The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-19 00:00:00

dated, should directly act together, but that e ch
should have his separate hotel, separate committee,
sten s, bands, and banners. Thus Mr. Rues U end
Lord Che'ses, although in close coalition, lived curt
and acted as if standing on different interests. But
many 1f the services pet foemed for thcm were ren-
dered to both. The publicans, fur example, who
opened their houses in the conservative Callao
gave away their beer on account of these can-
didates conjointly. But when they made up their
accounts, and sent in their bills, it was found that
they had not shared the charges as between the
candidates, bat had deb:ted rah with the terms
sum tctsL Thus if 20/. worth of beer were glees
away at the Anchor and the landlord thereof chargei
501. for the risme, he would charge Mr. Russell 501.
and Lord Chelsea 501. also, and get paid in the whole
1001. This is a step decidedly in advance of elec-
tioneering accounts in other towns, bad as many of
them are.
Between 1841 and 1847 the conservative repre-
sentatives for Reading lost much ef their popularity,
and the divisions which arose in the party ranks
tended still farther to injure their position.
It is probable, however, that Mr. Russell
would have been re-elected at the last general
election, had it not been for a mistake which
his agent made at the preceding registration. This
gentleman served one-half of the town, including
some of its most respee' able inhabitants, with notices
of objection to their votes. Groat excitement, and
much annoyance, venation, and inconvenience was
the consequence. It vim increased by the mysterious
silence which was observed as to the nature of the ob-
ction. At length it turned out that the agent had got
hhold of a crotchet. The overseer?, in making nut the
list of voters, had described them as of such a street,
without giving the numbers of their houses. The
agent fancied he should disqu lify the libetel
voters en matte, by objecting that this was
an insufficient description. But the revising barrister
overruled the objection, and on the day of election
the only efFet was a very hostile feeling towards
Mr. Russell and his agent on the part cf those who
had been annoyed and inconvenience d.
Serjeant Talfourd, the old liberal member for the
town, presented himself again, supported by his peva-
-I:ar interest and personal friends. From the first his
return was thought MM. Another gentleman came
and canvassed—Mr. Francis Pigott, son of Mr. Payn-
ton Pigott-Stainsby-Conant, of Archer Lodge, an
old whig gentleman of some pronetey in this county
and in Hants. Mr. Francis Pigott hal contested
Winchester in 1841 against Messrs. East and Escott,
but without success. He now came forward as a kcal
man, and being we'l known as a fexhunter and county
magistrate, many even ef the tory gentry and farmers
about Re ding gave him their support. The canvass
was conducted inexpensively. Mr. Russell having
now had some experience of the effects of election-
eering expenditure, was particularly cautious. He
was over sanguine, too; for no one bad much idea
that Mr. Pigott could succeed. Indeed, some days
before the nominstioe, that gentleman had left the
ton n altogether, as if he had abandoned it entirely.
As it proved, he had no such intention. Ile was in
his place on the hustings on the day of nomi-
nation, and on the day of polling, to the sur•
price of every one, he " went ahead" at a r apid pace,
distancing all his competitors in a canter. The old
tory party voted for him as a resident county gentle-
man; the wbigs voted for him from party connexion ;
the friends of Serjeant Talfourd split with him to
annoy Russell ; the dissenters voted for him because
be was opposed to Roman catholic endowment;
the undecided voted for him beccust they saw
he was highest on the poll ; and thu cor-
rupt portion of the constituency appear to have voted
for him also. Those who calculated he would have
been lowest on the poll found to their amerearent at
its close that Mr. Pigott was at the head of it. The
numbers were—
For Mr. Pigott
Serjesnt Talfouril
Mr. 11,0.11 52l
Viscount Chelsea
The vexation of Mr. Russell was extreme. He
" washed his hands," he said, of Reading, after that,
and departed thence without intimating the slightest
intention of returning.
Trig was, upon the whole, the fairest contested
election that has taken place in Reading during the
present century. Three of the candidates spent
nothing beyond what they might under the present
system, constitutionally. be called upon to pay. Mr.
