The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-21 00:00:00

SOMERSETSIIIRE ELECTION.

MONDAY, JIINE 19.
This day the town of Ilchester was in such a bustle as fele%
haps, has not witnessed for many year. The told% ware croiVeed
with labouring men who disdainei to work, and who hoested the
flag of Hunt (green and white), and roared aloud, its strangers es.
tered the town, " Hunt for ever !" " Hunt's the chap for us'',
Bands of music paraded the principal atreeta,and the whole domes,
tic business of the population was suspended during the day, Th.
Court-house, or the house in which the Candidates were direved to
appear for nomination, whatever be its name, was at an early hm,
crowded with persons who seemed to he favourable to 3lr.
son and Sir Thomas Lethbridge. Some of Mr. Hunt's friendsob,
tained admis,ion, but it was evident that the other Candidates had
more numerous adherents within the doors. Mr. Dickinson and sk
Thomas Lethbridge catered the town without drums and tounpri,
and less noise of any kind aceomptnied their movements than
wt.
to be heard upon any ode movement of 3lr. Hunt through the
town.
The ceremony of putting the candidates in nomination was also
adopted upon this occasion, that It Bridgwater having taken P.C.:
for the purpose of giving notice to the Sheriff.
3lr. PIIE LI PS proposed Mr. Dickinson, and tindrc of the elk.
rience they had of that gentleman in Parliament. Ile then adorned
to the qualifications of Mr. Hunt. That gentleman, he tad, treed
his claims to the honour upon two grounds—the exposure whith he
conceived he had made with respect to the county.rates SCCOII,II4,
and the reform which he flatttred himself he had accomplished by
reducing those rates. As to the liras point, it had been successfully
mot by tie positive contradiction otfo3,lior. Mwiethssierhitan.duwoouthcidialblyi
more fully explained by that gentleman. There had, in fact, beep
a confounding of the warrants of different quarters, for rearms
which Mr. limit very well understood. Thus three warrants were
produced by Mr. Hunt, for February, April, and August in 1817;
but the annual accounts were made up from July to July; alai
ttehreinAeCligthuestyweaar"l7l7.had
M nr
h rt horreior insis;ed on including
the third warrant, that for August, in the account of a year will
which it had no concern. The confusion in farts, under such' cir-
connivances. was obvious. As to the second recommendation, that
of having effected a reduction in the county rate, it was as corn.
pletely fallacious es the first. The reduction was brought about,
in the fist place, by a Bill introduced by Mr. Dickinson, to render
more summary the proceedings in these account., which bill also
effected a diminution of the expenses ; secondly, by Sir George
Chetwynd's useful Bill regarding vagrants; and thirdly, by the
alteratinn in the price of provisions. They wnu!d see from fist
statement, that the only qualifications which Mr. Hunt and his
friends ventured to urge, were totally destitute of foundation. Tit:a
being the case, what reason was there for disturbing the represents.
thin with which the county had been so well satisfied ? (A pplaum,
and hisses and groans.)
This address could not have been distincily heard exc:pt b 7
those who stood close to the speaker, so loud were the noisy sad
frequent the interruptions during the speech.

