Star. — London, England, 1826-07-01 00:00:00

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE. DUgFRIES, JUNE 27. Friday evening last the news reached Craigdarroch of the election of R. C. Fergusson, 'Esq. to represent in Parliament the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and we question much if the announcement of the victory at Waterbo was anywhere more joyfully received, than is the above piece of intelligence at Mr. Fergusson's family mansion. A general turn-out was the Instant consequence, and Mr. Waugh, of this town, who has there a number of men engaged in a piece of work at present, suggested the idea of ascending the high crag hich so majestically overhangs the house of Craig. damsel', and there lighting a bonfire, and holding something like a Bacchanalian Orge around it. The proposer of 'his motion accordingly dispatched some of his myrmidons to Minni!live for a sufficient quantum of liquor, and proceeded with the rest to the top of the hill, scaring many a hawk, owl, and mor rc•rck in their way, Ant) there erected so huge a fire that its light glared over a great part of the parish, while the cheers and merriment ef about fifty people encircling it—uf whom about twenty were of the softer sex—were heard in the village of Minnihive, a distance of fully two miles. The health of Mr. F.-rgusson, and that of the freeholders of Kirkcudbright, were respectively drank with high en thusiasm ; and after revelling for a while among the rocks and heather, the elude, in high spirits, yet per- fectly correct and sober, " descended into the plain," to re-enjoy in their dreams the happy scene which they bad enacted.—Dumfries courier. WESTMORELAND ELECTION.—Sisru Day. AMWAY, W EDNUDAY. One of the first things which attracted public atten tion this morning, was the following placard from Mr. Brougham " To the Freeholders of WestmorelanJ. " Independent Freeholders,—Your cause is safe, if you will exert yourselves for it. Your friends have already Foiled, within seven votes, as many as they did on the sante day of the list election, and much less exertion bas been made to bring up the voters. Your ad versaries have made the greatest exertions ; and they cannot head you upon the poll any longer unless you are inactive and disregard your own interest and the success of the cause. lam doing every thing in my power to win the day for you ; but if you do not come to my assistance, it most be in vain. The cause is you own; let every man reflect that upon his own conduct at this moment, it de pends whether the County shaU be free for ever, or for ever depend ent on a single family. Each honest man has the welfare of West moreland in his keeping. lam your faithful servant, " 11. BROUGHAM." You will see from it that Mr. Brougham has thought it necessary not only to excite his tliends to greater ac tivity, but also to admit that either himself or his com mittees have made much less exertion to bring up voters than they did at the last eisKtion. I heard several of Mr. Brougham's friends two or three days ago complain, that adequate means of conveyance to Appleby had ry,r been provided for the voters; and that very great mis chief had been indicted on the blue cause in consequence. The town is now very quiet, and such arrangements have been made between the Committees on both sides as are likely tepsecure its tranquillity during the election. The bands are allowed to play during the early part of the day ; but as the crowd begins to assemble about the hustings to hear the speeches, the music and the banners disappear till the next morning. In revenge for being thus cut short in their musical labours in the evening, the bands begin playing and parading as eat ly as four and five o'clock in the morning ) to the great discomfi ture of those who wish to enjoy the blessings of sleep in this sultry weather. At four o'clock this afternoon the poll closed, and a dens* crowd, for a country town like Appleby, assem bled in front of the hustings. Mr. James Wiggins, who has been parading the streets to-day and yesterday with a broom decorated with blue ribands, made an oration to them on the beauty of the colour, which the free holders did not hear with that attention which this petty dealer in politics arid poetry thopght it deserved. Per haps this want of taste was oceasioned by the transitory prospect of a battle among themselves, which passed off, however, almost immediately, without producing any other effect than that of driving all the country girls of the neighbourhood from the midst of the crowd, in which they had undoubtedly no business. When the bustle thus occasioned had subsided, several of them indulged in the usual electioneering witticisms on the candidates and.their respective friends, and thus whiled away the time till the poll was declared. At half past five o'clock the Under Sheriff came for ward, and declared the day's poll to be as folio ors : Lord Lowther . 