The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-19 00:00:00

lAA-CASH! ArE RLECTION.

On Friday the electitin of Members to serve in Parliament for
this county commenced at ten o'clock.
JOHN. Anntsosr, jun., Esq., the Sheriff's Assessor, opened
the Lunn of Election in the Shire-ha:l, at Lencaster, in the alt.
settee of the High S:teriff, who was prevented front attending by
indisposition.
As soon as the usual ceremony of opening the Court was gone
through,
H. Both HoonTost, Esq., came forward to propose for the
choice of the freeholders John Blackburne, Esq. Ile said, that
the great mercies of trade and commerce which had taken place in
this county, of late years, demanded that its particular interests
should be represented in Parliament by men of experience, ability,
and zeal. The gentleman whom he had proposed was known to
the electors by a connection of upwards of 40 years, during which 1,
peeiod he had been their esteemed and respected Representative in
Parliament. In the course of this long service it had been the good
fortune or Mr. Blackburne to receive at times the marks of the
highest degree of satisfaction from his constituents. Ile had spent
the beat dies of his manhood, and now had grown grey in their
service. He did not mention these facts as so many claims on the
support of the freeholders, but as proofs that Mr. Illackionrne had
merited a continuation of the confidence which now in old age lie
ventured to solicit. It was understood that a third Candidate would
be proposed that dry, and to a part of the address of that gentle.
man he now wished to advert for a moment. The gentleman who
ironed this address stated, that Mr. Blackburne was unlit for the
duties and fatigues attending the office of their Representative. He
did not airee with the worthy gentleman in this anertion. He
was v ell acquainted with Mr. Blackburne, and he found in him a
!xenon fully adequate to discharge with efficiency, as he would do
with zeal, the various duties of their Member ; and the county, he
trusted, would confirm the same opinion. He concluded by pro-
! prising Julio Illackburne, Esq., as a tit and proper person to be
I chosen as one of the Representatives of the County of Lancaster.
E. 4:insole, Esq. seconded the nomination; and praised in terms
of
great energy the character, private u well as public, of Mr.
Blukurne. As a father, a landlord. a muter and a friend, his
• conduct was above all praise; and in his public act, he was well
known to be genuinely loyal to his King, and true to the church.
For these as well as for other good qualities. they had chosen him
for their representative in nine successive Parliaments. Would
they now torn their backs upon an old and faithful officer, one who
bad grown grey in their service. Should they discard hint for Baying
ton soon, perhaps. exhauated his strength ?—No. The sentiments
which the rreehalders themselves must possess, in order to be guilty
of an act of such ingratitude, never in his opinion tc.tanted the
breast of an Englishman. Ile was convinced that they could not
entreat the honour snot; safety of the country to worthier hands than
those of the worthy and excellent gentleman whose nomination he
had thh pleasure of seconding. tebetra, mixed widi
LAWItENCE RAWSTOariE, Esq. said that he wished to call the
attention of his brother freeholders to the merits of another of
their late Representatives. After speaking in terms of eulogy of
the Right lion. Lord Stanley, a nobleman who had eiready, in
three successive Prrliarnenta, dignified and enhanced the utility of
the office, by the ability and industry which he uniformly exhibited
in the discharge of the duties connected with it, lie proposed the
KW* Lord.

