The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-06 00:00:00

The Representation of Hastings,

The nomination of candidates for the representa-
tion of Hastings, rendered vacant by the elevation
of Lord Harry Vane to the peerage, through the
death of the Duke of Cleveland, took place on Tues-
day. The two candidates in the field were the Hon.
George 'Valdegrave Leslie, who oame forward in
the Liberal interest, and Mr P. T. Robertson, who
appeared in that of the Conservative.

The hustings were erected in the cricket ground,
in front of which a large concourse of the electors
and non-electors had assembled. The usual pre.
liminaries having been gone through,
Colonel HARCOURT proposed Mr P. T. Robert-
son as a fit and proper person to rtprcsent the
borough of Histings in Parliament.

Mr BEATTIE seconded the proposition.
Mr W. SCRIVENS then proposed as a candidate
the lion. George Waldegrave Leslie.
Mr PUTLAND seconded the nomination.

There being no other candidates to be proposed,
Mr ROBERTSON addressed the assembly. He said
he had been told, in the course of his canvass, that
the great difference between him and his opponent
was that Mr Leslie would support Lord Palmer-
ston's Government, while his (Mr Robertson's) sup-
port was uncertain. He would wish to know, how-
ever, what the support of Lord Palmerston implied.
A great many of the Hastings electors were in
favour of the ballot. Did Lord Palmerston support
that ? (Cries of " Na, no," and cheers.) Many were
also in favour of the unconditional annihilation of
church rates. Did Lord Palmerston advocate such a
measure ? (No, no, and renewed cheers.) To come to
particulars, he had been told in the course of his
canvass that if he was returned the 4i loaf would be
raised to 7d. (Laughter.) That was a specimen of
the arguments that had been used against him, and
they were really too ridiculous to require refutation
—as if he, a merchant, were not as much in
favour of free trade as his opponent, and would do
anything that would be contrary to the commercial
interests of this great country, It had been said
that if they did not agree with Lord Pal-
merston in home matters yet they could agree in
supporting him in foreign affairs, With regard to
America, peace there had been preserved in conse-
quence of statesmen of all classes uniting with heart
and hand to maintain neutrality, so that neither
Lord Palmerston nor any of his Cabinet had to be
thanked for this. (Cheers and hisses.) Then with
regard to Denmark Lord Palmerston's Government
had given the assurance that if Germany went to
war
,with Denmark the latter would not stand
alone. That was a very proper speech to make, pro-
vided we had intended to carry it out. Lord Pal-
merston, however, did not preserve the peace by
his own act ; it was because France and Russia
would not join him in going to war. (Cheers.)
After alluding to some local topics, Mr Robertson
concluded by saying that he had made a very suc-
cessful canvass, and he begged to thank all the
electors for the support they had given him.
The Hon. G. WALDEGRAYE LESLIE next came to
the front of the hustings and addressed the elec.
tors. He urged them to exercise the right which
they possessed of returning a member toParliament
in an independent manner. He had been told by
some of the electors that they had pledged them-
selves to support Mr Robertson because he had pro-
mised to advocate liberal measures, He mentioned
this because it was on political principles that he
appeared there to solicit the suffrages of the Has-
tings electors. (A Voice—But Mr Burchell says
you are a poor man.) (Laughter.) Yes, he did, and
"Pity the sorrows of a poor young man—(great
cheering)—whose trembling limbs have borne him
to your door.' (Renewed cheering and laughter.)
Mr Leslie then entered into an enumeration of the
reforms that had been effected by the Liberal party
in the House of Commons, which party he pledged
himself to support if returned to Parliament. He
expressed regret that within the last few days at-
tempts had been made to intimidate those electors
who had promised him their support, but he asked
them all, in ease it came to a poll—(laughter)—to
record their votes in his favour, and might God de-
fend the right! (Cheers.)
A show of hands was then taken. It appeared to
be pretty equally divided between the two candi-
dates, but the returning officer declared it to be in
favour of Mr Waldegrave Leslie.
A poll was demanded by Mr Robertson.
Yesterday morning the polling was commenced
with much vigour. The excitement was consider-
able on account of the severity of the contest. The
friends both of Mr Leslie and of Mr Robertson were
full of hope. At 12 o'clock the poll stood as fol-
lows :

Mr G. Waldegrave Leslie
Mr Itubertswa

CLOSE OF THE POLL,
Mr G. Waldegrave Leslie (Liberal) 6Bl
Mr Robertson (Conservative)