1391 Colony' Lowther 1329 Mr. Brougham - 1143 Lord LOWTHER said, after thanking the freeholders for keeping him still first upon the poll, that he had told his friends yesterday not to be too confident of a great majority, as he was sure there would be a great rush on the other side; but. as this particular exertion of the enemy was over, still leaving him in the mionrity, he (Lord Lowther) wound venture to speak more confi dently of to-morrow, and predict that Mr. Brougham Would soon be con,picuousiy behind. He had been told yestet day that one of their topics was taken away from them, that he had been silenced with respect to the Pope. IsL - o.v be had no hostility to that po r old gentleman the Pope'; but Popery, as far as he cauld prevent it, should never be allowed to tide rough-shod over the institu tioas of England— (Loud cheering) —and for that reason he would always resist any proposal to give its votaries political pow er. By way of supporting the Pope, Mr. B. had adduced the instance of the liberality of the Duke of Norfolk towards a Ptotestant Church.. This proved nothing,or, rather, it was but an exception to the general rule of Roman Catholic illiberality. He had no doubt that there were many, very many, resiteccable Gentle men among the Roman Catlavlics, but that had nothing to do with their general system. As for the poll, Mr. B. would, in all probability, favour his hearers Pith some more nice arithmetical calculations, to prove that he was at the head of it ; and he did not wish to deprive them of the amusement of such ingenious speeches.. But he had no fear, that if they continued to support him, all these pleasant pieces of mathematics would go for ; and he would, on the last day of the election, have to thank them for being in the same situation as he was now—(Clamour /ram the Blues.) As the Gentle men were getting impatient, he would not trouble them farther at present, but wish them good evening. Colonel Lew: HER said, notwithstanding the boasts which. they had heard - from the other side as to what they would perform that day, he was still a-head of their opponent on that day's poll. He exhorted them to keep up their spirits, and is proceed onwards in the same path in which they had already walked; and no matter What their majority on each day's poll might be, still if it were a majority of either 10, 20, or 50 votes at .• the end of each day's poll, those numbets would tcll at the close of the poll, if it. lere kept open for fifteen Jays, aerwould give to him a clear and decided victory —(temsel cries of 44 Mushroom"). He had himself no fear as to tile result of the election—he hoped that they would support him With the same spith to-morrow a• they had done to•day, and with that hope he would take his leave of them, thanking those.a•r►ongthem who ha,l already given him their support, and trusting that.he should soon see at the poll•booth those who had not . . already honoured him with it. Mr. BROUGHAM said, that he differed exceedingly from the Colonel in the opinion Vlach that officer had just expressed, as he had the misfoitune to differ from him on many other topics, that it signified little what the majority on that day's poll was, whether it was 5, or 10, or 20, or only 14, as it really happened to be. lie (Mr. Brougham) thought, 'on the o:her hand, that it signified a great deal indeed, because it ought to he recollected, that in consequence of the unparalleled exertions which their opponents had made, with the enormous resources which they had at their disposal, with the vast body of agen!s which they had to set those resources in motion, with these means so possessed and so made use of with lavish profusion, they were yesterday only 83 ahead on the poll, and to-day were only a-head of the blues by a poor 14. He therefore thought it right to assume that the tide w.'s turned, and that by their exertions not relaxing but re doubling to-morrow, they would be able to show the Colonel a still better poll than they had been able to I indulge him with a sight of on ti.e ;resent day.— As he was a great friend t trade, he was sorry to inform thin, in these dull times, that a blow had been struck at one branch of it—the mushroom traffic—(Loud cheering). It was a mo t painful thing to him, when so many manufacturers were suffering, t. announce a falling of in any trade, especially in an honest one. With what feelings, then, should he state, that a total bankruptcy had taken place in the principal mushroom . manufactory? —(Loud cheers). He had been told that some of the dealers in that article were compelled to shut up shop— (Cheers). We should have no more catsup for six months to come—(Loud cheers and laughter). He wished, however, that it had happened sooner, for then a great number of votes which had been placed upon the poll (he believed 48) would have been swept away also by the flaw which had been discovered. And now for a few words on another sut , ject. He had yesterday really entertained hopes that he had taken leave of the Bishop of Rome, called, by the Noble Lord on the other side, an Old Gentleman ; and he now only reverted to the subject to mention a fact, which he de sired all who heard him to remember. Several Catholic freeholders, as respectable men as could exist, whose I votes were as good as any votes could be, had that day presented themselves, he understood on both sides.