The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-30 00:00:00

TWO O'CLOCK.

From twelve o'clock up to this hour, the excitement
gradually increased, as ,he conflict waxed warmer, and there
was now hardly a chance of Mr. Ewart being beaten, from the
position which had been so nobly achieved by the exertions of
the Liberal party. The streets became more crowded and more
animated, and the localities of the booths were filled
with anxious enquirers, even ladies seemed to participate in
the general enthusiasm that prevailed.

DALE STREET,
t this hour, presented quite an unusual scene, particu-
larly in the neighbourhood of the general committee rooms,
where a vast crowd collected, and although there was much
excitement, yet there was good order kept. As the state
of the poll was announced prolonged cheering followed.
CASTLE STREET,
too, was very much crowded, bat the "people were orderly.
There was a good deal of indignation expressed at the
conduct of the Tories issuing false returns, the object of
which was to mislead the people for a purpose, but the
" dodge" was too transparent, and recoiled on the heads of
those who had recourse to such disreputable practices.
We are glad to say that, so far as could be ascertained, all
was carried on with good humour and good feeling, and
this was as it should be.
THE QUEEN'S HOTEL.
This hotel, situated in almost the centre of the town,
was the head camp of the Tory party, and from it the
public were, or should have been, hourly supplied with
the state of the poll, and all other and necessary
information, but from some extraordinary process of
electioneering tactics, that was almost the only place
where reliable information could not be ascertained. From
an early hour in the morning, this centre camp was
under the control and management of General Buck-
master, Lieut. J. B. Lloyd, and a host of other
cornmi stoned and non-commissioned officers of the Tory
party. From some cause—it might be that he had
leave of absence—or 'it might be even at the last hour,
as at the commencement, he had declined to enter
personally into the engagement, the real Captain Little-
dale 'was not seen in the vicinity of the camp. It
may well be imagined that this locality was thronged
by crowds of the inhabitants of the town, and their
anxy to ascertain the state of the poll was maul-
.ested in a great many ways The first statement
put forth was the state of the poll at half past eight
o'clock, just cue half hour after the polling had
commenced, and was as follows :
Horsfall
Turner..

453

605

Ewart
By some this was believed to be correct, but the more
thinking and calcu'ating pirtion of the community, and
those who had some idea as to what time it would take to
poll such a number of votes, set it down as a " Tory
dodge" to catch those electors who like to be on the
winning side, and consequently did not believe the state-
ment. Be that as it may, the numbers were there in
lar4e black and white figures, and were copied by
hundreds, - and the news were spread over the
town, that Ewart was at the bottom of the poll. This state
of aff•iirs lasted for about half an hour, when other
numbers were displayed, and, as if the polling had been
carried on by magic, at nine o'clock the candidates stood
as follows :
Horsfall

1,915

•
Turner ..
Ewart .............. . • • , .. . ,1,620
This information was •
as speedily circulated as the last,
and many clapped their hands, and threw up their hats,
and exclaimed with delight, " Turner's election is safe."
Half past nine o'clock arrived, when another statement
NVFs9 put forth by the same authority, representing the
numbrrs to be :
Horsfall
_ 3,203
Turner
Ewart
This was, by some, deemed conclusive, and many were
the joyous exclamations of Mr. Turner's friends, who actually
began to think, and to openly express their thoughts,

that he was safe to be returned ; and some expressed an
opinion that they thought that Mr. Ewart would soon
retire from the contest. But there happened to be another
hotel the ,eloso proximity to the .former,
and, although not the head camp of Mr. Ewart's friends,
they did publish the state of the poll ht 'difiefent intirvOs,
and from that the electors were Worried that at teu o'iilJck
the numbers were, for
Ewart 1354
Horsfall. . .• . . . .
Turner
The diffArenee' at to the numbers polled caused home con-
sterhation, the Tone party declaring that•the- other mite-
-ment was false, and, each denying that either party would
.to deceive the electors. Thus, however, the numbers,
'stood. The , anxiety to know the truth was
visible in the countenances of all, and the people
walked frOm . one camp to another, but without
gaining any further information, From ten o'clock until after
eleven, the same thagiCal numbers appeared from the Queen's
!Hotel. The question`was asked agairi and again=why are the
numbers not published every half hour, as at the commence-
ment ? Those who could have answered • the question
remained silent, but those who had not the same privilege said
• i t was till humbug, and that General Buckmaster had humbugged
them " from the beginning, while others, more
polite, said, "Well, it is only an electioneering dodge."
Discontent seemed to prevail around the Tell camp, at not
being able to get any further information ; and, shortly
after eleven o'clock, the crowd rushed to the Victoria
Hotel, and, upon their arrival, it was seen that-the numbers
had again been placarded by Mr. Ewart's committee, and
were as follows :
Ewart 2 079
Horgan
Turner
This statement was received with great joy by Mr. Ewart'
supporters, some of whom cheered with exstacy, and flow to
diffuse the news throughout the locality. Just at this juncture
a gentkmart descended from a cab at the entrance of the Tory
camp, and having called those assembled together, by shouting
those inspiring, words, " Brother electors," announced that the
state of the poll at eleven o'clock was-7
Tiorefall
Turner ,

