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

THE REV. A. J. POPE ON THE ELECTION.

In his recent speech at Dorchester it will be remem-
bered Mr. Fowler alluded to the son of an old friend of
his, who was • Church of England minister and thought
himself the Pope of Rome, adding he was the urieroy
son of • beautiful and fine father. The rev. gentleman
alluded to was the Rev. W. J. Pope. of Godmanstone ;
Sad Ur. sows. ;.,
was as followa:—" As my father was always
agrcritily engaged at the time of any politinl
and as, until the day of his death, he was remirded as •
friend of the fanner and the farm labourer, and as I feel
equally sure that, had he lived, he would now be doing
his beat to advance Captain Dighy's cause, I way perhaps
be pardoned for asking you to allow me thus publicly to
address • few words to some old friends who can be
reached in no other way. Only • small degree of interest,
comparatively speaking, appears to be taken in the
County Election by the voters in the villages around
Bridport. To prove how cagily voters may be led astray
in some districts, I may refer to this fact, that one of the
gentleman now actively engaged In soliciting support for
Mr. Fowler, and who is professedly • Conservative candi-
date, not very long since accompanied the agent of a
Liberal candidate on his canvassing rounds simply because
that agent happened to be • personal friend. Ai might
be expected. votes were Promised under the impression
that it wait 'all right,' when really it was entirely wrong.
Is it probable that Mr. Fowler has studied long enough in
*school calculated to enable him ably, as well as faith-
fully, to represent the views of a county, even if he can
satisfy • class? But it is not made clear that he is likely
to succeed, even as far as • class is concerned, for by his
failure to obtain the support of some of the most influen-
tial and intelligent agriculturists in his own immediate
pridhbourhood, and by the oft-declared conviction of men
and true in the neighbourhood of Dorchester,
port, and Beaminster. that 'he is not the right man
inthe ht place,' we may fairly conclude that grave
doubts exist amongst his brother agriculturists as to his
ability to afford satisfaction to them. Capt. Digby is
certainly a young man, but that fault will soon be
remedied." Mr. Fowler has probably seen his beet days."

MR. FOWLER AT PORTLAND AGAIN.
Mr. Fowler attended by invitation at the Drill Hall,
Fasten, on Tuesday evening last He warn accompanied
by Kr. Lock, and by a few agriculturista; but not enough
to excite the jealousy of Portland people, teat they should
be dictated to by those living outside the Island. The
train happened to be very late that evening, so that the
meeting did not commence till some time after the hour
named by the crier, who had announced the gathering.
The interest of the inhabitants seemed unabated, for some
hundred, Fathered at the Drill Hall.
Mr. M. J. Azioazws proposed that Mr. Mabey be chair-
man . . . . .

Mr. Mazer explained that he thought to have said a
little, but owing to the train being late, and the time
gone, he at once called for Mr. Fowler to address the
calesfrlocx said he had been naked by Mr. Fowler's
friends to explain the system of voting by ballot, as some
had the idea that the way in which they had voted might
be known hereafter. Ile then explained, and showed
that not only was it impossible to be known how • person
'voted, but also, am the papers from all divisions or voting
plane were mixed together before they were counted, it
was Impossible to know whether the votes had been given
at portd. Thorncombe, or any other part.
Mr. pe„,aca asked if any provision was made sup-
pesixur an elector was blind?
Mr. LOCK said in that case the elector would have to
ask the deputy sheriff to put the cross on the paper ; but
the officials were all sworn to secresy, and if they divulged
they were liable to Imprisonment.
Kr. Fowten then commenced: " I am come down once
more to see you," and said some people told him they had
had a paper with three names on it, had senl(tigke paper
book, and warn there anything more to do t ter).
That paper was considered an insult; but he did no think
Kr. Dishy knew anything about it. They must vote con-
scientiously, either for Mr. Digby or himself. Thie was
the 96th meeting he had attended, and he had been welt
received, he came to tell in a plain way what he could; if
he chose he could throw in a little Latin here and there,
but what would be the good of it t—daughter). As to
Local Taxation, they had got rid of 1101116 of the chutes a
the lunatics and the police; it had increased £1,250,000 on
the year before, and he wanted that borne by the increased
CUSIIOOII and Excise, for there had been more drinking
though less drunkenness. Theme Customs and Excise
duties ought to pay for the mischief the drinking caused,
for if it were not for thelatter we should not have half so
many paupers, a quartettes many lunatics, or half asmany
prisoners, and therefore the Customs and Excise should be
made in a measure to pay for the evil caused by what they
were got from—(hear). To show where his politico were
different from Capt. Digby's, he pointed out that the
captain thought it bigbly necessary to have a large army;
but he (Mr. Fowler) did not think • great army necessary;
we must shave sufficient army to relieve the troops in our
colonial possessions' but as we live on an island, we must
be always masters a the seas, and then there would be no
need of a much larger army to keep enemies "tother side
of Jordan "—Gaughter, and hear). lie would keep up the
ride corps, and milita and trate all the young men, make
• united and happy people, and then, if anybody assaulted
the country, we should- all I in the army. The sort of
thing Capt. Digby spoke of hid been kept up all his (Mr.
Fowler s) life—to have a large number of officers and the
expense of them. But the navy must be kept up, and we
meat be masters of the sees. Re could not say whether
we ought to have large vessels or small es, because he
did net knew but the large newts h;.g been out on
trial, and they knew what banned—Omar) ; he did not
blame the Government' but somethingwas wrong. tme ant,therefore, he differed from gh, on warn that we
ao not want a large anal—Omar). Some people used to
think that the new member should do rue, for
POrthilld why be would have but one vol
lvout of de or
go. They had had three member' es
but they did
not talk about Portland at all . Stun was now made
• lard, but when he was • member for the county, they
weld not lay their finger on one=sch he made in the
mans on anything he did for P d earl. It ea
Mete Mr. Dishy would rally up the twhe
non.and of a good voice and a good amaa,_
LM-Ilhe might be able to do the islasid • rot-rg
likadely). But he wise one of a party_ ot,whora
were too many in the House already. Me Upper
Home wee made up of • few Bishops. • few learned lawyers
• few men who had got up by their own abilities, but the
=bulk were of the same classes Mr. Digby, and in the
of Commons there were 500 more of the mum clam,
and why call them Commons at all t—thear, hew). There
are about 102 representing the industrial classes' let them
mend him to be one more, and he would be able to tell the '
House what they did not know now, the wiusts jthese
deem,, If they thought Mr. Dby knew mon about their
wants, then let them send Mr. Digby, if himself, then send
Fowler—Omar). He did not see his old chairman here.
Mx. TneZe flattege ber.e stood forward, and wee re.
phed . Fowler with 'Come and shake hands, old
boy r And dm shook hands, Mr. &riven saying " nave
bees lietwldall Ithilatively to me If there is any rearms
why I skald mho ise you."
ler YOWL= coothmad that be did not believe Mr.
igby had ow power 10 mike the dose Interest ol the