The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-19 00:00:00

DURHAM ELECTION.

The election for the county of Durham took lace on Th.assiav
the 15th instant. A few minutes before ten o'clock the llocituor.
able %V. K. Barrington, the High Sheriff; and the Candidates 4Z.
cotnpanied by their friends, entered the Court.
The customary forms having been gone throagh, the High She-
riff briefly opened the meeting.
GEORGE BAKER, Esq., said, alter having supported the
pendent interests in the counties of Durham, Northumberland.- a, A
Yorkshire, for fifty years, it would ill become him to retteconieht
any one to their choice, except one whose conduct to Parliament
had proved him to possess both ability and inclination to serve ti.-1
constituents, and defend the interests and' liberties of the cetintty.
Convinced that his lion. Friend, John George Lamliton,
possessed those qualification* in a degree that was sever exeredutst
by any of his predecessors, he begged to nominate him as a pn,rev
person to represent the county in Parliament, and he •ealled upon
them to reward his past services with their approbbtionand sap.
port on that occasion. ( Goud epidemic)
Sir H. WILLIAMSON seconded Mr. hambton'sgoniination, att.d
appealed to that Hon. Gentleman's conduct in the three last }lat.
!laments, in which he had served them with as snitch Deal, tidelaty,
and attention, as ever any Member gave to the affair* nt his coln,-
tuents. lie trusted they would shew their gratitude for hie pa--t
services by again electing him, as they did six years aro, with a
popularity that was never exceeded in that or any other county.
(Applause.'
Mr. LA 3111 TON rose, and was received with much cheering. He
said, the moment was at length arrived which was the most eseat to
his feelings, and the most satisfactory to him that ever termed
te,mn any public occasion—he meant that which enabled a lab. Re-
presentative to meet his former Constituents ; and he met them
now with the firm conviction and knowledge that he had never for
one moment failed in performing his duty to them. and in sutur-
ing that high chancier with which their Representative ought
always to be h-vested. (Cheers, and biases from two or lbws
individuate.) lie perceived that there yet lurked some remains. of
that contemptible opposition winch they had so signally deflated
the List time he met them in that place. and he knew tliefteartif
Mae
in y
individuals would now chew themselves they would be reqeived
with the general contempt and !worn of the assembled freeholders.
(Loud cheers.) lie tnanked those persons for this eteltress,ou of
their sentiments. lie courted their hostility. He not eteink
from the strictest examination of his winduct ; and could
impugn it, let him cone forward there, in the fete of th. •.11,
and openly declare his sentiments. But they had had fait cape.
rience of these insignificant and degraded inalrontente. . They
knew that whether loud in private; or solitary in 'the public elms.
*lon of their disapprobation, they dared not meet their countrymen
in argument ; and he defied them to say any thing against one who
never had a selfish motive, bat whose sole object bad been to pro.
mote the welfare of the country, and maintain the outlets of the
Constitution. (Cheers.) These were very different times from
those in which he last addressed them—they weretimes of paellas
interest, great, no doubt, but far inferior to thole when he fast
solicited their suffrages. We were then in a state of the highest
excitement—our libel ties haul been inveded—Bilia had been oassel
to suspend that greatest palladium of our rights, the Habeas
Corpus Act—to enable them to enter into our dwellings and match
for arms, though every Englishman watt allowestby the 4.kelstittie
t:on to carry them—every endeavour had been made by the Ural
vernme- - the

minion..
Howie r'

spirt!

express
I lialte
wee .
▪ new;...

, -
intent to retrain the people from aseestading to esprar, their
don.. to discos/I their grievances, and to lay thew. before the
me of Commons and at the toot of the Throne (Chem.) A
it, fatal to the liberties so watchfully guarded for centuries t.y
ancestors, sas abroad ; and he NW thee called *pun th et to
ms their sentiments, and tether/ that whatever, stilh be the
In other places, they die net leen that feellog-othay at Iraq
e deteratined. to platen Moroi/at event Liafteetleaaf oat ?gots
liberties. He shed. *et air battier • W oppOvirian. lagi

