The Sun.
London, England, 1831-05-18 00:00:00

GENERAL ELECTION.

D 0 R SE T SIIIRE, 11111- 16.
SIXTH AND LAST DAY.
Another signal triumph for the cause of Reform
has been this day achieved by the judicious, the dis-
interested, and the manly exertions of the freeholders
of Dorsetahire. Artifice, cajolery, influence, suppli-
cation, imprecation, intimidation,—have all been
exerted unsuccessfully to foist a narrow-minded
bigot, of most respectable private character into the
House of Commons as the representative of the
free-spoken yeomanry of the county of Dorset. You
will, perhaps, recollect that at the close of the poll
on Saturday evening, Mr. Bankes publicly admitted
that he had been disappointed by the state in which
he had been left on it. I understand that on leav-
ing the hustings, he intimated to his committee the
propriety of his immediately resigning the contest,
but that he was ultimately persuaded by his son,
Mr. G. Bankes, to try the issue of another day. A
very active canvass was in consequence recom-
menced yesterday in all parts of the county, and the
greatest efforts were used both to seduce and to in-
timidate the voters in the interest of the Reform can-
didates into breaking the promises which they had
solemnly given to support those gentlemen. In
the Isle of Portland there were fifteen freeholders
unpolled, who had promised to vote for Mr. Port-
man and Mr. Calcraft. In the course of yesterday
pecuniary inducements were offered to many of
them to transfer their support to Mr. Bankes. Three
of them had not virtue to resist the temptation.
Early this morning a Portlander arrived on foot in
Dorchester to communicate to Mr. Calcraft's
agent the evidence which he had accidentally
acquired of the corruption of these three
men. On one of them coming in the course of
the day to tender his vote for Mr. Bankes, the
bribery oath was put to him. He had recourse to
the most surprising evasions in his endeavours to
avoid taking it ; but at last he was persuaded to
gulp it down in consequence of a suggestion from
one of Mr. Bankes's agents, that he ought not to
allow himself to be bullied into a disqualification of
his vote and interest. Again, a gentle Man of the
name of Stewart, -who resides at Weymouth, and is
a staunch supporter of Mr. Bankes, yesterday told
the foreman of his quarries in Portland, a man of the
name of Pierse, who had hitherto taken a very active
part in support of Mr. Calcraft, that if he interfered
in behalf of that gentleman at the election, it would
inevitably cause his ruin. The man told Mr. Cal-
craft's committee with tears in his eyes, that though
nothing upon earth should induce him to vote for
Mr. Bankes, the certainty of impending ruin must
prevent him from voting as he had intended for Mr.
Calcraft. He was, therefore, obliged to do violence
to the dictates of his own conscience, and to abstract
from the good cause one voice which fortunately
has not been wanted to accomplish its success. Not
content with this manoeuvring, the friends of Mr.
Bankes brought the maimed, the halt, and the blind
to the poll to support their cause. This morning
an old man of 104 years of age was brought in a car-
riage to given plumper for Mr. Bankes; and shortly
afterwards an old clergyman was turned out of a
sick carriage into the polling booth, to add his
unit of a vote to those registered already in the same
cause. But all would not do; at twelve o'clock to-day
Mr. Calcraft was 33 a-head of his opponent on the
day's poll ; and then Mr. Bankes, finding that he had
no chance of success, announced his intention of
resigning the struggle. It was not only becoming,
it was also wise, in Mr. Bankes, to adopt that re-
solution ; for such was the spirit created by the
successful termination of Saturday's poll, that many
large subscriptions were sent in to the Committee
to keep it open to the last moment. Sir W. Og-
lander, who was requested to stand himself for the
county, subscribed 5001. to defray the expence of
keeping it open. Sums of different amounts were
subscribed by other gentlemen ; and I ern informed,
that had it been deemed necessary there would have
been no want of funds to support the expellee, or
of voters to supply the poll, up to the last moment
that it could be kept open. The last vote tendered
to-day in behalf of Mr. Calcraft, was that of a
clergyman; but I am sorry to say that he is an ex-
ception to his profession generally. During tin s
election only thirteen parsons have voted for Mr.
Portman and Mr. Calcraft. The rest of the priesto-
cracy of this county have not merely been voters
for, but also restless and reckless partisans in favour
of, Mr. Bankes.
Before I proceed further, I cannot help calling
your attention to the disinterested manner in which
the most influential attornies of this county have
acted during this election as the agents of Mr. Cal-
craft. Most of them refused not merely to take
retainers from Mr. Bankes, but also to take any fees
from Mr. Calcraft. They have been unpaid volun-
teers in the cause. Six attornies also came from
Exeter to assist in this glorious cause, and their
exertions have, I understand, been invaluable.
The SHERIFF declared the poll, after which,
Mr. BANKES addressed the electors. The sun
was shining very brightly, and he was about to speak
with his hat off, when the freeholders, respecting his
advanced years, and knowing that he had owned
himself fairly beaten, requested him to keep lets
hat on. He put on his hat, and then said, " Gen-
tlemen, I hope it will not be considered as a mark
of disrespect to you if I now keep my hat on. Bro-
ther freeholders, the state of the poll to-day is such,
that I desire no longer to be considered as a candi-
date for your suffrages, or as continuing the present
election.—(Cheers.) I retire from this arduous
struggle, certainly, with considerable regret ; because
it is impossible for me to depart from that high sta-
tion in which I have been placed in three Parlia-
ments by your kindness, without feeling deep regret
indeed. But when I say that I feel deep regret, I
deem it right to say that I feel nothing else. I feel
nothing of dishonour, nothing of regret, for that
great cause for which I have stood forward. I gave
the votes of an honest, a conscientious, and an in-
dependent Member of Parliament, whilst I had the
honour to represent you ; and had you done me the
honour of returning me once more to-day, and had

