The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-06 00:00:00

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

PETERBOROUGH.
ELECTION OF MR. WHALLEY.

The contest here has ended in the return of Mr.
Whalley, by a majority of 15, the numbers at. the close
of the poll on Saturday being, according to the statement
of that gentleman's committee, as follows :
Whalley ... 233 I Lewis ... 218
The calculation made by Mr. Lewis' committee is
somewhat different, being—

Whalley ... ... 212 I Lewis ... ... 197
Although the numbers vary, however, the majority for
Mr. Whalley is decided.

The contest has been the most severe on record,
and very great zeal and activity were displayed
on both sides. Mr. Whalley was in a majority from
the first hour of the polling, but although he maintained
his ascendency on the poll, his majority diminished,
it being 22 at 9 o'clock, and only 10 at 2 o'clock.
Whether upon true or false grounds, the election is gene-
rally considered as having rendered the city independent
of the influence of the Milton family. This has been the
point upon which all the opposition turned. Mr. Whal-
ley professes liberal principles as well as Mr. Lewis, so
that, politically speaking, there was no difference be-
tween the two candidates ; but the rallying cry has been
for the independence of the city, and thus Mr. Lewis has
been described as the "lord's man," and Mr. Whalley as
the friend of independence. The electors at the nomina-
tion cried out that they would have a man of their own
choosing this time, and every effort was made by Mr.
Whalley 's party to convince the electors that it was
a struggle to emancipate themselves from Milton
domination. Some people have wondered why the
electors of Peterborough, after quietly submitting to
the Fitzwilliam influence for a century and a half,
should suddenly determine that it should prevail no
longer. This, however, is a point which it would be
difficult to settle ; but, as a matter of fact, this was the
pivot upon which the opposition to Mr. Lewis turned,
and it is undoubtedly true that the opposition was not
to Mr. Lewis personally, but because he was presumed
to be the nominee of the earl. It should be stated that
the friends of Mr. Lewis deny the impeachment. How-
ever, although the circumstance is somewhat strange,
Mr. Whalley, a professed Liberal, owes his election to
the Conservatives, who opposed Mr. Lewis, with a view
to destroy the Milton influence. The election was con-
ducted in a very creditable manner. There was a good
deal of excitement on Saturday at the close of the poll,
and there had been fears of some violence being
attempted ; but after a little marching, band playing,
and shouting for "the blues," the city became almost
as silent and tranquil as ever. The official declaration
of the poll was fixed for this day (Monday).

THE PETERBOROtTGH ELECTION.
The late Peterborough election teaches more than one
striking political lesson. The borough of Peterborough
has been long considered an appanage of the Earl of
Fitzwilliam. Notwithstanding the Reform Bill, and the
101. franchise, so powerful are the fortune and influence
of the Milton family in the town and neighbourhood of
Peterborough, that up to this time there has not been a
single instance of a defeat to the nominees of the Earl of
Fitzwilliam, as they have been called. This may, no
doubt, have been caused, or, at all events, greatly
assisted, by the fact that the candidates presenting
themselves on the Fitzwilliam interest were on the
Liberal side of politics, and thus presented a coinci-
dence of opinion with the majority of electors. At
the very last election the son of Lord Fitzwilliam, the
Hon. C. Wentworth Fitzwilliam, and his cousin, the Hon.
C. W. Watson (of the distinguished Rockingham House),
were placed at the head of the poll. Mr. Watson died,
and for the vacancy thus created, a distinguished mem-
ber of the late Parliament—by no means a nominee—
Mr. Cornewall Lewis, was selected to fill the vacant
seat by an influential section of the Liberals of the town.
The more Radical section, however, did not approve the
choice, and we believe that their chief reason for suspect-
ing the candidate was an impression, rightly or wrongly
entertained, that the Fitiwilliam interest was neither so
strongly nor so honestly given to the popular cause as it
used to be. Plain, honest country politicians cannot
discover the propriety of Lord Fitzwilliam sitting on the
cross benches and talking of a fixed duty on corn. The
consequence is that the allegiance of the Liberals of
Peterborough is broken and divided. The result is the
present defeat of Mr. C. Lewis—not a mere family
nominee, but a most excellent politician. The extreme
party in the borough, distrusting Lord Fitzwilliam, per-
haps for the first time, took up Mr. Whalley. The
Tory minority seized the opportunity, and added their
franchises to Mr. Whalley, in order to defeat the Fitz-
william interest—for the first time in a century sus-
pected of treason to the Liberal cause. The lesson that
is thus taught is this, that with the people much may be
done ; against the people everything is endangered.—
Morning Advertiser.