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:

mouggir• of dovernyebt whack every 'Englishman might to i
hasis.wid, and Int feitainSdent that there was none of that oppo.
.: axis* ow which he Molted back with regret. On the contrary. the
• mossier reviewed his pettlic conduct on that emulous, the mere lie !
Ala fial."44llat it aklianad their approbation ; and he felt that if
f•estira again is similar eireuntentnces, his conduct eltottel
be elle mot na reason why he should alter his own net. i
ax.... Leased
I ino;he swim them to alter theirs. (Cheere.) Happily for tot, a
vet/ dilessat Sy s. now pervaded the councils of his Illajeety'e
tiagggisigps sad with that Name feeling of tadependence with ;
ot leeibeimemeeined to oppose them, when they were carrying into t
jou which threatened the liberty ot the subject. he
ene,44 declare, that had lie been in Parliament on several oc.
aroma when the elate of his health prevented him, he would bare
,aired in affording them hits cordial and warm support. (Cheers.) I.
,aired
Ife regretted that thane with whom he acted had not the pleasure or
tattling into effect those principles which they had always adve. ;
cated • but, because he regretted they had not the opportunity, L
ens he to offer a vexatious opposition to those who had wig.
rtred those principles, and 'hewnA proper, though perhaps. 1
tardy dieposiPon to attend to the 'kitchen and reeling' of the
people of England (Cheers) ? An individual of the very highea
relents and character had entered into the Councils of this countay,
an individual who knew very well that he was nut supported by the
Tory aristocracy—Mr. Canning, who was awate that the nobility
he had to depend upon was the nobilityof the mind, and the co. i
operation and aid of the people, and not of the High Church and ,
Cory party. (Cheers.) 'Therefore it was we saw th3W3 changes in 1
the polities of the country—therefore it was that we hate :shaken oft
our connexion a ith the Holy Alliance, that scourge end disgrace of
tee Cottinent—therefore it was that the Alien Act, that stain on the 1
cettntzy, bad been suffered to die a natural death —therefore it was
that those other Acts against the liberties of the people to which 1:e
hid before alluded were no longer in operation. It was for these
eetesone that he felt bound, as the Representative of a free and en-
4. ;.:tenet county, to applaud the conduct which Alinisters had, is
.1 Plo,lll instances, pursued. (Applause.) lie trusted they would ;
pursue this great course of improvement and ametitheent ; that they ;
wank( not atop half-way, that the reformatioo of che Criminal Code,
which Mr. Peel lied so properly begun, would be canted still
farther, and that both he and his colleague wotili at hest be co/t-
-eamed that there were other great rights to be given, or he should
rau:er say, restored to Englishmen—those great representative
rights, of which they had been fraudulently and im-
propehy deprived. which it was their ditty to bestow on them, that
...Het the improvement of the age, and the increased knowledge of
t• 1 people rendered more than ever necessary--a great and import-
set extension of the elective franchise. (Applause) These were
tee principles which he had always avowed, from which he had
:ever swerved, which he had never deserted for a moment, and .
+ditch, should die, again return him to Parliament, he would take
every importunity of constitutionally and properly supporting.
t'.:• sere.) But these wete not alone the duties which he considered .
*eight to be the object of the 1131e111i,t1 of a Member of Parliament. I
its did rot conceive that public matters are alone those which
ought to attract his attention ; bat that a great commercial comity
I ke this should have a Represented..a who would rot only defeat I,
every attempt of power against the rights and privileges of his con. i
sitnents, but who would carefully watch over their local interests.
Fur himself he could say. with the greatest sat:sfactior, that he
had devoted every moment of his time in Pediment, as far es his
tteoleh world allow him, to their service. He had never omitted
an opportunity of supporting their rights and privileges in the
Hoax of Commons, or of attending. to the local business of the i
coenty ; and he would say, thought it might be considered a vain- 1
reorients boast, that be would yield to no Ala:ober of Parliament in i
zeseand diligence, though he would readily admit they might have ;
been served with more ability. This was not merely a maritime
or a manufacturing county, it was as well an agricultural county.
All those three interests were united together. and be should ba ,
ware to thick that if, in the support he had given any one of those,
be had in any degree injured the other. But he was confident that i
the lice of conduct he had permed was calculated to benefit the
whole without favouring one in particular. (Cheers.) lie had re. I
petted opportemities of advocating the maritime interests of the
county, and of England at large; and he had contributed all in his '
power to their advancement, and to the advancement also of the
manufacturing and agiicultural interece of the country. He re.
'menet: to observe that in times of great distress it had been thought
proper to cast odium on those who had no right to bear it what-
ever. He had never voted for laws which made the price of bread •
lugh, because he was convinced it was not the interest of the farmer
that it should be so—that it was not for the benefit of landowners—
hut only for the advantage of those who &time great emolument.
Vona the immense titration of the cauntry. (Cheers.) But it was
rat on that account that he wished thet that interest should be left
without any protection. He required for them an adequete protection
ti east the artificial Statell which they now exist. So he asides to the
s"!pping interest, and so he said as to every other. If the country
was starting shrill, it might be very proper to carry the prin.
cie:a of free trade to their full extent. But they could not
possibly be applied to a country that was labouring under a greater
i..a! of taxation need debt than per was known in the world. How
was it portable to compete with those countries who hut net POI •
lead of taxation to endure—how was it possible to compete with
thaw foreigners who totted commard the labour of their servants,
he was going to ray, but be must cell them slaves, whom they paid
at a rate upon which it was barely sufficient fur Mem to exist,—
when carry man in England ought 0 command that price for his la-