been called to give an opinion upon the Bill,—in
my opinion falsely called a Reform in Parliament,—
I tell you fairly that I could not, and should not,
have done otherwise than I have done before.—
(" That is candid at least.") My sentiments upon
this Bill are well known, and have often been de-
clared ; and if I do not enlarge upon it now, it is be-
cause I wish to avoid every topic of irritation or of
contest. I admit that those gentlemen who voted
for the Bill voted for it with fair and honest inten-
tions ; that they have seen it with very different
eyes from those with which I have contemplated it.
I am sure, that if my late Honourable Colleague
(Ur. Portman) had thought as I do regarding the
Bill, he would have been as strenuous as I have been
in opposition to it; and if I had fortunately enter-
tained his opinions, and had thought as he does—
that it would remove the defects of the Constitution
without producing consequences infinitely more cala-
mitous—l should have voted with him in support of
it.—(Cheers.) To those gentlemen who are now
so strenuous for Reform, I must say, that 1
can now tell them, that the Bill, the whole Bill,
and nothing but the Bill, is carried—(Loud cheers.)
but not by what has been done here, but by a de-
lusion which is now passing through the country,
and from which, in my opinion, within not many
months it will recover.—( Hisses, and cries of" No.")
I am now speaking the opinions of an individual—
an honest individual I trust—who may now be
standing before you perhaps for the last time, and
who may never again have an opportunity of ad-
dressing you, and I therefore solicit your kind at -
tention.—(lnterruption from an individual in the
crowd.) I hope the gentleman yonder, who differs
from me in opinion, will allow me to trouble him
with a few sentences more, and I can assure him
that they sl►all not be many.—(Cheer, and cries of
" Hear him.") It has been said, and I believe truly
said, that in other counties of England the same
spirit has prevailed which we have seers here, and
that there will be a certain return in the next session
of Parliament to the House of Commons of a ma-
jority of county Members who are anxious for
Reform, and are anxious to concur in the Ministerial
plan of Reform. But I would ask those who
are acquainted with the circumstances of the late
election, and particularly my late colleague (Mr.
Portman), whether when such men as Sr Edward
Knatchbull, Mr. Dickinson, Sir William Heathcote,
Sir Thomas Acland, and Sir R. Vyvyan—(Hisses)
are obliged to retire from the representation of their
respective counties,—l would ask him, I say, whe-
ther he thinks that those counties will be represented
by men ofmore enlightened talent,or by men of greater
integrity and honour, ia the next Parliament ?—(Cries
in the crowd, " Yes, by more enlightened men, cer-
tainly—nothing more easy.") The cause of what
is called Parliamentary Reform I admit is now com-
pletely catried.—(Some•interruption in the crowd.)
Whatever situation I may fill hereafter,—whether I
may be in public, or whether I may retire into pri-
vate life,—my wishes will still be for the prosperity
of this my native county, and for the advantage of
my country in general,—(Cheers.) And when I
am gone, as, in the course of nature, I soon must
go, I trust that no one will speak of me save as an
honest man, st ho was consistent in his principles,
and who endeavoured, to the best of his conscience,
to discharge the functions of an independent Member
of Parliament.—(Cheers.) I leave you, gentlemen,
I confess with regret, and I hope that the new Con-
stitution, which you are going to have, may be as
good and as useful to you as the old Constitution,
which you are going to discard. Gentlemen, with
great respect, I take my leave of you.—(Cheers )
This speech, which was delivered in a very affect-
ing tone of voice by Mr. Bankes, evidently excited
the commiseration of the people for the unfortunate
situation of that very respectable old gentleman.

