The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-12 00:00:00

their employers required them to give one vote to Mr. Hanley, and
allowed them to give their second to whom they liked; but that
since Captain Barrie has declared himself, their masters insist on
their voting for Barrie also, pain of instant dismissal. Lord
on
llialcarras also, who can influence four hundred votes, is repotted to
have at first given permission to his men to vote for whom they
wished, except Cobbett, hut now requires them to support Captain
Barrie. Theßadicals of Manchester have entered into a subscription
for the support of such workmen as shall be turned out of employ-
ment for voting for Cobbett.
Last and greatest is Ur. Cobbett, too well known to require de-
scription ; he stands on his political writings, his popular opinions
of extreme latitude and laxity, the ignorance and gullibility of the
working classes, which constitute the nisjority of the Preston eke-
eon, his early canvass, perseverance, assurance, humbugging 'bi-
hor. and undeniable powers of tongue and face. Ile is the idol of
the mob, and would no doubt be one of the successful candidates,
if they sailed themselves to be guided in their choice by their
own wishes; but luckily for Captain Barrie, his boundless hospi-
tality, the potency of his drink, and the maser stianufecturers' In-
fluence in his favour, tend very much to check their popular and
patriotic inclinations. and in some to extinguish them altogether.
It has been reported, and I believe truly, that Messrs. Hanley,
Wottd, and Cobbett, have agreed to dispense with putting the test
to any elector; this circumstance will, of course, admit the Ca.
goalies (a body here very numerous in Preston) to the privilege of
voting. Captain Barrie's friends say that he is determined to put
it for the purpose of excluding the Catholics, and thereby dim'.
nesting the strength of his opponents. The general aspect it stairs
tender the ultimate event very doubtful. The universality of the
elective suffrage, and the number of Catholics, are favourable to
Cohbett ; but then these advantages are counteracted by the Tory-
ism of the influential masters and the existence of the Test Act.
As the proceedings and result of the last contested election here,
in lad, may throw some light on the event of the present, I subjoin
• few facts of that occasion. The total number of ewers. in 149,
was 6,90; for Horrocks 1.902; llornby 1649; William. (the law-
yer) 1,525; hunt (the blacking man) 1,127. The election
!weed thirteen days, and Hunt's defeat is ascribed only to his
11 .pature for his trial at York, before the end of the polling.
At present the number of Voters is considered to exceed that of the
year IWO by ;Au or more, so that it is clear we shall now have a
long, severe, and doubtful contest.
The election commenced this morning ; the business of the day
man opened by the Mayor, Thomas lininshave, Ese. and the two
Cob-sett harangued the mob upwards of an hour. His speech
contained nothing new—the old story of popular wrongs, except
some allusions to the flourishing condition of the American navy,
and differed from his former displays in nothing but its inflamma-
tory appeal to the angry feelings of his audience. Ile was hailed
with the enthusiastic acclamations of the people.
Mr. Hanley spoke with his usual gond sense,liberality, and
moderation. Alluding to the Catholics, he said, that the emu-
'Dents put forth on the Catholic question, in the address of the Oh-
toll Catholic Association to the electors ot Britain, were the best and
serongest be had ever seen In favour of Emancipation. They were
irresistible; he recommended the perusal of them to the attention
o rill, electors. His speech was very favourably received.
Mr. Wood's address (the peual election coot) was as brief and
temperate as his hospitality, and pasted off wilt as moderate an ex-
Prev,iou of Popular applause.
Captain Ramie, attempt to be heard was met by the vi dent op..
position and virulent abuse of the rabble. They would not hear
a syllable; and though; Cobbett seemed to exert himself to obtain a
hearing fur his oppoleto from the scot and lot men, they would hare
their boisterous way, persisted in their tumultuous clamours, and
at last, resorted to the favourite popular method of conquering the
persevering spirit of the gallant Captain, with sand, stones, and
lather tangible instruments of mob eloquence sad universal oaf
fro
Atter the oratory was exhausted. the Mayor took a phew of
hard,: fee Mr. Hanky, a considerable display; for Wood, a few;
Will fewer for Captain Barrie; and for the Min of the Regtster, an
absolute lam of fingers, whose squalid colour and brawny thick-
ness strongly indicated the •• operative" quality of the owners.
They proceeded to the polling; Mr. Hanley polled his 111041 re.
spectabk snpporters. sarong whom were /several gentlemen of the
first consideration of the neighbourhood.
At the close of the pill (four o'clock, Friday) the nutthers
were, for—
Mr. Stinky
Captain ilarry
lir. Cobbett
Mr. Wood