Sir A LER AN DER Hoon seconded the nomination, amidst great
tumult. He contended that the Maeistutteit had been grossly ca.
lumniated ; hut he declared that tile calumny had been Most cm,
pletely refuted.
Mr. DICKINSON returned thanks for the reception with which
his name bad been met here as well us at Bridgewater. Upon the
first day of nomination he had stated to the county that be
was interested in West India property, and consequently was the
owner of slaves. That property, however, had come to him by de.
!went, and he felt bound to protect it to the utmost of his power ;
but still he begged to repent, that be was friendly to the ROC.
lutists a 1823, and to the adoption of measure. or the wane.
ration of the condition of the store., with the view of ultimately
achieving their freedom, when they were fit for freedom, and ankh
earn their living. On such a bubjeet he hoped Mat not another
word world be required from him. (Applauseand Mmes.) With
respect to Mr. Hunt, he was prepared to prove, Dom etaternenta
puhl shed to all the world, that that intlivtdual was unworthy of
respect or confidence. That gentleman had been horsewhipped at
Covent garden hustinge by a Mr. Hassling, without resenting the
indignity; challenged by a Mr. :Harley, without aeopttng the
challenge ; and compelled, upon many occasions, to drew the white
feather. Mr. Dickinson then read several paragmobs from neela
papers, attributing to Mr. Hunt • disposition to avoid palatal
risk, and reprobating his conduct at the Spafields and Maachestm
Meeting., The inferences Mr. Dickinson wished to Le drawn
from those specimens merely, it would appear, regarded the ra-
liflcations of Mr. Hunt, as a gentleman, to represent the eounty of
Somerset. Ile begged to know whether that count, nes to be die.
toted to by such a man ? (partial cheering and considerable &sap-
probation)—• man who had &tall times, and upon all occasions,
proved hinwelf destitute of honourable feeling. (Great tumult.)
Mr. STUCKEY' proposed Sir Thomas Lethbridge, and
Mr. L. HANNIKG seconded the nomination, which was re-
ceived with the greatest uproar. The ft lends of the Baronet, boa'.
ever, appeared to be very numerous. As soon as hoarsest eat
head outside the Court-hate, roar of "Hunt for ever !" amongst
the immense crowd. prevented those within from hearing the com-
mencement of Sit Thomas's address, lie hoped the mum), scold
do Its duty. He complained of the calumny on the Magus:at a,
the Treasurer, &c. of the covey, and of the pertinacity uf
Mr. Hunt in adhering to the charges tugs net these respectable ill-
sons. That person's falsehood was, however, made manifest loaf!
the wort:. In what such person had said there was not one word
of truth—perhaps as much truth as there would be in what he
might say hereafter. (Laughter, groan+, hisses, and applause.)
After the statement that had been made to them respecting Chet
individual, could the county—would the county—pay attention to
him for one moisten t? (Uproars. so loud anti long that rot one word
more of what was said by Sir Thomas Lethbridge was heard in the
Court.)
Mr. OLIVF.R HAYWARD, in the absence of Mr. Creswell, (who
did not attend inconsequence. as we understood, of the two:se:ay of
his appearance at the Taunton Election), proposed Mr. Hun'.
(Loud cheers and him.", which continued for some minutes.) He
stated that he was proud to have to propose a man so quahfied as
Mr. Ilmit to represent them ; a man who had rendered great err.
vices to the county. while he was confined in Ilchester gaol, and still
further services sinee that time, by bringing to light gross mix.
statements in the accounts of the comae rates. (Great uproar.)
Mr. Hayward said, that let the attorneys, the parsons, and the Ma-
gistrates deny it us long as they liked, yet the honest yeomen, the
&Inters, and the freeholders, were perfectly satisfied of the correct-
ness of that gentleman's charges, and they would convince their
opponents, when they came to the poll, that the freeholder* would
no longer be dictated to by such persons as were then endeavouring
to put him down. (Loud cheers from Mr. Hunt's friends, and this.
approbation from the other party.) Mr. Hayward then concluded
by expressing his cenfidence of success.
Mr. Trio II rentnATT, a farmer, stood forward to second the
nomination, and stated that he gave his hottest support to 51r.
Hunt, whom he designated as an Englishman, a gentleman, and
a patriot.
Mr. HUNT rose amidst cheers and hisses, and stood for some
tithe before the uproar subsided. lie began by stating, that if it
had not been fee the vulgar and coarse abuse which he had received
at the hands of his opponents, be should have contented himself
with a very short address to the electors. Having • great number
of voters in Ilthester prepared to poll for hint, he was more dis-
posed for action than for anything else ; hut he was obliged onee
more to deal in words, the only weapon for which his contemptible
opponents were distinguished. (Loud laughter, and cheers and
hisses,) Ile had been accused of aubmining to be horsewhipped
by Mr. Dowling, and of severs' other things. Now what did Mr.
Dickinson mean by stating these matters ? Did he mean to say
that any one of those paragraphs contained facts? (No answer.)
They were nothing more nor less than the editorial fibs of the day.
(Laughter.) ith regard to Mr. Dowling, it was true that he
(Mr. Hunt) had been struck by hint at Covent-garden hustings;
but it was as true that lie was surrounded and pargantarl by con-
stables front retaliating upon the spot. lie however Lad an oppor-
tunity afterwards, and he availed him/tell of it, mod was indicted
for the notice lie took of tile violence at the Middlesex Semitone,
and lined 5!. fur the retort manual. (Laughter.) As for Mr.
Morley it was true that that person had challenged him (Mr. Hum)
in his own house, half an hour befere he (Mr. Hunt) was to attend
a Spafields Meeting, and as no doubt was entertained that it was a
" plant," the invitation was declined. pericularly as Mr. Morley
happened to Le one of those little gentlemen who might he easily
thrust up thechattancy. (Laughter, and cheers, and hiears., Now
Mr. Dickinson atilt Sir T. Lethbridge, and Mr. Stuckey, who had
alluded to the white feather, well knew the fact that het Mr.
Hunt) was bound over in heavy ;nimblest, to the mallet of e,0011:.
to keep the peace for five years. *Lee he quitted Ilchester fwl.
They knew this well; for they were Magistrates in the county
alien he was so hound over. Had it not been for this knowledge,
they would not have dared to utter the insolent anti 'Whew abuse
which they had directed against him on the present occasion.
There were, however, means of obviating the difficulties which
presented themselves in this country, and if they would, DIY
one of them, rive him the opportunity. he would very willingly
put to the teat the question which (tithe four wore the white feather.
(Cheers, and Waxes, and laughter.) Mr. Hunt then alluded to the
county rates. Mr. Measlier, the Treasurer, had, lie said, thought
proper to send forth an account, stating the amount of the collec-
tion and expenditure for the five years, 1014, 1815, IEIB, 1817,
and 1818; but he had thought proper in this statement to MDT.
duce two quarters of the year 1813, smounting to 3,0001. a quarter.
and had left out two gnarters in 11;18, which amounted to upwards
of 6,500/. a quarter. Fortunately fur hint, he had got the warrants
Conned by the 3lagistrrnes for one of those
.years (1817). Now, in
the second quarter of that year, Mr. Mesmer stated that be had
collected 4,024/. Now the Sherif would read the warrant for that
quarter.

