The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-15 00:00:00

1011 K ELECTION.

It appears that there is to be no contest for the representation o
this county after all, .`Jr. Beaten having, to the amazement o
evivybody, and to the dismay of the good citizens of York anti tkir
wivt a, declined proceeding to the poll. What renders his resigna-
tion, if such it may be termed, so very extroardinary is, that his
return was not only certain, but it was equally certain that he would
have been placed at the head of the poll by an immense majority.
At the meeting in the Castle-yard. the Sheriff declared the shew yt
hands in his favour to be much greater than that in favour of any
of the other candidates, for both Blues and Oranges all supported
him. In the same manner, in the year ItIOL 31r. NVilberfurce
stood for the county, and was placed at the head of the poll. al.
though possessing little other influence than what he derived from
the spirit of opposition between the contending parties. There was
some supposition that .11r. 31arshall would have given in, and the
people of York were in an absolute fever lest there should be no con.
test. This pvrliaps is little to be wondered at, when it is mken into
consideration that the expense of a contest could scarcely be less
than 80.0001. to each candidate.

This Is also perhaps the true secret of Mr. Betheirs retirement;
he may think the honour of representing even the county of York
scarcely an equivalent for the expenditure of such a sum. Indeed,
his fortune, according to all 'volume, could ill bear such • depre-
dation, nor would he have suffered himself to have been named as
a candidate, had he not received very extensive promises of sub-
scriptions towards defraying a portion of the charges, which pro-
mises. it is mid, hare not been adhered to. It is also conjectured
by some that a compromise had been entered into after the meet.
erg between hint and Mr. Marshall; but thisis only a conjecture,
and it may be a very wild one. At all events he will not stand a
contest, and the citizens of York are completely chop-fallen. A
singular contrast is presented in that city to-day, to the aspect
which it offered yesterday. Immediately after the meeting yester.
day. which was the most numerous ever held in the Castle-yard, all
was joy and exhilaration, and nothing was heard but " there will
be a contest now, however." To-clay all is gloom—every body
seems as if calculating the extent of his imaginary toes, and the
impossibility of retrieving it for the apace of seven years.
The only persons who have reason to rejoice in the midst of this
general depression are the Candidate*, and even they are not quite
pleased that Mr. IlethelPs retirement enables two persons directly
opposed to them in principle to become Members for the county.
Mr. Bethell's return would have thrown out one either of the Blues
or the Oranges, and each, confident in their own strength, regret
that their rivals should be spared the humiliation ore eldest. It is
still possible that another Candidate may offer himself before the
21st of the month, which is appointed for the election, but this is
supposed to be by no means probable. Some estimate may be
formed of the zeal of the electors in favour of their respective
leaders, from the circumstance of their rentahing in the Castle
yard to the very close of the Meeting. notwithstanding that •
thunder-storm burst upon them with such tremendous fury, that
in a few minutes they were completely drenched, and In some parts
of the yard were standing nearly half way to the knee In water. It
was also remarked that the storm began just as the Mayor of Leeds
stepped forward to put Mr. Wilson in nominatioo, and those who
were gilled in omens deemed it unpropitious to the No Popery
party. It certainly was any thing but propitious to either party,
for every individual in the yard had the full benefit of the rains of
heaven; nor, we believe, could either side accuse Providence of
being at all partial in the administration of its favours.