— Those who time up for him were required to take the long oath, which no good Catholic could conscientiously take, and therefore their votes were lost. Now mark the contrast. Before the election commenced, he had given orders that the oath should not be required of those Catholics who miAht preterit themselves in favour of his opponents. You see what horror these people must now entertain of Roman Catholics ; but they were not always of the same mind. He_held in his hand a letter from one of the confidential Agents of the present Earl of Lonsdale, then Lord Lowther, requesting Mr. Howard, of Corby, a Catholic,to propose Mr. J. Lowther as a Member of Parliament in the county of Cumber land ; and the writer added, that .lt would be " most gratifying to Lord L." if Mr. Howard were to comply with the request. He did comply. He proposed Mr. John Lowther as Member for Cumberland, and that Gentleman was accordingly elected—(Hear, hear). — Here was an example of liberality worthy of imitation ; and he did hope that, if Mr. Howard came to Appleby to vote, during this election, his kindness would not meet with the long oath as a return. He once more called upon the Electors to exert themselves—not in his cause, but their own. He wished them joy of the promising aspect of their affairs, and called for a continuance of that ardent but tempered zeal which they had all along displayed, and which must carry their cause through the struggle to a triumphant conclusion—(Cheering). Mr. WYBERGH then addressed a few words to" the people. The Noble Lord, he said, in alluding to the Pope, had said, that he should not be allowed to ride rough-shod over this country.. Nothing of the kind would be attempted by the Pope, or the old woman, or whatever other name that personage were known by.— And there were other persons who should also not be allowed to ride rough-shod over the people—he meant the Lord Lieutenant of this county—(loud cheers)—and not only not ride rough-shod, but he should not ride over Westmoreland at all—(" Huzza," and " Well done, old fellow 1') He had made these observations, because he considered his friend's speech was defective in this , I poilt, but in this point only. Mr. JANISS WIGGINS next addressed the Meeting; but if the little body ever had any humour, it has eilapo rated, for the only point about him was throwing a toad stool (large enough to bear him) among the yellows, with a denunciation against mushrOoms.—About nine o'clock the loud cheering in the street announced that Mr. Duffie, the chimney-sweeper of Monday, and the negro slave of Tuesday night, was again at his post. He this night appeared in the character of the Rev. Dr. Sill, of Burton, in Kendal. His dress was a complete bur lesque on that of several of the clergymen of this county. He had an old greasy hat on his head, knocked into the shape of the three-cornered shovel hat, which many of the dignified clergy are in the habit of wearing, and which was plentifully decorated with yellow ribands. He wore a coat and waistcoat of rusty black, and covered with snuff. A large rosette of yellow riband was fixed upon his breast, and from the place where a watch ought to have been, but was not, dangled a yellow riband of immense length and mag nitude. He was carried up the town in a chair, in which he reclined with much pomp and swagger. He stopped in various places to address the mulritude on behalf of the Church, and in his assumed character of Dr. Sill, which he supported extremely well, made many clever ironical attacks on Mr. Brougham, and several most biting invectives in the shape of panegyrics on the Church and the Clergy. In the course of his harangue,he lamented that the mushroom votes which he had made so recently had been all set aside, and the manner in which he uttered his lamentations and attempted to' conceal the tears which he did not shed, would not have been unworthy of the best actor on the stage. He was taken to the Obelisk, and being mountel thereon, made a short sermon on the ye* ue of mushrooms, which he said sh ruld have been loner, had he not been averse, like most of his cloth, t give himself unnecessary trouble. He then sang a parody on a %Al-known song, in praise of the i 'dependence of the Clergy, altering the real