The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-11-10 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL ELECTION.

It was very generally thought that the municipal
election this year would go off very quietly, and that
the retiring councillors, Hewn Luce, maunders,
Coacher, and Harper, of the Ilelcombe Regis Ward,
and Messrs. Howard and Roberts, of the Weymouth
Ward, would quietly, and without any effort on
their parts, again glide into office, and resume their
sesta around the municipal mahogany in the Council
Chamber. This happy state of affairs was allowed to
go on without interruption until Saturday, when an
aspirant for municipal honours for the Mekotube
Regis Ward, was found in the person of John
Tisard, Esq., solicitor, on the nomination of Mr.
Cotteren, who took his stand in the field on behalf
of the Liberal interests of the town. Mr. Thomas '
Bartlett, also in the Liberal interest, was nominated
for the Weymouth Ward, but he declined to 'tend,
stating as his reams that it had been dale without
his knowledge or consent, The appearance of the
former gentleman in the field no doubt created both
surprise and apprehension on the part of the
.Tory
candidates, they for the last two elections
baring met with no opposition, and they therefore
made strenuous exertions to secure their return.
Although the present election WM devoid of all that
interest and excitement which were manifested in
days of yore on such occasions, it was more spirited
than has been the case for the last few years; and
we agree with Mr. Tizard in thinking that the pre-
sent weak opposition on the part of the Liberal
electors of the town only shows what they
intend to do hereafter. Where are the strong body
of Liberal electors who used to be in the majority at
former elections ? They are still to be Sound in the
town, and although they hare lately taken no interest

in its municipal affairs, the spirit is only waiting to
break forth as it used to do and hurl the Tories
from their seats of office. We believe that the star
of Liberalism will again be in the ascondency, and
that it only requiries • few good leaders to lead them
on to the fray. We hope, therefore, that at the
next municipal election the latent spirit of
Liberalism will again revive, and show that when it
likes it can place its party at the top of the poll,
both in general and Town Council elections. All
that is wanted is combined effort : united, Liberalism
can withstand any attacks that Toryism can levy
spinet it; disunited, it falls. We therefore hop• to
see that nest year the Liberals will awake from their
lethargy, and place their candidates at the head of the
poll. The election of Monday was very quiet until
the last hour of poling, when, we are informed,
" waxer" was plentifully distributed by the Connive-
tives to secure their Mare, which of course was
accomplished. A bill was noted in the course of
the day, being, we understand, of Tory origin,
their object being to call their party to make
renewed exertions, as they found that Mr. Tisard
was getting the better of them. The bill was as
follows Liberal electors. You have now an
opportunity for showing that you are not entirely
crushed. Seize it at once. Plump for Tistrd and
put him at the head of the polL Do not let the
Tory clique have one of your votes." The result,
however, has proved that the Liberal electors have
not seised the opportunity, and in consequence their
champion has lost his seat, at hest for the ensuing
year, as one of the councillors of the borough. The
poll was not declared on Monday afternoon, but it
was announced that the declaration would take
place at the Guildhall at 12 o'clock on Tuesday
morning. Before that time, however, the place was
crowded and many jokes were cracked as to the
result oithe election.

Abouta quarter peat 12 Mr. WeWord, the Ward
Alderman, arrived, accompanied by the amesioni, and
declared the result of the election. He mid having
with the aaasseors carefully gone through the voting
papers, they found that Thomas Luce, Joseph
Maunders, Martin Shelton Coacher, and James
Harcourt Harper had been duly elected councillors
for this ward for the ensuing three years. He then
read the following official state of the poll: