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

CITY E I. ECTION.

FIFTH DAT.
There W3B less of uproar and bustle at the Guildhall yesterday,
than upon either of the preceding days of the election but the "-
ertions of the respective Candidates and their friends continued
with unabated animation. it is generally believed that Alderman
Thompson, who is now secure of his election, will use all his influ-
ence in favour of Mr. Ward. if such be the case, the election of
the latter Gentleman will be equally secure. The poll closed as
usual at three o'clock. and at halt-past three the Sheriffs announced
the yucca fur the Candidates in the following order :
Thompson 4215 I Ward
Wet th man 321111 The Lord Mayor
Wood 3148 Varian

3123
2931
321

Alderman Tit °strw"( then came forward to address the Livery,
and was received with cheers. He said it was entirely impossible
for him to express, in suitable terms, the gratitude which he felt
towards the Livery, far the distinguished support which he had re.
ceiverl front them. It was quite unexampled in the history of City
elections that so large a number of electors voted wi•hin the same
period, and tf:at circumstance presented no ordinary claim of grati-
tude upon hiir. The only return he could make at present was, to
wine them that every faculty of his mind and body should be
devoted to the advancement of the trade, interests, and municipal
rights of the City of Landon, anti that he would make every exer-
non in his power to advance the interests of every class of his fel-
isms. (Great cheering.)
Alderman Warr RYAN Dein presented himself, and was also re-
ceived with applause. He said he could have very little to say
to the !Avery, in addition to what he had stated on the previous day.
Ile had implored them to consider the cause in which he was em.
harked as their own, and as the cause of independence, and he
would say, as an approach to the purity of electien. It was on that
account that he sought of them to make every exertion to sustain
him in that situation which he held on the poll, and he now called
upon them to continue their exertions in his behalf. There was a
Powerful machinery employed to support some of the Candidates
He did not mesa to accuse either of those gentlemen of being
parties to such contrivances (hear, hear), nor did he mean to
call either of those gentlemen his adversary, because he did not
believe that either of them was disposed to throw him out; 1 ut
some one of the candidates must be thrown out, and without im-
puting any hostility towa:ds him to either of the Candidates, he
must say that there was a powerful interest in the City of London
which would wish to see him disappointed. it was the same intermit
which also tys sought to thwart the wishes of the people. It was tin.
the Livery to say whether that influence would succeed on the present
revision helm eof the struggle depcnded en tirely upon themselves.
He had repeatedly entreated his friends to duck to he poll with all
possible despatch, and not to keep buck, but to be guided by his
Committee, who must be the best judges of what would tend to
his success. In addressing the Livery, he did not wish to make
any di -diction between the different classes of the community ; but
he must observe that the middle order of traders were e fit* un-
represented. It was true that there were other classes who were in
some respects more important, but it was also necessary that the
middle traders should be represented. Ile would again repeat, that
he was not hostile to any particular branch of trade or mammy,
as he thought that all must me anti fall together: none could
floutish at the expense of others ; and to show them that such we
the opinion entertained of him in the City, lie 'would with pleasure
refer to the votes of some of the principal merchants and bankers
who had come forward to his support. He would mention the
names of some, but that he feared it might be considered invidious;
but he would say, that some of those gentlemen who had come
forward that day to give him their suffrages were second in import.
ante to no other individuils in the City of London. He knew it
had been the practice to snake a personal canvass, or to send invita-
tions to all the Livery; but he holed that those who were favour-
able to his pretensions would not take offence because he had not
called upon them. He would not templets longer upon the assert.
bly, but assure them of his sincere thanks and gratitude for the
honour which they had done hint, by the powerful support which
he had received.