Evart ..
This, as a matter of course, was received with the greatest
enthusiasm, but before the words had scarcely escaped his
lips, the figures-3,203, 2,937, and 2,835, which had so
long remained, *ere replaced by the following :
Horsfall
Turner "

Ewart
The gentleman who had made the former statement,
calmly copied the above, and quietly walked away.
At twelve o'clock the -excitement beoame•intense,
as at that hour, as is invariably found that whoever
is at the head of the poll ;will be so at the close, and
many were the speculations as to the result. However,
shortly after that hour, a placard from the Victoria Hotel,
annnounced the numbers to be for
Ewart .
Horsfall . .
Turner .
This was deemed satisfactory, and the result was hailed
with great cheering. At half past twelve o'clock, how—
ever, the Tories issued the following statements :
Horsfall
Turner . . ; . . .
Ewart.....
From this hour the excitement around the Tory camp
became less and less, until it was comparatively deserted,
and but few other statements were put forth from that
quarter.
Notwithstanding all the statements published from tl:!..;
" Central Committee Room of the Tory party,", having
been ridiculed and treated as farcical, still the two " Bucks"
—Buck Master and Buck Lloyd—persisted in keeping up
the falsification of the numbers they had commenced
publishing; at the early.hour of half past eight, for at.two
o'clock they stated the numbers to be
Horsfall
Turner
Ewart ..

This was too gross an assertion, although much modified
from the first, to be believed, and it was hailed with
contempt and ridicule, pa, titularly as at the same time the
numbers were stated by Mr.-Ewart's friends to be
Ewart
Horsfall
5,060
ent of the returns as issued

Turner
The following is the states
by the two committees:—
HALF-PAST NI
E wart's Committee's I
Report.
E wart
Horsfall
Turner . 0 463

NE O'CLOCK.
llorsfall and Turner's Com-
mittee's Report.
Horsfal, . ........3,203
Turner
Ewart

Majority for Ewart, l9B Majority for Turner 102
TEN O'CLOCK.
norsrati
. 1,306 f Turner
Turner 1,206 f

t; wart...
Horsfall

Majority for' Ewart 148

• ELEVEN
E wart 2,848
Horsfall 2,768
Turner 2,510

No
Re-
Ewart • • turn.

Majority for Ewart

I Majority for Turner,,
O'CLOCK. •

Horsfall ~
Turner .....,. ...... 3,847
Ewftrt 4,071

Majority for Evart 224

TWE LVE O'CLOCK.

Ewart .4,337 I ihmfall
Horsfall ......4,188 Turner
Turner
Majorityifor Ewart .. 630 I Majority for Ewart 173

5,257
4 614
4,787

ONE O'CLOCK.
Ewart, .5.248
Horefall .5,113 Turner
Turner , 4,463 Ewart
Majority fur. Ewart 785 I Majority for Ewart ... 284

...5,986
...5,184

TWO O'CLOCK.
Ewart
Horsfall 5 659 Turner ..
Turner 4,877 I Ewart
--
Majority for Ewart .. 834 I Majority for Ewart...

.. 7,000
..5,964
_6,150

THREE. O'CLOCK.
Ewart 6,190 Horsfall.. 7,218
Horsfall
Turner 5,287 I Ewart. .6,362
-- . -
Majority for Ewart ... 903 I Majority for Ewart . 343