The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-05-03 00:00:00

WEYMOUTH.
THE ELECTION.

The mutt of the election in the borough of Wey-
mouth and Melcombe Regis, seems to have mingled a
large amount of gloom even amongst the joyousnem of
the victors, for the wide spread respect and friendly
regard in which Colonel kree.tun was held—" The
Colonel" par excellence, from his unremitting attention
to the local wants of the people of whatever party.
and his untiring generosity toward all—extended un-
usunlly far into the ranks of those who held an opposite
political creed to the gallant gentleman. Indeed the
place appears to hang its heed in conscious dudgeon.
Whether or not, front the local information gained by
watchful parties during the progress in parliamentary
committee of the Weymouth petition of 11157, as to
the stability of the independent electors of that bhuter-
ing watering-place, it will be remembered that the Go-
vennuent pounced upon the constituency at dolt
simultaneously with announcing • iliuolution, wending
juvenescent Viscount Grey de Wilton, from
the verdant glades of Windsor, and Mr. Robert
Brooks from Isis counting-house in the city as their
exponents. At once the Conservatives grasped every
place where public meetings usually tame place, and
secured whatever advantage they could, calling to their
aid • bust of agents and attornies. The Liberal
inembera, of course, took up their stand as speedily as
possible, and Colonel Freestun and Mr. Campbell were
noon as buoy CilllV3l,lllllg as the new aspirants after
parliamentary honours. The colunins of the Express
have Irmo time to time recorded the public addresses of
the four candidates and their friends, and there appears
to have been no ladc of the prin.-Wings custouoiry at
ouch seasons, by either party, hut a regular siege was
laid to all whose 1111111 et adorned the Register. The
gnstest confidence of success animated each party up
to the last moment, yet the upshot shows a complete
reversal of the political choice made but two years ago
—the two Liberals being ejected and two Winery/dives
being returned. Each party held a meeting on Thurs-
day evening, and the several candidates reported the
progresa made to their friends and supporters, infusing
fresh confidence for the nomination and show of hands
which were to take place on the following morning.
Fortunately throughout the lengthened labours of both
bands of politicians, no accident or attempt at disturbing
the peace has occurred; while election bills or squibs
have been quite rare.
At noon, on Friday, the nomination took place, when
• large number of electors and non-electors assembled in
the open air, near King George's Statue. Philip Dod-
son, Esp., the Mayor of the borough, habited in his robe,
took the oath as Returning officer, after her Majesty's
writ for the election of two burgesses to represent the
borough in Parliament, had been read. His Worship
then briefly opened the business, and Mr. C. Penny
nominated, and Mr. Lundie seconded, Cut. Freestun SS a
fit and proper person for their member. Captain Slade
nominated Mr. R. J. it. Campbell, and Mr. Darling
seconded the nomination. Mr. S. Meade proposed the
name of Viscount Grey de Wilton, and Mr. W. H. P.
Weston seconded it. And then Mr. R. Bower nominated,
and Mr. W. Simonds seconded, Mr. Robert Brooks.
At the request of the Mayor, the four csiddidates, Col
Freestun, Mr. Campbell, Lord Grey de Wilton, and Mr.
Brooks, then addressed the meeting. No incident un•
usual to ouch aasemblies occurred, till Lord Wilton was
speaking. Then a man enlivened the proceedings, by
hoisting a pole surmounted by a copy of the pseudo
Weymouth paper yclept the Buthern Times, which
blazed • brief moment, and then went out, leaving noth•
ing but a bit of black tinder for future edification.
Another morsel of amusement turned up during the ad-
dress of Mr. Brooks. A 111 SA marched into the crowd
holding aloft • boat book, on which a calf's head was
fastened, the interpretation of which was that it offered
an opportunity to • Conservative gentleman, who had
vowed if he did not secure the election of the Derby can-
didates lie;would eat his head. The addresses being over
his Worship desired the crowd to divide that he might
I more readily decide upon the number of hands held up in
favour of the respective candidates. Then • show of
hands being taken, the Mayor declared it to be in
favour of the Liberal side, Colonel Freestun reninrked
that as the hands held up for Mut were not only the
most numerous but the cleanest-looking, he hoped
they would be kept clean. A poll was demanded for
Lord Wilton and Mr. Brooks by Mr. Meade, and the
Mayor fixed it to take place next morning at eight i
o'clock, and the assembly dispersed.
Pulling oommenced accordingly at the tavern' cus•
Joinery places in the borough on Saturday morning.
Throughout the day nothing more occurred than is
incident to parliamentary elections here, the voters
being duly brought up and crowds gathering round the
Co Itee TUtllllll anxiously eyeing the latest published
state of the poll. From early mourning the Conserva-
tives were ahead, and continued in • majority all day.
Anil at four o'clock when the pulling closed, and the
clerks deposited their charges eith the Returning
Officer at the Guildhall, Ilia Worship at once said that
the majority of Mr. Brooks and Lord Wilton was SO
considerable, that he would make his official declaration
an soon as lie hiet gone through the books. About 5
1 o'clock, having completed his scrutiny, the 51avor an-
nounced the following as the Anal state of the poll •
R. Brooks. Esq. '4l
Viscirant Grey de Wilton 4O
Colonel. Freestun
IL J. It. Campbell, Esq.
and his Worship aecordingly declared the two drat
elected representatives in Perlieinent of Weymouth
and Melcombe Regis. The Guildhall, where the
announcement was made, was crowded, and Lord
Wilton and Mr. Brooks briefly returned thanks for
the honour °enterers' on them • and the hon. members
afterwards proposed a vote of tininks to the Mayor. for
his impartiality all through the election proceeding..
His Worship having responded, the assembly separated,
ninny following the • happy eoui-le" to the Royal
Hotel, whence a few words were eildreased to the people
by the members, amid loud shout. id "Sugar." Thus
terminated the election. The evening passed off with-
out the slightest disturbance, the streets in fret being
thronged with "guile wives" spending their money and
busily marketing, not as if a " rcel live lonl" had been
elected, but as if nothiug unusual had transpired dur-
ing the day, and leaving dulness and a south easter to
supervene.
Subjoined is a table showing the state of the pull at
various hours of the day :

Hour. Brooks. Wilton. Freestun.: Campbell.
10: 210M12 2:71 11.'itirj I it
12... 273 276 236 224
2... 31.1 240 271
3... 321 327 21r.) 247
341 .110 ,1 " '14141 I
- 'mend utatement. sir
through.,

The final official statement, Ilignod by the Mayor, was
printed and circulated throughout the town in the even-
ing ; and early not morning Viscount Wilton with his
eanscimix grey "Noah's Ark" coat wended his way back
to Windsor.