The Express.
London, England, 1852-03-06 00:00:00

BOLTON AND LEICESTER.

The great meeting on Monday night at Leicester
has resulted in the following declaration from Sir Joshua
Wabailey, by which it will be seen a vacancy at the geutr.d
election will occur at Bolton .

_______
" 101, Westhourne-terrace, March 4, 1/co2.
" My dear Ileywood,—The enclosed, which 1 intend to
send to Mr. John Biggs, of Leicester, will sufficiently in.
form you of the conclusion at which I have arrived tonne
our recent conversation on the subject to which it Matt.,
I cannot part with you and my other political friends
Bolton, without expressing my deep and permanent pried-
I tude, the result of the warm support you have given me
The numerous ruisurancea I have received of motioned at;
tachment, and of that good feeling which has been
maintained during our connexion, though should 1 n-
eater parliament I may owe my seat to another con.
stitucncy, I shall not feel the leas interest iu all
that concerns the welfare of your 0.111, and slash
be happy by any services I may be able to render,
to show the sense of obligation I shall ever feel for past con-
fidence and kindness. Believe me, nothing but a pretious,
and as it appears to me, paramount claim would have led
me to be the cause of our political separation. This event
will not, I am sure, disturb the many friendships I have
formed in Bolton, and, least of all, that which 1 trust will
ever exist between you and, my deur Heywood, Yours
sincerely, "JOSHUA WAi,MS Y.
" It. Heywood, Esq., Chairman of the Reform
Committee of Bolton-le-Moors."
101,Westbourne•terraee, Mare 114,1842.
" My dear Sir,—Your respected deputation, Messrs. Harris
and Hanson, have placed in my hands your letter of the led
instant. It infOrms me that in the prorpectof a speedy flit...lu-
tion, and the retirement of my esteemed friends, your pnont
excellent members, the electors of Leicester, in public meet-
ing assembled, hove asserted their claim to my services as one
of their future representatives. On their be you relpiire
my decisiou in reference to their demand. I comply with it,
and will be again a candidate for the suffrage. of the
electors and the confidence of the non-ele eters of Leict•lor.
The resolution necessitates my separatiou from anutvvr
constituency—a constituency whose sympathies 1 live
hitherto had the happiness to pomeu who would,
believe, renew the tram I now hold, and with whom 1 o ver
with pain, lessened by a conviction that I have laboured to
do my duty. My preference for Leicester is easily explained.
You had an antecedent title. By Leicester I was tint
placed in the House of Commouto, and the circumstances
which suspended our political relations naturally lead me
to desire to sit again for your borough as the representative
of a self- regenerated, noble, and an indepentlt,t
constituency. I will state too principles by wii
my conduct for the future, as in the past, a ~i
be uniformly governed. In matters of conurncreld polio y I
shall he in the widest sense u free trader. In matter, of
religious faith and popular education, I shall contend for
perfect freedom and absolute equality. In respect to tlou
improvemeut of our representative institutions, I sled!
the earnest advocate of the scheme of reform enslioolvel
the annual motion of Mr. Runic, v, Lich would secure the
representation of every class iu the community. To know
how I should act upon any subject b-fore the legislature,
you have only to refer to these cardinal points in my politi-
cal creed. Never was the application of these principl,s
more urgently demanded than now, and no one will news
honestly uphold them than yours, my dear sir, faithfully,
io To John Biggs, Esq., " JOSHUA WALMSLEY.
Chairman of the l'ublic Meeting, Leicester."

