The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-02-10 00:00:00

•
DOECHISTIDI ELROTION. and any reektienoe was met by hustling, or lighting. It
Timmy, bream* evident tbst if "anything should happen "to
The candidetes were-- the popular candidate, if Conservative principles and
Mr. Million Freest Sylmar, ilshitAften Hones, Puddle- organMation should again prove too strong for the general
town (C). whose nominators were Mr. J. F. Hodges end feeling of love fee • good man, then the pesos of the
M. p_ Elaine, the supporters of the nomination being town would be in danger, for the people were ID no
the gee, 11. ffeerett, Meson. Herbert Williams, W. P. mood to be disappointed of the man of their dude&
Cookeram, R. Nutting, John Good, R. Davis, R. Damon, Precisely as the cloak struck the last stroke of four, the
aod O. Mutford. Guildhall doors were closed with a resounding slam, and
Mr. Franole Somerville Head, of 24, Manchester. Sipe Vickery, who had provided ureters rapidly to
spare, Marylebone, Middlesex. whose proposers wen-- bring the ballot boxes to the central polling plane, began
Mr. Matthew Duellist and Dr. J. P. Ajdridee the to despatch this important luggage. At &quarter past 4,
nomination being supported by Meru. W. Vern. on Mr. J. Ayling, and Dr. Joe. Drew arrived in ea &Meg*
K. on
F. Bonnet?, Grove., J. Frond, F. Mills, F.. Cable with the box, from 12, Glonoreter Mow ; then came thou
T. Bennett, and J. M. Hulsey. '
from the Old Town Hell, the crowd giving them a
The polling oommeneed at eight this morning the welcome, for it was well known that whatever other
Mayor (Mr. G. J. G. Gregory) weeded by the morning, parts of the town might have done, old Weymouth
Clerk (Mr. Giles Symonds), being the presiding offioar side au sure to have polled for Mr. Edwards in foroe.
at the Shirehad
Pealing Plus, and Mr. C. Baakett of About 20 minutes past four, some ladies, said to be
Evershot, siting In the capacity at the second poaing Mrs. Flambe° and Mrs. Clot Johnstone, drove in •
piece, vim, at the Cone Exchange. The voting protruded carriage tbroueh the crowd, showing the Conservative
with briskness throughout the morning, and ea colour'; but the people jeered and hooted as they
the day wore on exaitement teenaged • people purred by. and in defiance all kinds of blue thisp were
began to congregate in the front street pailiculerly thrown. There does not seem to have been any
about the Town-hall, and there were plenty of perdue distribution of ribbons by the Liberals, for various blue
shouts u prominent persons on either side red. stuff., and even paper, were out into ribbon by those
Tbe Conservatives had most perfect °retaliation ends who wire very poor. and defiantly shown. About 25
vigilant and earnest body of hone assistants:There minutes past 4, Mr. Englud had the pluck, to show
was • goodly number of cabs and private earriages lent the violet and orange, opposite the Golden Lion. It
by friends of the Conservative 0600 e. tO bring up voters wee • dangerous temerity, the people immediately
charged on him Bad he would have been roughly
for Mr. Brymer ; and, although in the town it was only
the lowest class of voters that took this unusual offer of used, but for an Instant rush of the polies, and
Co
free carriage, the conveyanies did good service in • shimp fight was the result, the nservative
oolleetlng voters at a distanoe. There wen) • few being driven into the Hotel, which was then
carriages 00th, other tide. Bins flowers, blue ribbons, besieged, but the police repelled the attack. At
and bine neokties wire generally worn and there were half-peat 4, the ballot papers arrived from St. Thorns.-
here and there bits of yellow lacing 'displayed in the street, and finally those from the Old Rooms, when
being sealed op, the whole were safely looked and
Liberal interest. Crowds of boys gathered in the
nireeise wearing the oolours of the two candidates, but guarded, and the officials aijourned for about an hour.
It must be admitted that yell ,w sets the prevailing hue; The crowd, however, did not move, but continued dis-
and they wereall so noisy and hilarious as poeeible, every cussing the probabilities of the election. At this time
now a
the
and then
th
nfvaryingthert
was a roc
frolic
p en o
with ssooricorl lade
it was felt &most sure that Mr. Edwards wet in, and
During
°pintoes began to be expressed that unless there had
been any surpriee, the mtjority would be large. Two
organised by a man who has rustle himself notorious
hundred was oonfidectly named as posatble to be the
during this oontoat. A deukey, with • wreath of
flowers on ita head, and the words "My onee balance of 'lather, and even allowing 40 for spoiled
0r.," —in &linden to Sir. Disraeli's famous papers, although the voters had been well taught, it
Bath letter, led the way ; 30 or 40 boys was believed there would be enough for • triumphant
!allowed beating pace and kettles, read de& g success. There were yet • few Conservatives who
an election parody on "Not for Jo.;" and In their hoped for the return of their two candidates; but they
midst was borne In tellamPh "The Hog-Tub" about left the field early, in the possession of the light blues.