burden of it into All attack upon the Parsons with " Their coats all so black, and their cravats so white:* Ile then reriiourited-hil chair, and having called for his glass aad bottle gave the specta tors as a toast, " may the best man win,' and may my Reverence soon be transformed into a Bisho . p." He Was then carried in mock dignity to the hustings, hav ing his glass in one hand, and his bottle in the other. — Having ascended them, he made another oration in favour of Churchmen and their independence, but refused to define the word independence, as he was . well aware that they all knew what it meant when in the mouth of a parson. He _concluded his labours for the night in the following manner:— " I have a cure, my Christian brethren, for your souls, and therefore from all the lies which you may have pro. pagated for the Lowthers, from the guilt of all the bribes which you may have taken for yourselves, from all the debauchery into which you may have been led by the lavish profusion with which ale and brandy have beer; dealt out to you in this election, and from all the sin; of envy, hatred, and malice, which it has stirred up among you. I now absolve you in the name of the Lord and of the Coloia.l. Good night." The mob then gave this political mountebank three cheers, and gradually separated. hi the evening, Mr. Duffle once more made his appearance, dressed as a Clergyman, with a mushroom in his hand, and ad dressed the mob from the hustings, in the character of the Rev. Mr. Sill, of Barton, to whom ,Mr. lifougham had alluded as having made some mushroom votes for the yellows. Every thing is, how ever, perfectly quiet, but squibs are now beginning to fly pretty thick. NORTHUMBERLAND. ALNIVICIC, WILITMCSDAV SiOHT. The appearance of things late yesterday was rather , alarming to all but the lovers of a row. The partisans of the several Candidates were arrayed against each other as the evening advanced, with an apparent de termination to fight the matter fairly out. This spirit, too, was quite in keeping with the place—the war like aspect of the battlements of the Castle, the rude barrier of Histspur's gate, within sight of the hustings, and a clap of thunder or two in the evening, were fine accessaries to fan an excited flame, and the old border ground promised again a vassal combat; but all these formidable symptoms subsided on the approach of night, and each party seemed content to imitate the hostile gestures of the stone warriors of Alnwick towers, and to remain at the same instant as motionless : no blow was struck (except by a few sots quarrelling for liquor), no blood was shed, and the moon cast her light upon a languid and motley set of unworthy successors to the race of chivalry which once covered these hills with clansmen, whose hearts were as hard as the iron that encased them. Fate decreed, however, that though Chevy Chase was not to be acted over again, yet that another drama should be put in rehearsal, and the dra matis persona were a few jolly fellows of all panics who felt with the poet, that " Night returning, Brings the genial hour of burning," and took qeiet possession of the hustings about half an hour aft r midnight,where they regularly recommenced the business of the past day. A throng soon collected in front, some got out of their beds, others poured forth from the public-houses, so that a very decent audience was got up at the shortest notice. The scene, even before a word was spoken, was be yond anything rich. The sheriffs' and candidates boxes were all duly filled ; the reporters station in front was occupied by four or five jolly fellows, who took out tobacco pouches and broken pipes, which they held up for note-books and pens. A stout man with an assumed gravity of expression that was irresistibly comic, called lem Foster, a dispatch messenger for one of the com mittees, presumed to personify the High Sheriff, and a broom-stick was provided for a wand, with which he occasionally laid on lustily, to maintain order. An drew Davison, a carter, was Mr. Bell; Bill Hardy, a nailer, was Mr. Beaumont ; and also Mr. Liddell, n d two heroes contended at different ends of the hustings, for the honour of representing Lord Howick. As there had evidently been a good Bow of spirits among the Candidates in the course of the night, they dashed at once upon business without the cir cumlocution of proclamation reading, which the De puty Sheriff's representative was too drunk to get through ; he, however, made the attempt, but was soon disposed of by the Sheriff w ith his wand, in the way that Punch gets rid of his friend in the show-box. Order having been restored, the Sheriff annour ced the state of the poll, with a few interlocutory imprecations upon some fellows in front,wk fr o flatly refused to hand up a black bottle, from which they were most selfishly refreshing themselves under the