W. Towstev, r.q. (of Townhead) seconded the nomination
in a nest speech. in which he congratulated die country on the pre-
valence of liberal opinions amongst the Members of Governmen t
This improvement was to be attributed to the efforts made by the
body which was constitutionally employed in stitching over, and
regulating the acts of the Ministers; a body of which his noble
friend formed one of the most enlightened and useful Members.
It. JAI:1:30g. fsq. then proposed Alexander Nowell, Esq. of
Underley Park, add was seconded by B. Townley, Esq.
U. BLACaacaxr. addressed the freeltoliers in a short speech, in
which het declared his readiness, and hoped he should be able to
prove has capacity to NM: the county.
Lotto STANLEY neat engaged the 'attention of the freeholders,
at some length, asserting the utility of a vigilant. constitutional,
but not factious opposition in Parliament, to restrain the growth
of power, and check the tendency to lavish expenditure of public
money.
Ain Now EL I. said, that having been honoured by n requisition,
most rt speciality signed. he could not do less, to skew his sense of
the obligation thus conferred upon him, than by standing unshrlnk-
inKly the test of a poll. He disavowed all political connexions, or
party interference of any kind.
Sir TUOMAS D. I ESC ETU, Bart.—Gentlemen freeholders, I
find myself placed in a situation of considerable embarrassment,
because I feel that I stand before you under circumstances impe-
-1 fancied in the history of elections. Having declared at the Last
genera election fur this county that I would not take any step,
much less present any claim in my own behalf, that would interfere
with the interests of Mr. Illackurne, I out now called on to repeat
that declaration. I stated then, as I state now, that whenever the
circumstances arising from the events of nature, or from the sense
of the county being declared, would give me the opportunity, then,
and not till then, I would prefer my claims to its confidence. In-
deed, it is the more incumbent on me to make this declaration at
present, because Air. Balton has made the avowal that he abstained
nom coming forward on account of the county being kept in a state
of suspense as to my intentions, under the eircumst.inces in which
we ore placed. At the same time that I made the above declare.
don I added, that tinder no circumstances should I take any step,
or duller any to be taken, that would prejudice the interests of a
most highly respexted, most ancient, and true friend to the county,
and that would affect the peace of the county by disturbing the
claims of the two Candidates I now see before me. These are the
reasons that have induced me to abstain front coming forward upon
this occasion. By doing so I think I should have been guilty of a
breach of filth. Haring thus explained the reasons why I have
nut taken a more active part, I proceed to the consideration of the
I peculiar circumstances in which I find myself placed. humours
have been afloat to the effect, that attempts were making to obtain
a requisition in opposition to the interests of the Noble Lord I see
before me.

Mr. Jac xson—No such thing. (Hisses.)
Sir THOI. lirsKE rot.—l beg to repeat that rumours have been
, Whim to the effect I have mentioned.—(Cris of " No, no.") Such
ate the rumours, I do not state that they are true. It was not
I until two days ago that I have known that such a.requisition was
presented, and sanctioned by a gentleman opposite. NVliat was
my netunishroent, when I received by express a copy of the
&Edna, of the gentleman opposite; in which it is said, that he
came forward, not in opposition to Lord Stanley, but to that
highly.royeved individual Mr. Blackbume—that long-tried
servant who had grown grey in their service; whose grey hairs
, Witted Li:n to the respect as well as to the exerthms of every
man in the comity, toe his restoration to that respectable lima-
, tion winch he had so well filled. Alluding to this requisition,
I ant inn meaning the least disrespect to the gentleman opposite;
but it is due to nay Hon. Friends around me, to say that a more
unhandsome (1 use the mildest term,) a more unhandsome at-
tempt to injure the interests of declared Candidates, and disturb
the peace of the county, I never knew of in the whole course of
Perliament.:ry History. (Applause and hisses, great tumults ) My
friends, I an not to be put down in title way ; I am not to be pre-
vented from making observations, which I deem of importance, by
any clamour that may be raised against me. (Applaud.) I ant
Ll' too independent principles, of mo independent a station to be
deterred by opposition front doing my duty, which I am called on
by conscience to di-charge. (Great applause) I have fel: it due
to the county to make these utrtervat'one, because, on an occasion
when we are required to exercise ate of our greatest privileges—
, that of returning two St and proper persons as one representatives
to Path:mien% it is of the utmost treportance that the county should
know what is intended to be done. I feel that this, therefore, is en
attempt to disturb the peace of the county, and to take it by sur-
prise ;an attempt which I say is not to be peaks,. With all re-
spect for the third Candidate, and I believe hint to be possessed of
all those feelings and principles of honour, which shmtld attach to a
(candidate; but I must say, that it would have been only al, act of
common courtesy in him, and I.i+ party. to have made known In
proper time, what they intended to do—(a vnice, " It was well
known in Liverpool ;") if so. it was known only to a tee—it was
not known to the county at large—to those great interests, which
are entitled to be consulted, and might to take the lead upon all such
eccasions. (Cries of "no such thing.") Now, as to my ow.t peculiar
situation, having made the declaration I have at the last general
election, how do I stand ? (A voice. " very well." I ant pledged
tOstiPpoet the interests of my lion. Friend. Mr. Illackburne, and
no exertion* of mine shall be spared in his behalf. I must
make, however, this reservation, that should it appear doting the
contest necessary
that I should come forward, I hope my lion.
Friend will pardon me for doing so. The Honourable Baronet
then said, that he trusted the county would support Mr. Black-
burnt, and that they would follow his example, each gentleman
bringing up his own tenants free of expellee to Mr. Mackin:roe.
Alr. Nowt ex declared that behest issued his address wititio half
an !.ettr alter reed( h:g the Requisition.