ABINGDON.
RETURN OF SIR F. THESICER.
The appointment of Sir Frederick Thesiger as
Attornertieneral, under the administration of the Lod ef
Derby, rendered vacant the seat for this borough, and the
learned gentleman yesterday; iresen ted himself for re-election.
About a week ago there was sign of opposition from General
Caulfeild, who has hitherto unsuccessfully contested its
borough, and he would now have gone to ,he poll but OR
an arrangement that, in the event of a general election, Sir
Frederick The siger will leave the field, so far as he is per.
venally concerned, open to the gallant general.
The learned Attorney-General took his seat on the host.
lags a little beliefs, nine o'clock, awl
Alderman BELCHER, in a few complimentary rental's.,
proposed him as a fit and proper person to represent this
borough in parliament. e
Alderman HYDE seconded the nomination; and the
Mayor having inquired if any elector had any other candi-
date to propose, and no answer being, given, he Ile dared Sir
Frederick Thesiger to be duly elected to serve this borough
in parliament. (Cousiderable cheering follower' the decla.
ration.)
Sir FREDERICK THESIGER raid—This is now the
fourth time 1 have had the honour of being returned to be
your representative parlineent--twice withoutopposition,
and twice after a very severe struggle ; and I must
say that, haying hail experience of both modes of eke.
tion, I infinitely prefer that which we call in the
House of Commons nn unopposed return. (Laughter.)
I appear before you, gehtlemea, as the member of a nee
government, which has been suddenly and unexpected:l
called to assume office. Under the peculiar eireututtanco
in which the present administration has been called into
power, I feel that they have a right to expect from ti.,
country a fair and impartial trial. (Hear, hear.) If their
present position had been the result of any hostile move
mont on their part—if they had, by any party motion,
wailed the existence of the late go..erament, it would hese
been a declaration to the country that they thought the tie,
had arrived when they ought to be entrusted with the ad.
ministration of affairs, and might reasonably expect ti
receive no quarter from their opponents. But our case is
extremely different. I believe the prime minister of
the late government, feeling that it was impusailile
that the political existence of hie administra.
tion could be much longer prolonged; tired of having
constantly to support a tottering wall and brake
hedge, having determined to take a good opportunity of
retiring from the administration, unfortunately did that
which men are too apt to do when watching for an Lipp e.
tunity, took the first that offered, which happened not to be
a good one. Ho retired from the government, and Lord
Derby was called upon by his sovereign to undertake the
task of forming a new one. In the state of parties, it was
impossible for that nobleman to select for his &allows
men who were trained to official duties, but ho chose per-
sons of ability and of character, who, although they were
not skilled iu the routine of office, had talent to erquire all
that was necessary for the purpose, and a deep feeling of
responsibility which was cut upon them in aci eptiag the
offices with which they were entrusted. The Crest experi.
meat is now to be made of a conservative administratioe;
and I confess I do look to the result with soona degree of
apprehension. It has been my firm conviction that the
tendency of many of the measures of the late government
have been to interfere with and to injure the institutions
of the country. (No, no.) Many of their measure- have
strong democratic tendency—(" hear " and "no ")—arld
therefore it is absolutely necessary, in the present state of
the country, that there should be a stand made agaiae
them encroachments, which I believe were grade•
ally making upon the con-titution of this com.
try. (Hisses and " Hear, hear," with cheering)
Gentlemen, it appears to me that this is a critical perio.L
and that the experiment is ono which may perhaps he the
last which will ever be made for the safety of our contain
country. (Applause.) Surrounded as the new ailiniaistne
tion is with the difficulties of its position—(a. voice, "To
carry protection,")--an endeavour has been made to isi?give
Tate that position by the bitter legacy which the late prime
minister has left as the declaration of the grounds upon which
his opposition is to bo based. In quilting his ..thee he stated
that his determination was to oppose any imposition eta
duty upon eoni—(hear, hear)—whether it was to lie hied
for the purpose of protection or of revenue—(hear, hear;—
and that he was determined to the utmost of his ability to
support an extension of the franchise. (Cheers.) Now
with respect to the first declaration, upon the 'abject of a
duty upon corn, itseems to me that after tits noble deur-
ration which was made by Lord Derby of his plan of
government, and the course which he intended to puree in
the llouse of Lords, it was quite unnecessary, except a
was done for the purpose of re-imposing additional did-
' citifies in the way of the new government—l say it war
quite unnecessary for any such statement to have hem
made on the part of Lord John Russell. (Applause.) Ltd
Derby has distinctly stated, whatever his OE4
opinion may be on the subject of imposing a
duty upon corn, that during the present parhareeut
he hu not the slightest intention—(A voice, "Because li.
no chance")—you are perfectly right (laughter and
cheers)—that he has ant the slightest intention of sternal;
that question. A gentleman ill the crowd says because tie
has no chance; that individual has down his wish= en
that observation, because he is perfectly right, for that
the very reason which Lord Derby has assigned for not bring-
ing forward that question in the present parliament. Lem
then first take the opinion of the country, and if the country
decides against protection, there is an end of the subject alto•
gether, it will never afterwards again be discuend. (Chevy.)
With regard to the question of the extension of the frame
chine, I beg leave to say that I have never coasidered that
the Reform Bill of 1812 was a perfect and complete mea-
sure. (Hear, hear.) I think it was a rash and ineon-
iterate declaration on the part of Lord John Riyadh that he
ever should have stated that to be a final Intel complete
measure. (Hear, hear.) It was natural enough that,
this was an offspring of his brain, he should be anxious
to protect it—to have a kind of parental affection towarls
it ; but it seems that was in his younger and earlier dor.
He has now become wiser. (Laughter.) He considers that
the Reform Bill is capable of amendment. Now I beg de-
tinctly to have it understorad that neither Lord Derby" 110
any member of Lord Derby's ministry, would Ise desirous
of preventing any improvement which might be swage Oil
in that Reform Act. (Loud cheers.) If any ono will
point out any abuses which have existed, and will sugr"s-
-i proper remedy, there is no one member,
I believe, who would not ho anxious to take
t the whole subject into considerstion. Having rela'
tended at some length that no abuses hail bs'o
I pointed out by Lord John Russell's bill, he proceeded to
argue that, by making the payment of 40s. Income tat
qualification, the late ministers had manilested en intention
of making the income tax perpetual, and, instead of begin-
: ning at 1601., to begin at GOP. or 70/. The hon. gentleman
I then proceeded to eay that it was perfectly clear that the
noble lord could never have contemplated that such a rhea-
. sure as this would receive the sanction of parli anent, amt
; he was apprehensive that it was thrown as a barrier is the
way of the new government. Ile would be glad to rev the
I course pursued by the noble lord upon the intended uTteen
I of the adherence of the house to free trade. Evil
• person who would view the matter calmly and dile':
sionately, would think it unfair to endeavour to ern
bums the new government in ouch a manner after 'he
.
candid statement of Lord Derby. Ile then !efol`e
• to the state of the law courts, and said:—Too are