The SIIEUIFF here read the warrant out aloud to the Meetinr,
and it stated that 5.4001. had been collected in that quieter. (Great
tumult and agitation in the Coort.) The Snerifr then, at Mr.
Hunt's request, read out the three warrants for the three first
quarters of 1817. The sums there amounted to 16,5481., king
4461. more, by Sir. Hunt's and every other person's calculation.
thsn Sir. Messiter stated that he had collected in the whole year,
(great agitation), 6,0001. having been collected in the fourth quarter
of that year, which made the collection no less than 6,448/. more
than the amo tot admitted by the Treasurer to have been received.
(Great tumult and cries of "'tie true, 'his true : 'tis a lie, 'tis a
lie ; a d--ante
Mr. ii UNT Wis t'll n but heard in • few sentences, the hubbub
haying increa.ed to an intolerable excess. He concluded by de-
cllfine. that he had made his statement sn clear, that the merest
sclx.ol.-S ay could not misunderstand it, and none but dose whose

si
be
!Ii•
!' .

irocio 0 0
.24000. o 0
Zeit4.o 0 0

Collected iIUOIA7O 0 0

tapalacil ....,. 444131 13 51

I,l:l.—Cntleeted se
3ti::,1.11/110t, 1r413

ti,ogion; It)
tr.Dlteny seallunq .. 1814 . 3018
. .

SZ4A-311.1

Inls.—C4,lle<ted at —12072
11lidstammat 9,-...51055, 1611 .... 4024
11-.4larltnas Senaloos 4024
I:c.l.l"any tirsolons.. 191 S .. 3019

i‘seelone sOlti
—Collected at —14084
Nfr 4...nnwr Session+. 1815 .... 424

'J'~'~ar:mn~ afearbu~

.. 402 i

_
ne 1%,,,i,Lar1y zit.i.laiiii.. IRlit ..... .. 4924
it k.ito 11 er SC.O3* .. .. ••• .... 40:!..1
iii;.—Coneeteel at
eti Iliawrianer itrimioni. 1816 .... —402416e96
' tit m.a.tintas Merlon. ... .102.1
Kt Vi..iitiany Setsioui.. 1817 .... 40'14

Laker Se4sions

4t14.