bour which would be sufficient to maintain hina in convict' and
happiness? ;Cheers.) Ile would ncrer consent to measures which
wee to deprive the labouring classes of this country of thee com-
fort, they formerly enjoyed, and which he lamented to hear so few
of them enjoyed at the present moment. But he must say that the
late distress in the manufacturing districts was not to be attributed
to the high price of corn. It was fairly to be attributed to that
spirit of speculation which extsted lag year, and which mooted the
manufacturers to produce morogoode than the whok world could
lure from them ; the workmen were thrown out of employment,
ant the consequence was starvation and deepen. (Cheers.) Nlinis.
tees Mould have met the question fairly, and have facet, die danger
boldly, and not have laid the blame where it did not belong—en .
the high price of corn. If he had been in Pediment, he should
rut Pave contributed to that delusion, nor permit:id that any one 1
dills of persons should be represented to their emiturymen as ,
beeefitting by the distresses of another, for which they were in
au degree responsible. Our interests wire all bound up tn.!
getter, sod he called upon all those intermits to join in call- I
in ? tot that one system which globe could restore our twiner pre.s-
perity and prevent distress—the reduntion ot' our taxation
and expenditure, and the enforcement of rigid economy. (Cheers.)
Having now stated to them his opinions upon most of the great po-
lineal questions which agitated this country, declaring his invariable
attachment to the cause of Reform, there remained only one other 1
action upou which he could address them ; and on that he declared
his opinion without reservation and with confidence, because lie
Moan that, whatever might be the feeling in other parts, here in
jerboas Me cry of intolerance would never be raised without being
r•l• shed by the voice of the people. (Cheers.) He would never be
te e man to keep millions of our fellow-countrymen in slavery and
deputation, because they conscientiously refused to take thou oath,
w: le l would degrade them in the eyes of the world, and firmly ad-
Lend to the faith of their ancestors. (Cheers). There were the
principles upon which be bed always acted, and if they again re-
fereed him to Parliament, it would be a proof that, ia the word,
used at the late memorable contest, the county oe Durham spoke in
and *lough hint. (Cheers.) And if the freeholders had any drub
that these were not their principles, this was the time to choose any
individual who might be more worthy of their support. (Cheers.)
ki • would never shrink from the expression of these sentiments;
but if on any question he should differ from his Constituents, there
would be only one step to take, however sorry he might be to take
it—tor it was the pride and boast of his life to be their Itepresen-
tative—he should then reign, with promptitude and cegitness,
teat :rust which they thought another better qualified to per-
form, and which he should lay down with the coneeiciumeas
wf raving disnraced neither them nor himself. (Cheerio—
he mold not sit down without alluding, in tenet of the warmest
gratitude, to ,bat glorious support which he received from them at
...,•e last election. 11C could not express his undying gratitude for
Or (Oboe; they made in hes favour, by which they had placed him
te a situation as proud as ever fell to the lot of any Englishman to
fit, however tithes had been supported by their electors. he
woitht say that no man ever received more unbcught, or more un-
biased, testimonies of appuobation, than he dirt at the memorable
contest in 1820. (Chet-re.) It' they thought he should ever for a
moment forget it. they did him wrung ; for thoticei they might
bee:ow their confidence on another, he should never, to his dying
.eill. be it soon ot he it late, regard them with any but the weenie,:
fetistms of gratitude, and he would say of hive and affection, which
ever animated the heart of any man. (Cheers.) He *mild now
take boa leave of them, and should co wlude, after thanking his
two Honourable Friends who nominated end mu acted tem, lor the
very flattering terms which they applied to his conditet. lie felt
proud that his honourable Friend un his right (11r. Baker), who
nominated him Id yeses ago, had never bad ormetion to blush for
hTs(Mr.j,.•.)conduet, and re Nl3 he wed, by causing for ward that day,
he believed him to be still the mine man that he was 13 years ago.
And if he felt grateful towards hint, he mast also thetik his lion.
enema (Sir H. Williamson), whose family, like his own, had been
tar eenturies connected with. the county, anti whom ancestors had
filed the situation smith was now occupied ley their excellent She.
tiff. who was then sitting, probably for the hat time, in this court,
a• if of whom he might be allowed to say, that when twilit' retire
into pirate life, in tide county or elsewhere, he nimbi be followed
by the respect and venetation of every independent men. (Cheers.)
Introduced to their notice as he Olt. L ) had been by such Wends,
supported by such expecte:ions of approbation as lie had received
that day, and welcomed by &omen, faces, whom he recognized as
having taken a part in their last glorious struggle, he could have no
other feeling than that they would bestow upon him that reward,
which was the hiuhrst he could receive, by seeding him into the
Mout, ot Commons as the asurtur of their rights and liberties, end
the protector of their independence.—The liunourahle (gentleman
sat down amidst loud and universal applause.
OCOeitat AYLNItII said, he could not better recommend the
Honourable (ientlemen he was about to propose, than by append-
ing to his services during the long time he had had the honour of
representing them. He could safely say. that no application had
ever been made to him, which dud nut receive the pretest attention.
4 Applause.) If honoured again wilt their approbetion, he was cm:-
tide:fit he would continue to display the saute eel) and fidelity with
'ditch It had ever been his most anxious wadi to serve them. (A p.
pleese. 1 Ile therefore begged to lumen:tie the lloraninsble W. F.
V Powietr, es a proper person to be their Representative; which
we. terentied by A. Sorters. Lig., of Hamsterley.
fir. POWLCIT assured thou that he was meet happy that the
].tied bad again returned when he had to give an exhilaration of
his conduct as their Representative since he last met them. He did
rot expect that he Mould hive hilly answered their ex petit:mons
brat ne itesidsity had been wanting on his pad to disebtrue the du'

