 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 rimes newspaper , and the nature of Mr . Jones's land scheme , which Mr . Walter earnestly denounced . The opinions of these two gentlemen 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 tbe presence of a body of Chartists .
The nomination of the candidates for Bedford also took place on Thursday . 3 Mr . WhitbeeAd , Captain Stuart , Mr . Baknakd , 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 . The candidates were—Mr . Ellice and Sir Joseph Paxtox ( Liberal ) , Mr . Mellor , Q .. C . ( Palmerstonian ) , Mr . Mokgan Treherne ( Conservative ) , and Mr . R . J . Philiamore ( 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 . KLiNNAiRDwas on Thui * 3 day returned without opposition for Perth .
. The Bath nomination was on Thursday . The candidates 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 dono 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 tho state of glory to which she had attained . He was an advocate for vote l ) y ballot , and for the extension of the suffrage , and for the application of something like an education test to tho exercise of tho franchise , by giving it to professional men , clergymen , barristers , surgeons , and artists , though they might bo only lodgers , and not occupiers of houses . He would liavo the smaller boroughs assimilated , and their nutnbor of members transferred to populous counties and cities , or their boundaries extended . He was
friendly to the present system of Government aid for education , and was opposed to any merely secular system of instruction . He also advocated cheap law , and legal reform generally . Ho was not ashamed of tho old watchwords of the Whigs , " Peace , retrenchment , and reform , " but was ready to advocate them , if returned to tho House of Commons . —Mr . Way defended tho designation by which ho intimated hia general political principles , A ' * Liberal-Conservative , " he said , was a man who desired to upho ld tho constitution established in 1688 , yet who was willing to grant all well-considered reforms . Ho was opposed to tho ballot and to any present extension of tho suffrage , and would support Lord Palmorston . —Tho show of handawaB largely in favour of Mr . Tito and Sir A . 11 . Elton , and a poll was demanded on behalf of Mr . Way , and appointed for yesterday ( Friday ) .
Tho nomination of tho Windsor o&ndidatos took place on Thursday , when tho show of hands was do clarod to bo in favour of Mr . Guenfeli , and Mr . Vandft-iCUT ( Palmoratoniana ) . A poll was then demanded 6 n bohalf of Mr . Ricardo . * ' ThV Hertford nomination was also on Thursday
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MEETINGS . Mr . HorsfaxIj and Mr . Charles Turner , the Conservative candidates for Liverpool , appeared before a considerable body of the electors in Pitt-street Ward last Saturday . The former defended Lord Palmerston's conduct in connexion with tiie China question ; and both referred to various matters of a politico-religious tendency , and indicated their determination to act from an ultra-Protestant and Chu-rch . of England point of view . A vote of confidence in them was then passed . The Right Hon . Robert Lowe having declined to stand for Manchesteb , on account of his not desiring to sever his Parliamentary connexion with Kidderminster , Mr . James Aspinall Turner , a new candidate , has come forward , and last Sa-turday morning addressed a meeting of the constituency at the Corn Exchange .
His statement of his opinions "was extremely vague , and amounted to little more thai * a promise , conveyed in general terms , that lie WoulQ " promote the cause of civil and religious liberty , " and that he is " a friend to progress . " Sir John Pottek , 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 byHr . Gibson . Although he did not think the ballot woul-d be as useful as was expected , he was willing to grve 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
and made me , small as I am , feel myself a bis mm ( Cheers . ) I felt that in my person England w « Z ' And to see her renown cast into the dust—ae < rader ? bemired , made dishonourable by persons wto ° never ought to have borile power in her name ( cheers ) — made me ashamed , and in your name I declared that tW shame should not attach to her . ( Cheers ) Did . I A wrong , gentlemen ? (< JVo , no . ' ) The time irill come when that vote will be looked upon as a great instann of the right feeling of the House of Commons of Ene land . Looking back through the history of my countrv there are times in which 1 think good men must have felt their hearts sink . Comparing small things with great , I can fancy that the great Milton , whea he saw the tide turn in favour of
popular the Stuarts—he who had rendered himself immortal by his writings in the cause of his country and of freedom—I can fanev that he must have felt bitter 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 hefost his seat for opposing the popular will as to the American war- The popular will overrode the wisdom of the senator , and we lost America . When Fox opposed the French war , how his 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 5 s a similar case . We have opposed the populav feeling of the people of Sheffield in this matter , because we think they are
wrong . I never was so certain in my life tliat I was right as in this matter . I have no interest in leading you wrong . I have no place to hope for or to protect , lam not in . the Ministry , and have no hope of forming part of any Administration . " ( Cheers . ) 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 th&ihj 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 ani 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 . Overend ' s claims ,-which was carried by a large majority . Mr . \ y \ N . Massey , Under-Secretary for the Home Department , addressed the electors of Salford in the Town Hall on Monday evening ; Mr . Oliver Heyvvood in the Chair . The candidate said he believed Lord Palmerston's Government would endeavour to satisfy tlie 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 ( 3 I > . 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 " nil nonsense . " A large majority intimated their satisfaction . with these statements .