Alderman WOOD next appeared on the front of the hustings:
he was received with loud cheers, mixed with hisses. Ile said that
he was happy to see, as he had predicted on the preceding day,
that the Livery of Laudon would not desert him. (Hear, hear.)
He always knew that they would not neglect an old tried servant
of theirs. Every endeavonr had been made by his opponents to
place him in a different situation on the poll from list which he
had at first; but notwi.hstanding all their efforts, he still main-
tained his place. He 110 also aware that placards had been exhi-
bited in the City, fur the purpose of lessening hint in their good
opinion; he did not mean to charge the distribution of each
placards to any of the gentlemen who were Candidates, but
he would implore the Livery to weigh well his character be.
fore they (heeled against ham ; perhaps they proceeded from
some private enemies. Amongst these exhibitions there was
an amusing one, called " Paul Pry ;" sod if he did not in-
trude, he shotild like to be such a caracter; fur whenever the
interests of the people were to be watched, or whenever the public
money was to be wantonly expended, he would be a Paul
and "juvt drop in," with the Intention of preventing it. There
were many pleasing circumstances attending his election, and
some had occurred during that day, one of which he would men-
tion. He had been told that morning by respectable mevehants,
who caine to vote for Into, that they had done so in consequence
of hearing front his former colleague, Mr. Wilson, that be
(Alderman Wo id) was never absent from his place in Parliament
whenever any service could be petformed for the chines of
London. Such a testimonial was highly honourable to his
colleague, and it was of infinite pleasure to himself. There was
another circumstance to which he wished to allude, and ft was, that
not one of the Society of Friends—he meant the Quakers—had
left him out in their votes; and he would tell the Livery the rea-
son—it was because he had always voted against all slurry ; and
he would be always opposed to slavery, whether black or white.
He perceived an honest black face among the crowd. tlere the
worthy Alderman pointed to a black man who was below the
hustihge.l He would ask, should such men be enslaved on account
of their colour 1 (Cheering.) tAt this moment the black man al-
luded to was lifted up on the shoulders of some of the spectators,
and the man was heard to cry out, " Massa Wood, you see a d—d
good fellow!" which exclamation caused considerable laughter.)
The worthy Alderman then proceeded to say, that although he
was friendly to the emancipation of the Blacks, he did not wish to
deprive West India Proprietors of their property without full corn-
permation. ( Hear, hear.) He thought he had a right to put for-
ward some otitis acts, to entitle hint to the support of the livery,
It was well kno an that there had been a heavy tax upon coals,
which had been originally levied for the purpose of building
churches, and by his exertions that tax, which amounted to three
hundred thousand pounds a year, was repealed. He would con-
fidently appeal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the truth of
his assertion. He hail opposed it, because it was a tax upon the
poor, and upon the manufacturing interests. Ile thought it fair in
him to put forward these exertions of his, as no friend of the
Candidates could be allowed to address the Livery either in moving
or seconding a nomination. He would not trespass farther on
the Livery, but he was sure he should be placed by them in the
honourable situation which was the object of his wishes. (Cheers.)
Mr. Want) now attempted to address the meeting, but the
plaudits and hisses continued for some minutes, which prevented
him from beginning his observations. After silence was somewhat
restored, he said he had again to thank the Livery for placing him
in so favourable a situation on the pull as that which he had the
honour of occupying. Tice noise was resumed, when this Gentle-
man observed, that when lie was lowest on the poll the Livery did
him the honour of listening to him, but now that lie had a better
situation, they did not show the same disposition. It was trot their
vire but their voices which he sought. fie was sure the reason of
theft uneasiness was that the, could not restrain their feelings; and
he was also certain that it oily required for him and the Livery
to be better acquainted, Amu they would be still better friends.
He hoped his friends would come up to the poll on the next day,
and whether the Livery heard him, or lie was to have the pleasure
of listening to them, be would be entirely guided by their decision.
(Cheers.)
The Loan Mavosi next stepped forward, and was received
with mixed demonstrations of approbation and dissatisfaction. He
said lie congratulated the Livery upon being the spectators of the
best contested election which had occurred in the City of London.
Whatever might be the feelings of the other Candidates, the result
of the election would give hint satisfaction if it was pleasing to the
electors. He had not much to say, and he would recommend to
the Livery not to be guided by professions. but to look into the
characters of the Candidates, and to select the best front amongst
them. His only pretensions were the rectitude of his conduct slur-
log the time that he had had occasion to appear before them in his
public capacity. But, without reference to himself, lie would any
what had been said of Glasgow, t.• Whatever be the fate of choke.
presentative', may the City of London prosper." (Cheers.)

SOUTHWARK ELECTIOA!