22
- 21)
SATURDAY MORNING.
The sheet' were filled All night with uproar and tumult—the
intoxicated partisans of Barrie and Cobbett Pawing for their re.
tapective favourite,. Cobbett's jeirry shops (beer houses) seem to
have operated on the thirst' Prestonians as forcibly as the spirited
distillations of the Captain • grog-tubs. We expect riots innut.
merable in the course of the election.
SATURDAY, SINT n'Ctoce.
The town is quite gay this morning. The streets cum ded with
market people, and enlivened frith electioneering processions,
heeded by banners, placards, fifes, drums, horns, anti other mu-
steal weans of all sorts and eke,. Cobbett's banners cut a very
sorry figure—his principal emblem is a gridiron surrounded with
'• the man of the peorde,"--.• the voice of the people,"--.. the
real gentlemen,"—'. Magna Charta." ft is rumoured this morning
that Cobben's friends intend to put Sir Thomas Revak in norni-
netion to-day.
MASTRO o'CLocv.
fir Thomas B:evor has been permoseel this morning by Cob-
hetes friends. Captain J. M. Celquet. R.N., by Captain Rank,
and John Law; Esq., and Abel Phillips, Esq., in coalition with
Mr. Hanky and Ale. Wood. These additional nominations and
coalitions are in reality but nominal, having been effected by the
tour first candidates, for the purpose of preventing a splitting of
rhea votes with their immediate opponent. The several new candi-
dates briefly harangued the multitude in their turns.
Captain Centauri:l.—A Radical Reformer in Parliament
would propose schemes destructive to the country. lam not an
enemy to a bent licisl Reform, nor to the gradual emancipation
of the Negroes, but it they are suddenly emancipated, and without
due preparation, the result will be, that every white man's throat in
the Colonies will be cut the next night.
Conner T—lt was not the black Mayes I talked about, but the
white—why does not the Honourable Caputo cone to the white
elates of England ? (lioms.)
Mr. 11'cion—Mr. Cobbett is a friend to the Slavery of the Ne-
groes ; he wrote books against the emancipation of them ; lie is a
friend to the liesh.
Captain COLQUET continuation)—Mr. Cobbett says he
would rescue Spain from France. But have tint France and
Spain been our ancient enemies ? The possession of Spson is
most expensive to France—in God's name, then, let I,Uf national
debt remain together, particularly while each is a mill-stone
rented the neck of the tither. He has also told you cf the prink"'
of Russia. but has he said what they are? He has not—now
sty, no nation wan ever so much under the thumb of another, as
Russia it under that of England. I hare been Mimed fur' joining
Captain Barrle—bur, Cleirletnen, rkprain Rania is my friend.
We entered the Navy together. and served together upwards of
Chitty yews. Why, then, should I not support my old friend
Which of you would not do the same for your friend ! Mr.
Cobbett lies told you the American nary beat ours in the last
war—bit lie also told you their ships were twice larger than
ours. Now, does rot that very fact account four our smaller
ship' being Maki; ? !teeny Mr. Cobbett is uncommonly Inge.
Mous ; the moment lie uses one argument he follows it up with
another that confutes the first. (Laughter.) I have been said
to be a friend to atbitrary power and hastily punishment; I deny
it; I commanded my last ship tan yearn, and never punished a
mar. My ship's company, if they were here, would prove it,
aid give toe their hearty support. Punish ! No. I had not even
a cat-einine-taila on board. I)—n me. if I would not sink my ship
StiMn than command my men by punishment. (Cheers.)
Mr. Con ngt T— Gentlemen, Mr- Wood has told you I am a
Ciend o negro slavery, that I wrote books against the emanci-
ration of them. Never did a mare false assertion come out of

the mouth of nitn. ilium.) ftmolJ; I hove ii:::li where
slavery existed, I never had a slave to work for nie. But I tell
yo 3 what I said—this—that lie slaves in most of our colonies
were better off than the great body of the working people of
England. (From the crowd, "And so they are.") I said also,
if you can compensate the slave-owners, if you can do without
coffee. sugar, and cotton—(l can do without 'ern)—then set free
the West Indian slaves. But until you can do that, why run
arenas the Atlantic to liberate black slaves abroad, when you have
l white attires at homey tShouta of applause.) A *Seam is a,
Ipretty free country, yet she tolerates the shivery of the black ; but
then she takes care to have her whites free. Hut her: the fashion is,
to forget the poor white sieves and think of nulling but the blacks.
Sugar his been called the coagu!ated IC/Clit of negroes ; now,
though Mr. Wood reproaches site, today, with favouring slavery,
he forgets that he was himself, not long ago, a baker of that coagu-
lated sweat. (Applause and laugher.) He was then preceding to
satinet the arguments of Captain Coiquet, but ass stopped short by
the Mayor, who taikhim it was irregular to travel out of the mat.
, ter of reply.
The polling then commenced, when some of Mr. Cobbett's
ftiends were refused on the gtoutal of having received parish relief.
li Such a raged rabble were never brought together as the supporters
of the political gridiron—the veriest scum of the mob. The coach
i is on the point or staring. The hustings, within the market
square, echoes to the discord of tongues, while the streets without
resound with the harmony of music bands.
Cobbett observed to me, on the increase of crimpetitim, " &lei-
candidate has prosecuted anothtv—well soo i have a surplus popula-
tion at candit:ates."