The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-10 00:00:00

THI4: SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MARCH 10. 1838.

THE DUNFERMLINE AND MARYLEBONE

ELECTIONS.

In the Scotsman of Wednesday last appears the following
letter addressed by Mr. Tait to the Editor of that journal
circumstances of the last election for the Dun-
fermline Burghs have been repeatedly referred to of late by
the London press, in connexion with the names of Colonel
Thompson and Mr. Hume. These circumstances are rather
curious. As they have been always inaccurately referred to, I
shall give you the true version.
The Dunfermline electors, who constitute more than half
the total electors of the Dunfermline and Stirling District of
Burghs, had been long discontented with Lord Dalmeny,
whom they regarded as a Conservative Whig, in co
respect representing the sentiments of a Radical and
manufacturing constituency. Mr. Hume and Mr. John
Craufurd were applied to by the leading Radicals
of Dunfermline to find them a proper representa-
tive ; but both these gentlemen discouraged any op-
position to the Ministerial candidate. Time was lost
by these applications. At the near approach of the
elections, a deputation of the Dunfermline Radical electors
consulted me as to the choice of a fitting representative. I
showed them two letters recently received from Colonel
Thompson ; one of them only the day before. In the first, the
Colonel said, " I do not go again to Hull. If, therefore, I
can be useful to the Liberals any where, I am at their ser-
vice." In the second letter he adds, " I am at this moment
aground for a place to sit for." The deputation decided at
once to start the Colonel, conceiving these letters a full war-
rant for them to do so. Not an instant was lost. Indeed there
was no time to spare. Only one post after receipt of Colonel
Thompson's last letter, I wrote to him what had occurred, and
that I was going to Dunfermline that very afternoon, to witness
his being proposed to the electors of Dunfermline, at a pub-
lic meeting of Lord Dalmeny and his constituents. I con-
veyed to him the assurance of the deputation that he
would be adopted as the popular candidate, and that his
election would be certain, urging him to leave London for
Edinburgh by the first mail. Had the Colonel done so, he
would have been Member for these burghs. At the Dun-
fermline public meeting, Lord Ddlmeny was, after a full hear-
ing, and such a searching cross-examination as I never saw a
candidate subjected to, almost unanimously discarded by both
electors and non-electors, and Colonel Thompson was ac-
cepted with enthusiastic cheering. By this time intimation
had been made of the election being fixed for Monday, the
24th, and this meeting was on the 20th. An active canvass
for the Colonel was instantly commenced, and nothing was
wanted to insure the success of the independent candidate
but his leaving London by the first mail. I had a chaise and
four waiting to convey him from Edinburgh to the hustings at
Stirling, which we would have reached within two hours after
the commencement of the proceedings. There, the Col. was
nominated by the Provost, and seconded by the Dean of Guild,
of Dunfermline. Many an anxious look was given for the
expected chaise and four—but in vain. The Colonel came
not. Yet the show of hands was in his favour; and had he
arrived that evening his election was sure. But instead of
the Colonel himself, there came this letter from him : " I
am afraid I could not, consistently with the union it is de-
sirable to preserve, till upon good counsel it is determined
to break it, accept the offer made from the Dunfermline
burghs; particularly as the Whigs appear to have been
doing the handsome thing in the case of Roebuck at Bath,
by withdrawing the Whig, Captain Scobell. I need not
,>,y, but for this, how glad I should be to accede," The
indignation with which this cool answer filled the men
who had just made every exertion to carry the Colonel's
election, could not be controlled. It broke out in a
public meeting at Dunfermline, at which strong reso-
lutions were passed cf•glOns,it 4 nandnlontt coalition, hetwen
Whig and Radical Members, not to oppose ea 4! other; 'What!!
ever might be the wishes of the constituencies. This con-
spiracy agalpsF this ffW eIIRiPP of electors the public meeting
regarded as proved 4y the pominct aid )eit'er of
Thompson, coupled with the malapert boasting of Lord DaL
meny at the hustipgs, and the previous communications held
with Mr. J. Cratilur4 and :1 r. riump. 4 letter just received
from Mr. W. Sharman Crawford confirmed` the of thQ

Dunfermline electors, that a combination between the Radical
leaders and the Whigs actually existed. For the resolutions
which were proposed by the Provost of Dunfermline, and car-
ried unanimously, I refer you to the newspapers of the day.
They were published in the Edinburgh Observer of 28th July,
and copied and commented on by the Times and other Tory
papers.
In this case, Colonel Thompson refused (under the very
peculiar circumstances I have detailed, which make the re-
fusal tenfold more remarkable) to stand against a Whig—a
Conservative Whig—a connection of an anti. popular Ministry.
At the Marylebone election, he has played a very different
part. Without the smallest chance of carrying his own elec-
tion, he has stood to prevent another Liberal from being elected.
In one thing only has he been consistent ; an apparent resAu-
tion, in both instances, that the constituency should not have the
man of its choice. Col. Thompson has been for many years
(chiefly as a public writsr) one of the most faithful, zealou, and
able supporters of the people's cause. His writings in the Illest.
minster Review, his addresses in the Commons, his letters to his
constituents of Hull, &c., have done good service. But his
conduct, in both these instances, has been mischievous in the
extreme. To him it is owing that Lord Dalmeny, a mere
Whig, sits for Radical Dunfermline, instead of a Radical of
the electors' choice ; and to him is due the credit of forcing the
Tory Lord Teignmouth on the Radical constituency of Maryle-
bone, instead of Mr. Ewart, a thorough Radical, a most useful
legislator, and the man of their choice. I have a high respect
fur Colonel Thompson ; but I confess that I embrace with
pleasure the opportunity of protesting against his conduct at
both elections. I know he means well; but he has, in both
cases, done evil that good might come of it.

W. TAIT.