The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-02-01 00:00:00

Corresponotare.

THE COUNTY ELECTION.

To the Editor.

Sir,—l have this morning received a printed circular
purporting to emanate from the Whitechurch can-
didate for the representation of the county.
With the first part of this letter I partly agree. I
quite think—even if a united effort be made on the
part of Mr. F,wler's supporters—no doubt any longer
exists as to the result of the election—he will be
signally beaten.
But what, however, am I to understand by the
significant hint conveyed by this unnecessary informa•
thin (underlined)—that "No one can possibly kn..w how
another has voted." It van hardly lie meant to sug4est
that "No matter how you have promised to vote, a
pledged word awl promise 4., for nothinti ; you have
promised to vote for Digby —vote for me. If that is
the true reading of the paragraph most h inourable
men, at this moment undecided. dis.custed at this
affront to morality, will certainly go against Mr.
Fowler. .

I can, however, only regard the circular DA a si4n of
weakneds aud waning confidence, and a precious
blunder and act of indiscretion on the part of Mr.
Fowler and his friends. . .

ri am yours faithfully,
Etacrou.

To the Editor.

Ste, —I observe with regret • determination on the part
of some of my Nonconformist friends to exact from Mr.
Fowler • pledge on the "Disestablishinent question," as
the only condition of his receiving their support. In
other respects he may appear to them the most fitting
candidate, but on this question they seem to be inaccessi•
ble. Far he it from me to object in any way to a zeal
which seems altogether commendable, but I would
humbly suggest whether it is equally well timed. What
is the nature of the constituency whose suffrages Mr.
Fowler is soliciting? Am I net right in asserting that it
is, for the mat part, favourable to the present existing
relationship between Church and State, and that for one
voter who would accept the opposite policy scores would
be found opposed to it. In these circumstances are we
acting wisely in pressing our question, even to the rejec-
tion of a candidate, who, in other respects, may be a
desirable representative for some of our pressing interests!
There is not • constituency in the country, even where
Dissent is strong enough to dictate its own terms, where
the electors have borne with equal severity upon the
candidate and, in one instance, where they secured the
adhesion of their successful candidate to the Burials Bill
they boasted of a Liberal triumph. But in the case of
Mr. Fowler, who boasts that he is a Conservative and a
Churchman to the "backbone,' he has offered to the
Dissenters of the county a lemon little less than that
granted by the said Liberal representative. Clearly to
dematel a pledge on Disestablishinent (runs Mr. Fowler to,
to say the least of it, impolitic. We are not likely to
advance our Cause by such pressure. and I would earn-
estly suggest a consideration of their position on the
part of any who are disposed to pursue what I cannot but
think is an extreme course. Mr. Fowler has made admnis-
siono
which I think are highly favourable to us as Noncon-
formists, but I do not wish at this juncture to dwell on
these. All I say is that Mr. Fowler of the two candidates
has show n himself favoerably mid indeed liberally disposed
towards us in the Burials Bill, and if he is not the man
whom we should select in other questions, yet when no
other presents himself, we may well, on this one special
ground, offer hlin our united and hearty support which I
trust he may receive on Thursday next.

•
T. NEAVjg.
Dorcheater, Monday mornino. 314 January, 1876.

To the Kflihkr,.
_and

BROTHER ELECToIIt or Tilt I !MINTY OF D
On Tuesday next you will be called upon to exercise
one of the greatest privileges that you enjoy as
Englishmen; that is. to elect a person to represent
your opinions in the British House of Commons. The
approaching contest in this county is of no ordinary
nature; it is not a contest of Tory against Whig, or of
Liberal-Conservative against Conservative-Liberal,
but a great principle is involved in it, namely, whether
the representation of this county shall be carried about
in the pocket. of some three or four large landed pro-
prietors, or whether the free and independent and
qualified voters of the county shall elect a representa-
tive. Many asctics have been resorted to in order to
influence or intimidate your votes, the last of which
implies that the Ballot is a sham, and that your votes
can easily be known ; but do not believe it. thaws
you tell yourselves which way you vote, it is a matter
of impossibility for your landlords or any other person
to know. The eyes of every county in England are
upon you, and if Dorsetsbire will only set the example
of sending • tenant farmer representative to the
House of Commons, at the next General Election
more than fifty others will be sent with Messrs.
Fowler and Head to advocate measures, and nut men.
ani,
Yours respectfully,
J. A. D.