The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-12 00:00:00

STAMFORD.

g rea in of the
On Saturday, after the reading precept and
Acts against bribery and corruption,
The MAYOR (Mr. J. Hanson) stated the object of
the ir assembling that day was to choose two fit and
proper persons to represent the ancient borough of
Stamford, in the new House of Commons. He hoped
that those present would give every one wishing to ad-
dress them a patient hearing.
Mr. Wit. LANDEN HoPILiNsoN proposed the Right
Honourable J. Herries, a gentleman they all knew, this
being the third time he had appeared before the elec.
tors of Stamford to ask for their suffrages. He need not
expatiate on his abilities or fitness for the duties of that
important trust, which he felt confident would be con-
fided to the Honourable Gentleman. He would 'not de-
tain them longer in the extreme heat, but would make
way for others, who would, no doubt, better explain the
various points generally urged at elections.
Mr. C. HAYCOCK seconded the nomination of Mr.
J. C. Herries, feeling assured all present would ex-
cuse him making a long speech. He would make room
for others.
Mr. E. CAYLEY, banker then came forward to pro-
pose Sir Frederick Thesiger, a gentleman who would do
honour to the borough of Stamford if returned to re-
represent them in the next House of Commons.
Mr. J. PHILIP, brewer, seconded the nomination of
Sir Frederick Thesiger.
The MAYOR then asked if there was any other voter
present who wished to propose a candidate?
After a pause of a few minutes, and none being named,
The MAYOR declared the Right Hon. J. C. Berries
and Sir Frederick Thesiger as duly elected Members for
the borough of Stamford.
Mr. BERRIES then addressed those present, having
been listened to throughout with the greatest good
humour, not a dozen persons in the crowd showing any
interruption. He said—Gentlemen, I have a special in-
dulgence to ask of you, and feel sure you will extend
it to me. That is, to liven to what I have to say (which
shall be as brief as possible), with as little interruption
as possible. Labouring under indisposition, perhaps I
shall be but indistinctly heard, yet, with your kind in-
dulgence, I will do my best to state to you in part what
I feel it my duty to do. Firstly, I have to thank you for
the kind manner I was received in Stamford by all
classes, when paying my personal address to you.
Most sincerely, I now do it, for the universal courtesy,
the unqualified support from every quarter, those
qualified to vote and those not : that cour-
tesy, that civility, that kindness never before ex-
tended to me when asking for your suffrages. This
being the third time of my presenting myself to ask to
be elected as one of your Members, I feel that not only
the constituency, but also the inhabitants of Stamford in
a body, are entitled to my most sincere regard.—
(Cheers.) As I shall be followed by a gentleman who is
eminently qualified to speak, not only for him,elF, but
I feel sure he will say something also for his colleague,
I ask him for that assistance I now stand so much in
need of, Yet before I receive that I must ask your at-
tention while I explain the reason and circumstances
which brought us here this day, and why we are now
assembled ir you to confer upon us the honour of being
your representatives. It is an imoortant trust, particu-
larly at this critical juncture, both of us being members
and servants of the Crown. Yet it is some degree of sa-
tisfaction to reflect that our being here this day was not
the seeking of the present Administration, but of our
opponents. We are not advocates of new dogmas, or
Coming forward, and feeling that this
harsh, inconsiderate changes; but we fearlessly appeal
to the country.
decision is to set at rest a great, a momentous, and all-
important question, the great organ of the Whigs tells us
that that question is whether we are to have free trade or
protection, and that all the other great measures must he
put on one side for that, and that alone; but I can tell you
that is not our judgment, but we are ready to accept ir,
and that this contest shall decide whether this great
country shall progress in all that's good and great, or be
again under the government of the Whigs or Radicals
for some years to come—whether we shall continue
recklessly to trample down the agricultural, the commer-
cial, and other institutions of the country. We have un-
folded our views most fully. We desire to have protec-
tion to existing interests; and on looking at the elections
so far as they are gone,
it is responded to from most
pats
of the country. Our side are already considerable
gainers; although we have lost sixteen, we are gainers of
thirty-two seats,
ablestp advocates, in the boroughs already declared. In
Liverpool the Free-trade party have lost two of their
Op
who have been replaced by two staunch
anrotectionists. At Cambridge Free-trade had received
tivoether great shock by choosing two holding Conserve-
iniccs, and defeating two staunch Whigs. In other
boroughsresulth and towns in this neighbourhood a similar re-
result has At Grantham we have succeeded;
at
the crowd Boston, at Lincoln also; therefore we
may will' g' at
—(e conlanngleY accept the challenge and abide the issue.
inability. in yourself to the truth," was called out from
praying for
Stamford, and for
1 will
of the hustings.) There's my physical
of this greatlonger detain you, but conclude,
merely
rthtehe prosperity of the borough of
Mr. RICHARDsoN country.—(Cheers.)
honour, the welfare, and the ad-
vancementl:terries what were, voter of the borough, asked Mr.
his intentions as to the extension of
the suffrage?
qualified to ask ' I domo such or any other guess
don. I will therefore answer Mr. HERRIES replied—Sir,
question. Did you not once Yoeu by asking another
not hold you to be
particularly
would shoot a nobleman connected
oe'n-y
declare that you
1
cause he had given you some e with this borough be-
mall
shall not
a
Mr. RICHARDsoN replied mshall not retract what I
all offence?
