The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-27 00:00:00

DOVER ELECTION.

JUNE 23.
On Friday last the friends of J. Holcomb. Esq., one of the un.
successful Candidates for the representation of this town, gave him
a farewell dinner, at the Royal Oak Inn Great Room ; the dinne
consisted of every delicacy of the season, and, amongst other dishes,
was • tine baron of beef, conveyed smoking but from Wright's
hotel, drawn by tour horses, and decorated with laurel and flags.
and buglemen playing, " 0, the Roast Beef of Old England."
The company, which consisted of ?3S persons, composing the
greatest part of the respectable tradesmen end farmers of the town
and neighbourhood, sat down at half-past four. Wm. Knocker,
Esq., one of the magistrates of the town, was called to the chair,
having Mr. Halcoinb on his right hand, Mr. G. W. Ledger offi-
' elating as Deputy. Chairman. As soon as the cloth was removed,
Non ttotis dartarte was sung by some professional glee singers from
' Canterbury, assisted by others of this place. The first toast the
Chairman gave was "The King," which was drank with four times
I four; the national anthe.n followed, which was echoed by the town
band st cloned in the parterre.—" Duke of York and the .lrmy."
" How merrily we live."—" Duke of Clarence and the Navy."
" Glee, " Rule Britannia."—" The Illustrious House of Bruns.
wick." Glee, " When order in this land commenced," which
was enthusinslcally received and encored. " The Protestant
Ascendancy." Glee, " With &jolly good Bottle."
The CHAIRMAN now rose, to express his regret that they were
not met to celebrate the return of Air. Holcomb to Parliament,
which there was every reasonable hope to expect would have been
' the cave but for the unhandsome and unfair treatment be had
expetieneed from the hands of those who ought to have acted
otherwise, by which means his election was thwarted ; he trusted,
boa ever, from the spirited manner in which the freemen had
mark.d their sense of the treachery and baseness that hail been
used against him, that on a future period he would triumphantly
be placed at the head of the poll. He was quite sure, from the
great body of friends who now surrounded him, every exertion
would be redoubled to insure his return to Parliament; and, after
eulogizing the conduct and principles of Mr. Holcomb, he pro-
posed that gentleman's health, which was drank amidst an im.
mense burst of unceasing cheers. As soon as order was restored,
the Holcomb song, " With Honour on his Brow," was sung by
Messrs. Brett and Minter, and chorused by the whole company.
Ur. HALCOMB rose, and, in acknowledging the compliment
just paid him, and the manner in which it had been received, de.
I dared his own unworthiness to be such, that he could never find
words to convey a thousandth part of the gratitude he felt. He
was not discouraged by the failure at his first onset, coming amorast
them • stranger to every one, but was convinced that true British
sincerity and manly conduct, which his friends were so kind to
give him credit (or, would eventually triumph. The time, the la.
bour, and the comparative little expense he had been at, were suf-
ficiently repaid by the present glorious meeting; nor should lie leave
Dover without the hope of returning, to draw nearer the ties by
which he was bound to the freemen, determined to cast his politi.
cal sheet-anchor beneath the proud cliffs of this truly independent
town. He yietleci to no man in loyalty to his King, and attachment
to our inestimable Constitution, to which there was nothing in the
whole universe which hears the slightest resemblance. After touch-
ing upon the great leading question of the State, he alluded to the
cheering support he had received from the trading and maritime
interests of the town, particularly from the Cinque Ports' pilots
and boatmen, and expressed the pride he felt at seeing the flag of
the former in his pmsession, remarking that, as his course became
stormy, the number and strength of his friends increased. To Cap.
tain Edward Boxer, of the Royal Navy, who, with that nobleness
of heart which is the true characteristic of a British sailor, had
joined him when he saw foul play going forward, he knew not how
to express his gratitude. To his female friends he maids° under in-
delatde obligations; nor could it be said that Dame Fortune

had deserted him, for had she not given him her eldest dtughter,
misfortune ?

After slightly touching upon his departure, with much feeling,
he begged every one to accept his sincere thanks for their kindness,
and which he offered trout the fulness of a grateful heart. He
trusted no act of his had. in any way, compromised either the ho-
nour or freedom of his friends ; and, unworthy as he considered
himself, he would at all times join heart and band in their good
cause. Ile then passed a high encomium rn his Committee/ pro.
posing their health, which V/41, drank enthusiastically.
Mr. Hakornb sat down amidst thunders of applause. At half.
post ten he retired from the Meeting, attended by the Stewards and
the band, to his residence On the Marine P.tra.•le.
The company continued to enjoy the sparkling glass until •
late hour.

Mr. Halcomb wax solicited by a vast many to leave Dover by a
public procession, which, however, lie resptctially declined, leav-
ing privately yesterday inotning.

MA- LDON-ILECiION.

