The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-29 00:00:00

Iffunfripai eltrtfon.

PITT STREET WARD

TO JOHN SMITH ESQ.,
COMMERCE-COURT, LORD-STREET.
SlR,—The Committee of Pitt-street Ward Reform Asso-
ciation have determined to request. you to allow yourself
to be put in nomination at the ensuing election.
In order that you may fully understand the principles we
wish to assert and maintain in our election contests, and of
which principles we desire you to be the representative, we
enclose for your perusal all the circulars and addresses we
have hitherto issued. You will thus perceive that it is solely
on public grounds, and to promote important public objects,
that we ask for your assistance ' • and, from your well-known
public spirit, we feel confident that a sense of public duty
will induce you to give us the aid of your name, influence,
and long-established public character, in our endeavour to
enforce on the attention of the_ electors generally, but
especially on the attention of the electors of Pitt-street
Ward, the sound constitutional principles which we know
you to hold in common with ourselves and all true reformers.
Your name has been so long identified with the honest and
fearless advocacy, through good report and evil report, of
liberal and enlightened principles of government, that we
entertain no fear of your declining to be our champion from
any childish feeling "that it is no use to contend against
popular ignorance or infatuation." We know well, from
our recollection of your past conduct, that no such notion
will prevent your advocating a cause you believe to be right,
nor any amount of solicitation induce you to support a cause
you think to be wrong. There is, we think, a special glory
in fighting an up-hill battle in a good cause. Any tub will
float away along with the current, but it requires the innate
force of a true Briton to breast, to stem, to resist, and finally
to overcome a torrent. . . .

At the present moment it is the universal opinion that the
Liverpool Town Council does not reflect much honour upon
the intelligence of the constituency; and yet we are now
within ten days of the election, and, with one or two excep-
tions, there is no attempt made to improve the average.
Why is this ? The main cause is the difficulty the electors
find in obtaining suitable candidates, on account of the de-
grading means that are required to be used to secure suc-
cess. As long as canvassing and treating be tolerated by a
great portion of the electors, " fit and proper men" will very
naturally hold aloof from all interference with election con-
tests. We think this is to be lamented; because, unless
better men will allow themselves to be nominated, it is clear
no better men can by possibility be elected. We hope to
see the time when, in every ward, and on every occasion,
men of high character, competent ability, and of all shades of
political opinion, when asked, will intimate their willingness
to serve, if elected, and then leave the matter altogether
in the hands of the electors—using no means to influence
the election, either by flattery, bribery, or treating.
Holding, as we do, that every form of personal solicita-
tion for a public trust is alike disgraceful to the candidate
and insulting to every voter who has the slightest particle of
self-respect, we shall (in the event of your consenting to
place your services at the disposal of your fellow-citizens)
only, ask you to announce to them your readiness to dis-
charge the duties of a town-councillor, if by the choice of
the electors you should be appointed to a post of such honour
and responsibility.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
W. M'MILLEN, Chairman.
Committee-room, Surrey-street, Oct. 21, 1853.