I
then said
Mr. BERRIES then said—
gees question.
llastier your
Tnis dialogue rather fatuumi the flame of discontent
strong
amongst the mobility, Mr. Richardson beingaon
Radical. It appears that at the last general election, in
the heat of electioneering moves, he inoautiousl d
Y e...
shoot the Marqui
Glared that he would a of Exeter if he .
persisted in doing something which did not please him.
Many of Mr. Richsrdsion'a friends blame him; others
excuse him as such expression was uttered under excited
f
feelings.
Str FRDDERWIL TIIESIOER then came forward, and
'Take nearly as follows :—Gentlemen—lt may seem a
Pseteretz when I state that as my Right Hon. Friend,
se—,f. has now been thribe chosen your representative,
a it incumbent him express his thanks and gra-
titude for h on to
I conceive my gra-
ttude to tt) e honour conferred, that
con-
tinued in thus©
infinitely greater than his ; he has •
u first elected
hice-3,,,, have
principles for which )0
- .a.ve ... • benefit he
wa„ble to
con-tA-Perieneed from him all the
credit for what ler ; while, from me, you have taken
my pretensions onPrt°f". and appear willing to take my
dence shall not be ranil4t---but, rely upon it, that confi
as well as the conntryP!4eed. I will watch over yottrs
been nee
by You -ts welfare and ioterest, heving
great council of the nationa.uswer for this borough in the
lAA is oneof I am fully
great difficulty, aware that the
can safely any that I if:ser of fearful moment. I
At ate of this great and lo ' " if the future
administration
in the balance."g 4r i rt
.)
et 2 s country stands
f ministration of the affairs of chi& v;
months since the
eehle hands that then held them. nilbtioo fell from the
the present Administration was formed,e resigned, and
have the great honour to be one f of which I
but those we followed refused toallowes
Its members -
what we considered usefuland beneficial us to carry out
nation at large. Their
measures to th:
the le cry was, " Appeal to the soon-
try—dissolve
had passed snob Acts
lament." We refused until e
lug on the business of
tahsewere really requisite for carry. '
mea-
sures, in our opinion, much to and a few other
to be desired. At length WE,
accepted the challenge. It was the Whigs who chal-
lenged, backed by others who usually supported them in

their downwerd policy. It was a novelty to me, and no i
doubt will appear so to you, that our adversaries should
clamour for one thing only—demanding to meet us on
on their views of liberal policy, yet they wish to confine
us to the narrow question whether free trade or protec-
tion should in kitten be the guiding star to lead us on to
prosperity and peace. The hackneyed or cant terms of
" the big loaf, or the taxation of the food of the poor," has
been their war-cry, forgetting other great and essential
reforms which must strike every unprejudiced mind. We
refused to meet them on the battle-field. without the
whole range of the constituency was censidered, remo-
modelled, and improved, where such was found necessary;
on that, and that alone, we are ready to stand, and
we now look forward with confi fence as to the result,
relying fully in Lord Derby, that high-minded noble-
man who will not mislead nor deceive. Our rallying
cry is, " Have confidence in Lord Derby." I, for one,
am willing to take him as our leader, and let the watch-
word on this occasion be " Lord Derby and all useful
reforms," the nobleman who is a stanch supporter of.
our Protestant faith, with a high-mindedness and noble
spirit which cannot be drawn aside. Oar cause is a
spirit-stirring one, and I now appeal to you before me,
and ask you to give us your confidence and support.
Then will you find that none of your institutions will be
sacrificed, but increased prosperity reign throughout this
our beloved country. You know on what principles we
came into office, and how it was attained; we did not
seek the appointment; it was forced upon us through
the incapacity of those who held office too long. One
of the leading members of the late Government de-
clared to me that they had retained office twelve
months too long for their reputation. This self-
condemnation was established afterwards by facts.
