The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-08 00:00:00

MT. PoLuttx next cams, forward, which was the signal for
every knid of noise most disionant to the ear. He observed that
the time was now arrived fee them to exercise their right, as Eng-
lishmen. Many topics had been alluded to on this occasion which
he should never have thOught of. Ile had had many co urertations
with the gentlemeh who bad signed the requisition to him, and he
had satisfied them as to Ms public princiolesc but questions had been
pot to him a likh he was ready to answer. and hoped to their mails-
fact iaia. The first question was respectiog the t 'a Lows. Though
possessed of Imre freehold seinnetty in (filar counties, yet he was for
a revision of thous laws. The next question was as to reform. He
was friendly to a reform In Parliament. The next question was,
would fle endeavour to lessen die ittirdei.s of the people by a redoes
flan of taxes ? Ile would. Ile had already met Ministers on this
subject. The next question was, worth lie support the Church
and State se by law established ? He would. He had been celled
a Tory, but that word had two meanings. The first was de-
rived from the Irish word, signifying ravage; but he put it to
those who accompanied him on the canvass whether he had made
aoy intpreetion of that kind ; on the contrary, he thought
lie had been favourably received by the When. The o her meaning
was that of one wit.) adhered to the Apotuolic Hierarchy of the
Church of Engird. Sante of their topics had been sought for
across the Atlantic. l'hla would excuse him, for alluding to
Poland, which some years ago had enjoyed freedom, but when
the Catholics got into power they excluded all the Protestants,
anal the partition of the kiogdont soon followed. Ile had come for-
ward m this particulate crisis, and was gloat to find the tide setting
so stremly in his fat our.
ThantlOH Hamner then called for a show of hands for the
several Candidates. They were very numerous for Mr. Calvert;
hut for Sir Robert Wilson almost every hand was held tip, while
there did not appear to be more than a dozen in favour of Mr.