wh tat there has beeo so much ridiculous scandal. It Mr. E. Dunn, however, attempted to pass Si. Mary-
wag • ludicrous sight, but it didn't hurt anybody, and strcet, and was attacked near Mr. Wright. shop. The
was
much better than
cp....rainy, se they were not pollee defended him, and he escaped through Church'
interfered with. Their rough lanalt however, startled peeper', the constables forming a line at the entrance of
,
one or two frisky he, and, we believe, one or two the lane, to bee the rush of the crowd. It was said
panes of glue were kWo, butt happily, nothing serious also that Admiral Term/ wts pelted in St. Thorium-
marred the election display. Meantime, the reel work street with refuse and mud. The crowd in the neigh'
of the day was steadily prooseding at the voting bourhood of the Guildhall had it all their own way, and
stations, and with the utmost quietude and decorum. they Weenie generally quiet, during the long hours of
There yen, a yew "illiterate yaw e who had they, walthig, although bete end there a drunken man or two
wishes recorded by the presiding officers, and about • tried • light- various times were named as Dummy
doss° voting piies were epotled, and several of them for the coupling, and finally, the news from upstairs
thrush enthusiastic electors putting their initials on was that half-past ten or eleven would be the hour for
the balloting paper in addition to the oros& Bo declaration. Still the orowd moved sot, and they were
teoronkay had the contest been fought out that out of rewarded, for between • quarter and half-past nine one
688 names on the Retainer close on 600 voted. Amongst of the counters came out with figures whieh were
those who abstaleed from voting were, it is said, two of regarded as too good to be true, and the move was
the nominators of Mr. Head, and half-a-doses prominent thought to be a hoax, Boon, they were officially,
Nocoonformirts. During the morning most of the Piniede_ne follows
*looters recorded their votes, and after the dinner Mr. Edwards ... 944
hour, which was an unusually lively time, the Sir Frederie Johnstone.- 504
afternoon passed in sompettative quietude. At the Mr. Hambro 452
dose of the poll, the Conservatives estimated their Cheers rent the air, and the crowd formed in column
majority to be 148. Outside each polling station "both with lines of eight to ten abreast, and marched in most
parties bad clerks who took note of those who voted, orderly manner, though cheering as the top of their
and the result we ha.* named was arrived at from the lungs for Mr. Edwards. On the skirts of the column
promises given to Mr. Brytner's friends ; and the issue hung large groups of the fairer sex, while some rusted
shows how carefully the ululation' had been made in &Immo, shouting "Mr. Edwards 440 mej trity "
by the Conservitive agents. It was felt by the Liberate and the groups they met picked up the cry, and fell
that they were beaten), and it dud the more sober- into the crowd, which marched triumphantly up the
=laded amongst them did not expect • victory from Peplanade, sheering all the way, to the Barden Hotel,
tbe first, but one or two surdas apiritil to the last where the popular candidate had just received the
anticipated success, while others hoped the defeat tidthsre so joyful to him. Ho was for • short time
would
not be by more than 50, which might have been unnerved with &notice, for though it was expiated that
borne with etompluenoy and seen exultetioo: Alter he would win, yet the lameness; of the rosjority was
the sloes of the poll, the °Motels adjourned for two hardly expected. It showed how deeply Mr. Edwards's
hours. Meat:Wens the ballot box and other ofilalal trusting generosity and unfailing kindness had won its way
papers were carried up to the County Ball from the tothebeartsof all. Theheadandleadersofthegreateolumn
Cara Exehanga, auarded by several of the pollee. The entered Mr. Edwards's room to oongratelate him, and
Iselin of defeat which was everywhere experienced for • time he was overpowered with emotion. He had
by the Libetrels calmed them considerably, and the Promised, in conjunction with the other otadidites,
rival shouts of "Head" and " &viler" were now that he would not address the people that night, unless
few and far between. About seven o'clock a crowd it should be 011:001060ly 110000111117, and he long tried to
began to collect about the Shirehall, and in about half- (mouse himself. But tbe should of joy from the seething
ass-hour the Returning Oflicar handed to us • slip with crowd below showed how eager they were to see th Ir
the state of the poll as follows; beloved member, and to hear him say a few words.
