The Sun.
London, England, 1830-09-10 00:00:00

No. I I X 55.

ELECTION FOR. 'CORONER FOR MID
• DLESEX.-(FIRST DAY,) SEPT. 9.

This being the day Appointed for the election of a Co-
roner for Middlesex, Clerkenwell-green, the scene of action
. on the occasion, presented a very animated and bustling
picture at an 'early hour this morning. Shortly after nine
o'clock the two candidates, Messrs. Wakley and Baker,
accompanied hy numersus, parties of their respective friends,
and preceded and followed by a, variety of banners
anal placards, inscribed .with. mottoes 'and other devices,
illustrative of their opposite pretensions, arrived at the
hustings. If we make one saving clause, we are free to
admit that nothing could' 'exceed the 'skilful manner in
• which the different.arrangementsfor the election havibeen
made.' Extensive 'and comniodlinis hustings 'have- been
erected in front of the §esitions-house, the access to which
is kept clear by a very strong pome of the constabulary
force; but notwithstanding this, we'never on any occa-:
sion . nut with so much difficulty, or so many insults, in
gaining admittance, as on the present occasion. Pre-
cisely at nine o'eloc.k, the Sheriffs having :arriVed, the
proclamation • was made, and the proceedings: of the
day commenced with as much spirit as we' ever remember
to have marked a contested county election. By the time
the speechifying began, we should suppose there could not
have been fewer than 3,000 persons assembled, who 'all
appeared too much impressed.by thy, pewe're of eloquence
to -he moved by the plentiful shower' Of rain,
.which conti•
.need during the whole time 'the respective orators were
haranguing- them.
. J. EVANS, Esq., an overseer, as we were given'to un-
derstand, of the parish of St. George, Bloomsbury, pro-
posed Thos. Wakley, Esq., as a fit and proper person :to fill
the office of Coroner
,for the county of Middlesex. The
speaker warmly eulogised the personal and professional ,
character of Mr. Wakley. He then adverted to the cir-
cumstance that, although there had been originally five or
six candidates for this important office in the field, all of
them had retired from the contest except the two gentle-
men who now presented themselves.
Mr. WlLcox, the churchwarden of the same parish,
seconded the nomination. He said that as the time was
short he should content himself with speaking but a few
words, and, fortunately for the cause in which he
and his colleague were engaged, but few words
were necessary. He .could assure them that the
private character of AIN Wakley was as esiimable
as his public labours were patriotic and beneficial. lie
was the avowed and open coadjutor of all those who op•
posed select vestries, or, indeed, of soy other of the nu.
merous ahusei under which the people of this country la-
boured, and he, (Mr. NV.) was confident, that if Mr. Wak-
ley obtained their suffrages, he would execute the impsrtatit
duties attached to that office in a manner equally satisfac-
tory to the inhabitants of Middlesex, as honourable to
himself.

S. C. WHITBREAD, Esq. (late M.P. for Middlesex),
then nominated W. Baker, E.g., amidst considerable up-
roar. We understood Mr. W. to commence by stating
that, after the numerous favours be had received at the
hands of his late constituents, after the patience with
which they had almost invariably attended to him on for-
mer occasions, it hail not been his intention of trespassing
, on their indulgence again thus early.—( Here the uproar
had attained to such a pitch that we could not collect
single syllable which fell from the speaker.)—He said that
however long they might think proper to detain him, be
was quite confident the Sheriffs would not allow him
to be silenced by such a factious oppotitiOn.--.
He then alluded, at very considerable length, to
the respective claims of the different candidates, in the
course of which he avowed his conviction that those of
Mr. Baker were infinitely superior to those advanced by
Mr. Wakley. It was true that the latter gentleman
might, for aught be knew to the contrary, be a skilful
man in his profession, anal were it the duty of a Coroner
to deal with the living instead of the dead subject he
might be inclined to vote fur him. He might also be an
honest man, but he begged to' Observe that his religious
tenets, to which allusion had been male, hail no more to do
with his pretensions to the office of Coroner than his (Mr.
Whitbread's) bad to addressing them on the present
occasion. He knew Mr. 'Baker to be an honest and a
motel man ; he knew him to be a man of the highest
possible respectability, and upon these grounds he now
came forward strongly to recommend him to their support.
Mr. Hoosox, late M.P. for Bridgewater, seconded the
nomination. Mr,: H. opened his harangue with a high
eulogy on the Character of Mr. Baker, in regard to in-
tegrity and blameless principle. On entering upon the
question immediately at issue, al to the priority of
claims between a legal and medical candidate on
the present occasion, Mr. Hodson cited various and
unquestionably most specious arguments in contro-
version of the latter. The eligibility of a lawyer.for a
member of the College of Surgeons was forcibly placed in
juxta-position with the propriety of, electing tote of the
faculty to officiate in cases that' most imperatively de-
manded the moat accurate intimacy with points of law.
After a few words of explanation from Mr. Whitbread,
• Mr. %oats, adsisnced to the front of the hustings,
begging that the proceedings 'might be suffered to advance
in a peaceable manner; the other candidate also expressed
his wishes to the same effect.
A show of hands then took place, which was declared
by the Sheriffs to be in favour of Mr. Wakley.
A poll was then demanded by the friends of Mr. Baker,
which wag commenced with an extraordinary degree o
spirit.