Sheriff's box. The state of the poll being declared, Bill Hardy, the nailer, came forward as Mr. Beaumont, and really made a better speech than his principal. Nothing could equal the successive applause which he received, for in their regular turn he denounced all the political parties in the State. The Tories wanted to keep their places, the Whigs desired to get in, to share the loaves and fishes; and the only honest men in the community were Bill Hardy and the people—(Loud cheers). Davison, the carter, followed, and did very well for Mr. Bell. He liked his King and his country, and he d--d every man that did not. Mr. Liddell was beaten hollow in oratory, bre Bill Hardy, who did not attempt to deny the coalition, and said, there it was, and those that did not like it, might leave it. He would do just as he liked, and when he liked, and every honest man ought to do the same. The two candidates (whose names we could not learn) who contended for the representation of Lord Howick, get into such fierce collision, that the oratory of neither could be heard, and in the uproar for settling the iden tity of the candidate, the Shetiff roared out, " I say, I dissolve the hustings." " Then shake hands with Lid dell," exclaimed one of the people. "To be sure, I will," said the Sheriff, and a little afterwards three cheers announced the termination of the business, while a little dapper orator was climbing up the front of the hustings, loudly protesting against the dissolution of the Meeting at that early hour (the Church clock had just tolled one), when the Sheriff soon made him let go his hold by repeated blows from the broomstick, saying, o Down with you, I am dissolved." The whole went off with great humour, This morning (Wednesday) opened with the publica tion of various placards, severely animadverting upon tho. Sheriff's conduct in dissolving the hustings yester day, and soon after the poll was re-opened ; Lord Howick, accompanied by the Hon. C. Grey, General Kerr, Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart. Mr. J ohn (ieo. Lanibton, Mr. Bacon Grey, Mr. Grey, of Millfield, and twelve other friends, formally delivered in a written Protest against the Iligh Sheriff's conduct yesterday. It declared that the di,turbanc6 had originated in the in erruption given by the . Hon. Thomas Liddell, the brother of one of the candidates ; and that it was the High Sheriff's duty to have endeavoured to (obtain a hearing far Mr. Grey, of Mil;field, a freehoidef. °f a u t the Q i t ing t t i l o ) e nlt with, the op: posing candidate. !Meeting, uponto cporenvseunatatios Awing , heard, ' The Mutt SII/111/1 di4claimed haVing interact! to give the !emit superiority to one Candidate above another, and regretted ttiAt Lord liowick laboured under any such impreesitnt. Mr. Pe mc, the Barrister, whii•acts as Assessor for the High Sher ff, declared that he had ti.e power by law, and had done right to dissolve the * Meeting, when he observed symptoms of tumult. The High Sherif might adjourn when the poll was annotinctd, but it was usual to wait and hear the Candidates ; after which; however, he had the undoubted right of cl , ssolving the Meeting, without waiting to hear the speeches of others who might wish to address the crowd. Mr. LIDDELL again congratulated his friends upot his ietaining . his place at the head of the poll, which he had foret-ld would have been the case. Ile was charg• with looking into his hat for his speech ; now he saw . no words in his hat but "'warranted water proot"— a very goo I protection on so tempestuous a day as this: Ie should always be found to speak whatever he felt, whether in his hat or his head. I-le despised abuse—he I defied misrepresentation—and dial not very partieul,l:y mind tumult. Mr. BELL also returned thanks, and again denounced unnaturaltie coalition which had been formed between Mr. LiciJell and Mr. Beaumont, and co-ar isted it with the frank, honourable, and manly conduct of Lord Ilowick. Mr. BgADMONT said, that he would give his friend, Mr. Bell, an opportunity of hearing his sentiments this day, on what he had called a monstrous coalition. Nov ith respect to tie affection said to be borne for Lord H. in the county, GOD forbid that he should attempt to depreciate either that, or his talents, which are said to be only next to Mr. Brougham's, as his good nature was only second to Sir James Mackintosh's. But, how could either that Noble Lord or Mr. Bell venture to talk of coalition, when they had themselves entered into one which would henceforth make the name of Northumber land Whig a by-wcid in the streets of London. He next arraigned Lord Howick for, at a time a hen he admitted he had no hopes of success himself, coming forward day after day to play ;he game of the election fora high Tory Candidate, and pronounced a severe philippic upon such inconsistent public