Hurrahs resounded oentinuelly,and at last Mr. Edwards,
Head ... with • few friends, stepped out on the balcony, and was
received with tumultuous applause,.
Mr. Huroalsus (Middlesex), then addressed the
orowd, and said—Gentlemen, the state of the poll may
be taken as follows :—Mr. Edwards at the top of the
poll I—(greet applause). The numbers being 911.
(Hip I hip I hip' t urrah I) The next gentleman upon
the poll is Mr Frederic Johnstone—(cheers)—hia number
Lu 504—(0h I oh and ha! ha I) Mr. Hambro—(shrieks
and laughter, In the midst of whist • voles continued
"Is reading the Bible." Roars of laughter). Mr.
flambe° is not half the number, his is 452—(uproarione
fun). That is the stele of the poll. (Three cheers for
Mr. Edwards!) A Voies: who is the senior member?
Immense applause, then odes of "Silence for Mr.
Edward.. I")
Mr. EDWatttik M.P., stepped forward, and said: My
kind friends, it glees me—it Is an impossibility for tee
on an me:melon like this, to tell you what my feelings
are—(hur, and applause). lam bound to confess that
I always felt that I had a kind and good fungi
amongst you the residents in Weymouth. Bat I weer
expected. 1414 not allow myself to dream fora moment
of such feelings es setuated you towards myself—
(voicte : You deserve them all.) I aside you it
deprives me of words to express to you my
thackfulness for !be way in which you hare con-
ducted this election, by which you have plaited
me in the proud awl unmistakeable Position of the
member for Weymouth—(applause) My kind friends,
what I always desired, from the first day I came to
Weymouth, ten yeas ago, to ask your suffrages, then I
became, as I told you before, • friend to the ballot,
with the desire to have the genuine feeling of the
electors of Weymouth—(many oon4ratulatory cries), 1
must certainty say that you have to-day carried out all
I thought, and 02[100 more, with regard to the advan-
tages of secret voting for • mtn like myeelf, who has
made himself as far-as he possibly can make binitelr,
useful, and I am gretified beyond measure to think that
any effort. of mine hive produced an ii • fooling as the
result of the poll has proved to exist—(irotnense
ithp]suee). And I have to sty, gentlemen, ladies and
g •nti men—(hear, bear, and appleuse). 11.11 you that
when I cemo here this lest week, and fouud that my
late honour- ble colleague had proposed to send me to
Jeriebo—(groarm for Mr. Ilembro, and applaute for
Mr. Edwards)—l quite thought that at that time he
bed reckoned without his ho4—(applense)—and it was
for you, haying provionaly known (what you iari now
met to express I knew at the tim .) the kindly feeling
you have al ways di.pl•yed towards ale, to satisfy me la
my own mind that Mr. Hatnbro, nor all the H umbras,
could not alter it—(applause). Now my kind friends,
all I can say is what I have hitherto said, often and
often before, that if my past conduct has met with your
approval, you will never find me • worse men than you
hues hitherto found me—(hear, bear, and applause).
You have most effeitoally rattled the erestion that has
certainly detrained me for the last fire years,
when I have met you in public assemblies
in Weymouth the great question as to who should be
the seuior member. There is no mistake about it now
—(spplause.) I have always said it was an seoldental
oireninstanot that placed my late oollssitue at the bead
of the poll—(hear)—and I 060 tell you considering that
I was occupying the plum of your representative for
years before he cams among you, it grieved me very
much to find that I was placed second in the list. But
now, my kind friends, you have placed me In that
proud poeition, a position that I shall always value to
the hat day of my life, when I know that I have been
elected by you by this secret voting. I assure yea that
you have bound me to you to do all that it ii in my
power to forward your interests in every possible way,
as long as I have the honour to represent yea—l need
hardly tell you, my friends, that I have had • week of
—I will not call it toil ; I have had a week of pleasure
amongst you, although I must conker it has been toil
with pleasure but I would gladly undergo ten
times the toil to know that I had you esteem
in the way that you bay* so fully shown.
Well, my kind friends, I mast say to you not
much more to-night. I need not tell you, after
all the toil, I am somewhat fatigued, and I hope you
will forgive me for not addressing you further to night;
for I need not tell you I cannot find words to thank you
for the earnestness that you have displayed—that is
impossible, for my humble thanks to satiety to you
what I feet, it is quite impossible. Allow me to wish
you a very good Dish% ; I assure you that we will
always be very good Weeds, and you will find in me •
friend as far as it lies in my power—(immense applause.)