I4.B.—Collected at --Z:1111OC
7114.atamat $e .lone, IRI7
Ilacha•!ma. 8IPIA;0,111 •—•
a.piplsmay 8e.•11.m... 1414 ....
Laster Seasismi —1163 S
—SISO

3
1..

interest and critical situation lei:seed them to endeavour to drown
his voice by clamour, could for one moment hold up the heads
and attempt to deny the truth of it.
Sit T. LET It Salvor. asserted that the charges against the Tres.
surer and the Slagiatrates were roost grossly false.
111 r. 312sscrta, the Tre..surer, in reply to 3lr. Hunt, headed
in the following statement :
I had hoped that the unqualified contradiction given in ow
letter a the 22d of May, to Alt. henry milt-statement re.
attesting the county rates, and which he suffered to retrain un-
answered far three weeks, would have sawed me the tmubic of
tioubling you further on that subject, as I defy him to disprove a
single item of it. You will ohaerve that the expenditure in the
yesrs 1814. 1.1., 16, IL and 111, was NOW. I'is. rid., the only
point on a inch 31r. Hunt and myself agree.
the states. Ify Statement.
Collected. a. d. No. of Rates Con. a' a. d.
lola
1401 •
Iflntsfi

1816
1A47
1018 260

Collected ........ 4' MODS 0 0

Expended 4.81031 13 51
Collected

ended more than
tlaaccoantSd for ...t15'..)33 G 31 cAlected.. e33 13 5i
" Upon the variance between these two statements is the only
irkettionat issue, so far as I urn individually concerned.
On the hustings. at the nomination of she County Members,
rat Bridgwater, Mr. Hunt thought fit to recur to his original state.
'cent, connecting it with his vulgar abuse of the other Candidates
(our notch-esteemed late Members) end myself. as County Trea-
surer; and, to give colour to his audacious assertions, stated that
he held in his hand three county-stork warrants, proving that a
larger sum was collected in the year 11117 than I had acknowledged.
I endeavoured to obtain a sight of these warrants to ascertain their
dates and give the lie direct at the time to his assertions, which I
knew the► would do ; but II:e s.ily orator knew better than to give
me that fair opportunity, holding them together at the distance of
reveal yards, and I was unable to read anything beyond the mere
signature on one of them, of my late respected colle.fgue, Mr.
Stone, the late Treasures of the Western Division. On the hua.
zings I could do little more than by pledging myself to my former
statement, observing that Mr. Hunt had never attempted to con.
Indict it, and •that this tibriestul Staten:ant of his would pro-
duce (like most of his other proceedings) a triumph but of short
duration.
" After the meeting Mr. Hunt thought fit to vend into circuits-
don another letter or arldruf., dated the 12th i stain, In which, for
the first time, he ventures even to make the attempt to confute my
statement. As I slinuil be unwilling to do an injustice to Mr.
Hunt's language, I extract from his gentlemanlike address two
Pranges in his own words. The first is, Sow, gentlemen, I
are no hesitation in des haring that .31r. Mcssiter's statement is
most scandalously and glaringly false, and which statement he and
the Magistrates of the county knew to be false, when they pub-
kilted it to the world.'