The HIGH SHERIFF then declared Mr. Portman
and Mr. Calcraft duly elected to serve for the county
of Dorset in the ensuing Parliament.

Mr. PORTMAN came forward amid universal accla-
mations, which were loudly continued for some time.
His honest opinion was, that Reform in Parliament
was essential to the well-being of the kingdom. He
was convinced that the day was come when the
educated men of England were determined to have
representatives of their own choice, and not the
nominees of other persons, not a whit better or wiser
than themselves.—(Cheers.) So strong was his
conviction that this Bill ought to pas,, that though
he felt determined to get, if he could, two or three
alterations made in it for the protection of the
landed interest, he would not obstruct the passing of
the Bill if he failed, nor would he let his objections
go beyond the Committee ; for he thought that the
Bill ought to be fully and fairly adopted.—(Cheers.)
The part of the Bill to which he alluded as re-
quiring alteration was that which did not give to
the renter of the soil a right of voting unless he held
a lease for a long period.—(Hear, hear.) He
thought that those persons ought to have a right of
voting who.held such property, and who, from hold-
ing such property, had an unquestionable stake in the
country. He did hope to get for them that extension
of the right of voting, to which bethought that they
were entitled. He would not say a word more upon
the Reform Bill, because lie deemed it unnecessary.
He claimed for the county of Dorset that praise
which belonged, he believed, to no other county in
England. The county had recently had three can-
didates before it. One of the candidates had en-
deavoured by the means legitimately used at elec-
tions to secure his return. That candidate had not
been elected. Their humble servant, who was then
addressing them, had neither asked for a single vote,
nor had influenced any man who had come to him
for advice, as to his mode of giving his vote. He had
trusted his cause to the county, and the county had
returned him to the House of Commons. He con-
cluded, amid great cheering, by thanking them, with
all his heart, for the honour which they had con-
ferred upon him.
Mr. CALCRAFT.—You have now about to go to
Parliament two friends of the great measure of Re-
form. There will therefore be no conflict of opi-
nion between your two Members,—or, I should use
the fitter word, your two representatives—for now
you will have for the first time the real representa-
tives of your opinions ; and if you should ever do
toe and my Hon. Colleague the honour of drinking
our healths, do it as the real representatives of the
opinions and feelings of the county of Dorset. I
confess that a more exciting election than this has
been from the first moment of its commencement
down to the present hour, I never witnessed. But
as I wish that we should all part friends, and with-
out the slightest animosity, or disagreeable recollec-
tions against one another, I shall not comment upon
it at any length, but I must say, that one extraordi-
nary circumstance in its history is, that i n this county,
and in this only, where two candidates stood on the
ground of Reform, has there been no coalition between
them. In all other counties throughout all England,
theßeform interest I:as been united,and thus its victory
has been accelerated. My friends fought under this
disadvantage, and yet I am your representative. As
to that part of the Reform Bill to which my Hon.
Colleague referred—namely, the difference between
a house. and a .
my land qualification, I have only to say
n
sotmaptiytiddHoinuonth.act equitableoshilaeapgo
Colleague
jitnuhsettr,Bvaiinrii
trying
thatthat
it
s oughtnot
not to
tIo makeshallthaehreeftoterr arrangement upon that point. I doe joiu
hope that every thing which may have excited an
angry feeling here will now be forgotten. The
manner in which the contest has been given up de-
mands it. Let us enjoy with moderation the great
triumph which we have achieved. The triumph is
indeed great and signal. In the annals of the county
there is no trace of its ever having been previousiy
anprinciples
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u,b ttea whichdinadtwli
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represented by two persons of the liberal Whig
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achieve
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It is a mighty victory, which'all England has been
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advert t
oo
u e
That
topic which has long been a favourite with me,

