The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-22 00:00:00

if ESTMOR 1„1 N D ELECTION.

IFROM:11 OWN' ItErniTril
Active premara ions :ere still going forward, not merely for the
purpose of procuring
the votes of the electors, but also for giving
some solid thanks, in the shape of refreshments, to those who shall
have voted. !sold Lowther and his brother have gone to a vast
expense in preparing accommodations for the freeholders upon their
arrival in Appleby. Booths have been fitted up, in which upwards
of three hundred persons can nit down to dinner. Furnaces, boilers,
aid all the necessaty apparatus for cooking, have also been
I erected ; anti on Sunday the persons employed sem:illy eon:-
menced operations by baking a vast number cf pies ; and in order
to provide a sufficient quantity, they must continue doing so un-
ceasingly until the commencement of the election. The reason
for all this expenditure must be highly satisfactory to the free-
holders, though by no means pleasing to theinnkeeptrs of Appleby.
At the last election. It is said that the latter charged immoderately
high prices, and thr the former were. notwithstandinz, anything
but well accommodated. If this be the case, the innkeepers have
only to blame themselves ; but they expect. it seems, notwithstand-
ing all this, that they will be enabled to reap a rich harvest, as the
number of voters now is vastly superior to %hat it has ever
been a: any former period. The Blues do no: appear at all so
zealous in procuring accommodations for their partizans' and hence
it has heen more than once conjectures!, prior to 51:. llrougham's
artir.l, that he did not mean to stand a c,ntest. This opinion,
however. has given way to a general impression tl,ar it rztil be the
seven ontest which has ever taker: place, at least between the
present Candidates.

SOMERSET ELECTION.

ILC lIFSTER. TVESDAT, JUNE 20.

The innkeepers suffered a great disappointment as to the en-
gaunients of beds, and they determined to make those pay who
had no alternative but to remain all night. The voters for Mr. Dickin-
son and Sir Thomas Lethbridge seemed to have adopted the course
pursued by those who came forward for Mr. Ilunt. They quitted
the town immediately after they were polled, for the purpose of
attending to their duties, with which the contest interfered ; and at
eleven o'clock last night the town was in as complete tranquillity
as we remember to have seen it enjoy at any period.

31r. 14:xT having declared, in the space before the Court-house,
that he xould have upwards of 309 cetera up from Frome this day,
a considerable bustle was esprcted to take place at an early hour;
but all was quiet until after nine o'clock, *hen the drums and
trumpets of that Candidate were heard through the town., and cries
of " Hunt fur ever !" resounded from all parts. lie came into the
town accompanied by hie friend Oliver Hayward, in a gig, and the
moment he reached Northover House, where the troops are usually
marshalled, he ordered the voters ti fall in rte.) by two, and march
to the Court-house. for the purpose of taking tire oath against
bribery.

At ten o'clock the Sheriff took his seat in the Court-house, and
Sir Thomas Lethbridge and his son, and Mr. Hunt, soon followed.
The %eke of Mr. Hunt was heard long before he was seen. lie
suspected that his rote-s would meet with unfair trcannent, as care
had, he said. been taken the day before to exclude ns many of them
as possible from the Court-house, in order to smother his exertions
for the people of Somerset.

The D c E nter called upon each of the poll.elerks, and
cat•e the necomry direction.. One of them. named Baker. was
objected to by Mr. Hunt, upen the ground that he kept the post-
office. - - - -

BAK n (lacking up at Mr. Hunty—That's another fulsthood ; 1
keep no post-office.
11Ir. 11t T-Mr. Sheriff, this is the effect of the disgraceful
conduct pursued yesterday. The language used by the other Can.
dilates hes ben imitated by all their low dependents. 1 said yes.
terday that the well-dressed rabble r:qu.red to be checked. Why is
this permitted ?

BAIL'. a said he kept no post-oSice ; anl te.)eated that 111r..11unt
had atib...rleti a fal.eltood.

Mr. lit' NT—.%)c what are we to expect from such ras-
cals —from fellows who are dragged upito make a Member, whether
they will er to.
Sir TIIO3. LETHBRIDGE (turning round and looking full in
Mr. Huta): taco—What is that you say, Sit?
Mr. lit: tev—l >ay that we could have cape tell no better treat-
ment than this from fellows who imitated the blackguard conduct
of their employers. Mr. Sheriff, you ought not to permit the
wen-dressed rabble to disgrace the county.
Sir TIIO3. LF.TIICRIDOE (0 .Me. Ilunt)—Why do you not be-
have as you ought ? lam determined, whatever may be the con-
sametice, that the county of Somerset shall not be insulted by
you.
Mr. lit:NT—lnsulted by me ! the county is insulted and dis-
graced by you. This fellow (painting to the poll-clerk) takes his
cue front you. The well-dm-1W rabble cry out, in answer to every
charge, '• tilse—'tis a lie--you lie." They follow the ex.
ample set by you. Dickinson and Lethbridge talk of manners!
was this a proot of it ?
Sir T. bnv it nut DOE—Vou are insulting the freeholders.
The PIIERIFF reirretted that such language had ben used, and
expressed &hope thut it would terminate at once, and that the bu-
siness of the day would be proceeded with.
Sir T. LEr uItRIDGII bowed to the Sheriff, and
Mr. HUNT said he should, without hesitation, =basil to the
automation of that Officer.
The UNDEII4SIIEIIIFF then called upon the Voters to come
forward and take the oath against bribery and corruption. It was,
he said, upon that occasion they had assembled in the Conn-house
dud morning ; Mr. Hunt having desired that every voter should
be put to that teat. A number of voters, who evidently came to
poll foe Mr. Hunt, then stood forward : they declared their readi.
new to take the oath. _ _ _