ties bf his situation, and be had zealously devoted himself to I
the interests of thecounty and of every individual in it. (Cheers.)
Upon rill questions of a local rilture, and in the transaction of their
private business, lie had made it 14 duty to act with the greatesi
impartiality. Il= was always ready to do every thing in his power
for the interests of his Constituents. The Honourable Gentle-
man entered into a detailed review of his Parliamentary conduct,
as it relates to the shipping interest, the Catholic Claim., the aboli.
lion of slavery, and the other imprMant questions which since the
last election occupied the Att,•ntion of Parliament; and ably justified
the conduct he had pursued. He hoped that if lie had done nothing
to forkit the honour bestowed on him in 11120, they would now
agate confer on lam the highest reward which it was the object of
his ambition to reveal.. Mr. Powlett concluded by paying a high
compliment to the Sheriff, sad sat down amidst the applause of the
meeting.
' No other C.indids.te being proposed. the Sheriff took the Thew, of
hands, areal declared John George Lambion, F.t.ti arid the lion.
*%V. Pnalctt in be duly elected.
The Hon. Members serenity returned thanks.
After which, Mr. LAWDTON, in a very elegant and
tory
.speecli: truv.-td the thanks of the Mecuog to the High
She ter the honourable manner ittwt:ich lie bad discharged the
duties of that office from which he was about to retire. . .

Mr. POWLETT seconded the motion, which was carried unani-
moualy ar.d with great applause.
The thou igYsisr returned thanks, and the Meeting was
aimolved.

Tbo MernUrs were chaired in the usual way, amidst the cheers
of the in:lab:sisals. Ur. /Ambton afterwards addressed diem from
th• window of his lodgings, as did also Mr. Powlett from the
• tetioo I:in, Mr. M. A. Taylor also spoke at great lecgth from
endow of Mr. lainbton's lodgings.