We saw them in the last struggles,
crying day by day
for the crumbs of assistance offered by any party, show-
ing that they were willing to put up with anything,
existing as they were by voluntary contributions, till at
length they were like a weary traveller, having to pass
over a country covered with swamos and quagmires—
sometimes sinking, other times in great danger, until at
last, exhausted, they lay down in perfect despair. One
night they were found concurring in measures strictly
constitutional and beneficial,
the next night supporting
measures quite opposite. I once pointed out to the Noble
Lord then at the head of the Administration that such
pooceedings would bring discredit on the representative
body—that he would by them be dragged down the
steeps of democracy, and then be lost to all that was
noble and honourable, telling him in the most friendly
spirit to look well to the consequences. His Lordship
heard me with his usual kindness and
attemp
t and appeared to concur
a
in what I stated. On the Papal
Lordship carefully watched the signs of the times, courting
s his
and catching at popular expression. Feeling assured that
the Roman Catholic bishops were acting unlawfully, in-
sulting ourreligion, and endeavouring to deprive our Most
Gracious Sovereign of some of her prerogatives, he then
came forward as defender of our faith, and published
that famed Durham letter; by it the people were de
ceived—they took for granted that they
from that nobleman that protection for our Protestant
religion which every loyal subj, et imperative de-
Y
mended. But what followed? Did his Lordship carry
No
would receiveant
out, what he at first expressed was his lateral()
B?aw
,hel
he saw the danger he had embarked in—h? island
water
fearful conseqaences likely to arise in our willing to
(Ireland); so to satisfy all parties be
accept the smallest modicum offered.
treated with
did not succeed; the adversaries of our faith ulted
scorn and indignation all the alterations - mead' Lon-
and derided from all quarters, he was obit
gßussell
don his his Government in despair. Lord John ,
Yet with that he
that measure, not from intolerance or bigotry, but from
country,
tempted to introduce Jews into PeirlitiOlollt. I opposeet
higher motives, knowing this was a Christian
and ought to be governed by a Christian legislature and
laws. Believing then, as Ido now, that no Jew ought
to legislate for a Christian country-----
Mr. RICHARDSON here asked the flonourable Member
as to his opinion on the extension of the franchise, when
Sir Frederick met him with the same indignant scorn as
Mr. Herries, telling Mr. Richardson that
ass clothed in the lion's skin—he frightened every other
discovered. This
animal he met, until his deception was he was like an
caused much clamour and hooting, till the finish of Sir
Frederick Thesiger's address. To one noisy fellow the
speaker angrily said, " I suppose the
loaf; I wish he had one in his throat." man wants a big
This remark in-
creased the noise. t
minutes stood to
Sir FREDERICK THESIGER for some
await silence being restored. At length be proceeded:
I consider that the late Administration displayed the
gre-atest inconsistency
(dwell-
ingriglt it should be so. As it is,
a Bill to give the right of voting to all renting when they
in boroughs at the annual charge of 51. " And
proposed bringing in
you will soon have to
cut your sticks from Stamford," was cried out from the
crowd.) They said that nearly 'all boroughs with 101.
voters were bribed. If so, what would be the case if
it was fixed at 51.? I do not believe in the as-
sertion made in the House by the late Cabinet—
in the general bribery of boroughs. The Whigs
only proposed this to preserve themselves from inevitable
ruin. Then as to the Militia Bill proposed d by themte, it
was rejected with scorn after being feat
to please various sections of their supporters, till at
and alred
length the "last straw broke the camel's beck." That
and the Government both fell together, and I sincerely
hope they may never rise again.—(No doubt you do.)
After their resignation a meeting was called of democrats
and other members of determined conduct to discuss
the destructive views of Messrs. Cobden and Bright—
jumping from bad to worse—advocating the most ex-
treme views and politics, destructive to the Constitution.
—No, no.) It now remains to be shown whether free-
trade, as propounded by the Radical school, or progres-
sive reform, which we profess, shall be triumphant? The
fetal issue awaits you—whether Conservatism, which
advocates all that is really useful—or Radicalism, which
is for upholding destructive errors shall prevail;
whether we shall be suffered to carry out ;measures
adequate to now wants and new necessities —or
whether another party shall succeed us, who will rush
on heedlesly to destruction and democracy? A code
of laws was formed and reconstructed in 1688, which re- 1
mains the guide and foundation of our present. Govern-
went, with such alterations from time to time as have
made this country great and powerful; let those be in
power who will guard that sacred edifice.—(Not Derby.)
Will you give it to those men who will well support it,
or to those who fellow wicked devices—to those who will
endeavour to adapt it to the various wants of the people,
or to others who would see the structure crumble into
dust, without the least attempt to preserve the same?—
(Here an attempt was made to pull down the hustings,
which drove all from the balcony, and reporters from the
box below; the learned speaker just having time to say,
" Evermore thanks to you for the honour you have done
me this
when on by electing me as one of your representa-
tives," on came the throng—armed with iron bars,
axes, and other fearful tools—to destroy the woodwork,
carrying away the whole in the short space of seven
minutes, much to the danger ef the crowd around. A
number of ruffians, working at a new building erecting
for a Mr. Knight, draper, were allowed to leave their
work to carry out this brutal act of demolidoe.)
The-two Members and their friends hastily retreated
to the George Hotel, in the borough, where a vote of
thanks teethe mayor was proposed and carried.
A dinner given at the above hotel in the afternoon
terminated the day's business, altogether the greatest
election ever seen in Stamford.