The High Bailiff having declared the show or hands to be in
favour of Mr. Calvert and Sir Robert ‘Vilsoo, a poll was home-
diatelynemended on the pars of Mr. Polhill.
The etemective Candidates again slimily addressed the electors,
thanking them fur their support, and requesting them to come early
to the poll.
The Hutu BAILIFF then adjourned the meeting, and announced
that the polling would commence at two o'clock.
Thanks were then voted to the High Bailiff; and the people
began giadually to withdraw.
At four o'clock the High Bailiff again appeared upon the hull-
tinge, and stated the result of the day s poll as fol1owee—
•: Ste Robert Wiesen a 175
Chjesia Calvert, Esq. .
- Edward Polhill, F.aq. - Intl
Mr. CALVERT then addressed the electors, and sail tilst they
had given hint as earnest of their good intentions toren% him, as
well MR a proof of their satisfaction at his conduct, by the conspien-
oue situation in which they had plated him upon that day's poll
(Cheersi. and he had no doubt that, by doubling their exertions,
they would place him to-morrow still further beyond the reach of
competition. (Cheers.) Thee had kept their taith with him, and
he trusted that he hail kept his faith with them. (Cheoes.) He
could tint help lantenting that dic poll had not been kept open for
aturiier hour, as, in that case. Ms success 'would have been still
more anparent. To-morrow, however, he trusted they would, by
the emittnuance of their exertions, place the result of the contest
beyond the possibility of a doubt.—The Hon. Gentlemen then re-
tired, amidst the most enthusiastic plaudits.
Sir ROBERT WILSON then stepped forward amidst continued
cheers. As soon as silence was obtained, he said that he could not
feel otherwise than highly gratified at the eminent position which.
by their exertions, he occupied upon the pull. (Cheers.) They
had advanced hint to a situation which he could assure them be
was by no means ambitious to enjoy. if that advancement was
meant as a mark of their dissatisfaction at the conthict of his for-
mer Honourable Colleague. (Much cheering.) The time which as
yet they had had to poll was certainly short (only two short hours),
and therefore it was evident they had taken time by the forelock.
(Cheers.) Their enemy flattered himself that they would be taken
by surprise. Minns and groans from the friends of Mr. Polhill.)
When he said their " enemy," he meant the party of which Mr.
Polhill was the representative, and not any individual whatever.
(Cheers.) Their enemy, then, forgot that he had to deal with old
soldiers, who always sleep with one eye open. (Immense cheers
and laughter.) There was another lesson which their opposing
candidate had yet to learn—the lesson that the freemen of South-
wark are always invigorated in proportion to the duty which they
have to perform. He regretted that he had not heard the answers
to the questions which had been proposed to that gentleman, an one
of the candidates, but he hoped that they would that evening give
him a full anti fair opportunity of' stating his sentiments to the
electors. (Cheers.) One question. and the answer to it, he, how- I
ever. had distinctly heard, which was that requiring each candidate
to state whether he would exert himself to effect a reduction of
taxation. Ile (Mr. Polhill) replied that he would do so, and in
support of that assertion referred them to the past, and stated that
he had been recently engaged with Ministers in negotiating for a
reduction of the taxes. Now he (Sir Robert Wilson) would not
impute to that gentleman anything like an interested motive, but
private interests were sometimes strangely connected with public
services; and in the present case it was not s brie remarkable, that
the tax which Mr. Polhill was so anxious to have reduced was that
upon tobacco. (Tremendous cheers.) He did not mean to say
I that by effectieg a reduction of that tax he would bt rendering no
service to the public, but he would say that he (Mr. Polhill), of
I all men, hail no right to infer from what he had done in that in-
stance, that he was wiiling to make great sacrifices (or, the public
henelit. • Wheers.) Supposing, however, that he bad anewered all
the questions which had been proposed in the affirmative, and to
their utmost satisfaction, was that, he would ask, a proper ground
for discharging those servants whom they had tried, and with
whom they could find no fault, merely to rely upon the moral-
ftione of a stranger? (Great cheering.) There was an Athenian
General who had been ill-treated by the Athenians, and who one
day took his Ken into the Arsenal, and pointed out to his notice
Rome old rotten galleys, r-merking that that was the manner in
which the Athenians treated those aervars who had served them
faithfully. He did not mean to impute similar ingratitude to
them, for sure he was that such was not the manner in which
the British people rewarded those who had advocated their in.
terests. (Great cheering.) The result of that day's poll had foil,
proved that the electors of Southwark had advanced in the march
of intelligence; arid he sincerely hoped and believed that they
would never retrograde in those principles which naturally sprung
from is acquirement. (Cheers.) Fist himself, he could only ex-
press his gratitude to them for having placed him at the head of
the poll. Ile felt grateful for the favours which they hail con-
ferred upon him already, and also hir those which he anticipated in
the course of the present contest. Ile would only detain them to
entree, that they would come early to the poll ; in which cage they
would have nothing like up-hill work to insure their succi-ss. Sir
Robert then retired amidst tremendous cheers.

:Ur. Pout mt. then addressed the electors, and declared that he
was not at all astonished at the result of that day's proceedings ;
nor did he envy his opponents the places which they occupied,
satisfied as he was that, by the perseverance of his friends, he
would to-morrow be placed at the top of the poll. (The mingled
din of cheers, groans, and hisses, sent ‘*.rth, according to the in-
dividual feelings of the persons assembled towards the speaker,
rendered but !hie of what he said intelligible.) He then reemn-
mended that they would use all their energies, that he might to-
morrow (this day) be enabled to congratulate them upon the su-
perior manner in which he should stand upon the poll, compared
to that which himself and his opponents now relatively occupied.
The worthy gentleman then retired amidst cheers, groans, and
hisses.

A Mr. Pitt LT rs then addressed a few observations to the electors,
inciting them to give a long pull, a strong pull. and a pull alto-
gether, in favour of Sir Robert Wilson and Mr. Calvert, and thus
place their return beyond all powdbility of doul•t.
The poll was then adjourned until nine o'clock this morning.