The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-05 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX.
The election for the metropolitan county commenced yes-
terday at the accustomed hustings, Drentford Butts, Brent-
ford. The ancient town, beloved so mi:ch of the Ara George
because "it smelt so like Hanover," exhibited all the
symptoms of a contested election at an early hour. Flags
streaming across the narrow streets, rustics bearing Breen
boughs, the softer sex adorned with the favolies of the re-
spective candidates, and ever and anon and from various
corners the contesting discords of rival bands, rive more
animation than harmony to the scene. At nine o'clock Lord
Robert Grosvenor and h's friends assembled at the Star and
Garter, Kew-bridge, and marched in procession to the
hustings. There, however, he was anticipated by Colonel T.
Wood and his party, who, thanks perhaps to the military
talents and experience of their leader, contrived to get to
the winning past first and in imposing array. The colonel
himself, his proposer and seconder, came in a carriage ar.d
four, his committee in other carriages, then a squadron
of well-mounted freeholders, and the whole brought
up by a dense phalanx of the unrepresented, and
in some few instances unwashed, portion of the
constituency. Amongst the last-named, green boughs were as
plentiful as if " Birnam wood had come to Dunsinane • "
and also banners, inscribed with " The Loom and the
Plough," " Live and Let Live," " Church and State," and
other inscriptions equally oonservaties and intelligible. The
crowd assembled at this time about the hustings was tremen-
dous, and it was with great difficulty that Lord Robert
Grosvenor and Mr. R. Osborne, with their respective caval-
cades, made their way to the platform. Had it not been for
a strong detachment of the Metropolitan police (T division),
who took their station on the ground at an early hour, and
kept excellent order, we fear that the peaceful locality of
Brentford Butts would have been enlivened by contests of a
less intellectual nature than the eloquent strife of the candi-
dates for county favour. To the curious in those matters, it
may be interesting to know that Lord It. Grosvenor's colours
were blue and yellow, Col. Wood's blue and crimson, and
Mr. Osborne's green.—At 10 o'clock the sheriffs, Messrs.
Challis and' Kennard, arrived, and proceeded to open the
business of the day by reading the writ, the bribery act, and
going through the usual formalities.
Sheriff CHALLIS shortly addressed the crowd, bespeaking
a fair hearing for all, and promising that on his part all the
proceedings should he carried on with the strictest justice and
M=partialiPo YNTER then came forward to propose Colonel
Thomas Wood as a fit and proper person to represent tlie
county in parliament. In proposing him, he proposed a life-
long resident in the county, a man who had faithfully dis-
charged his trust, and who came of a family n hich was loved
and respected by all who heard him. (Cheers and hisses.)
Colonel Wood, if elected, would uphold the constitution in
church and state, and—let there be no mistake about it—
would oppose the ballot and extension or the suffrage.
(Hires and groans.) He trusted that the electors would
place him at the head of the poll, and with that view be
commended his gallant friend to their suffrages. (Groans
and uproar.)
Mr. Jones Davie seconded the nomination. He badgered
pleasure in supporting the gallant colonel, and k. emussily
hoped that the constituency would place him at the hood of
the poll (Groans, and cries of "not if we know it.") Foe
ten years he had diligently performed his duty—(no, no)—
not only in his place in the House of Commons, but every-
where else that he could be of the slightest use to his consti-
tuents. (Cheers and hisses.) He load supported the en-
lightened policy of Sir R. Peel, and thus strengthened the
resources and enriched the commerce of the country. After
mam;Leimilar compliments, which were received with strong
of Anent by the crowd, Mr. Davis concluded by
mosmilwg the nomination. •
Ilk W. Stiauxo came forward to propose his soblotriami
Ltd Robert Grosvenor, than whom a aseso admpotwoomii
data maid not offer himself to the eases 4 lks olootima.
This we' the second time his noble friend liad some foreraml
to seek their suffrages, and he trusted that Me public oom-
dust, private worth, and intimate knowledge of, and me-
MEM with, the county would ensure his triumphant return.