Pigott's expenses were 1,2001. How that money went
nobsdy knows: we have no doubt that the It .n. mem-
ber is totally ignorant hinicelf. But there are shrewd
suspicions on the subject in Reading, and very little
doubt amongst the knowing ones.
It will be coecluded, from all we have recur 'ecl,
that Reading is a very corrupt constituency. The
proportion of venal electors is large, and their price
is high. The system is one of direct bribery, prac-
tised unblushingly, the reward for the vote being re-
garded ns a sort of right. The administrators of the
bribes are nearly as numerous as the bribees. Certain
men upon a candidate's committee know others who
are to be bought, and they buy them, if required, at
the market price of the day, which of course depends
upon the closeness of the contest. The parties who
receive the bribes are generally the small ten-pound
householders, and they may amount in number to 100
or 150, the number, of course, increasing in propor-
tion to the increase of the temptation. The average
rice, on ordinary (wardens, may be ten guineas,
but the amounts given vary so much that it is diffieult
to fix a specific sum as the amount of a Rea' ng bribe.
Apart from this bribery, which le so bad as to be
quite a remarkable feature in Reading elections, the
other corrupt practices of the place are rot worse
than in any other towns. The treating is, on the
whole, less extensive here than in other places of the
same size and population. There is a great deal of
money, however, spent upon the lawyers, and the
flag and riband system is extensively preethed. In
Reading, as well as in other boroughs in Berkshire
and Oxfordshire, a practice has prevailed of aea.tering
money amongst the crowd during the chairing of the
members. It will be remembered that Sir Frederick
Theciger, when Attorney-General, was much cen-
strati for perpetuating this practice at Abingdon, at
his el c'ion in 1644. We are glad to say that on the
occasion of the last return, Serjesnt Talfourd and Mr.
Pigott refrained from following this ancient custom—
one certainly much more honoured in its breach than
its observance.
The electoral system of Reading is not immediately
likely to undergo any alteration for the better. The
town is increasing, and probably improv-
ing in respectability; but those who have lists
of the corrupt electors see no reason to think that
they are diminishing in number. Much dr peuda in
such a place upon the candidates, and the course
which they pursue. Serjeant Talfourd has been able
to set a good example here, and much honour is due
to him for it. Would that Reading could insure that
such an example would be followed.
The railways in the course of time may make some
alteration in the political position of the town of
Reading. Up to the present period the railway in-
fluence has not, however, been so potent here as
some persons may suppose. Mr. Russell, certainly,
was never returned by it, although chairman of the
Great Western. That railway, in truth, has scarcely
hitherto been popular in Readieg. It was a great
coaching town before the railway was constructed, and
so much of its trade was diverted be it from the old
and accustomed channel that it hid fir a long time
more enemies than friends. Necessarily, a great depdt
like that of the Great Western at Reading, must bring
business and money into the town. but probably its
chairman has never been able to comply with one
tithe of the numerous applications that have been
made to him for business and appointment', and has
consequently dissatisfied nice of his cons' ituent s where
he may have satisfied one.
At no wry distant date there is an element likely
to be introduced into Reading elections ever. more
potent then the influence of the railways. That ele-
ment is the ever-powerful one of property. One-
third of this town, and by far the best commercial
situations in it, appertain to the family of Biog. ave,
who ere settee' near the town. Their property up to
a recent period was let on leases for lives renewable,
as each life dropped, upon payment of a fine. Re:
ceotly, io consequence of differences between
the tenant for I.fe and the tenant in tail,
the Court of Chatcery has decided that uo new
lives are to be put in. The estate is consequently
fast falling into hand. At no distant per:cd it will
probably fall into possession of the nephew at the pre-
sent owner, a young gentleman of five aid twenty.
There is, indeed, some doubt whether all the•leaws for
lives cannot be upset upon the death of tIM present
life tenant. In such event the whole of this great
town property would fall in at once to yea% Mr.

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