The Sun.
London, England, 1831-05-12 00:00:00

OXFORD, MAY 10.

It was generally expected throughout the after-
noon of to-day, that Lord Norreys would have re-
signed this evening, but it appears that his Lordship
is advised to render the triumph of the Reformers
not only complete, but signal and overwhelming,
and to prove by the personal presence of the electors
what the opinion of a vast majority of them is upon
the subject of the Ministerial measure of Reform.
Four-and•twenty hours will, in all probability, settle
this matter to his Lordship's conviction, though not
to his satisfaction. It is said that there are not
quite so many as 1,100 freeholders unpolled in the
county. If this be true, Lord Norreys must poll
about 700 of them in order to ensure his election.
It is hardly necessary to observe, that this renders
his return one of the most improbable occurrences
that can be imagined.

The state of the poll having been announced,
Mr. HARCOURT was most happy to observe that
the exertions of the freeholders that day had placed
him in the same honourable situation which he had
occupied yesterday,—at the head of the poll.—
(Cheers.) There could be no doubt that the
spirited exertions of that county, combined with the
like strenuous efforts of other places which enjoyed
the elective franchise, would ensure the success of
that measure which he had approved from the first
moment in which he saw it, and which should find
in him, if nut an able, at least a zealous advocate.
Mr. WEYLAND (who was received with loud
cheering) thanked the electors for the proud situa-
tion in which they had placed him upon the poll.
He had not, like his Hon. Friend, beenin Parliament,
and he could not, therefore'appeal to his past con-
duct, but he could give them pledges for his future
conduct, and he trusted they would believe him in-
capable of breaking those pledges. He would have
the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill,—
(Loud cheers)—acrd he would agree to no modifi-
cation of it which had not the sanction of the Noble
Lord who introduced it, and of that Noble Lord's
colleagues—his Majesty's Ministers.—(Cheers.)
Lord NORREYS then came forward, but he was
saluted with such hisses and uproar, which conti-
nued nearly throughout his speech, that very little
he said was heard. We understood him to say that
he was desirous to take this opportunity—the only
one he had been allowed—of saying a few words in
explanation of his past conduct, since he had been
accused of violating pledges which he had formerly
made to them.--(Uproar, and cries of" Civil L;st.")
Yes, the Civil List was one of the points on which
he wished to speak. He had already stated the
grounds on which he had voted upon the question.
He bad been of opinion, that by the means pro-
posed, no saving would be'
effected; and was it not
now evident that he was right ? Had any sa‘in
been effected ? Besides they seemed to fo'rgetthagt
one of the other candidates had voted upon that
question precisely as he had voted. Then, to
Reform, he had said before, that he Was sincerely
attached to the institutions of his country. Could
he, then, have given his support to a measure
which he conscientiously believed went to the de-
struction of the most valuable of those institutions ?
(Hisses.) Many of them had, some time ago,
been opposed to the Catholic emancipation Act, on
the ground that it endangered the Protestant institu-
tions of the country; but did not this Bill endanger
those institutions still more ? Did it not give a
preponderating influence to the Catholics?—
(Hisses.) Let them look at the conduct of the
Catholics of (relent', and then tell him what would)

become of the Pcotestant interests of that countr)
f this Bill passed.—(Cries of " humbug," and
The candidates then retired, and the crowds dis-
,ersed after a few Fght.s with The gowns, who, as
'or as I witnessed the affray, Were severe sufferers,—
Ind no wonder, foi• their opponents were at least
rwenty to one against them. In the course of the
night, too, there were several engagement,. between
he same parties, but I have heard of no more serious
results than a few brol-en heads. Such heads, how-
ever, must hav4.. been cracked before, or they would
have ',ten elsewhere, so that the damage cannot have
been very great,

GREAT MARLOW, it 10.
We have the satisfaction of recording one of the
severest struggles between freedom of choice and
borough patronage that ever occurred in the town
of Marlow. The candidates were 0. Williams and
T. P. Williams, Esqrs., who both opposed the Re-
'orm Bill in every stage of its proceeding. The Re-
form candidate was Lieut.-Colonel Clayton. In July,
1830, the same individuals stood for this borough;
the issue was this—that Colonel Clayton was in a ,
minority of o.Wiliiams of 3,c% and of T. P.Williams
of 21. This contest lasted only two days. The
present continued tor four days, with a perseverance
and spirit rarely witnessed. At the close of the poll
the numbers stood thus,—O. Williams 196, T. P.
Williams 192, Colonel Clayton 187, leaving him in
a minority of five, with 'two .unpoiled votes, the
other party having polled every man. Col. Clayton
demanded a scrutiny, and the Members were not
chaired. In comparing this contest with the former,
we feel much gratified at the menntr in which it
was conducted. Then extravagance and confusion
ran riot, and the Messrs. 'Williams seemed deter-
mined to ruin any man who dared to dispute their
pretensions. This time Colonel Clayton started
with a declaration that he would not expend a shil-
ling, let his opponents act how they might. He
kept his word, and his supporters came up to the
poll with redoubled spirit and delight. When we
consider the seeds of corruption which have been so
long germinating in this borough, and the great and
fostering power that has cultivated them, we do
consider the result of this election as a proud
triumph of independence over the coercion and
machinations of the boroughmongers. We await
the result of the scrutiny, by which we shall di,-
cover the means that have been used to enslave
the borough, and the inducements arid bribes that
have been offered to gain a colourable majority.
The conduct of the blues throughout the contest was
firm and peaceable, and excited the admiration of
their opponents.