•"I'he other passage in his Address But now, my friends.
1 hare ascertained, from the watrants issued under the hand of the
Treasurer himself, that Messiter's statement is monody and wil-
furl. false. Only attend to the fallowing facts :—Mesaiter states,
that tothe year 1817 the sums collected only amounted to 16,096/.
Now, by the warrants issued by the Treasurer himself, the sums
collected in that year are as follows:—Fur the first quarter
4.0001.; for the second quarter 3,51d1/.; for the third quarter 7,042/. ;
fir the fourth quarter COON/. Thus you will see, by his own
warrants, that in the first three quarters alone he collected 16,542/. ;
use 4461. more than he states he collected in the whole year.
What think you of this, Men of Somerset ? By the Treasurer's
own warrants, it appears he collected, in the year 1817, 6,4461.
snore out of your pock as than he stated he did In this bare-
faced unblushing publication. What say you to this, Men of
Somerset? I ask, again, when these abuses are to be rectified ?
I boldly answer again—nevtr, till the Freeholders of Sons. rset
elect one Representative of their own, unconnected with the Ma-
gistrates of die County. I offer myself, gentlemen to your notice
as such a Representative, totally unconnected either with the Ma.
gistrates or any other Candidate.'
" I admit that the slims mentioned by Mr. !font, and even
more. as you will perceive by my statement hereafter, were col-
leted; but front carrying these sums into years to which they
1:0 not belting, be is guilty of a groat and -wilful perversion of
facts. Before entering into a detection of the fallacies practised, I
must premise, that the county accounts had been for time imme-
morial stated from the Midsummer of one year to the 3lidsum-
mer of the following year; and at such 3lidsummer Sessions,
titen held at Bridgwater, the year's account was always made
up, rated, examined, and audited by the Justices. This was the
invariable practice until the year 1818, at which time a table of
Car ar :Alai expenditure fur the preceding 60 years was made out
for the infonnstinn of the county, under the superintendence of
a most respectable end able Committee of Justices. consisting of
tiir John Palmer Arland, Bart., Richard Thomas Combe, Esq.,
sod the late Francis Drake, Esq. In their R.-port, annexed to
etch table, It the following passage:—' We take leave to represent
to the Court, that it appears to its very desirable that the Trea-
surer's year of account should commence on the Ist of January,
and end on the 31st of December of every year.'
" This recommendation was tarried into effect in the year 1820,
by making a half year's ataternent, from Midsummer. 5820, to
3lst December, 1820; and from that time only the year's account
is made up to the 31st of December in each year. Another cir.
cumstance may be mentiened, that a rate ordered at a Quarter
Sessions is in a course of collrction by the constables until the
following Sessions, and then paid over to the Treasurer, and cre-
dited it. his account.

In his last address, Mr. Runt abandons a part of his original
charge aqainst the 3lagistiates and myself, by reducing it from
li,Bllll/. 6s. 6,;1. to the more modtrate, but not insignificant sum of
ti. 1141., unaccounted for in 1817. This, perhaps, is :is much as
could be expected front such a man, and were he alone concerned, 1
should not give myself one moment's trouble to answer any accusa-
tion from such a source. 31y object is to undeceive the freeholders,
iuid I will therefore subjoin the quarterly collections throughout the
years questioned, rewinding my readers that the first sum called a
3,0001. rate, collected at Midsummer 1813, WWI ordered at the pre-
ceding Easter Sessions. Ir I had been disposed to have acted, and
tiik: Justices to have connived at, the base part alleged by Mr. hunt,
fir =halloo or the fractional sums would have furnished an oppur-
tun'tF.

ae .. d.

Amount pd. dur-
ing Ude year.. 13,161 0 0

Amount pd. dur-
ing Ills year.. 13,569 IV 2

Amount pd. dur-
ing this year.. Id,*9 I II

Amount pd. dar-
ing this per.. 19,031 10 G

Amount pd. dur-
-114 this 'ear.. '21.140C 10 161

T.tol
/" The fallacy of Mr. Hint's etatement most hence appear—com-
mon charity might dispose as to hope that he had fallen into error,
trait the circumstance of the accounts having been heretofore stated
from Midsummer vi Midsummer. but he cannot plead such excuse.
bemuse the annual publicadon of the county accounts, and other
sources of info:math-in, would have set hint right. I dare and defy
hint to produce any one constable who has ever paid me one single
faulting more than his doe proportion of county rates, and more
1141 is credited in my account. It is almost unnecessary to say,
yet after such calumnies against the Justices. I may be excused for
°keening to the freeholders and other payers of county rates, that
not one farthing ever goes into the hands of the Justice.. The inn_
nits are paid by the comseibles to the Treasurer, and by the latter
disbursed under order. trade by the Justices.
" I will only remark in conclusion, that there is not one word of
truth in the ,hole of Mr. Hunt's seeusatiun against the inagi3trates
and myself ; but admitting, for argument only, it were others jar,
`hat reference could it hare to the re-election of our old tried and
'orb], Representatives for tbe county ?
'• It is a disgrace. I confess, to have such a man as Mr. hunt
even put in nomination for our county, but the spontaneous burst of
te,tling which the insult leas excited, and the gratuitous exertions of
ad ranks and profession., will put down this contemptible blacking
maker, and send him back to his associates in trade, impressed with
their appropriate motto—" Arc eater ultra rrepitiata."

TUE STATEMENT ALLI:DED TO ■T MR. MESSIT ER 1N III!