The Press.
London, England, 1854-01-14 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

EAST GLOUCESTERSHIRE ELECTION.
THE anticipations we have entertained from
the moment when the vacancy in the repre-
sentation of this important constituency was
announced, and which we have repeatedly
enunciated in the PRESS, were realised in the
most satisfactory and triumphant manner on
Thursday, In defiance of the inconveniences
arising from the severe weather and the dis-
tance necessary to be travelled, 3,364 electors
of East Gloucestershire presented themselves
atthe various polling-places, and effected one of
the most decisive political victories which Con-
servatism has accomplished in this generation.
All acquainted with the sentiments of the
constituency felt satisfied that Mr. HOLLAND
was causing his opponent trouble, anxiety,
and expense, with a faint hope of success,
and that his Radical supporters only con-
ceived its possibility by a resort to tricks
familiar by practice at the borough contests iu
the county. Thanks to the admirable arrange-
ments made in the Sheriff's department, not
only by the appointment of gentlemen of cha-
racter at the booths, but also by securing the
attendance of intelligent detectives to arrest
personation, a most extensive system of fraud
was exploded, and the opinions of the real
electoral body obtained. The victory, great in
itself, is rendered additionally satisfactory when
it is remembered that within the limits of this
same division are five boroughs now repre-
sented by eight Ministerialists, and that in
three of these the Conservative candidate ob-
tained a majority ; nor is it unworthy of observa-
tion that the district of Stroud, which in 1834
gave the Whig interest a majority of 658,
places Mr. HOLLAND on this occasion in a mi-
nority of 10. This populous district, now
divided into five polling-places—Avening,
Bisley, Minehinhampton, Stonehouse, and
Stroud—polled for BEACH, 871; HOLLAND, 661.
The anxiety felt by the Ministry and their
piebald adherents was intense and avowed.
Lord ELCHO, M.P., although elected in 1841
free of expense by these Conservative elec-
tors, thought it consistent with decency and
duty to exert his family influence against Sir
M. BEACH; and Lord ST. GERMANS considered
it consistent with viceregal dignity to direct
his steward to read to the tenants on his
estates near Fairford a letter, the contents of
which required them to vote for HOLLAND ;
and my Lord ELLENBOROIIGH was pleased to
prove his consistent attachment to Conserva-
tism by allowing his friends and tenants to
promote the election of the same candidate.
At Stowe the influence of Lord LEIGH and
Lord SAYE AND SELF was vainly exerted upon
their tenants; nor were Lord DE MAtTLEy, Lord
DuctE, or Lord EITZHARDINGE more successful;
while the most complete and pitiable ex-
posure of futile attempts at coercion were
shown by the polling results at Minchin-
hampton and Gloucester, in which the pro-
poser and seconder of Mr. HOLLAND reside,
Mr. RICARDO and Captain GUISE being only
successful in proving to the public the indis-
putable fact of their individual unpopularity.
Every friend to Conservatism throughout
the empire is indebted to the hearty, patriotic
electors of Gloucestershire, who have elected
their candidate in a manner alike honourable
and satisfactory to representative and con-
stituents.