conduct. Lord Howicic repelled the accusation in very strong terms, and avowed that he had requested his friends to give their second votes to Mr. Bell, believing him to be a fair and manly political antagonist, and for the pur pose of defeating the machinations of the person wh', with principles cf reform on his lips, had done all in his power to put down the freedom of election. The Mon SERUM immediately dissolved the hustings and re tired, leaving the candidates and their friends remaining. The candidates then withdrew from the hustings, and Mr. Grey repaired to the window of Lord Howick's com*ittee-room, from which he made an impassion A appeal to the people, which was loudly cheered. Mr. Liddell had told them that he defied misrepresentati m ; but who had misrepresented him? Was it not matter of history that Mr. Liddell's family had fortified them selves against the Radicals; and.had not the milit try commandant of Newcastle been called upon to insdect the fortification? The Hon. Gentleman had also s rid, that he did not care much for tumult; so it would ap pear from the manner in which his friends excited it on the hosting. All he (Mr. Grey) would now say further of " Northumberland's choice" was, that if in a sudden fit of insanity, the county should really be doomed to make such a choice, a few hours of cool reflection would soon cool their frenzy—(Applause). Mr. Liddell might have their seat, but he never could, by the same means through which he obtained it, obtain a place in the heart of any good man in the county. Time had been, when the name or Charles Grey was held in reverence its Northumberland; and time would soon be when tears of repentance would fall fstsm the freeholders st ho had transgressed on this occasion, and bedew the path which the noble person to whom he alluded would tread with steady and uncompromising steps.-- He should now take leave of the freeholders of Nor thumberland, having to breathe the air of the West moreland hills, where he hoped to see the flag of inde pendence waving with more freedom than he saw it in his native county. He concluded by pronouncing as eloquent eulogium upon the character and principles of L Howick, who would bear with Irim the wishes and prayers of every honest and independent freeholder. Mr. Lambton was loudly called fir, but be had shortly before retired. The crowd gave three cheers, and then separated. SOMERSRTSHIEIE ILCIUSTIV, THUILSIMYy Alta L'O. About two o'clock the gentry of the neighbourhood pressed to the hustings, in eapectation of the poll bei.tg closed at three; and Sir Thomas Lethbridge nod Alp. Dickinson took their stations on the platform. A li.tle before three Mr. Hunt, attended by his friend Mr. HAl ward, and by his sons, also pressed through the crowd, and came up close to the other candidates. The Rev. Mr. Cftetsswer.r. offered himself to take the bribery oaths, and atter they had been administered, he said he had come from some little distance, and wished, before he polled, to take some refre,hmeut, as he had several questions to ask Mr. Dickinson, Sir Thomas Lethbridge, and Mr. Stuckey. He objected to the poll being closed, as there were two thousand voters unpolled, and he could bring seventy for Mr. Hunt. Mr. Cres well now asked Sir Thomas Lethbridge if be said no honest man would vote for Mr. Hunt; he repeated the question, but the worthy Baronet refused to answer it. Mr. Caasswnta. then said to Mr. Dickinson, I ask you, whether you have or have not used language tantamount to this—" Those who vote for Mr. Hunt are either deluded men, or they are rogues." I ask you, Sir, as a Gentleman, for an answer. Mr. Diexutsost.—l do no nut recollect making use of any ouch expression. lam totally at a loss to understand why I should utter pny such sentiment. I st.ould have no right to say so. After some further dialogue, in which Mr. Hunt somewhat lost his temper towards Sir Thos. Lethbridge; Mr. Sruckst said, I am glad to see the Gentlemen 'here who report for the public papers; the report of what I said is incorrect. What I said was this— that use voter who polled for Mr. Hunt was either deluded or disgraced, and not that he was a rogue. (To Islt. Cresswell.) And I think you, as a clergyman, disgrace yourself by the part you take in this election. Mr. Causwat.i.—Disgrace myself, Sir; who are you ? Who was your father, or your grandfathercrgi " He doe , nut kasolf ( himself ") that you dare to tell me that disgrace myself? Mr. Srocxxr.—Mr. Cresswell, I did not say the freeholder who voted for Hunt was dishonest ; but that I considered hi n to be disgraced. Air. Cansweir..—l am satisfied, Sir, with your explanati )n. Mr. D. BATLEY thought the poll ought to be closed without notice; the Sheriff said notice had been 4lve 3 yesterday, and Mr. Hunt said ample time had ten given the freeholders, if they had been inclined to .rne -,