anil is now a favourite with the great m7ss of the
people of England—l must advert to the abolition
of slavery. Long as the question has been enter-
tained in the House of Commons, little progress
has been made in it ; but I think that you have now
got a Government as sincere on the question, which
I admit to he a difficult question, as they are upon
the question of Reform ; and that if it be possible
to effect the abolition of that detestable traffic, you
will have it abolished. I assure you that I shall not
be less active for the abolition of slavery than I
shall he for the success of the Reform Bill. Mr.
Calcraft then retired amid great cheering, which
was liberally bestowed during the continuance of his
speech.
Mr. RUTTER regret!ed that on the close of so
arduous a struggle any thing like a personal allusion
should have been introduced among them. A gen-
tleman on the hustings had just described him as a
man with a broad brim and capeless coat. He was
surprised at this attack, for he thought that they
would all acknowledge that under a broiling sun like
that then shining a broad brim was better than a
narrow brim, as it gave greater protection to the
eyes ; and as to his coat, capeless as it was, it hap-
pened to be et* the most courtly shape going.—( A
laugh.) He was happy to say that, on this occasion
the county of Doset had proved itself a strenuous
friend of Reform. If gentlemen had lived, as lie
had done, in a nomination borough, they would have
seen how the old system worked. At the last elec-
tion for Shaftesbury, he had seen 40 tenants of Lord
Grosvenor come up to the polling booth, all of whom
had received notice to quit, for having voted at the
previous election against his nominees. These men
did themselves immortal honour, for 38 out of those
40 men voted at the last election against Lord
Grosvenor and his nominee.—(Cheers.) He con-
cluded by wishing a farewell, a long farewell, to all
the Bankes.—(Cheers and laughter.)
On the motion of Mr. PORTMAN, seconded by
r,
vAIA7RAFT, the thanks of the county were voted
to the High Sheriff for his impartial conduct during
the election.

The HIGH SHERIFF briefly returned thanks
The two Knights of the Shire were then girt
with swords in the usual manner, and rode front the
place of election to their respec!ive residences,
accompanied by a very numerous body of electors,
who rent the air with their enthusiastic cheering.
Thus terminated the election for the county of
Dorset, which has been conducted with a degree of
tranquillity and sobriety r►n•e in the annals of con-
tested elections.

The following squib has been largely circulated,
and I send it to you, as it appears to me better than
the usual run of such election trifles :

" FAILURE OF THE OLD CORFE AND KINGSTON RANKS.

