The Sun.
London, England, 1831-05-19 00:00:00

LYME REGIS, Mir 16.

Mr. Bankes, the Anti-Reform candtda!e for this
county, resigned the contest about four o'clock this
day, when one of our loyal townsmen started off
immediately with the gratifying news; and before
seven o'clock the flags were hoisted at the mast-
heads of the vessels in the pier, and a royal salute of
21 guns was fired by our patriotic Reform com-
mittee, the band at the same time parading the
town, and the bells ringing. They afterwards pro-
ceeded two miles on the road to Dorchester, to meet
their friends returning from the poll.

LYME REGIS, AIAY 17.
(FROAI A CORRESPONDENT.)

SIR,—On the news 'lashing us last night of the
resignation of Mr. Bankes for this county, the town
was in a complete uproar with joy, which was more
particulatly increased from the Bankesites having
reported in the day that they had 500 votes in re-
serve, which made us a little doubt of our success
over the boroughmongers of this county. The band
paraded the streets,—guns and small arms were dis-
pherue riouniviu tCt ba t n 13,i. 4 svinsai t
of the Reform Committee at their head, with a very
handsome banner. After having gone through the
town with torches, blue lights, Roman candles, and
other fire-works, the band, accompanied by several
hundred persons, went to Charmouth, for the
purpose of meeting the freeholders who had gone
up yesterday to the poll : they arrived at Char-
month at eleven o'clock : the inhabitants nearly
all began to illuminate, and regaled the band
and the people of Lyme with plenty of ale. They
then returned to Lyme, playing " God save the
King," and " Rule Britannia," with about 100 of
Charmoth people, amid bells ringing, guns firing►,
and a splendid display of fireworks; and on passing
the several freeholders' houses who had voted for
Portman and Caleraft, the cheering was beyond de-
scription ; and when passing any of the Magistrates'
houses, three groans were invariably given. This
continued till two o'clock this morning. Our little
town is this morning all alive, the bells began ring-
ing at five this morning. The committee are making
arrangements for the triumphal entry of Mr. Cal-
craft, who is expected here in a day or two, when
there will be a general illumination. About twenty
years ago, when Mr. Portman put up for this
county, our rotten borough produced only three
freeholders in his favour; but now, out of eighty
voters, we have seventy Reformers; and out of the
remaining householders we have the majority, who
are many of them leaseholders under the corpora-
tion. I assure you the boroughmongers here have
very long faces on the subject.

SCOTLAND.

PERTHSHIRE ELECTION.

When the result of the election was announced—
Sir GEORGE MURRAY addressed his cen-tituents
in nearly the following terms As allusion has
been made to my political opinions by my Hon.
Friends who moved and seconded my nomination, it
may he expected that I should enter into some ex-
planation of them, with reference to present cireum-
• stances, although you have beer, long acquainted
with my general political sentiments. I have, in-
deed, been at all times disposed to express them to
you with perfect frankness, and I conceive it not only
to be a matter of duty towards you as your represen-
tative to do so, but as being also consistent with
my own character. 1 have never been opposed to
• prudent amelioration or improvement in the Consti-
tution of the country, and I hold it indeed to be one
of the chief excellencies and happiest characteristics
of the British Constitution, that it is capable of re-
ceiving such improvements as time and change of
•circumstanees may gradually introduce, and I have
at all times so expressed myself in Parliament, not
only as your representative, but also as a Minister
of the Crown. You are all aware, gentlemen, that
I have never solicited your votes upon the ground
of party feeling. I should consider it disrespectful
to you to do so, and you have been pleased on all
Occasions to send me to Parliament unfettered by
any pledge, either given or expected, to follow any
particular line of conduct there, except that pledge by
which every honest, man must be bound, to use his
abilities, whatever they may be, to the best of his
judgment,for the welfare and prosperity of the country.
I am aware that it is the practice in some other parts
of the United Kingdom, where the system of elec-
tion is said to be more free, to tie down and fetter
a candidate by particular pledges before sending
him into the Legislature. But this I hold to he not
only unconstitutional, but to be also unreasonable
and unwise; you have done me the honour to select
me this day to take my place in a Parliament which
is to be assembled, not merely for the purpose of
transacting the ordinary business of the country, but
f his
mi‘wi,ilieh
aiyjesstoyil summoned
sexip)rrees express
tm
‘y sitogether,myself,
e sitby the advicj judgment, e
of [
upon the Constitution of
the State. As to that Constitution, Gentlemen, 1
have always been disposed to judge of it, not by a
minuteinspection into particular details, but by its
general outline and by its practical effects. Under