Colonel Joxxs, after Sir John Lilley, then addressed
the nieong with peculiar energy in behalf of Air. Wakley.
The principal tendency of this gentleman's argument went
to prove, in the first pl tee, the unequivocal preference that
ought to be given to a Coroner elected on the groUnds of nie-
dical in comparison with legal proficiency. The speaker then
urged the imperative duty which now devolved upon the
voters on. the present occasion, to assert their sense of the
necessity, and to establish their rightful power to enforce
a demand of reform in the discharge of any public func-
tions that came home to their own individual interests.
Mr. WAX um next advanced and addressed the as-
ssnibly in a very long and animated speech, in the course
of which he was frequently interrupted by the boisterous
applause of his auditors. After baring indulged his sarcasm
on the patriotic taciturnity of the Ex-M.P. fur Middlesex,
during the time when he formed a part of the " collective
wisdom," be proceeded to challenge the most rancorous of
his enemies (many of whom he said be perceived in the
crowd) to come forward and establish any single charge
against his private or public character. The speaker con-
tinued to enlarge in a very felicitous vein of pleasantry
on the 'numerous and, sometimes, ludicrous mistakes
and misconceptions whip,* had originated _in the

want a meilicat skill on the part of Coroners.
Alat.e, in public charities Were the next and final topic of
animadversion, in which the listener, exhibited most un-

questionable proofs of sympathy ; after which Mr. Wak-
ley retired, amidst reiterated cheers and congratulations.
Mr. MICHAIL Stu mm then mounted the cask, and in
a Tong speech advocated the cause of Mr. Wakley.
The polling continued with considerable briskness until
about four o'clock, when it slackened oonshierably,—
About that time Dr. Thomson, a physician (the same
Who was the principal witness at the inquest on Miss
Corbin), mounted the cask, occupied by Mr.. Wakley in
the morning, and in a most vehement style adare.sed the
meeting on belief( of Mr. Wahl. At live o'clock the
poll.books were closed, and the state of the poll was de-
clared as follows

Baker .. . . 605
SSS
Majority for Mr. Baker .. . 272
The announcement was received with strong demonstra-
tions of feeling in favour of the candidates by their respec-
tive partisans.
Mr. Baxita came forwatd, and was received with loud
cheers and hisses. lie felt grateful tOr the triumphant
majority which be receivpd on this do's poll 4 and be eer
towed his sincere thanks for this gratifying testimonial of

his friebilm.--(Cheers and hisies.)—lle could assure the
freeholders that he rested his claims solely on his known

character, and he begged them earnestly to bring up votes,
which would very soon enable hint to hold an inquest on
his opponent:—(Cries of " You buy votearand loud

cheeri.

Mr. WAXLZY came forward, and wai warmly received.

He first mounted his oak, but afterwards removed to a
ladder SO as to elevate him a considerable distance from
the ground. He first "Dotted smilingly at the state of the
poll, and thee said, that never-from the first moment of hie
existence did greater ardour animate his bosom than on
the prevent newsion,.....(Applause by his friend*/ end