• most imant crisis was approaching,
will if the electors
wished to send forth to parliament a man ng and able
to meet it, they would place his noble friend Lord Robert
Grosvenor at the head of the poll. (Loud cheers and cries
of " We will.")
Mr. BANBURY seconded the nomination. In electing Lord
Robert Grosvenor, the electors would be only fulfilling the
dying request of their late honoured representative, Mr.
Byng, who on his death-bed had pointed out his noble [timid
as the fittest man to be his successor.
Sir W. MOLEBWORTII then stood forward, and wenne•
crewed with loud cheers. Silence being partially restated,
he said—Mr. High Sheriff and brother electors, I beg leave
to propose Mr. Osborne to be one of our representatives in
parliament. (Cheers.) In so doing, permit me to observe,
that, as electors, we are entrusted with the premise of the
franchise, not for our own benefit, but for the boo* of the
whole community, and of our fellow-citizens who are not
electors--(cheep)—we are responsible to them as well as to
our own consciences for the manner in which we use our
franchisee. It is our duty to be unmoved by menaces, un-
s;crioard by solicitation—to be anxious only for the public
—to exercise a calm and deliberate judgment—to
select the beet men for our representatives, those men of
whose principles we most approve, and in whose character
we can place most trust and reliance. (Cheers and hisses.)
Now, two gentlemen, our representatives in the last parlia-
ment, both of excellent repute in private life, Lord R. Gros-
venor and Col. Tbomu Wood, :have been proposed as our
future representatives. Let me ask you this question :If
we elect both of these gentlemen will they together repre-
sent our opinions? (Cries of " No, no. ') You answer
will not—they cannot ; and I perfectly agree with you
opinion, for they hold opposite opinions. The noble
load is an enlightened liberal—(cheers)—the gallant colonel is,
as his proposer has told you, • tory. If you return them as
colleagues to parliament, you will merely practically declare
that you yourselves are indifferent to political principles—
that you are without political principles. (Hear, hear.) Can
this be true ? Can it be possible that you, the electors
of this county, which contains the greatest city on
the face of the earth, famed for intelligent, reflecting, and
energetic men, who have so often fought the battle of referee
in times of difficulty and danger—(cheers)—that you are in-
different to all the great political questions of the day, on
which the mighty intermit of this mighty empire are
so deeply involved ? Can it be possible that the questions of
extending the trade, commerce, and industry of our country
—that the principles of religious liberty and equality—that
the education of the people, their moral, intellectual, and
phial improvement—that the extension of popular rights,
and the protection of the voter in the exercise of those rights
—are all matters of such utter insignificance to you that you
will consent to be without a vote and an opinion on these
subjects in the assembly of the Commons of England ?
(eheiers)—and you will be without a vote or an opinion
in that assembly if you return the gallant colonel
as the colleague of the noble lord. (Hear, hear.)
To prevent such a calamity, to rescue you from political
6:Unction in the next parliament, I propose that you should
return Mr. Osborne as the colleague of Lord Rolled Gros -
IMMIX. (Loud cheers, mingled with hisses.) Mr. Osborne
is a sincere and earnest liberal, the son of a well-known and
tried reformer, distinguished by his abilities in the House of
Commons ; able to give distinct and energetic expression to
his opinions ; bold, uncompromising, incapable of betraying
the trust you may repose in him. Listen to him—listen to
his gallant antagonist—then decide between them. In so
doing, remember that you are electors of the metropolitan
county of Middlesex. and that in all the other metropolitan
constituencies liberal principle( have triumphed over tory-
ism. Let not the liberals of Westminster, London, fdaryle-
bone, the Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Finsbury, and South-
wark, look down upon you with scorn and contempt.
But imitate their example, vindicate your ancient renown,
avenge past defeat. Remember Joseph Hume, your tried,
consistent, liberal representative—the painstaking, unwea-
ried friend of the people. Remember who it was supplanted