The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-12 00:00:00

ROCHDALE.

Mr. T. B. Potter and Mr. W. B. Brett are now fairly in
the field to contest the representation of Rochdale ; the
first-named being an extreme Liberal, an his opponent an
extreme Tory—a name, he says, he glories in. For upwards
of a week the Conservatives have been actively canvass-
ing, and they appear to be very sanguine about their sue-

cess. The Reform Association, although they did not bring
the name of Mr. Potter before a public meeting of Liberal
electors until Monday night last for adoption, have been
canvassing for days, and some of the committees have
already completed their work. The Liberals appear to be
confident as to their success. However, this is certain—there
will be a very close run, and the successful candidate will
not get in by a large majority. Through the unremitting
action of both parties the town is thrown into great excite-
ment, and travellers from a distance who visit the town for
the purpose of transacting business, complain bitterly of the
difficulty of getting orders. Yesterday morning (Tuesday)
Mr. Potter issued his address to the electors, and the fol-
lowing are his political opinions on the various subjects :
—" I am in favour of such a wide and substantial exten-
sion of the suffrage as shall give the working classes a
large share in the representation of the country, but I would
not accept a doctrine of finality. I hope to see the day when
every man of sound mind, and unstained by crime, shall be
received within the pale of the Constitution ; and in the
meantime I would support any well-digested and honest
scheme for extending the franchise in boroughs and coun-
ties. I am decidedly in favour of the ballot, both as a means
of protection to. the voter and as conducing to good order
and decorum in the exercise of the highest political right. I
regard the present distribution of political power as most
unjust, and I should support arearrangement of Parliamen-
tary seats on the basis of population and property. I am in
favour of perfect religious equality, and should support all
measures tending to secure the adoption of thatprinciple; and
I should vote for the abolition of church rates, and the aboli-
tion of tests at our national seats of learning. I consider our
national expenditure excessive, and I should support the
application of the principles of economy to every depart-
ment of the State. In regard to our foreign policy I should
advocate the principles of strict non-intervention, and in
no case should I consider a war justifiable, unless our
honour and our interests were clearly involved in the issue.
Being largely engaged in commerce myself your interests
are identified with my own, and they would, of course, se-
cure my unremitting attention, and I should at all times
hold myself in readiness to attend to your local affairs."
The nomination day is fixed for to-morrow (Thursday),
and it is expected that Mr. John Bright will second the
nomination of Mr. Potter. The polling is fixed for Satur-
day next.

LEOMINSTER.

This borough will be sharply contested at the next elec.

tion, two new candidates being already in the field. Mr.
Gathorne Hardy, who it was stated was about to contest
Oxford, has been down canvassing the electors, and de-
clares his intention to offer himself again for Leominster
at the next general election, and to go to the poll. The
other sitting member, the Hon. C. S. Bateman Hanbury
Lennox, has issued an address to the electors stating
that it is not his intention to offer himself again, and
in his place Sir A. Walsh declares himself a candidate.
He says :—" My political principles are those of Con-
servative progress. Myself a sincere member of the
Church of England, I am at the same time an advo-
cate of religious toleration, and would gladly welcome
any measure whereby those who conscientiously ob-
ject to the payment of church-rates might be wholly ex-
empted from them, but so that the connection between
Church and State may not be impaired." He also professes
himself ready to give his most anxious consideration to
any well-digested scheme for the reform of the representa-
tion of the people which does not aim at the subversion of
our existing institutions."