The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-26 00:00:00

HERTFORDSHIRE.

On Saturday the three Conservative candidates,
the sitting members of this county, visited Hertford,
and canvassed the farmers attending the market.
In the course of the canvass they addressed the as-
sembled electors in the Corn Exchange.
Sir E. B. LYTToN, who was loudly cheered, said
he had now served the county for 19 years, if not
with so much ability as he desired, at least with an
honest intention to promote its interests, and the
welfare of the country. He had latterly to claim
their indulgence on account of ill health, and per-
haps he should have done wisely if he had retired for
a time from the anxieties of Parliamentary life ; but
finding it to be the wish of his supporters that he
should remain in their service, he felt an old soldier's
reluctance to retire in the face of an enemy, and on
the eve of battle. Therefore, he came again
among them, if weak in body, yet strong of will,
and in good heart. They had a formidable
opponent to contend with in Mr. Henry
Cowper. The name of Cowper was one of which
Hertfordshire might be justly proud; it was fa-

miliar to all who had studied the history or delighted
in the literature of England; and Mr. Henry Cowper
had shown by his character and talents that he was
a worthy representative of his family and his kins-
man. It might, holvever, be a question whether, in
a county like Hertfordshire, where property was so
divided, one noble family, however distinguished,
should seek to monopolise two out of the five seats
which were left to the county. (Cheers.) He rejoiced
that he and his colleagues had so worthy an oppo-
nent, because if they were defeated the mortification
would be less, and if they succeeded the honour
would be greater. After referring to the malt-tax,
and arguing in the sense of his published address,
that it was a tax which pressed not only upon the
grower, but upon the consumer, by enhancing the
price of beer and meat, Sir Edward said that as he
had a long canvass before him and should have
other opportunities of speaking on matters of inte-
rest, he would spare himself on this occasion. There
was no doubt the contest would be an animated and
a sharp one ; but he hoped they would fight it out to
the last with that good temper and courtesy to op-
ponents which were the best proofs of unflinching
courage, and that nothing would occur to impair the
relations of private friendship. He now left himself
in their hands. If he were rejected he should retire
into private life without a feeling of resentment or
ill-will to any individual ; but if he were re-elected
he should have another reason for hoping that he
might soon be restored to health and strength, so as
to requite their confidence and defend theirinterests.
(Loud cheers.) Mr. Abel Smith and Mr. Surtees
(who was enthusiastically cheered by the farmers)
also spoke briefly, but they merely repeated the
statements in their published addresses.

LEEDS.

The two sitting members for this borough have
issued addresses offering themselves for re-election.
Mr. Baines congratulates the constituency on the
" splendid success" of the Commercial Treaty with
France, and expresses his warm approval of the
financial policy of Mr. Gladstone. To thequestion
of Parliamentary Reform he thus refers :

" The defective state of the representation of the people
in Parliament, combined with the unprecedented advance-
ment in the education, habits, and condition of the people
since the Reform Act, led me at our last election to promise
my support to the more liberal of the two measures of Re-
form which were then before the public. I supported it
by my voice in the House of Commons, and by my evidence
before a committee of the House of Lords. With deep
regret I saw that measure withdrawn by the Government,
and I thought it my duty, with the approbation of many
members of the House of Commons, as well as of my own
constituents, to submit to the House, as a separate measure,
the most important feature of the Government Bill—viz.,
that for extending the franchise in boroughs from £lO to
£6 occupiers. It has been clearly proved by official evi-
dence that this extension of the suffrage would have been
moderate and safe, leaving to the upper and middle classes
a large majority in the electoral body, but at the same time
removing the reproach from our representative system that
it almost entirely excludes the working class from the
rights and privileges of the Constitution. That exclusion
makes their position worse than it was under the unre-
formed Parliament, and it is too obviously unjust to be long
defensible. It seemed to me a prudent course to discuss
the remedy in a time of prosperity and calm, and to frame
it with the least possible deviation from old principles and
usages. The object of every friend of his country should
be to admit, not in a grudging spirit, but with a hearty
welcome, the educated, industrious, and provident portion
of the working class to the franchise, and thus to bind
them heart and soul to the maintenance of the laws and
Constitution."