Mr. H u NT—Aye—they will do it without hedtation—they will
do it without quivering of the lip—they will not quiver the hp, as
sir Thomas Lethbridge's did.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE looked sternly In Mr. Hunt's face, and
said—" This conduct is not to be endured—this individual is most
groaslyirsultinglhe county." .

Mr:11 u stiThese are 'freemen—they are not dragged up, es
your miserable dependents are, to vote—they come up without
beingpaid—l neither pay them, nor their expenses.
het T. LETHBRIDGE—Every word you 'peak is an IMIUIt to
the freeholders of the county of Somerset.
Mr. (Ivy( T —Von had the audacity to charge me with want of
spirit, and you did it under citcumvances that tprore that you Is.
bout under the defect yourself. lam willing to meet you, or any
of you, in any way you please.
Sir T. LETIIIIIIIDOE smiled, and turned away his head eon.
teirptu2rly. . .

Mrs. HUXT—There is not a man In that group opposite you
(pointing to the Huntites) who is not determined to give a consci-
entious vote; there is not one slave amongst them. What do you
think of that, Sir Thomas P
Sir Thoreau smiled again, but made no observation.
The UNDER•BIIERwr here suggested to Air. Hunt the propri-
ety of his (Mr. Hunt's) furnishing a list of his voters, in order to
facilitate the business, which would otherwise be much protracted.
Mr. II VNT—I do not know the names of any of those gentle-
men—they are no slaves (looking contemptuously at Sir Thomas);
they come here voluntarily, they are not like your dependents. I
don't keep a list of them, as I would of my dogs. (Laughter and
murmurs.) Aline are all honest men, and come here to take their
oaths without quivering lips.
A Voter—We are as honest as Sir Thomas, endure ready to
take the oath.

Mr. HUNT—These are honest faces, Sir Thomas ; no quivering
here. (Laughter, in which Sir Thomas joined.) It was said yes-
terday by one of you, that no honest man would vote for Hunt.
A Voter—Any man who says I am not an honest man is a
rogue.
[Here an attorney made some observations with respect to objec-
tions made the day before by Air. Hunt, to some voters, who pre-
scnted themselves on the aide of the other Candidates.]
Mr. HUNT (addressing the attorney)—You refused yesterday
some votes for me, which ought not to have been objected to.
The A rye RN CY—Tint is false.
Mr. li T—A ye, there you go—this is another proof of the effect
of the blackguard conduct of yesterday. Every low dirty depen-
dent upon Lethbridge or Dickinson, adopts this Insolent language,
in Imitation of their contemptible employers
Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE—The conduct of this person is
most outrageous and disgraceful.
Mr. Huxx—Can the Sheriff deny that you and Dickinson made
use of language yesterday, which would have disgraced the lowest
rabble, in the lowest pot-house in the county ?
The 814E111re—I sin extremely sorry that the business has been
interrupted so frequently by altercations of this kind ; and really,
3lr. Hunt, it would be very desirable if you would not persevere.
Mr. HUNT—VoIt did not prevent Lethbridge and Dickinson
yesterday, when they were surrounded by their brill-dogs, from
using language mere provoking than I have ever used.
The SuEnter —I did all l could to prevent it, but it was int-
[Here Sir Thomas Lethbridge and Mr. Hunt looked at each
other in so Grocious a manner, that many of the spectators, who
were not aware what words may be used before blows are resorted
to, expected immediate violence.]
Sir THOMAS said to Mr. Hunt—How dare you direct such
language to me?
3lr. HuNT—To you! Ye, ye, ye (mirnidcin,,; Sir Thomas
Lethbridge)--to you,snd the other slave driver ! Fur such a thing
as you especially, any language is good enough, however gross it
may be. If every dirty poll-clerk and every dirty attorney is
allowed to say " You lie I" to a Candidate, who is doing his duty,
hew prettily this contest may be expected to go on. Your example
has led to this.
Sir T. LeTtinatnou—lt is useless to address the language
which la current amongst gentlemen to such a person. 1 shall
threw myself upon the protection of the Sheriff.
The SnEattr, who certainly acted without the slightest appa-
rent bias towards any one of the Candidates, begged most earnestly
that those interruptions might not be continued.
One of the voters fur 141 r. !lent, after having taken the oath
ardnst bribery, raid, " We arc honest men, sod we vote for an