The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-02-19 00:00:00

SOUTH WILTS ELECTION.

The election of • knight of the shire to serve in Par.
liament in the room of tiie Iti.4llt lion. Sidney H.rlert
nosv Lord Herbert of Lea) took place on Thursri iy at
,i .ilisbury ; and the Liberal candi•hte having previously
retired from the contest advantage was taken of that
circumstance to make a kind of demonstration on the
part of the Conservatives. The early trains brought
numbers f agriculturists from a distance. many of
oh proceeded to Clarendon-park to meet Lieutenant'
Colonel Bathurst and escort Ishii to the hustiuge. The
proceodon consisted of about 101) horsemen, cud between
MO and GUS persons assembled in Salialuiry market-
place, where the election took place.
The High Sheriff (Mr. C. l'euruddock) presided, and,
having asked if any elector had a candidate to pro-
pose.
Sir Michael Hiatt Beach stood forward and 'imposed
Licutenant-Colonel Bathurst. In the course of his
address be said the southern division of the county hail
lor soinetime returned two Liberal members, and it wee
only at the last election that the Comervatives :secured
any sham whatever in the representation • yet he
believed that the polities of South Wiltshire were
I einiuently Conservative. Ile believed that this feet
• MAX entirely owing to the personal (diameter, the well-
, deserved popularity, and the great public exertion's of
their late representative. (Cheers.) de believed that
there was no Wiltshire man to whom Lord Halbert bad
not rendered himaelf popular. and that many eleetura
lied repeatedly given him their votes entirely out of
personal conaideraision, and without any regard to his
political principles. For till years Lord Herbert lied
done his duty well. and lie hoped they w show
their appreciation of Ms services by electing a worthy
successor. (('heers.) He concluded by nominating
Lientertant•eolonel Frederick Hervey liathurat as • lit
and proper person to Mt, in Parliament in the room of
the present Lord Herbert of Lm. (Cheers.)
Mr. A. It. Hussey seconded the iiiii uination, and in
as doing expressed his regret at the retirement of the
Bight Hon. Sidney Herbert, whose eminent abilities,
whom uniform kindness ti every class, tool the energy
with which he had couilucted the business of the State,
hail secured him the respect and esteem of all who hail
had the good fortune to come within the sphere of his
usefulness. (('heers.)
No other modulate having been prepared, the High
Sheriff declared Lieutenant-Colonel Bothwell duly
elected. (Cheers.)
lieutenant-Colonel Bathurst, after thanking his
friiinils for their support, paid • high tribute of respect
to the public character and private worth of hard Her-
bert. He then proceeded to avow lainiwif • staunch
Conservative, ant expressed his belief that A Conserva-
tive Government was best calculated to further
the interests of the country. He was not due
pored to support the unconditional abolition of
church rates, but would give his best consideration to
any measure brought forward in a friendly spirit. He
never had advocated, and never would advocate coer-
cion on the conscience of any man. (Cheers.) Although
thie country might now he said to he at peace with the
whole world, he yet hoped that both the army and navy
would be maintained in such • state of efficiency As to
conimand the respect of all nations; the aloud now
gathering on the political horizon might otherwise
burst upon us like • thunder-clap. He highly approved
the volunteer movement, and said lie was sure
the efficiency of some of the Wiltshire corps
equalled that iif any regiment of the line, He expressed
his disapproval of the French treaty, and said what we
wanted to obtain at a cheaper rate were the luxes-
caries, awl pot the luxuries of life. (Cheers.) He
wished Mr. Grove had coin. to the in order that
he might lui.e been shown whot the agriculturists of
the county mull do, and in order that the Conner-
natives of Engtand might know that the old spirit of
Conservatism had not died out in Mouth Wilts. He
added that 1,600 out of the 3,000 elector* would ha s e
'Pen ready to record their votes hi los favour, and
oincluding by (licking the constituency for the confi-
dence reposed in him.
A vote of thanks to the Sheriff terminated the
' proceedings.