Mr . Cobdbn addressed another meeting of electors at Huddersfield last Saturday . It will l ) e recollected that an alarming accident brought the meeting on the previous Thursday night to a hurried and preimiture conclusion . On the present occasion , the assembly took place at the Gymnasium Hall , where there was a crowded attendance . Mr . Cobdeu was received with immense cheering . After apologizing for the weakness of his voice , which was caused by his addressing 5000 or 0000 persona in the Free-trade Hall , Manchester , on behalf of his friend John Bright , and aftur recapitulating his nrguments on tho Chinese question , lie spoke of the ballot and suffrage , to which lie hud before alluded . He said : — " Connected with these there
was an organic change nccessnry of as great importance as either , and that was tho redistribution of electoral power in the country . It was possible to extern ! tho franchise to any extent , and yet contrive to band over tho power to a few families , as in the palmy uuys ot' tho rotten borough system , l > y giving two seats to Kipon and one- to lluddersneld , Snlforu , or Dundee . Tho franchise ought to bo distributed according to the population and wealth of a district , and in England it would bo found that -wealth increased in proportion to the
population , forming the rulo for an equal allot men t oi electoral power . Ireland would bo an exception to tins rule , but Ireland was aa exception and an anomaly in almost everything ; nnd there they found th / it population had little rel'urenco to woalth . He was in favour of shortening the duration of Parliaments from seven to tliroo years , his reasons being that few were aware ot tho extent to which a Housa of Conunojis might l > t : coerced by tho threat of a dissolution . ( Hear , hear . ) Lord Palmorston , during a considerable portiosi of hist session ,
meetings , and decided against it ; and he was told that , not being a requisitionist , he lad no right at the meeting . Another working man said he wished to wara the committee that conduct like that would not do . He -was not a voter for BrigTit and G-ibson , but there were many electors wavering and undecided , and he would caution the committee that it would not do to carry things vyith such a high hand . A vote of confidence in the candidates was passed . , The Right Hon . IE . Ellice , 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 Bowring had he contented himself-with making reprisals , arid 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 o-f Friday week . Mr . Hadfield , his colleague , was also present , but uttered only a few words . Both gentlemen 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 , M * . Roehuck said that , though he was by nature an . indolext man , and inclined to peace ,
his life had been one long political contest ; lie had been ever at work and ever at war . He observed on that occasion an absence « f familiar faces ; and , although those whom he missed said that they deserted him only on account of his late vote , he believed that " the accident was sought for , and that they endeavoured to find a cause of complaint , and were glad to discover one . " Mr . Overend , a new candidate , had said that ho was of exactly the same principles as himself ( Mr . Roebuck ); but , at the general election of 1852 , he 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 foi the business of our Government . Of this , about 26 , 000 , 000 / . wont to pay tho debt ; the other 26 , 000 , 000 / . went to carry on tho ordinary business of tho < Jovernment . In , 1857 , in a time of peace , wo fouad tho expenditure increased 12 , 000 , 000 / ., very nearly one-half of tho whole amount expended upon the publio business in 1852 . Now , I speak for my hem . friend , and myself when I say wo thought thia to bo a groa . tly exaggerated incronso , and that wo should bo doing a good service to the public if wo referred back tho budget to tho Chancellor of tho Exchequer , in order that ho might reconsider tho
expenditure and cut it down . -Therefore wo voted in favour ot Mr . Disraeli's motion on tliat ground , and on that ground alono . " Mr . Roebuck th « n wont over tho -whole ground of tho China dispute , nnd justified tho vote ho and his colleague had given on that question . On his observing that for that voto ho hart- lost tho confidence of many of tho voters of Shofliold , thoro were cries of " Novcrl " " Only a few ! " " Only six ! " Ho then continued : — " England is to mo that -which I cannot explain . I have been ah oxilo , gcntlomon . I have hoard her name mentioned whon I havo bcoti on a foreign shore , and tho \ ery namo has thrilled through mo . Thoro in something connected with liar glorious namo that lias lifted mo up ,
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292 THE LEADER , [ No . 366 , Saturday
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Leader (1850-1860), March 28, 1857, page 292, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2186/page/4/
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