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

THE BRITISH PRESS.

honest man. We are as honest as he is" (looking towards Sir
Thomas.)
Mr, II U NT—You are honest men, and you have thready fixed
the mune of rogues upon those who called you otherwise. 1 don't
call them so.
The voters then left the Court-house for the purpose of going to
the several booths, where they have been appointed to examine the
votes. The polling then comment ei, but went on tallier lazily.
At five o'clock the poll-books wire closed. The numbers which
appeared upon the day's poll were—
Dickin.on I Hunt - . B 4

Lethbridge '233 ,
The gross poll was as follows :
Dickinson - 687 llunt

148

Lethbridge - 1i32
Before the state of the poll was made known, a most extra.
ordinary scene took place in the Court-house.
Mr. SI I: XT drew a letter from his pocket, ;Ind lucid, that as Mr.
Messiter, the Treasurer of the county. was present, he would
read it for the information of the freeholders. lie had made
several statements relative to the county rates, and Mr. Messiter's
conduct and this letter were confirmatory of those statements. It
Lad been mentioned that no honest man would vote for him.
Now, how happened it that so many persons had come under the
stigma of those who said In this very day t Ile could prove that
the Treasurer was not qualified to till the situation he held, and
this letter would prove the fact. (Loud tumult, and cries of
" Read the name; give us the name first !")
Mr. 111,NT said they should have the name after they had
heard the lc•ter read. (The noise of disapprobation and tumult was
overpowering.)
Mr. MEssiTErt stood upon the table and said, " I beg you will
hear out this pitiful fellow, and I shall answer him presently."
(Laughter, and cheers and hisses.)
Some moons who wore the favours of Sir T. Lethbridge, cried
out, `• Down with Hunt! Down with the tag 'bond !"
Mr. HUNT—There's a cowardly rascal for you. That fe:low
would not dare to lift his hand to me. rod he calls to others to do
so. What a dirty coward ! (Great clamour.) All that Messner
can say is, that I lie.
Mr. 3IESSITER—I do say so. I can prove that all you have
said is false—is a lie. . .

Mr. H CNT then again attempted to read the letter, but again a
clamour prevented him. The Sheriff, however, procured silence,
having obtained the assurance that the whole of the letter should
be read. Mr. hunt then rest) the letter, which contained some
insinuations against Mr. Measiter, and declared that, from a variety
of circumstances, that Gentleman was n•it fit to be Treasurer of
the county. The letter was subscribed "J. Kinnear," and the
moment it was concluded the strongest indignation was expressed
by Mr. 3lessiter's friends, and corresponding applause by Mr.
Hunt's.

The SHERIFF said the reason he had cemented to hare the
letter read was, that he understood Alr. Hunt to have described it
as a public matter, and as referring to the subject on which they
were assembled.

Mr. HUNT said it had the strongest reference to what was going
on in the cour.ty, Mr. fflessiter having constantly agree% dal
of the county money In his hands.
Several of Mr. Al csaiter's friends rose the moment the letter was
concluded, and asked Mr. Hunt for the letter.
" so, no," said Mr. Hunt. " not let you see it; I know
you too well ; you have had fifty things against me, and I never
asked you for originals or for copes. (Loud shouts of disappro.
batior, anti Milli " It's all a lie.") I have no objection to let the
She' read the letter, if he'll promise to return it to me."
The SH F. Itier—Cevainly ; I shall return It to you.
Mr. Hoot then handed the letter to the Sheriff; who gave it to
the L'nticr-Shctiff to read. Applications were then made to a
Reporter in Court to take notes of the contents, but he refused to
have any thing to do wilt the business. The Under-Sherif began
to read the letter in n very slow manner, and several persons took
notes as he proceeded.
Mr. HUNT—" Stop, stop; I don't see why you should read in
that way. I call upon the Sheriff to prevent it. Read it as I
tea! it." _ _

The SHEntrr said he certainly should not break his promise to
M . Hunt. The letter must b.: read as letters were usually read.
(LJud cheers from all parts of the Court.)
After the letter was re.id a second time, Mr. White (one of Mr.
Messiter's friends) d:mantled n ropy of it. The object wu, he
admitted, that mreeJings might be instituted against the calum-
niator.

Mr. HUNT took hack the letter, but he saw no occasion for giv.
In a copy of it. (Laughter, and loud disapprobation.) lie then
sold that Mr. Masher would mystify the freeholders upon this
subject, its he had mystified upon the accounts. He ended by con-
gratulating his friends upon the backwardness of the friends of the
other Candidates. (Laughter, and cheers and hisses.)
111,. 31 EStz I TER said he had ahewn already that all that the con-
temptible fellow near him had raid was a tissue of falsehood.
Mr. HUNT—Ave, aye, now for the gentleman. (Laughter.)
A socntlernan who stood upon the table said," Hun% you ruffian,
you know that all you have been saying and reading is talse. You
know it, Hunt ; 111 go over the water with you, where you invited
us yesterday."
Mr. II trxr —Ban ! ban! ban! (Hoare of laughter.)
Mr. liltearrun said It had been admitted that his accounts
were as free from error as his accuser was destitute of feeling and
principle. (Cheers and hisses.) He defied any man to detect an
error of one farthing in his accounts, alihough the contemptible
fellow had cudcaeoured to set his levelling foot upon his character.
(Cheers and groans.) Voluntary err ificates had been sent to hint,
and testimonials had been heaped upon him, to the effect that he
had performed his duty with the utmost correctness. His accuracy
had in fact,—and he spoke in no exaggerated terms,—excited the
astonishment of all who had taken the trouble to examine his
accounts.