" The movements of the principals and partners of the
above Banhs, have of late indicated great insecurity. An
unusual and suspicious hustle has also been observed among
the Clerichs.* In consequence of an unexpected demand
for principle, with which they were unprovitled, the Bank
has experienced a sharp run for the last five days. Bribes,
menaces, and cajolery, backed by a body-gust dof hired
armed ruffians, have been in vain employed to stave qffi
the just demands of the creditors. Security has been
offered, which, being of the most suspicious character, has
been indignantly rejected. We aie I,,ppy to hear that
sterling yeomen, shopkeepers, and 40s. freeholders, will
sustai❑ no loss by this failure, they having long ago with-
drawn their accounts, and transferred them to the more
responsible firm of

PORTMAN, CALCRAFT, A 2•711 CO., RANKERS TO TIIE KING,
ST. STEPHEN'S, WESTMINSTER.

" The Corfe and Xingston Banks were very anxious
to appear to retain the confidence of the Nobility, Gentry,
and Clergy; but even the greater part of these have now
declined the connexion, wisely resolving to secure both
principle and interest. The stoppage of Corfe Branch
Bank follows as a matter of course ; their Bands are not
marketable at any price. As the above firm have ever
professed to take the exclusively high ground in the cause
of the only true religion, we are grieved to hear that some
charitable and scholastic institutions will, for a short time,
be seriously inconvenienced by their insolvency. We are
assured, however, that if the assets now in their bands be
properly managed, they will be enabled eventually to repay
any sums they have received as trustees for Grammar
Schools, Public Charities, and the Church of England.
A FRIEND TO THE TRUE CHURCII."

" SECOND EDITION, WITII ADDITIONS ! !

" 'We stop the press to announce (from authority) the
names of the principal sufferers from this failure :—The
Viscount Parvenu Jaco Macaco Han-bill, and his protjge,
Young Master Income (derived from the people), George
Shanks, Esq., of Mudl and, squib and cracker-maker to
the late firm, the Count Bombastes Furioso Rashleigh,
Don Francisco Frown, of Crampum, and several other
small squireens and political parsons, of small character
and less influence."

Clerk..

GL 0 UCE S TER.
(Abridged from the Gloucester .Tournal.)
At the time of our publication last week, the
whole of this extensive and populous county was in
that state cif feverish excitement which is the inva-
riable concomitant of a contested election. In all
quarters preparations were making for the mustering
of forces, and for conveying them to the expected
scene of action, and as great confidence was ex-
pressed by both parties, something like a struggle
was fully anticipated. On the side of the Re-
formers, it was well known that our oil and highly
respected representative, Sir 'Berkeley William
Guise, Bart , had coalesced with the lion. Henry
Moreton, who had been induced, by a requisition
mare numerously and respectably signed than any
one we ever recollect to have heard of, to become an
aspiriant for Parliamentary honours. To these gentle-
men was opposed Lord Edward Somerset, a gallant
nobleman, whose meritorious services in the field
and private worth will ever command the highest
respect and regard, but whose votes in the late Par-
liament against the Reform Bill were now brought
up in heavy judgment against him.
All these preparations, however, turned out to
have been made in vain. On Monday afternoon
Lord Edward Somerset and his friends having had
time and opportunity to ascertain that the sense of
the freeholders of the county in favour of Reform
was irresistible, with that high and honourable feel-
ing which was to be expected from him, his Lord-
ship determined to retire from the contest, arid a
communication to that effect was made to the Com-
mittees of the other two candidates about eight
o'clock in the evening, immediately upon the receipt
of which expresses were despatched in every direc-
tion to convey the gratifying intelligence, and to stay
the progress of the numerous bodies of freeholders
which were to have been here in readiness on the
following morning.
Shortly before ten o'clock the gates of the Shire-
hall were thrown open, when a tremendous and ap-
palling rush for admission took place, but happily
unattended by any accident. The Great Room was
in a few moments completely crammed, and as the
candidates appeared they were received with loud
and reiterated cheers. Sir Thomas Crawley Boevey,
Bart., the High Sheriff, took the chair, and briefly
explained the object of the meeting. The usual pre-
liminary forms were then gone through, and the
question being asked whether any person declared
himself a candidate,
CHARLES HANBURY TRACY, Esq. then came for-
ward and said—On my arrival in this city it was
with no less surprise and satisfaction that I learnt
that the enemy to Reform, the enemy to the cause
which you are all assembled to support, retired from
the contest last night, by which prudent step on his
part your victory is complete.—(Cheers.)—From
the earliest period of my political experience, I have
been an advocate for such a measure, and I have
borne the character of a Reformer in times when
that term was any thing but a passport to society ;
but now the conviction of its necessity has become
almost uri iversa
n;
eyrol r nowmen."—(Cheers.)
hee allrsl
efo 710 euz-ail,
all honourable
how-
ever, caution you to beware of those sham friend•
of the cause, those wolves in sheep's clothing,
who, finding that their power has passed away,
would now gladly make some arrangement with,
the people, by stating that they would wil-
lingly support some kind of moderate Reform.
Fear and not affection has made many of the Re.
formers of the day, who would now gladly save a