StINDAT MORNING.
(Forma Correspondent.)
The poll doted on Friday at three; and, notwithstanding that
above 3,000 voters had pulled before, the admission of freemen still
proceeded in the Mayor's Court on Friday morning, and above 40
were admitted that day. The concourse of people and of gentry
from the ne:ghbourtiood war immense, and the Blues, to the last,
kept pouring in votes, and if a few days more bad remained, must
inevitably have given 3lr. Dick a majority. At three o'clock. the
numbers announced 1-y the Mayor left Mr. Winn 293 above 31r.
Lennard, and Mr. Dick only 53 behind Mr. Lennard. The vo-
ciferous joy of Mr. Winn's and Mr. Leonard's friend(' at this re-
sult was soon damped by Mr. Dick's standing forward on the
hustings and demanding& acrutiny-wa horrid word, which seemed
to appal the Orange partisans. do sooner had Mr. Dick demanded
it, than 31r..P. Wright and another gentleman demanded, on the
part of Mr. Lennard, a scrutiny against Mr. Winn. The Mayor
immediately retired into the Town Hall, where a long discussion
took place before the Mayor and Recorder (Mr. Watford). 3lr.
SHEPHERD, the Counsel of Mr. Dick, strenuously contended, that
considering the irregularities in the poll—the circumstances of the
Mayor's occupation in the Court, acmitting freemen, which pre-
veated the discussion of votes at the poll—and considering the num
ber of paupers which he alleged to have voted for Mr. Leonard, the
Mayor was imperatively bound to grant a scrutiny, and proceed on
it immediately. Mr. Donn, as Counsel for Mr. bennard, insisted
that no sufficient ground was sbewn fur delaying the retain ; that
the pauper votes of Mr. Dick much exceeded those of Mr. Leo-
nard ; but that, in fact, pauperism (lid not affect the votes of about
1,000 new freemen, admitted during the election, since it was set-
tled to be no objection unless the parish relief was received subse-
quent to the right of voting occurring. Ile urged that the objec-
tions should have been made at the poll, since the Mayor had al-
ways left the Borough Court and proceeded to the hustings, when
an objection was raised. If a scrutiny was granted, it could not be
finished before the return day of the writ, and the Mayor had no
power to compel the attendance of voters or witnesses. But if the
scrutiny was granted at all, there was no precedent for granting it
to one Candidate and refusing it to another, particularly as the ma.
jority of Mr. Dick's votes were split with Mr. Winn.
Mr. BaonEutc li., for Mr. Winn, insisted that Mr. Dodd had
shown no ground whatever for a scrutiny against Mr. Winn, who
stood nearly 300 above Mr. Leonard, and it mattered not if sonic
of Mr. Winn's split votes should be struck off as bail on Mr. Dick's
poll, since no pretence was made out for supposing that so many
could be struck off as to affect Mr. Nl'inn's return.
The MAYOR decided that he could not grant a scrutiny against
Mr. Winn, which, on being announced at the hustings, gave the
greatest delight to the Blue party anxiously awaiting the result.
Mr. !,lIEPIIERD then replied at length, and with energy, to the
arguments of Mr. Lennard's Counsel.
The MaToa, after consulting the Recorder, finally decided to
refuse Mr. Dick a scrutiny. He then announced his decision on
the hustings, which created an uproarious applause from the Orange
party.
The Candidates then addressed the assembly.
Mr. Wisof expressed his gratitude with much cordiality and
fealing, and pledged himself to maintain and promote the interests
of his constituents, and to stand firm by the Constitution in Church
and State.

111 r. LENNARD declared himself the finn friend of Catholic
emancipation, of Reform, in Parliament and out, retrenchment, im-
provement, liberty, free-trade, &c. &c.
111 r. DICK spoke with a mild and gentlemanlike candour re-
gretted his failure, but claimed the merit of having kept all his
promises, of having opened the franchise to hundreds of freemen,
who could not otherwise have enjoyed it, and of having broken
up a county coalition, tending to fetter the independence of the
•borough.
. .

Shouts of applause, and repeated cheers, attended .Me. Dick's
last address. His manly conduct and consistency have made hint
an universal favourite; and his name is in the mouth of every man,
woman, and child, in and near Malin,. and will not soon be for-
gotten. He shook hands with Air. Lennart' very cordially, and
Mr. Winn and Alr. Lennart, were then chaired, and it wan pleasing
to see that neither the exultation of the Orange party, nor the dis-
appointment of the Blues and Whites, occasioned any serious dis-
turbance. The chairing went off very tranquilly, anti was judi-
ciously abridged. dlr. Wilson and Mr. Horace T1Vi14.4, who have
been mustaguse fog Me, Link, Ufa silo sown. Mr. Minn returned
to his cottage, and a large muster of the Leonard family and
friends took place at the house of an Orange burgess. Such a con.
test was never known here, and scarcely elsewhere. The polling
has continued on an average ten hours a day, which makes it missal
to 21 days, of seven hours a day. Every one is exhausted, and the
money exuended by the Orange party, and by Mr. Dick, is enor-
mous. There is not much talk of a petition. The great strength
of the Blues has been ►horn by this struggle. They lust time at
first, or they must have aucceeded.