Mr.II trwT, Asking his head—Aye, aye : that will be seen by
and by. You and the Magistrates have settled it between you.
Mr. lilEssyrza—All this concurrence in the correctness of my
conduct falls with tenfold force upon the head of this villanous fel-
low. (Loud tumult, and roars of Hunt for ever.") I have just
heard of this Kinnear; he was found guilty of a conspiracy, and
confined in Ilchester gaol, where he became Hunt's pot companion,
and they thcre fabricated charges together which have no tounda.
tion.

Mr. lioxr desired Mr. 3lcssiter to look to his rag shop, in ellu-
sion to his banking house, and made some other allusions of a lu-
dicrouspature to the treasurer's occupations.

Mr. Al ESSITER said, in conclusion, that he despised Mr. Hunt's
vengeance, and that he was not afraid to look in a rogue's face.
Mr. HUNT—No: you had some experience when you used to sit
with your brother Dick. (Laughter. and groans and hisses.)
Mr. Al EsstrEn—in fact, it is like fighting with a sweep to con-
tend with Hunt.—a man gets blackened all ever ; and if there is a
man in the world morc despicable, he ought to be sent to the devil.
(Roars of laughter; in which Mr. Hunt and all his party, and the
Sheriffs, an I, In fact, every
_body in Court, joined.)
Mr. HUNT—Now, my lads, three cheers.
The Huntites took the hint, and the mcment their favourite left
the Court, followed him, cheering loudly and crying " Hunt for
ever."

The friends of the other Candidates then gave three tremendous
cheers for Mr. Dickinson and Sir Thomas Lethbridge. the Magis-
trates., and the Sheriff: It is but justice to the She ill to say, that
lie has 'hewn, in every stage of this tumultuous contest, the most
undeviating impartiality.
The business of to-morrow is expected to be extremely in-
teresting.

TAUNTON ELECTION.

The poll closed last night at

ten o'clock, when the nun,bers

mere_

Seymour
Peachey
Creswell

200 F. Baring
187 /11ildruay
162 E. CreNw ell

Mr. H time. CRESWELL addressed the electors front the White
Hart window, and reminded them that on Thursday night the
Blues were preparing to chair their Members, and that the ladies in
the precinct, friends to General Peachey, had dressed themselves in
blue to witness the ceremony. They little knew the state of publi
feeling or the character of the freemen of Taunton. Mr. Seymou
might fill a blue chair, but as to the gallant General, preparations.
for his triumph were premature ; and he. would venture to predict
that he never would be chaired as the Blue Member for Taun-
ton. A majority in favour of General Peachey and Mr.
Seymour had been obtained the first day by couhitien, and
alterations istsd been made from time to time by the Assessor,
which produced disadvantage to Mr. Creswell and the other
Candidates. It was strange that the Assessor should two-
blish a rule which he atterwards departed from twice, to
the manifest injury of all the other Candidates, each of whom had a
right to bring up his elector. A large main city would have been
found for his brother on Saturday evening, but for a riot created by
the opposite party for the puritose of preventing that result. Still
he meant not complain of the conduct of the Assessor: he was in
a new and different situation to that which he had been accustomed
to fill; and he hoped that in future there would be no cause to find
fault either with his wantof expericnceor indecision. The Buffs
would stand to their colours, and the Blues would find that they
would yx:ll out the old gentleman, and be above him even to-or.
row. (Loud cheers.) When lie first canvassed the town for his
brother, he pledged himself he would come and stand the poll. He
had done so, and though circumstances had induced Mtn to leave
the cause in the hands of his able counsel, his eldest son and him-
self, the friends of freedom in Taunton would prove that they
valued their principles above all things, and that they would, with-
out doubt, secure his return. When he first cattle to canvass, he
was told there were not eight votes in the town unpledged to
Bayley and Peachey. After polling for six days, under every
possible disadvantage, they had already polled one hundred end
sixty-two votes, which were nothing compared to the numbers
yet to poll. The consequence was, that the Blues were already driven
to holes and corners, and the poll-binn on their side had only a
few voters in it, who had old colours put into their hats, and they
had even been obliged to poll their constables and the ostlers at
the Castle. lie should be proud to see his nephew representing
his father in the Buff chair, and he felt confident that the electors
of Taunton would stand to their principles and place him there.
Persons might say what they would of the town of Bridgwater,
but the borough of Taunton had a still better spirit, and the electors
would secure a triumph in Taunton, which would leave the town of
Bridgwater far, very far behind them. To secure the respect of
their enemies, and even Sir Tnotnas Lethbridge, they must be firm,
and couragi our, and persevering. Even the Blue naves who
polled under the Baronet's orders could not like a servile Blue so