vessel which they cannot wreck. When Lord John
Russell brought forward his measure of last
year, of merely extending the elective franchise ,
ro Birmingham, Manchester, and a few of the largest
towns, it should be remembered that they voted
against it ; can you then believe such Reformers as
these?—(Cries of " No, no.") Certainly not! for
Reform is in their months, -but corruption in their
heuts—(Cheers)—and I am sure that yori want no
titlf measure, but you r, quite the Bill, the whole
Bill, and nothing but the Bill.—(lmmense applause.)
I have now to propose, as your representarive, your
old and tried friend Sir Berkeley William Guise,„
who, during the twenty years he has sat in Parlia-
ment, has invariably supported whatever has tended
to the good, the liberty, and the welfare of the
eountrv.—(Cheers.) Disregarding personal consi-
derations, he has, on this occasion, coalesced with
the lion. Mr. Moreton, that you may have an op-
p'); tunity of sending two Reformers to Parliament.
JosEott PYRKE, Esq., seconded the nomination,

The lion. GRANTLEY BERKELEY then addressed
he electors, and proposed the Hon. Henry More-
ton as their other representative,—a proposition
which was seconded by P. B. Purcell, Esq.
No other candidate appearing, a show of hands
was then called for, which, it is hardly necessary to
sty, was most unanimous in favour of Sir William
Guise and Mr. Moreton, who were thereupon de-
cldred to be duly elected. Several thundering rounds
of applause were then most enthusiastically given,
and it was some time ere silence could be enforced.
Sir W. GUISE returned thanks.

Mr. MORETON begged to off, r his most heartfelt
thanks for the honour conferred upon him, and con-
cluded by proposing three cheers for the King,
which were given most heartily.
Thanks were then voted to the High Sheriff, and
the business of the meeting concluded by numerous
signatures being affixed to the return. It had been ,
arranged that the chairing should not take place fur
a week, but the urgent wishes of the immense influx
of freeholders and friends to see their favourite and
successful candida'es carried in triumph were not to
be resisted, and the new Members therefore retired
to give time for the preparation of the chairs.
About half-past two o'clock the ceremony of
chairing commenced, and a more imposing spectacle
has never been witnessed in this city. A very large
body of colourmen, with fligs, banners, streamers,
&c., was succeeded by a most numerous and power-
ful band, after which came the Members in their
chairs, followed by an immense body of friends. So
vast an assemblage of people was never before tv-
einbled in Glouce•ter : at one period, in the early
part of the procession, the whole space between the
King's Head Inn and the Cross, exhibited one dense
mass of human beings, whose animated shouts suf-
ficiently indicated the triumph of Reform. After
the procession had paraded the principal streets, the
Members were carried to the King's Head, from
the balcony of which they severally returned thanks
to the people. A general call was then made for
Mr. Gratuley and Mr. Craven 13erkeley, both of
whom came forward and addressed the populace, by
whom they were very warmly received, and loudly
applauded. Soon of er six o'clock a crowded and
highly respectable party sat down at the King's
Head, to dinner, at which Charles Hanbury Tracy,
Esq. most ably presHed, and was efficiently sup-
ported by General Guise, as Vice-President.