The hon, member then retired; but the crowd 00°'
timed sheering for some time, and If Mr. Edwards
would have oossented, would have drawn him triton-
phantly round the town.
Analysis of the voting :
The number of voters on the registrar 1, 1467. Of
whom polled at No. 1 booth 208
„ 2 „ 271
1, 3 ea 333
„ 4 „ 167
o 5 0 354

Total pollod 1333.
No. polled for 11r. Edward.— ... 944
Split irotila 175
-
..., 769

Plumper' ...

It will be seen that the plumperi show a m•jority of
71 out of the whole constituency.
We are very sorry to learn that some stupid fellows
in the crowd broke. number of windows In the houses
to the Front. They numbered from 26 to 30, and
among them Admiral Trion's plate glass window, and
I kitchen windows, were brokers, also • plate
Oda window at 3, Belvidere. It Is roue& to be
regretted that the people should have among them even
• few that would show such a spirit in the hour of
victory ; but that it was stupidity more than wilful
111-feeling is shown by the fact that • few of the Liberals
suffered low. Though 2 or 3 dozen penes read numerous
in the aggregate, yet it must not be forgotton that if
any noticoable proportion of the crowd had been
determined to Injure, the damage would have been
immense. We ascertain that no one is more sorry than
Mr. gdwarde for these otirdish end 'tepid sots, and we
do not know him if he will not dun ell damage done
to be repaired.
Mr. Supt. Vickery found that 57 pams of glass wore
broken in the evening and night of Tuesday. Admiral
Tryon appeers to have come the word off. The
matter II deeply reg 00000 d by ell the Liberala ; but
each things is is impossible to guard against. Consider-
ing the immense feeling excited, the people mud be
considered to have oonducted themselves much better
than might have been the ease, and there oertainly was
an enormous Improvenseut over the state of things in
the contested eleetions of the old times.
WZDNIIIDAT MORNING.

Sir Frederic' Johnatone, M.P., has not yet returesd
tianks ; be left the tame this morning by an early train.
Ur. Ilambro's ports. and carriage have also none home;
but that gentleman has not base aeon. The Liberals
have mad* their appearance everywhere, if us may
judge from the amount of blue ribbon displayed; but
the rdlootion of the Clootarrativiis is probably just,
that a very large somber of their potty solid for Mr.
Mirada, and that may mast scan hays "piscopsd"

for him, so that the numbers, they say, represent a
Coaservative majority. If that was so, Mr. Edwards
I. more than ever. the member, the senior member, for
Weymouth. The moderate Liberals claim the victory
partly as the reaction of the ballot, and urge that those
who long have voted with their employers as Conserve-
Rives have taken the opportunity of asserting their
Independence. The advatioed L'berals axe, of course, •
jubilant, and some of them see in the results of this
and the previous election • defiance by toe Conservatives
to the advanced Liberals. No doubt the whole fecal
of the matter, and it is oo secret at all, is the strong
personal attaehment to Mr. Edwards, set free to act by
the surrey of the ballot. Mr. Edwards has not only
given to the people ; but he hes contributed to benevo-
lent objects set on foot by others, and lie has, as in
the cue of the Working Man's Clubhouse, invented of
bimrelf means of doing them good. And his generosity
cannot be termed bribery, hr it has been scoompanied
with a full and free trust of the people on whom his
benefits were bestowed, and a noble impartiality that
showered those benefits alike on his opponents and his
friends. This trust, this confidence, in the people
must be the cause of the enormous majority. leery
one knew that he was free, absoiutely free, to vete
st.alght against Mr. Edwards without that gentleman
knowing whose were the heeds that dealt the blow. You
may make a man almost what you think of him,
distrust him end be cennot be depended upon ; but
Englishmeo like above all things to ho "lusted, Mr.
Edwards has freely trusted Weymouth, and here is the
unprecedented remit. Let our legislator' take a lesson
from Mr: Edwarde, and trust the people, and mutual
good feeling between all claws will satee. The
majority is creditable alike to the Liberals, who worked
so hard that each man was of himself an electioneering
agent, and to the Coo aaaaa tiers, who, throwing away
the temptations of platy, acted up to their principle by
conserving and preserving the good they had got. The
union between the parties is alinoet assured by this
tremendous majority and we may hope that in future
Mr. Edwards will lead a town nutted for its own good.
The other gentlemen know the power of the bsllot,
and they as other men, must lay their aimount with it.
Weymouth ought to defiers immense benefit from the
union with a gentleman who boa so much power and
wealth here, and Sir Frederick my disoover means
greatly to increawe his majority if he should ever again
have to go to the poll.
Noom