Majority

Death of Mr William Tait,

With much regret we (Scotsman) have to announce the
death of Mr Tait, of Prior Bank, formerly and long known
to the public as a publisher and politician, and from first to
last held in much esteem by a large circle of private friends.
About 16 years ago when Mr Tait retired from business, be
purchased the house and property of Prior Bank, near Mel-
rose, where he has chiefly resided ever since, though still
retaining his house in Edinburgh. His naturally
vigorous frame and careful and temperate habits
ensured him good health until last January, when
a severe influenza was followed by a slight attack
of a paralytic nature, from which he never quite rallied,
and which was twice repeated. Latterly his weakness in-
creased, and on Monday, though there was no decided
change for the worse, he requested to be taken from Prior
Bank to his house in Walker-street here, where he rapidly
sank and expired at 4 o'clock yesterday morning. His age
was 72. He was unmarried, and the nearest relative he
leaves is his sister, Mrs Adam Black. Mr Tait was a man
of very distinct individuality of character. You could not
confound his nature with any other person's, or adduce him
as a specimen of a class all thinking and acting in the same
way. He was able in all things to follow the bent of his
own independent will, for his father, a successful builder,
left him opulent. While in business as a publisher, his
easy circumstances removed from him one motive of very
active exertion—and such attention as he bestowed on his
profession was in a great measure directed towards the pro-
motion of his political opinions—hence it is believed that he
did not add materially to his wealth during the period of his
business life. In 1832,he established Tad sEdinbui gli Maga-
zine. It appeared for some time in the shape and at the price
(2s 6d) of the established magazines; but he soon reduced
it to is, thus taking an important step in the progress of
cheap literature. This periodical did much to stimulate and
freshen the liberal cause, the more so, perhaps, that it was
not very closely bound to party purposes. Anyone who had
a bold and original thing to say, if he could write tolerably,
was pretty sure of getting out the " bit of his mind"
in Tait's Magazine, however much it might offend preju-
dices, public or personal. Oue feature in Mr Tait's con-
nection with literature must not be omitted, Partly from an
independent self-reliance wh ch disinclined him to bow to
established refutations, partly from a real friendliness and
kindness of nature, he gave a good many obscure young
men the opportunity of showing what they were fit for. In
this way, in conjunction with his chief contributer,the late
admirable Mrs Johnstone, ho gave Ikbert Nicol the poet
opportunities for laying the fruits of his genius before the
world—a position he bad little chance of otherwise achieving
within the short spell of life which disease had left for
him to enjoy. Mr Tait's politics were professedly those
of an independent Radical, swayed by a strong friendly
feeling to tho Whig party. Though not factious, and de-
testing anything like trickiness, he was sometimes rather
provoking to the advocates of a policy and of combined
action who desire to know whom they can count on. They
could always be sure, however, that he would take the course
which ho had in honesty convinced himself to be the right
one. It should not be forgotten that at the great contest for
the representation of Edinburgh in 1817, when a coalition
was formed between the Radicals and the Tories and the
Teetotallers and the publicans, Mr Tait protested against
the conduct of those with whom he usually acted, and came
to the hustings as the seconder of Macaulay. Mr Taft had
received a liberal education, was a considerable reader, and
enjoyed literature both when ho was concerned in its practi
cal furtherance and in the ease of his retirement. Ono of
his chief enjoyments was music. It was a treat to hear him
at the p'ano, although his burly frame and powerful hand
were rather ludicrous appendages to that feminine instru-
ment. He was above the ordinary size, handsome and strong
built ; and his erect walk, with a certain grave expression,
caused by absence of mind, to which he was a good deal
liable, gave him in his favourite walk in Princes-street.
something of the kind of air which acquires for one the
title of " bashaw.'"lhis, however, was an accident of
manner. He was a good,
easy,. kindly man at heart—
affectionate to relations, and attentive to friends, of whom
a large circle will long and sineerely mourn his loss.

According to the Pali° the official lists of the
victims in the riots at Turin give the number of killed at
42, and wounded at 123.

SAIT ,
,swr

HER, MAJESTY.

BALMORAL, OCT. 4.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise,
went out yesterday morning.
In the afternoon her Majesty, accompanied by
Princess Helena, proceeded up Glen Gelder to
Lochnegar, and returned by Alt-na-GtOlasach.
His Royal HighneFs Prince Alfred went out
deer-stalking in Mar Forest.
The Earl and Countess Delawarr had the honour
of dining with the Queen and royal family.

-40.

The Prince and Princess of Wales,

COPENHAGEN, OCT. 0.

The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived yes'
terday afternoon at E'.sinore, and were received by
the King and the Crown Prince.

The royal party proceeded immediately to Fre*

densborg.

Foreign Courts.

PARIS, OCT. 4•

The Princess Clotilde, accompanied by her.
brother, Prince Humbert, was present on Sunday
evening at the representation of the Italian Theatre.
The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, widow of
the Duke de Leuohtenberg, has left Paris for
Darmstadt.

The Emperor and Empress of Russia, who are
now at Darmstadt, are to arrive at Nice on the 9 11
inst. Their Majesties will b 3 accompanied by Baron
de Budberg, the Russian Ambassador in Paris, and
a suite of about 50 persons. The Emperor
ander will remain there ten days.
Prince Arthur of England arrived at Brussels ca
Saturday from Germany, and was received at the
railway station by the Count de Flandre. In the
evening he dined with the King and royal family
at the palace in Brussels, and left for Antwerp the
next morning on his way to England.